# Any wood turners in dorset?



## alanjparsons (7 Oct 2013)

Any woodturners in dorset that could saw/mill/bowl blank up for me a selection of wood I have been given? happy to pay you for your time.


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## chipmunk (7 Oct 2013)

There's Christchurch Woodturners but that may be a bit of a trek for you.

http://www.woodturners.co.uk/branches.php
http://www.woodturners.co.uk/associates.php

http://registerofprofessionalturners.co.uk/map-of-turners/

...otherwise you seem to be in a bit of a desert for turners  

HTH
Jon


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## woodfarmer (7 Oct 2013)

Actually what you really need is someone with a big saw. Do you by chance have a sawmill within easy distance??

You just need someone to split the logs in half longitudinally with a saw. Even a chain saw.
In the mean time keep the wood damp or it will start to split. dustbin liners would do.


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## alanjparsons (9 Oct 2013)

Cheers for the replies guys, the only sawmill I know near me (40 miles away) is Yandles, there rate is £100 per hour to do the work, is that cheap or expensive or just right?


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## Paul Hannaby (9 Oct 2013)

If you read between the lines I think what Yandles are saying is they don't want the job! But in their defence, they have no idea if the wood you want cutting has any potentially blade damaging bits of metal etc. in it so they are probably allowing for the risk factor and down time a damaged blade might cause.

If you're really stuck you can bring it to my workshop in Gloucestershire but I would have thought you would find someone a little closer to where you are.


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## bellringer (9 Oct 2013)

That sound about right 

i have had a quote for a mobile saw mill that was 260 per day and a chain saw mill was 160 per day they cost a lot to run and you have to pay the operate


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## procell (9 Oct 2013)

You could hire a chainsaw for a day just to slice the logs down the centre with the grain. If you are unsure how to cut them remove the middle section containing the pith as that is what will cause the blanks to crack more than anything. Each log should end up as 2 semi circular pieces and a flat centre piece. You also need to seal the end grain with something similar to old latex emulsion or dilute PVA glue (anything to slow the rate of moisture loss ).

Another alternative is to get an electric chainsaw. I know they are not well thought of in a lot of circles but I have one and it works fine for the occasional job as long as the blade is kept sharp. They are not as brutal as a petrol one so are a little easier to control.


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## Sheffield Tony (9 Oct 2013)

A pair of wedges, a sledgehammer and perhaps a carpenter's axe to tidy up, and it will be done in less than the time it takes to put on your chainsaw trousers !


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## woodfarmer (10 Oct 2013)

procell":xvlwb3pp said:


> You could hire a chainsaw for a day just to slice the logs down the centre with the grain. If you are unsure how to cut them remove the middle section containing the pith as that is what will cause the blanks to crack more than anything. Each log should end up as 2 semi circular pieces and a flat centre piece. You also need to seal the end grain with something similar to old latex emulsion or dilute PVA glue (anything to slow the rate of moisture loss ).
> 
> Another alternative is to get an electric chainsaw. I know they are not well thought of in a lot of circles but I have one and it works fine for the occasional job as long as the blade is kept sharp. They are not as brutal as a petrol one so are a little easier to control.



I use three chainsaws here for cutting (Pollarding ) firewood. Two petrol a Maculloch and a little chinese one (cost 69 euros) once the trees/branches are cut down and debranched I bring them to the barn where the logs are cut into firewood lengths. For this, in preference I use an electric chainsaw. Up until August it was an Ikra german cheapie from local supemarket and for about 9-10 years it has cut 30 to 50 cu metres of firewood each year. Never missed a beat and was real ergonomic to use. When it died I decided to treat myself to a Botche electric chainsaw. (Misspelling is deliberate Freudian slip). It is the worst saw I have ever come across. When you pick it up by the carry handle it swings vertical with the blade standing up like a light house. in doing this it trips the kick back safety and you then have to put it down horizontally, reset the trip and pick it up with both hands. if you let go of it to position a log with one hand, it swings around and trips the safety again. Once cutting is is fine, but generally every few minutes it will throw the chain off the sawbar ramp and you have to stop, take it apart and replace the chain. Utter rubbish and not fit for purpose. Last time I used it (second time) I gave up and reverted to using a handsaw as it was quicker. So after this rant, maybe buy a little no name electric chainsaw and cut it yourself, should be a lot cheaper than using that sawmill you mentioned.
Please excuse the rant but I used to be really fond of Botche tools, but nowadays they give the impression they are chinese rejects that have been rebadged. The last two tools failed miserably. Yet I have an old jigsaw and reciprocating saw both with over 20 years service still going strong. just like my B&D drill and circular saw and my very old Wolf 4" angle grinder.

The tool that will outlast them all though is my aged Holbrook GF metal working lathe, it wont be long before it sees a century of use..


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## Silverbirch (10 Oct 2013)

Assuming your timber is similar in length to that in your pic, a wood splitting "grenade" for £8 from Ebay, plus a sledge hammer, will allow you to split the logs lengthwise quite easily, before treating the ends and putting them aside to season. This will give you time to figure out how you are going to convert them to a more lathe-friendly shape, maybe by borrowing/buying a bandsaw or finding a friendly turner to do it for you.

Ian


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