Here at The Wombling Wood Company, we love trees. But we accept that for a variety of reasons some need taking down from time to time.
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To assist you in maximizing the potential value in the trees once felled, we offer a cost-effective service to be involved alongside you to achieve whatever you may wish for the desired end-use of the wood. The degree of our involvement is entirely up to you, but we offer a hand-holding role for you alongside each of the processes required to bring your wishes to fruition.
For us a successful project is where you as our client can look at an exquisite piece of furniture made from your own wood, that stands as an ongoing legacy in your own house or garden and say ‘I made that’.
So what are the steps involved?
Firstly we undertake an assessment of the log to be cut. Check whether it is suitable for milling. See what it is likely to yield in wood and discuss what options for a finished piece are open to you. Let you decide what you want to turn your log into, we can then turn these into cutting patterns for you.
Secondly we bring our mobile bandsaw to the area where your felled wood is located. A hydraulic loading attachment is attached to place the log onto the cutting bed of the mill. Typically putting in slabbing cuts to take off the rounded edges of the log to leave you with a rectangular cant of lumber to be worked down further.
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Alternatively for live edge lumber with the bark left on you can go straight to board cuts. The whole process of driving the cutting head, clamping the log and maneuvering the log is hydraulically controlled via a remote control, enabling the user to stand a safe distance from the processes. So apart from moving the boards once cut, the rest is very easy for the operator.
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Again, we would very much hope to involve you in the handling and milling processes, and our operator will instruct and advise you as required, in the operation of the mobile bandsaw, in planking the wood.
If the lumber is to be airdried at your own premises, we shall help set up storage that allows for drying if there is no building available. Alternatively we can air dry off site for you, but this does incur extra cost. Typically the lumber once milled should be airdried for at least 2 years unless it is to be used in green timber construction. This brings the moisture in the wood down from about 44% to 18-20%.
At this point it can be used for fencing or rustic garden furniture, but if it is to be used for construction or furniture with high end joinery it needs kiln drying to bring the moisture down to a stabilised 8-10% moisture content to prevent any further movement.
The heat in the kiln also removes the threat from bugs and their eggs in the wood that may otherwise damage it at a later date. Kiln drying typically takes about 8 weeks to ensure a low and slow drying process that causes the minimum movement in the wood as it dries.
You are more than welcome to come and see your lumber being loaded and/or unloaded from the kilns.
Once the wood is fully dried it will go to the joiner at their fully equipped workshop. They will then guide you through the process of making your finished item.
Normally this takes 2-3 days and is really enjoyable. In a lot of cases there is enough lumber to make 2 items so one is made by the master showing you how its done and one is made by the pupil (You)
You can keep both pieces or sell one to cover the costs of making the other. It’s entirely up to you. This is one of the most satisfying parts of the whole experience as with the guidance of a skilled tutor you can make very tight, tidy and accurate joints in your wood, giving your piece that high end look.
If its made of wood we can help you make it happen.
