New member

Rail-O-Matic · October 26, 2006, 07:21:52 PM

Dear Forum

I have been reading into the forum for quite some time now and could not wait any longer to join you all in, what has to be one the best forums on the net today.

I have been milling for several years now, with my own home made contraptions, firstly to obtain lumber that was not commercially available for making certain items for my musical instruments, in the guise of the Irish or Uilleann bagpipes.
I have rescued many large logs from Holly to Laburnham and wild cherry, which would have been left to rot where they fell, my main hobby over the last twenty year or so, has been anything connected and to do with milling and timber.

I have contacted the moderator Jeff B, who has kindly permitted me to introduce my busnesses bagpipes and chainsaw mills to the forum in my first posting, here is what he said.

We welcome you to introduce yourself in a new thread! The Forestry Forum does not allow advertising but we do help promote forum sponsors as you may have noticed on the left side of the forum pages. You have my permission to list your web address's in that first post as reference to who you are and what you do and we look forward to your posting photos in your Forestry Forum gallery and in your posts. There are some pretty good instructions on that here: https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12416.0 . The Forum members will welcome you I can guarantee so long as your first post is that of an introduction and not an ad.

I have in the last year or so, I have taken my home made contraptions to another level and using my skills as a trained engineer, I have made all of my own equipment for turning and cutting, I am situated in the tiny market town of Richmond, which lies at the centre of the Yorkshire Dales National park, in North Yorkshire, England, www.richmond.org

You can see what I have been up to in these links below, I have so many question I would like to ask you all and will be glad to give the same back, looking forward to joining in, all the best.

Davy
www.bagpipeworks.co.uk and www.chainsawmills.co.uk.

Mr Mom · October 26, 2006, 07:36:19 PM

Rail-O-Matic...I would like to welcome you here. There is alot of great guy and gal on here that can help with alot of your questions.
I have not looked at your web site yet but i love the sound of bagpipes.

Thanks Alot Mr Mom

Fla._Deadheader · October 26, 2006, 07:36:44 PM

Welcome to the Forum. Don't care for the Pipe music, but, appreciate the craftsmanship. Nice work. ;D

getoverit · October 26, 2006, 08:28:15 PM

Welcome to the forum rail-o-matic!

Hope you can figure out how to post pictures now and share your craftsmanship with us soon!

Jeff · October 26, 2006, 09:07:21 PM

I spent sometime on Rail-O-Matic's bagpipe website. great work!

thecfarm · October 26, 2006, 09:29:49 PM

Welcome to the forum Rail-O-Matic.You will like it here.

logwalker · October 26, 2006, 10:30:05 PM

Welcome to anyone who has the patience and talent to create the works of beauty I saw on your website. I know I could learn much from you. I think you will like this place. It is a vey respectful brotherhood. (and sisterhood) LW

Burlkraft · October 26, 2006, 10:43:16 PM

Welcome aboard Rail-O-Matic........

It's great ta have ya here.....

I'll have ta pass your site along to my little brother. He's a piper with the Mason's

asy · October 26, 2006, 11:52:25 PM

G'day Raily!

Great to have ya here.

I've had a long wander through your bagpipe site, it's magnificent. What patience you have!

Must say that Laburnham grain just blew me away...

You need to talk to Fred (CRTreeDude) about his magic timbers!

Welcome, can't wait to get to know ya.

asy :D

Rail-O-Matic · October 27, 2006, 11:50:40 AM

Hi All

A great big thank you to everyone for the very warm welcome, I really like what I see and hear at this place, I'm just working out how to post some milling pictures and I will send some soon.
I'm mlling some large Yew, Cherry and Douglas next week and will add a few to the photo gallery as I convert them.
Are there any wood turners out there, or any chair makers ?.

Cheers
Davy.

Part_Timer · October 27, 2006, 02:06:38 PM

Welcome to the forum.

I do like the pipe music, deadheader just don't know good music when he hears it but hay he likes grits so what do you expect. ;)

There are a lot of turners; Patty,Burlkraft,Katiedid,quartlow,chet? just for starters off the top of my head.

tcsmpsi · October 27, 2006, 03:25:11 PM

Welcome to the forum, Davy. ;)

Lots of turners here, as well as other instrument makers.

Banjo pluckers tend to be a bit biased in their music interpretataions. :D

I used to like pipes above most anything. Guess maybe I've had to carry one or two too many friends to them over the years to like them as I once did.

Beautiful work, by the way.

Texas Ranger · October 27, 2006, 03:29:32 PM

And there are a enough southern boys and girls here to off set all that damyankee foolishness, welcome to the board from a Texan. 8)

I turn some, but mostly make doors and windows. About those pipes, I served with some Brit troopers in Germany, and the last sound to be heard when they throw dirt in my face will be "Amazing Grace", played be a single piper.

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · October 27, 2006, 05:54:50 PM

AS a piano tuner...

IN my PROFESHUNUL opinion...

The sound of chainsaws and bagpipes...

DO FINELY COMPLEMENT ONE ANOTHER. :D 8) :D 8) :DWelcome, Rail-o-Matic

Phil L.

asy · October 27, 2006, 06:50:32 PM

Hey Phil,

I need my piano tuned probably in about March next year.

Any chance you'll be around here then? I have a tuning key, ya don't need to bring yer own... :D

asy :D

customsawyer · October 27, 2006, 09:47:28 PM

Welcome to the forum. I thought I was going to have to stand up and spin around with my arms out. All this talk about the sound of music. :D :D

asy · October 27, 2006, 11:34:22 PM

So, customsawyer, what DO you look like in Leiderhosen?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Photos please.

asy :D

Jeff · October 27, 2006, 11:42:41 PM

Probably the same as he does in leotards.

Dan_Shade · October 27, 2006, 11:52:06 PM

wow, i like bagpipes too, your creations are very nice!

with me, the beauty often ends where God left it, I admire when people can unlock God's additional secrets.

asy · October 28, 2006, 02:05:52 AM

Quote from: Jeff B on October 27, 2006, 11:42:41 PM
Probably the same as he does in leotards.

Sheesh Boss, ya coulda backed me up calling for PHOTOS!

asy :D

metalspinner · October 28, 2006, 12:59:11 PM

Rail-o-matic,
That is beautiful work. I could spend a week in your shop asking questions and picking your brain and leave wanting more. :D :D

It's great to have another musician around. I split time between the shop, trumpet practice and performance, and dragging logs and lumber around town.

Welcome aboard. I look forward to seeing more pics!

Jeff · October 28, 2006, 01:10:22 PM

Ya know we could for quite an orchestra with Forestry Forum members.

metalspinner, it looks like Davy puts on a workshop according to his website. How cool would it be to go to the U.K. and make your own tools then make your own pipes? 8)

metalspinner · October 28, 2006, 01:12:36 PM

I've been thinking about a trip that way someday. If I visit with some of my distributers I can write it off. 8)

Rail-O-Matic · October 28, 2006, 04:02:31 PM

I have put quite a few years into the musical instruments and the milling, they have helped each other along nicely, I was very lucky because I did get professional help or an appretiship through another top piper and maker called Peter Hunter,and plan to pass on that knowledge to as many folks as I can, infact.

I have a youg guy from Seatle, who is seriously interested in coming over to stay with us for a year when he finished colledge, he wants the full apprentiship from me, and then wants to set up back home making pipes.

I got news this evening that my milling jobs for next week have been halved, by a guy with a Woodmiser, the other half he cannot reach so I will keep them, these are the best bits of nice straight douglas, right next to the river where the miser cannot acsess, so it not all bad news.

I have been looking at buying a Ripsaw, when I phoned them they said they are working on a larger machine, made from aluminum, a two man outfit, which is nearly ready for release next summer, so I will wait and see what comes of it, I would have to import because they don't have a dealer in the UK, I suppose the American market is so strong they don't need to export.

I would love to buy a second hand Miser or similar, but there is not quite enough work for one around here, there are plenty of farmers who own pretty large woods, but they don't want to know as long as they are getting their farming subsidies, which are slowly starting to be cancelled by the government, only then will they start thinking of diversifying and the milling work will come to the fore.

I was reading a thread about a guy who has permits, to extract some of the old axe cut lumber from a fewrivers in the States, which now lies at the bottom of some of the deeper pools, does anyone know what this timber is like for quality and what is being made with it ? how much it costs etc.

I will have to come over the pond for a couple of months, bring my mill with me and do some proper milling on the big stuff, one of my dreams is to own a plot and build my log home, with my chainsaw gear.

BigTrev · November 01, 2006, 08:07:54 PM

Gidday Rail-O-Matic, welcome to the boards mate ;D

Those are some really nice instruments you make there !

Nothing quite like the sound of pipes heralding the dawn, makes me all misty just thinking about it :D You gota do a few recordings and post em up online for us to hear.

Oh and I'm one of the helper monkeys here at Petersons smiley_monkeyfight so if you start looking at the swinging side of mills feel free to hurl questions at me.