Workshop access Galway area

timreddin

Hi all,

I recently had a tree trunk cut into big slabs, ~55mm thick. I have have tried machining them at home but my diy-end tools, (jointer and thicknesser) aren’t really up to the job.

Does anyone know where I might access a workshop to machine the wood? I’m thinking something like night classes at a school or men’s shed that might have heavy duty tools. Or failing that somewhere I could pay to have it done?

Many thanks.

kadman

If you recently had them slabbed from the trunk, unless they have been kilndried,
then they are not really ready for any machining. Depending of course on what
you intend to make.

Even a good well sharpened planer thicknesser will struggle with wet timber.

What is the timber, and whats the moisture content??

Mens sheds dont have heavy duty tools that you need. Basic handtools, and possibly
a few small power tools.

timreddin

It’s quite dry. Trunk was over 10 years old and slabs been air stacked for a year. It planes fine but they are just quite heavy and big for my low end kit. Slabs are about two meters by 400-600mm , Ash.

Thanks

kadman

timreddin wrote: »

It’s quite dry. Trunk was over 10 years old and slabs been air stacked for a year. It planes fine but they are just quite heavy and big for my low end kit. Slabs are about two meters by 400-600mm , Ash.

Thanks

At best its down to about 18% mc. Air drying is approx 1" per year, depending on how they were sticked during stacking.

Best option is a joinery with a 24" 3 phase thicknesser. You are always going to have possible issues with wide slabbed planks. If you dont need full width slabs, then rip and then thickness.

What will you be using the planks for , internal or external items??

timreddin

Yeah I think rip is the way to go as there is a some poor quality waney bits. A real challenge deciding on the rip cuts.

I want to use it for a big counter top for kitchen island. Tree comes from wife’s parent’s farm so good to have a connection. Do you think it would look odd if boards were different widths? I would be trying to optimize yield without going to narrow boards.

recipio

timreddin wrote: »

Yeah I think rip is the way to go as there is a some poor quality waney bits. A real challenge deciding on the rip cuts.

I want to use it for a big counter top for kitchen island. Tree comes from wife’s parent’s farm so good to have a connection. Do you think it would look odd if boards were different widths? I would be trying to optimize yield without going to narrow boards.

Just sticking a slab into a wide thicknesser ( if you can find one ) is not a great idea. You will plane away a lot of wood to get it perfectly flat.
Its easier to build a router jig sitting of a flat surface and rout the surface flat. You will need to clean up with a sander but its a fairly achievable DIY job. Have a look at Utube.

timreddin

Thanks, good suggestion. I’ll take a look.