After 30 years watching our Maple grow from a sapling to a 10-metre tree, we decided it was too large for our suburban block and it needed to be felled. We didn’t want to see it cut up as firewood or mulched so we looked into what would be involved to make it into furniture. After several phone calls, I was directed to Alastair Boell who would be able to ‘slab’ the tree for us. Alastair visited us on a rainy day in May 2020 and advised us on what could be done. Alastair was encouraging and supportive of our idea, commenting that he wished more people would do what we were considering. Six months later, after COVID lockdown ended and the top part of the tree had been removed, Alastair visited again with his portable milling machinery. It was a great experience and I was able to be involved by stacking the ‘slabs’ in our patio where they would remain for up to 2 years while the timber dried out. I learned a lot about timber that day; Alastair's excitement of seeing ‘figures’ in the beautiful, creamy white timber was contagious as each slab revealed a new slice of our much loved tree. I am so glad we decided to take this direction. Alastair's care in providing an excellent service was evident throughout the process - he kept me informed of any delays, arrived when he said he would, included me in any decisions and cleaned up afterwards. It has been a very positive experience.

DENISE LYONS - SEPTEMBER 2020