For WMS this story started when one of our members was walking past tree surgeons felling the now famous oak tree** and asking the obvious question “What will happen to the wood?”
Instead of an answer, he was asked if he wanted some, and so several days later a 2m length of the trunk some 500mm in diameter was delivered to our Otley Courthouse workshop.
Without the means to store this timber, yet alone move it, we have cut it into the biggest slices that can be manhandled and several members have offered to store the sections to allow the oak to dry out.
WMS already has a number of ideas of what to make from this felled oak, but all will have to wait several months until the timber is dry enough to be worked.
** The 800-year-old stone bridge over the River Wharfe is one of the oldest bridges in the UK still carrying vehicular traffic, but then in the 1950’s had a pedestrian walkway cantilevered from one side of the bridge to separate cars and people.
Recent inspection revealed that the concrete walkway was in need of replacement and the local authority decided that for such work to be undertaken whilst maintaining traffic flow, a temporary footbridge would be needed.