Thread: Name that tree (and is it any good for turning?)

Corbs, I'm actually jealous.

Yes Elm is a European wood and yes we can get it. But with Dutch Elm disease wiping most of them out in the 70's & early 80's they only come from the higher latitudes of Scotland (where it's cooler and the beetles can't live) so very expensive.

I don't suppose there was any Burr (burl) on it, Elm Burr is stunning.

Well, I'm out of fuel, out of bar oil and have a blunt chain (spare is being sharpened so will hopefully get that back next week). I've given a few bits away and hopefully have some more going today. I've sliced the cheeks off 7 1/2 bigger sections and have them in my wood shed now. Still a lot of cutting to do but hopefully I can save a fair bit.

Willy, if you weren't on the other side of Australia I'd offer some to you. If you're coming over this way let me know and I will sort a couple of blanks for you.

dr4g0nfly, this was just a limb so no burl but there were a few good sized branch junctions which I'm hoping yield nice blanks. I will keep an eye out around town to see if there's any burls on any of the many Elms here

Originally Posted by corbs

Well, I'm out of fuel, out of bar oil and have a blunt chain (spare is being sharpened so will hopefully get that back next week). I've given a few bits away and hopefully have some more going today. I've sliced the cheeks off 7 1/2 bigger sections and have them in my wood shed now. Still a lot of cutting to do but hopefully I can save a fair bit.

Willy, if you weren't on the other side of Australia I'd offer some to you. If you're coming over this way let me know and I will sort a couple of blanks for you.

Hi Corbs
Very generous of you.

Sounds as though you need to learn to sharpen you chains though?? If I am reading between the lines correctly. Can get expensive.
Cut 3 ton of peppermint gum trunk yesterday with the 36 inch bar on the 660 and had to do it from both side, huge tree

Originally Posted by Willy Nelson

Sounds as though you need to learn to sharpen you chains though?? If I am reading between the lines correctly. Can get expensive.
Cut 3 ton of peppermint gum trunk yesterday with the 36 inch bar on the 660 and had to do it from both side, huge tree

I've been cutting end grain which kills the chains pretty quickly. I might have to keep my eye out for a sharpener, at $14 per chain locally it should pay for itself fairly quickly.

Originally Posted by corbs

I've been cutting end grain which kills the chains pretty quickly. I might have to keep my eye out for a sharpener, at $14 per chain locally it should pay for itself fairly quickly.

All you need is a file of the proper size and a guide. After you have used the guide for a while, the angle to hold the file comes naturally.

Turners Log Burners - Silverline Chainsaw File (4mm)

Chainsaw Maintenance Made Easy | Scottie

When you are cutting and the saw is not cutting as well, 5 minutes with the file gets you going again. The angle is not critical, but after repeated sharpenings if you have wandered off angle too far, you can have a professional sharpening.

HOW TO Manually Sharpen a Chainsaw Chain - YouTube

Originally Posted by corbs

I've been cutting end grain which kills the chains pretty quickly. I might have to keep my eye out for a sharpener, at $14 per chain locally it should pay for itself fairly quickly.

Corbs
I may be wrong in your case, but I have seen many people using a chainsaw to prepare blanks for turning by cutting the log down the middle whilst upright, truly cutting end grain which is really hard work, hard on the chain and the saw.

I hope you have the log laying down and in effect, you are ripping. You should end up with great ribbons of sawdust at your feet and the saw will cut very easily.
Hopefully some one smarting than me can put a link or a diagram on how it should be done
Willy
Jarrahland.

No picture needed Willy, I figured it out ... issue now is my saw needs a service. No idea what's going on but I can't get the damn thing started now. Full of fuel, bar oil full, kick back guard is all good but she just won't go

I'm not going straight down the middle but taking off the two cheeks to remove the core which had started to split radially. I'm hoping that by removing the splits which have started I will increase the chance of salvaging the blanks. It also leaves me with a nice thick blank through the core which, if it doesn't split will give me another nice blank but worst case should give a couple of nice grinder blanks for spindle turning.