[rowlandwells]

as things are a bit quiet on the gardening side we turn our time for doing odd jobs like cutting up logs we had a tree that blew over in the churchyard the other day I think I mentioned this before in a previous post anyway as it had quite a large butt to cut up I decided to buy another battery for my electric saw its quite a large battery so we went to our local mower shop and we bought 1 battery and 2 chains I nearly  dropped through the floor when I was told the price so after spending  £338 quid  I thought this saws got to do some work cutting up wood to keep us warm 

[Goosegirl]

HOW MUCH??? 

[rowlandwells]

that's what we spent honest Goosy so as  bags of logs round here are from £170 to £200  per tonne bag  its going to pay for itself depending on how many bags of wood we would burn per year  given that we do burn quite a few logs in this cold weather it should be money well spent ?

[Growster...]

We've been incredibly lucky with wood over the last couple of years, as a chum has had to get rid of over thirty big bags of old yew and beech, and it was free to anyone who wanted it...

This year, I've collected eleven car-loads, and that will see us out until the Spring!

It's a labour of love, filling and humping fifteen plastic bags over a hundred yards, then loading them, then unloading and tipping them in the dry at home, but at about £75.00 a trip, I reckon it's a good deal - and also a great work-out for an ageing Growster...

[Goosegirl]

I had no idea how much wood costs. Crumbs. Growster, would it be worthwhile investing in a lathe or making a pole lathe so those old bits of tree could be turned into bowls or summat you could sell?

[Growster...]

'Old bits of tree could be turned into bowls or summat'

Funnily enough, I was chatting to a friend about that only the other day, as he does turning for a hobby!

I've always wanted to get a lathe, and may still make one, but haven't got round to it!

One of those big 'dumpy' bags of wood costs around £100.00 here, and we haven't had to buy them for over two years now, and also saved a huge amount on coal too! Sometimes such good fortune comes along when it's not expected!

[Goosegirl]

"Got round to it." Nice little pun there Mr G! Love to have a go myself on one. I love how the different colours of grain laid down over the years suddenly appear especially when it's given a good polish with beeswax.

[Growster...]

Yew doesn't really have a grain, which is why it's so beautiful when given the right treatment! Apparently, it takes a year to dry out an inch depth, so there's plenty of time!

When a bough of the huge yew in the churchyard behind us, blew down, we saved the wood and kept it for the son-in-law of our lovely past neighbour, who was coming down to clear out the house at the end. He collected it a few years ago, and explained that whenever anyone gives him any decent wood to turn, he always reciprocates by making and giving a small toadstool! Our treasure is in pride of place on the mantelpiece, and only a few yards from where it grew over the last nine-hundred years!

[Goosegirl]

What a lovely and magical thing to do. 

[rowlandwells]

as an addon to this I split down all the large pieces of the trunk with some wedges yesterday it took me most of the day and it was heavy going but there all split into lengths just right for cutting with the battery chain saw and stacking away dry for using next winter

[vikingraider]

Although they're handy, I'm put off buying most battery power tools these days. The new batteries either massively increase in price, or they stop making them

[jaydig]

'Old bits of tree could be turned into bowls or summat'

Funnily enough, I was chatting to a friend about that only the other day, as he does turning for a hobby!

I've always wanted to get a lathe, and may still make one, but haven't got round to it!

One of those big 'dumpy' bags of wood costs around £100.00 here, and we haven't had to buy them for over two years now, and also saved a huge amount on coal too! Sometimes such good fortune comes along when it's not expected!

There was a huge eucalyptus tree in the back garden of my brother's house and after he died we had to have it cut down. My nephew rescued some of the timber and also had a turned 'vase' made for each of us as a memento of him and the family home. Something I will always treasure.