Xmas tree trunk is too big to fit my stand. Ways of reducing the diameter, please. Tree is too big to clamp in my vice so will have to be done outside freehand, as it were. Not really used to working with raw timber, and don't possess an axe. Just the usual workshop wood working tools.
G-cramped to a gate post or something. Then axial saw cuts , length dependent on diameter reduction required. Cuts in both cross-axes, pairs of cuts, chisselling out in-between , spanish windlass to compress to insert in the stand
Can you just whittle it with a stanley knife? Ditto multi tool? AG?
Hold it in your B&D workmate?
Electric plane?
I used a power plane
makes a mess, but works
Hand axe ?
Ouch?
I would have thought that the trunk being too large to fit into the stand might suggest that the tree is larger than the stand is designed to support safely.
And the person acquiring the tree is just trying to impress. FFS, would you post to a newsgroup if your stupidity put you in his position?
I was presented with a tree and a fairly ropey old hand saw[1] yesterday and proceeded to lop the end off and then various lumps and branches to make it fit into a stand without any great effort on a lounge floor. The tree was still bagged which made it easier to handle, but the wood was so soft that it presented no great problems.
[1] A random second hand one I've collected up and stashed away for random yard work. If I'd thought of it sooner I'd have said bring the bow-saw that was under it.
Whilst not ideal on damp timber, the good old fashioned angle grinder (with a coarse sanding disk of course) removes material pretty quickly and safely.
not really. the stands work fine with bigger trees
It's the same height as I normally get. It just seems to bulge out at the bottom of the trunk more than I've ever seen. Goes to almost twice the diameter in a short distance. But don't want to reduce the height.
Did a tree run yesterday and collected three all the same size. I've a feeling this one isn't the one I selected myself ;-)
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
I think the *low needle drop* type are grafted to other stock. You may be struggling with that.
A draw knife works well if you can stop the trunk moving towards you.
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When I had that problem last year, I cut the base as square as feasible and stood it on a circle of 18mm ply, screwed through from the bottom with a few big screws, intending to use wedges to adjust for any deviation from vertical (which proved unnecessary). A couple of arris rail brackets were also added for good measure. The ply fitted into a bucket, which was filled with MOT to give it some ballast (no doubt sand etc would do fine), then the whole lot was hidden with Xmas paper etc.
It held fine and, importantly, nobody (ie SWMBO) saw it as an unsightly bodge.....
Ah.
If it were any normal bit of wood I'd manage. ;-) Just not used to working with the raw stuff. Don't have a draw knife.
How much are we talking about?
Do your wood working tools include a power planer?
.- -. --. .-.. . / --. .-. .. -. -.. . .-.
Electric plane.
Makes more sense to diy a better stand so it will work for future trees with no effort.
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