Whilst West Midlands Woodturners (WMWT) welcomes offers of wood for members use, the club does not have storage or drying facilities, and acceptance of offers will be by members for their own account. This, therefore, limits the size of material that might be accepted to that of a car boot or small trailer size.
Recently felled wood can be turned in its “green” state but is unstable, and will almost certainly crack and distort on drying. Kiln-dried timber is what turners generally use and is supplied by specialists throughout the country. Air drying (leaving the wood to dry in the open or under cover) can take a considerable amount of time (possibly years) and is subject to high loss rates due to decay, fungal attack and infestation.
West Midlands Woodturners is not licensed to conduct tree-felling operations and is not insured for such activities. Members of the public should contact registered tree surgeons, who will possess the skills, equipment and suitable public liability insurance. It should also be noted that unless on their own premises, chainsaw operators must be trained and authorised by their employers who should provide appropriate
training and certification (e.g. NPCT, C&G level 2, etc).
West Midlands Woodturners is a not-for-profit club, whose objectives are the promotion of woodturning and skill enhancement for its members and the public.
John Hooper
Director
March 2016
Websites with information about tree surgeons: