Buying rough/rustic timber poles

looksee

Can anyone help me with a quick question?

Many years ago I used be able to go to some place and buy what I assume were timber thinnings - straight poles with bark on about 3" or so in diameter, with which I built a rustic trellis/fence affair.

Is it still possible to buy (small quantities of) something like this?

No matter how I phrase it in google I get stuff that is not what I want - 'Rustic timber poles' only comes up with UK firms. What am I looking for, are they still available and what kind of supplier might have them? I am in the south east.

TheBody

Maybe call a few timber harvesting contractors in your area. Timber that thin is of no real commercial use, so they may supply it to you for cheap.

I donated similar sized wood to the local scout den when I was thinning my forest. The felling contractor I used didn't charge for gathering it up for them either.

looksee

Thank you for that 'timber harvesting contractors' was the phrase I needed to start to find some links.

No firms apparently in my county but I did find one not too far away so I have a lead to chase up. People are usually good about pointing the right direction once you make a start

TheBody

I guess you could try Coillte too. I have never dealt with them, so I have no idea how you would get on.

con747

I used to get them in my local sawmills, they will have them.

looksee

I had been through the Coilte site but hadn't found anything that pointed in a useful direction. I think your suggestion of harvesters might be the way to go.

Can you tell me, is there a particular time of year that thinning is done?

TheBody

As this is not something that is normally for sale, it is not surprising that you could not find anything on the Coillte site. Essentially, you are looking for a favour from either a harvester or Coillte.

The suggestion to try a sawmill is good too.

Also, harvesting is done all year round.

looksee

con747 wrote: »

I used to get them in my local sawmills, they will have them.

Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't seen any around me, you need very local knowledge to find the smaller sawmills a lot of the time, most seem to only deal with the large timber that will be sawn. The nearest guy to me that calls himself a sawmill doesn't even do any sawing, he just buys timber in.

I think it was a sawmill that I got the first lot from, but that is decades ago.

con747

A list of some sawmills if any near you. https://www.forestryfocus.ie/wood-industries/sawmills/
https://www.woodtechnologyireland.ie/docs/Sawmill%20List%20Excel%20Jan%2018.pdf

looksee

con747 wrote: »

A list of some sawmills if any near you. https://www.forestryfocus.ie/wood-industries/sawmills/
https://www.woodtechnologyireland.ie/docs/Sawmill%20List%20Excel%20Jan%2018.pdf

Thanks for that, I am in a county that does not have a lot of forestry (Waterford) which probably accounts for the difficulty in finding any. I'll probably wait until the country opens up a bit again, its a bit impossible to do anything at the moment

I certainly have a better lead on who to ask now though, thanks.

Rows Grower

Local yard here in south Kerry always has them and sells them in huge piles of 8-16 foot lengths @ 75 euro delivered locally, they are a mix of spruce and larch. Most people use them for firewood.

looksee

Now that's what I could deal with! If there is anyone round here doing that though I haven't come across them!

Edit - just thought, there is a crowd in Clonmel might be able to put me in the right direction, I hadn't thought of them.

Large bottle small glass

looksee wrote: »

Now that's what I could deal with! If there is anyone round here doing that though I haven't come across them!

Edit - just thought, there is a crowd in Clonmel might be able to put me in the right direction, I hadn't thought of them.

How many poles do you want? What length?

Can you collect?

Pollards in Clonmel should be able to sort you either way

looksee

Yes, it was Pollards I suddenly thought of. I am going to have to invest in a small trailer, I need one anyway, but I will ring them and see what they say.

Edit, contacted Pollards, they do not take delivery of the thinner timber, only large ones for sawing.

$kilkenny

Hey looksee, I have a lorry load of poles ill be peeling to make show jumping poles out of, 3.6m in length from about 3 inches to 5 inches if they are any use?

Can either do a peeled or not peeled pole if they might suite your needs? As the name suggests I'm kilkenny so not too far away.

looksee

Hi, I'll pm you, thanks!