The Full Circle: Edition 12
Editor’s letter
Starting work on an issue of The Full Circle is like setting off on a journey where you know your rough destination (a finished journal), but you know that on the way you’ll encounter interesting people with unusual stories. So it’s been with this issue. ASHS, the SFMA and the small-scale home-grown timber sector is a broad church full of innovative people unified by the idea of using our own resources to make quality products.
This period has confirmed my theory that ASHS members work in an alternative economy. Most members are run off their feet with full order books, at least until the end of the year. I hope that this is part of a development in Scotland’s economy that results in thousands of small, local businesses serving their localities, providing quality products and creating jobs and money, especially in rural areas.
As well as a lot of uncertainty about the future, there’s a sense of change in the air, and that’s reflected in some of the articles covering subjects we haven’t touched upon before and in the many new contributors. People talk about developing a woodland culture in Scotland, and I hope that The Full Circle will continue to play its part in encouraging that woodland culture, as Steve McLean, the magazine’s founder, envisaged.
As usual, many thanks to all of our contributors as well as our funders and members who enable The Full Circle to continue being published.
Nick Marshall, Full Circle Editor and ASHS Co-ordinator
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The Full Circle is released twice per year, for a subscription rate of £14 per year.
In this issue:
ASHS News
Key updates and developments from across the ASHS network, including member activity, industry news, and organisational announcements.
SFMA News
The Scottish Furniture Makers Association introduces a refreshed identity and outlines plans for The New Normal exhibition, exploring how furniture making responds to changing lifestyles, sustainability pressures, and evolving design practice.
Scottish Forestry Update
A sector-wide overview focusing on resilience during the pandemic, progress towards woodland creation targets, and workforce development initiatives. It also highlights the increasing strategic importance of forestry in climate mitigation, construction timber supply, and rural economic development.
Harvesting and Marketing of Douglas Fir in Wades Wood
A detailed case study of a specialist harvesting operation targeting high-quality Douglas Fir. It examines felling and extraction planning, machinery selection, log handling logistics, grading decisions, and the commercial realities of marketing large-diameter, high-value softwood logs.
Craggach Solar Kiln Update
A practical update on the design and performance of a solar timber kiln, focusing on airflow management, moisture control, stacking methods, and incremental design refinements based on drying results and seasonal performance.
Land Use in Scotland Conference – Spring 2021
Preview of a major cross-sector conference bringing together forestry, agriculture, conservation, and policy communities. Key themes include land use priorities, climate targets, biodiversity, rural livelihoods, and competing pressures on Scotland’s land base.
Deer and Trees in Scotland
An examination of the long-standing tension between woodland expansion and deer populations. Discussion centres on browsing pressure, impacts on natural regeneration, ecological consequences, and challenges surrounding effective deer management at landscape scale.
Wood-Mizer: Going Wide with LX250 and MB200 SlabMizer
Overview of new wide-capacity milling systems designed for oversized logs and large slabs. Particular attention is given to how these machines support furniture makers and small sawmills working with broad sections and high-value bespoke timber.
Myriad Uses for Logosol Machinery
Real-world examples of Logosol equipment in small-scale timber production. The piece highlights versatility across mobile sawmilling, framing work, slab production, and value-added processing in both workshop and field settings.
The Skye is the Limit
Profile of Magnus Burd, a tree surgeon on the Isle of Skye who has expanded into sawmilling. The article follows his move into small-scale timber production and shows how local resource access and mobile equipment can support entrepreneurial diversification.
Forest Policy Group
Overview of the Forest Policy Group’s work promoting a more diverse and resilient Scottish forestry sector. Coverage includes research into small-scale wood businesses, policy engagement, and efforts to strengthen local value chains and broaden access and ownership.
Building a Wooden Skiff at Clachan Wood
Detailed account of designing and building a 5m clinker-built rowing skiff using CAD modelling, prototype testing, and mixed local timbers. The narrative follows iterative design development, material selection, and hands-on construction in a rural workshop.
Low Impact Forest Management
Field-based perspective on selective thinning and continuous cover forestry systems. Discussion covers small-scale extraction methods, ecological response to increased light, soil considerations, and the economics of low-impact harvesting approaches.
GMG Biofuels
Profile of new ASHS member GMG Biofuels, a multi-enterprise rural business combining farming, forestry, and renewable energy. Their system integrates firewood production, biomass heating, sawmilling investment, and use of timber by-products within local energy and agricultural cycles.
James Smith – Cabinet-Maker
Reflective profile of a furniture maker working between traditional cabinetmaking and modern CAD/CNC workflows. The piece explores tensions between efficiency and craftsmanship, material selection, and the role of hand-finishing in contemporary design practice.
Trees and Timber on the Isle of Eigg – An Update
Update on community woodland management on Eigg, including phased Sitka spruce harvesting, firewood production, woodland planning across varied stands, and expansion of a tree nursery supporting local replanting and future timber use.
Elms – Where Are They Now?
Wide-ranging investigation into elm in Scotland, covering Dutch elm disease spread, surviving wych elm populations, historical context, and emerging work on genetic resistance and potential restoration strategies.
Craobh Woodwork
Profile of a rural woodworking business producing bespoke items from reclaimed and locally sourced timber. The article follows workshop development, kiln construction, machinery setup, timber sourcing, and the challenges of launching during the pandemic period.
Mobile Contract Sawmilling in Scotland
Practical insights into mobile milling across rural Scotland, discussing route planning, customer coordination, blade maintenance, spare parts logistics, and the realities of operating in remote and fragmented markets.
