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Do any of the Aberdeenshire mob have any pieces of 4in diameter green oak? I need at least four pieces, each around 10-12 inches long - so I can make some wood-splitting wedges.

Once I get the wedges made, I plan to start splitting and hewing my stash of eight-foot long Scotch pine logs into planks. However, I need at least seven wedges (including my three steel starting wedges) to control the splitting to best effect and green oak wedges are very good for this.

Also, would there be any interest from the wider group in my documenting the process? I can get the OH to photograph (hmm, but she's not very good at focusing!) the various stages and post them if people are interested.

Thanks,

Stonehead

No green oak, I'm afraid... (I've got an oak tree, about 50cm high, in a pot - would probably take a bit too long to wait until that one's grown enough!)

What are you going to do with the pine planks once you've got them?

ina wrote:No green oak, I'm afraid... (I've got an oak tree, about 50cm high, in a pot - would probably take a bit too long to wait until that one's grown enough!)

What are you going to do with the pine planks once you've got them?

The best planks will be used to line my workshop, the rest will be used to make pig huts, wall in a pig race that I'm building, and a few other jobs. I also have quite a few smaller sitka spruce logs that I'll be splitting in half to make post and rail fences.

I had hoped to saw the planks but the person who said I could use their PTO saw bench keeps making excuses when I try to pin them down for a date. And besides, it's fun splitting them yourself. (I used to help my grandad and father split logs into planks for building sheds, fences etc.)

Stonehead

Will ask David - he brought some stuff up with him when we moved...

We've got some machinery here too - but not sure what it is... and it's not operational AS YET because we need to get the phase converter wired in.

Will come back to you on this one.

Oh... and happy to help with the photographing if you need it.

I had a look but no, sorry, all our stuff is way bigger/seasoned and the last Oak that was felled on the Estate to make the sign for the new natural burial site was a mite bit bigger and the dross went for firewood.

David has come up trumps with a large squared beam. I should be able to get at least four big wedges out of it.

He's getting a couple of chickens and some steps for his Landie.

Thanks.

Stonehead

hi ..this is a guide for making beams out of tree trunks not sure if it can be modifyed for planking

http://www.stewardwood.org/resources/DIYbeams.htm