Jonny69

Steve it looks as if you have a gross train of 5500kg and your van can weigh a max of 3500kg...............so you can have a 2000kg trailer on the back. (im not sure which model you have though so these figures may be different, check the plate) Please also note the the GTW means nothing really when it comes to towing a trailer, for instance you can not vary the weight of the truck to increase or decrease the amount you can tow within you 5500kg limit. Some people seem to think that if there truck is empty they can tow more behind it because they will still be under the GTW. Not the case, GVW and GTW (trailer weight) are totally separate figures and neither can be exceeded regardless of any other factors. Renault UK - Renault Vans - Renault Master Panel Van - Specifications Although this is not really the issue, the problem is because the trailer has MPM (maximum permissable mass) of 3500kg you are not supposed to put it behind a vehicle which only has a towing capacity of 2000kg, regardless of how much load is in the trailer. Every pick up in the country, bar some of the American ones or if you have them uprated and re-plated is illegal to tow a 3500kg trailer. Although I will say that no-one cares, everyone does it and I dont personally know anyone that has been done, I know a lot of people with 3.5t trailers behind pick-ups who tow it day in day out. The law is very silly as a Navara/ranger etc on the road is a lot safer than my landy 90. Having said all that, nobody seems to care and everyone does it, hell I cant talk I was towing illegally for nearly three years before I got my trailer test. I was at a nissan dealer not so long ago looking at a Patrol, the salesman tried to tell me that I would be better off with a Quashqai "I am certain that they can tow 3500kg sir, lots of people buy one for their horse boxes". Do they really.......hmmm. Anyway, nice trailer I had a look at them at Saltex this year, I will definitely consider one when I come to change. Shame they dont come in 12ft/6ft6 yet, hint, hint mr atlas

Unloaded and loaded line speeds are very different.A ramsey/milemarker/Superwinch (hydraulic) dragging a two ton landy up a muddy hill will probably be a similar speed to a Warn 8274, however unloaded the 8274 will pull the rope back in much faster. I believe the recommendation with milemarkers is a PTO hydraulic pump, which drives the motor in the winch (expensive but the best option). Put the transfer box in neutral, pick a gear to suit the line speed you want. They are supposed to be very fast and reliable. This what the man from milemarker told me.

This thread really is an insight, my suspicions have been realised, I can not compete in the small firewood market............may as well go and stack shelves at Tescos. I cant help but think that based on some on the quotes given here the contractor will lose money. IMO £200 will roughly be your break even when you factor in ALL the costs tractor, ins, days off, saws, rain, breakages etc. £300 is more like it, you would probably still be better off on the Dole. CM Hort has it about right at £350-400 you will be earning a pretty a good wage for what is, at best inconsistent work (as he admitted). Sorry if this sounds rude as if I am dismissing people, but seriously take a look at your bottom line, oh and that is not the pub banter bottom line, the reality the accountant hands back to you. P.S If you are talking beer tokens for the lads then fair enough, £250 cash, but only when you have nothing better to do and if the customer makes quality Earl Grey. Jonathan......never lifting an axe again

Not sure if ed is on here any more but the are some photos on the forum somewhere and a vid on youtube. I would imagine putting a diesel engine on it would not be too hard if you wanted to reduce fuel costs. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVtJdeBuvLI]YouTube - Hornet pro 38 stumpgrinder[/ame]

I have seen a very similar machine work on boxer 532. It was unimpressive TBH. There is so little of the horsepower getting to the cutting wheel it bogs down alot. The Powered grinding heads like Ed sells look very good (though I have not seen one in person), im not sure if he still makes them or if anyone else does anything similar. If that is a no go I dont think it would be that hard to mount a rayco head and engine to a bracket that clips on to the loader. You could then power the slew and height through the boxer hydraulics at tickover with a simple vale block. RAYCO RG1635HD Stump Cutter Or even the head of one of these.

Clearly the Eastern Europeans really will do ANYTHING for £3.50 an hour.

KK, just had a quick google. The spiderjack has one cam that accepts ropes from 11-13mm. I have run it with 11mm and 13mm ropes and I much prefer the thinner rope for smoothness. Cheers.

I use Yale Blaze, about the thinnest climbing rope you can buy. I am roughly 5'7 and 10.5 stone. I am not certain on this but I think you will be better on a larger rope. The larger climbers that I know tend to prefer thicker ropes (bigger hands). Although you may be the exception that proves the rule. Best to blag a go on a few ropes and see what you like. I believe there are two cams for the spiderjack, one for the larger ropes.

SWB the less friction and narrower rope you have the better for the spiderjack. I love mine, though I did not like the lockjack at all when I tried it. For working the spiderjack is great, if you want ultimate control (competition climbing) a well setup VT is better. But for day to day working the spiderjack is a great tool. Although not ideal when you are climbing above or near your anchor point as it self tends very easily and you have to pull some slack through it or put a knot above the spiderjack to stop the slack from pulling through. If you dont already, force yourself to footlock more as the spiderjack is great for having almost no sitback and footlocking with it is very efficient.

Now your talking serious hi-fi kit, none of this foreign solid state muck. I will post a pic up of the current Audionote setup in the lounge after Frank has shown off his Linn/Naim. Also I am going to dispute the "fact" that Naim make the best hi-fi kit in the world (I have heard most of it), Frank pm me if you would like to come to the house and hear some serious toys, the kettle is always on for other saddos like me who want to discuss hi-fi or listen to some LP's.

Hi, I always run my throwline back through to leave to anchor point, rigging point or both in place. Then just pull it all back through in the morning. Most people will never even see a throw line.

Down the Slope, I bought one in November 07 (I have the finance agreement in front of me). I Hire purchased it for 60 months (5 Years) at £70 per month with a total amount payable of £4905.69. To avoid any confusion please know and understand the APR when you take on these lease deals and remember the Lease companies know very well how to relieve you of an extra 1k over five years. Also I would love to know how you get 60 hours from a set of knives. Despite me being very careful with what went in the machine I used to change mine every 8-12ish or the wood never pulled in properly.

That is not good at all. I had a 16 year old son with 0 experience and no kit to come and work with me today (could not get anyone else on a saturday last minute), maybe I am too generous but he was chuffed with his £70. Anyone the grounds for me is on at least 65, up to 100 for the better more experienced ones. You may as well go on the dole, life would be a lot less stressfull too Forgot to say this is not a dig at you, just maybe you need to have a rethink on your current employers.

Hi, I recently sold my M300 (7 months ago). The chipper was about a year into its Hire Purchase agreement. The machine new was 3489.36 + VAT and I paid the VAT of 610.64 as a deposit. Fixed rate agreement for 60 months at 70.38 per month (no vat added). Just trying to work out where the contract lease part of it comes in and what it really means or if there is just another man in the middle taking a cut? Thanks. Jonathan

Hi, is there any deposit to pay on the initial payment? and who owns the machine at the end of the period, do you have any sort of option to buy back? Thanks. Jonathan

I know nothing of coppicing a woodland but saw this on ebay which might help timber and brash extraction. Forwarder,Forestry,Arb,chipper,firewood,county,spliter on eBay (end time 28-Aug-09 13:48:55 BST)

That doesn't leave many ounces for brainpower! You need to find a good bike shop that you can trust (I used to work in a fairly major one) and now would only let one of the 12 staff there touch my bike, the rest are muppets. You will probably want about 40psi in the tyres for general riding and 25-30 if you want some traction, I run about 18-20 off road but I am only 10.5 stone. Any more problems? Heres a pic too, never looks as steep, sketchy, rutted, loose, in the pics.

Dean, before you put a new chain on check the wear on the cassette and chainrings as worn `hooked` teeth wil bugger a new chain very quickly, think of it like putting new chipper knives in without setting the anvil. You can do it but not ideal, and it will work but just not as good as it could. Take some close upish photos of the teeth if you are not sure. Bottom bracket wise, not sure if they are square taper, isis or external bearings. Either take it apart and post some photos or go down and get friendly with a local bike shop + if you chat for long enough they will tell you the good spots to ride at locally, just use a bit of nouse as usually people like to keep the good ones secret.

The shoes have a special metal thing (cleat) that screws to the bottom of them, this allows you you clip to the pedals by pushing down. By twisting your heel out they release you. Couple if advantages, you cant slip a pedal so no ruined shins from spiky pedals and you can pedal more smoothly in a full circle. Also when you are confident on them they are better for techy climbs like the ones in the peaks. I am not a fan of the Shimano SPD style of clipless pedal as I find they have very little float and tend to clog with mud. Crank Brothers Egg Beater Triple Ti - 279.99 - SBR Sports I run the eggbeaters and although the triple tis are expensive they are quality and light. The cheaper ones all have the same mechanism and are just as good, only a bit heavier. Helmet is a Giro E2 Giro E2 2008 Helmet Silver / White I think mine is a special edition orange as I have never seen anybody with one the same, it is very good helmet for me. However I would go and get one from a shop as everyone has a different shaped head. The Giro Xen seems to be a popular helmet if you have a bigish head and also comes in some snazzy colour schemes. Living in the North definately has its benifits and although I am only about 1hr and a bit away from the Peak District I would still like to live up near the North York moors or the Lake district. If you want to do some proper rides I can point you in the direction of some forums where they have group meet rides round near you, definately worth going out in the hills with some more experienced people the first few times in case you have any problems.

Dean, Get yourself some `proper` shoes and pedals, you will never look back, I have got the Crank brothers ones and they are excellent. Saddle wise I run a Tune Speedneedle carbon saddle (literally a piece of carbon) which looks very painful but is actually very comfy because the carbon moulds to your ass. Also light because I am sad about things like the weight of my bike. Below: Just about to climb 1000 vertical M in one climb up towards the mer du glace in Chamonix as proof that carbon saddles are comfy. Below: Proof that Spd pedals and superlight xc bikes dont slow you down. Get out there and ride. Btw where are you based in the country?

I have met Dave just the once and have heard a little about him through other people. Enough to know he is certainly not a gypo. Maybe not perfect (I dont know him well enough to comment) But I feel that placing a comment like that about someones business on a public forum without any factual evidence is not cricket. I am based in a village in north Northamptonshire. How about you?

Any justification for this comment?

It is fine that you have a formula that works for you, but because others do it differently does not mean they are wrong. I will certianly have all the answers when (if) I retire to a Villa in sardinia and then I will have fiscal proof I have been doing something right:001_smile: Oh and I also hate doing conifer hedges which is part of the reason I am not cheap on them, means I get less to do and the ones I do get pay well = win, win.

You make it sound as if we are mercenary assasins looking for extra danger money. The way I do it topping conifers is significantly more dangerous (personal injury) than climbing 'proper' trees, however that is beside the point. You give a service and they pay what you ask, it is simple. Accountants dont get danger money, well some do:sneaky2:! They are paid because of their expertise, it has nothing to do with a continued exposure to papercuts. BTW I charge (and get) the same money for hedge cutting as I do treework. Oh and could you define "true value" as you seem to have all the answers? As far as I am concerned your value is what someone is willing to pay.