Today's Posts

It's an interesting question, I no longer have dealings with the landowner but was told they would be bonfired off site. I was flabbergasted. I suggested there were green composting alternatives locally but thought I knew a tip site (from here)that might take them if they would like me to enquire. I have been told by a local that they felt I was criticising.Anyway after a few exchanges with @Woodwanter on here he was willing to take a punt but was worried about the moisture content. By the time I had got back and asked whether they could load them they said they had instructed their contractor to dispose the bales to a green waste site. I have asked for the contractor to contact me but they are no longer answering my email. Heavy rain today won't have helped.

I wouldnt like to see weed legalised in the UK. Ok maybe legalise it but make it illegal to smoke it in public. I have no problem with people smoking it, I did but not for a long long time but these days it fookin stinks to say the least! I can do without going around my day to day business without gagging on the smell of skunk.

How did you try to lift it? With a/the rope and pulley up the tree (can't see from video if you crotched it or used a pulley/ring/biner)? Or just by hand on the ground?

Progress happens in steps. Otherwise we'd still be using flint axes. Must be a wider business decision. Moving people towards battery maybe.

Wordle 1,567 4/6 🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩⬛⬛🟨🟩 🟩⬛🟩⬛🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Milling finished so a quick update. The 18mm ply board with 45 degree blocks worked a treat. Fixed it to each quarter with a screw at each end and milled down to one board past the ‘centre’. Then removed the board, flipped the log over and finished milling the second half. In each quarter, the ray fleck figure is visible in the four centre boards as I’d hoped, so I’ve the option of jointing each set of four planks to make four 0.9m to 1.0m book matched ‘slabs’. Maybe table tops? Planks are generally very good, with a few small / pinhead knots. A few splits around the heart in some boards, but I’ll cut that off in due course. Overall, looks like grades 1A and 1B based on the pictures in the publication ‘Making the Grade’. Not bad for a 160 / 170 year old garden tree and thankfully no nails. Re the volume of useable timber, the log started as about 40 hft (hoppus measure). After milling there is an average 10 planks per quarter and a total from the four quarters of about 30 cu ft of planks including sap. Having measured the planks excluding bark, sap, heart and splits, the quartersawn heartwood volume is 20 cu ft with planks generally 200mm+ width with a max of 270mm width and up to 350mm at the flare at the bottom of the log. Interesting to see that the heartwood measure is half the hoppus measure, which I guess gives a better idea of the ‘value’ in a log? The upper log was milled slightly differently to the earlier sketch. I was looking for roughly 10 x 2 planks which will be trimmed to different widths after drying to exclude sap, etc. Just aiming to have some stock of oak, not for anything specific at the moment. There was a shake I’d forgotten about, we found a patch of rot from a broken branch and other issues, so we adjusted the cut pattern as we progressed to keep faults on the sides of planks rather than in their centre. Got 18 square edged planks with six quarter sawn / ray flecked planks, three either side of the heart, plus flat and rift sawn planks. All the planks from both logs now moved from the sawmill and about half stacked and sticked with 20 x 12mm sticks at 400mm centres. Waiting for storm Amy to pass in the meantime and after finishing the stacking, will cut and split all the offcuts for our stove. Nothing wasted! Overall, milling these two logs has yielded some good timber for my ‘a hobby woodworkers’ future use. And lots of fun! Andrew

The people who couldn't book online died?

Unfortunately not. I will be with my 11 year old daughter and her friend. A bottle of Shiraz and a few tins of Belgium’s finest will see me through.

Could be a place to visit one day.

I get the use of the 760 regularly and have had the use of at least three other models over the last 5 years. Zero issues so far. I love them.

Have you adjusted the carb settings yet, most carbs are set to 1 turn out on the H&L screws but try 1.5 turns and see if that helps. A carb kit may help but it may just be a blocked fuel filter, holed fuel line, blocked gauze strainer or just gunk in the carb. The 114 is an old saw, is the piston OK? Taking off the muffler and viewing the piston through the exhaust port will help. What is the compression like? 150psi + is best. Lots of things can cock up the idle but if the compression and piston looks OK, most issues are fuel system based.

sorry Stubby, you were closer before.

NBC in 2011, Trump said: "In my opinion I hear the Democrats are going to be blamed and the Republicans are going to be blamed. I actually think the President would be blamed. If there is a shutdown I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He's the one who has to get people together."

wow - it's your lucky day - some guys have written a whole 50 page booklet 'weed control in Christmas tree plantations'. Merry Christmas https://cdn.forestresearch.gov.uk/2022/04/fcfb015.pdf

I'm using a Sequoia harness with 2 bridges and I want to fit a connection ring on each one. The bridge that came on the harness is a size 'M' (45cm), about 10 or 11mm thick so I just added another one the same to match it as it seemed fine when I climbed on it. Petzl connection rings come in size S (28mm internal diameter) or L (46mm internal diameter), but I can't find it stated anywhere which size ring would be best to use on those bridges. By my reckoning the small ring ought to be big enough to accomodate the thickness of the bridge itself plus the thickness of a karabiner with a few mm to spare, so is that the one to go for? Or am I missing other potential uses for which I'd need the extra internal diameter of the bigger ring(s)?

Ring got forced back into the groove about 1/2 mm, I was surprised there was enough depth in the groove for that to happen.

I don’t remember seeing one. Only recall loads of ladybirds, biting and a surfeit of greenflies often getting into the potato salad - couldn’t tell the difference between them and chopped parsley 🤣

Morning all, Heading north for a week to see daughter and her in laws. Wonder what the weather will bring.

Did you rate it as a grinder though Josh? Pretty sure that’s the one Ross White had, and thought it was mentally good, possibly too good for the size/weight. Like an animal 8” chipper that weighed 400kg.

I got let down last minute and am looking for someone with up to date (passed or refreshed within last 5 years) felling certificate (small trees is enough) and valid 1st aid+f. Job is in Cumbria, Duddon Valley starting on Monday 6th of October for 2 weeks. It's felling and processing Larch trees for future milling and peeling on site. Message me for details. Thanks Peter

Job opportunity. We are a tree surgery firm based just outside Westerham in Kent. We are looking for the right person to join our small but fast growing company. Please see details of the role below: Location: Westerham , Kent Qualifications: Must have CS30 / 31. Cs 38/39 would be a bonus. Requirements/Experience: - Must have a full, clean driving license - Good team player - Professional Hours: - Monday to Friday, 8-4 plus travel. If this sounds like you, then please get in touch for an informal chat with Archie on 07786884924. https://www.facebook.com/apftreesandgardens/

I want to get out to German/Austria to find climbing work before cutting season ends. I have all kit an necessary tickets plus 10 years experience.. any suggestions or contacts for companies to approach would be much appreciated.. TIA

They're pretty simple machines. Mine jammed up the other day when a fork went through it but the overrun clutch on the PTO shaft saved the day. The product is fiddly to burn but you can really fill a stove up and it goes for a long time. It gets choked up on brash but it's a decent way of reducing bulk if you don't have a chipper