Timber harvesting???

[Tonytygwyn]

I have the opportunity to help myself to the trees felled on a local farmers land. There are about 25 trees that have been felled I believe that the majority is ash and oak. they rang from 30cm diameter logs up to 80cm diameter, in lengths 1.5m to 4m. Amongst these are 2 large oak logs from felled dead standing. A lot of the trees were in a hedgerow and i'm aware of the risk of wire in the timber.

Any advice would be helpful on.

Is it worth the effort getting a contractor in to move the timber to a local sawmill? I've been quoted £45 and hour from one contractor.
I've only got a couple of photos of the logs can anyone confirm the species? (I've been told Ash.)
Can you get any good timber from dead standing oak trees?

 

[Beau]

First ones oak but could be Turkey oak as the line of sapwood is thick. Also looks like there is some metal work in there due to the staining showing. If it is Turkey it's not great for furniture as very difficult to dry without lots of splitting. Don't thing the second is ash. First thought on that is Alder but not confident without being able to see the grain. Hedgrow wood also is prone to stresses as its exposed to prevailing winds and has to grow resisting them.

 

[Tonytygwyn]

Beau,

I didn't think it was an Oak due to the leaves not being nobly

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The one with the leaves is very smooth barked unlike the felled pieces, so probably a different genus.

 

[Selwyn]

Quite frankly although it would be fun to do I don't think its worth it as they don't look good enough.

You will get way better wood around your area than that from a sawmill

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Quite frankly although it would be fun to do I don't think its worth it as they don't look good enough.

You will get way better wood around your area than that from a sawmill

Hi Selwyn, I'd be interested to know where you recommend locally?

 

[Jacob]

Get a woodburner.
Keep the stuff for at least a year. It'll season outside but faster if you reduce to firewood sizes and stack it to let the air get at it.
In the meantime fiddle about making stuff from any good bits you find - bowls, knobs, tool handles, etc.
Stick chairs probably the most substantial thing you could extract, though you might have to buy in stuff big enough for the seats.

 

[Tonytygwyn]

Went up to the field with my chain saw a few clean cut logs to identify please.

Still hoping to get some usable timber ever the optimist.

 

[adidat]

middle one looks like a birch

adidat

 

[Beau]

Looks like alder, birch and willow

I am with Jacob on this one as it looks like firewood. Good firewood though

 

[Jacob]

Be nice for green wood bowl carving Robin Wood style. Very nice to carve green and they dry split free but changing shape a bit.
Two basic shapes - the curvy one from a whole log and the flat one from a split log; http://www.robin-wood.co.uk/wood-craft- ... den-bowls/

Or if you log it and dry it (one year minimum) it'll be worth from £50 a cubic metre builders bag full, including the small stuff (which will be most of it).