Keen to make the most of fallen trees on his hill farm near Crickhowell, Powys, Martin Buck built his own “Slabmaster” track bandsaw to turn them into useful timber.

A host of salvaged components were used for the project, including a pair of old 30in band wheels and an electric motor sourced on eBay, chains and sprockets from an old baler, and various sections of recycled steel.

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The saw itself is built around a cross beam formed from 5in box-section steel, which includes a sprung screw adjuster for achieving the correct blade tension.

This is supported within a steel frame which allows the saw to be lifted up and down to achieve the desired cutting height.

To accurately guide the blade, Martin built a track using two lengths of RSJ braced by box section, added wheels to the bottom of the main frame and fitted a winch to pull it through the timber in a controlled way.

Power comes from a three-phase pto-powered generator, which provides plenty of oomph for cutting through hardwood up to 60in in diameter.

He uses the timber for making chopping boards and furniture that he sells through his Buckwood Studios website.

The project took three months to complete in his spare time, although he says he did spend years thinking about the design before venturing into the workshop.