Hardwood

woodturner

What do people be thinking when they cut up really old hardwood trees for firewood? A neighbour recently cut down an Olive ash tree and has it cut into rings. I called in to see about getting some for woodturning and couldn't believe the incredible colour in it. He said it must be over 100 years old. On Sunday I was talking to a mate who didn't realise I did turning. He told me he'd be cutting up a 300 year old beech for firewood. I put him off that until I see it.

kadman

They dont understand about wood, they only see firing.

Should be a law against burning decent timber. Beech, ash, oak, elm, alder ect are beautiful for
turning, furniture or whatever other timber orientated venture.

There were 2 wych elm cut down across the road from me, and i approached the farmer to save them from the
fire.
Farmer said he wanted them for firewood. I offered to buy him a load of chopped firewood in exchange, plus money.
He refused, and said he wanted the wych elm for firing, end of.

Obviously he has never tried to split wych elm for blocks. They are still in the field to this day.

And that was 25 years ago.

woodturner

That really infuriates me. I've seen Yew being cut and burnt before and told the person there'll be no place in heaven for them haha

recipio

woodturner wrote: »

What do people be thinking when they cut up really old hardwood trees for firewood? A neighbour recently cut down an Olive ash tree and has it cut into rings. I called in to see about getting some for woodturning and couldn't believe the incredible colour in it. He said it must be over 100 years old. On Sunday I was talking to a mate who didn't realise I did turning. He told me he'd be cutting up a 300 year old beech for firewood. I put him off that until I see it.

Olive ash is a beautiful wood - what a shame.Its just not economical to hire a mobile bandsaw mill for one tree and most of us do not have trailers and hoists to bring them to a sawmill. It can be hard to get a farmer to part with a tree - I think they see it as part of their 'birthright' .:rolleyes:

Ineedaname

A beautiful beech tree came down on a neighbours land during a storm a few years ago. Myself and a friend offered to cut it up and take it away. Said we'd give him whatever price he wanted for it.

He wouldn't hear of it. Later discovered he'd actually paid someone to get rid of it.

magicbastarder

a chap in our woodturner's guild lives out in portmarnock. a neighbour of his rang the council to see about have a few branches trimmed off a tree that was overhanging his property - he wanted to build a shed and they were in the way. the council subcontracted the job to a company who came out and chopped the tree down, which was an elm.

recipio

magicbastarder wrote: »

a chap in our woodturner's guild lives out in portmarnock. a neighbour of his rang the council to see about have a few branches trimmed off a tree that was overhanging his property - he wanted to build a shed and they were in the way. the council subcontracted the job to a company who came out and chopped the tree down, which was an elm.

The County Councils should be held accountable for this criminal waste of good timber. I posted before about four Elm trees taken down in front of my house and I managed to save one because I asked the tree surgeon about it beforehand. Of course he never mentioned the other three which were promptly turned into firewood. Now to find a small DIY swingblade mill.:D

mayo.mick

I'd be telling that farmer, there'd be no heat at all at all from that timber, and it'd be a hoare for spitting

recipio

mayo.mick wrote: »

I'd be telling that farmer, there'd be no heat at all at all from that timber, and it'd be a hoare for spitting

That's why they used to use elm for the hub of wooden wheels - impossible to split .:rolleyes:

phelixoflaherty

Why not contact the tree doctor lads and make them an offer for any future stock

recipio

phelixoflaherty wrote: »

Why not contact the tree doctor lads and make them an offer for any future stock

I found that they already had a buyer lined up. They are contracted to clear the site and half an hour with a chainsaw does the job. If you bought tree trunks from them you would obviously have to move them off site yourself.