PeteB

Lordy! Has it really been 8 years since that mad show at that Kingswood spot? Time fly's heh?

Barry Pollard worked with me at Barrowcliff Ltd, blinding climber and strong work ethic. Honest and reliable too! Worked for Treewise and got them into power line stuff but got stiffed by Martin Stanley I heard. Then top man at ENS(?). Then went on to be a linesman and gave up tree work. I got to say, it was a pleasure to work with him.

The chance of them coming off is slim - bearing failure allowing the flywheel to wobble is usually the cause of woe, that or a chunk of steel. But, if a genuine blade, genuinely failed then we would take care of the repair at the factory. Our blades are sunk into a cup, most other blades are surface mounted and therefore, they they come apart then bits fly everywhere, in spectacular fashion, doing untold damage. If a GreenMech disc blade is busted, there is a chance of a chunk going up the spout and the rest staying in the cup, held in with the countersunk bolt. We have had a customer who suggested that his blades were sub-standard after one cracked, no damage was done to the rotor, casing or shear bars so I gave him a new set. The cost of getting them analytically tested was exorbitant - so he went away happy and we felt that that was the best way forward. I recently put some prototype blades on a customers machine and something did go bang and damage was done. We put it right. That was on a three year old machine with over 1000 hours. And we lent him a machine.

On a point re - manufacturers of chippers and their blades. GreenMech blades are manufactured under license with a copyright on the blade. Any one who is reproducing blades to the manufacturers spec is in breach of copyright. An illegal act is it not? Any copies that are not to the manufacturers design void any warranty. I won't condone the use of copy blades as if the do fail through a fault, who would cover the damage done to the rest of the machine. Blade failure is indeed very rare, but if they do, the damage can be spectacular. I know of one chap who had a blade come off a brand new Jensen and Redwood referred to the manual which did say 'check the bolts before first use'. The chassis was wrecked and had to be replaced at the customers expense. I once voided the warranty of a load of machines when the customer advised me that he used copy blades - they went in the bin sharpish (nice pun?) While there is a place in the market for most things and everyone has a right to earn a living, I don't buy copies or forgeries etc.......whatever the promises made.

I haven't read the blog, but why was Timberwolf singled out for attention? Even if it is just in the title, it sort of implies that TW machines behave differently to every other chipper if they have blunt blades. I have been in this game since 1990 and can confirm that no blade works well if blunt! I know that there is a market place for everything but I would always countenance the use of genuine blades. Would you chuck copy Goodyear's on the family car?

Kanga from Australia via a company based in Leicestershire?

Thanks for the response so far, TBH, it is a small job at the father in law's! Me, I'd burn the stuff but he is paranoid about smoke and the hedge going up! The place is a mess so trying to tidy up so a paddock mower could keep on top.

I need to flatten an area of about two tennis courts of scrub/old brash in a field in North Nottinghamshire. Any self drive hire stuff within striking distance? The stuff is probably a tad thick for a flail.

Zeppelin, the hire company in Germany are refreshing some of their fleet.

Customers colours!

Who has them? Recommended makes? Pros and cons?

I'd be worried that trying to straighten it and the act of bending it will now have the flail shaft running out of true and stress load things. The cover may straighten but put extra plating around the mounts.

I'm pricing that kingspan cladding up and it is a chunk of money!

Pictures Will? Anyone know what that spray stuff is called? It would be a right ball ache trying to slab lag it!

We had one as a reps express and the dealers were so helpful everytime it went bang! One dealer told me that they had had several in for new lumps, way out of warranty, no service history and absolute farm sheds but Isuzu still wanted a new engine fitted. Superb service!

The Mrs has a barn/shed/stable at her spot which is half brick and half wriggly tin with tin roof. Since the horses etc have gone and we need storage or workshop space, it will get cleaned out and become more useful. However, I wouldn't mind insulating it against some of the cold and damp. Anyone had any experience of that sprayed on foam type of stuff and the costs involved or any alternative?

I've seen a couple of engines scavenge their own oil. One in a chipper which was overful of oil ran away on our assembly line and we stopped it but blocking off the air intake manifold. But not before it filled the shed with pure white smoke! The other was recently when a traffic management 3500kg truck let go - impressive smoke from that too!

You can feed hedge cuttings etc into a chipper! Sometimes a push stick is a good thing and as long as the stuff is clean, it should go through. I certainly have chucked great handfuls of conifer shavings into a CS100, just to see if it was okay. The bloke brought it and he was a private buyer who wanted a professional piece of kit for his large garden.

No oil cooler fitted to a standard 1928. Large oil capacity mean that it wasn't necessary. The fan is on backwards - Jase and I looked at one in the factory. I would go back to basics and check the cool compartment, radiator condition, coolant levels, caps, hoses, fan and so on......

Top advice again!!!!

Top advice once more!

We have had alloy ramps for our trucks and the Sara ramps are good. Some ramps come with decent carry handles for them too. One point to remember mind.....security. Make sure that you have a decent lock and chain if the are getting left any where.

What the man said......

Tigers v Exeter tomorrow, wished I had a ticket but committed to something at home!

13th-15th October - Who is going?