Brushcutter

I managed to split a Hi lifts wooden shaft first time i used one. About 2 months later i broke another while it was in the tree. Since then i've not broken one i've got an extra aluminium ring to put on them that gives them an extra bit of support. I use a 12lb sledge to drive them in but a fencing mell sounds like a much better idea.

I have the Bacho felling bars both 31" and 42" the little one is great but i've put a little bend in the big one. I will normally use a wedge though as i don't see the point in busting your back trying to leaver something over when a wedge and a sledge will do it for you. I do like the split level cut though and i do use it quite a lot. I've been told that you can't use a wedge in place of the bar on CS31 as wedges aren't in the course. I think you do less damage to your back with a sledge and a wedge rather than trying to lift the tree over with a bar.

I spent Friday felling small Ashes ~6" diameter with the FS450. No problems with that so the 550 won't struggel with the blackthorn.

Hi I've manged to burn and sise the nose on my 660's guide bar. Did it while milling some well seasoned Corsican Pine. Its an ES guide bar so the whole nose section comes off. However how is this done, its held on with 3 rivets, do i just drill them out? Also do i have to rivet them back in, will i have to hire a riveter? Thanks Andy

I think the insurance quote was 315+vat from Trust for the chipper. I too hate having to go through all trouble of locking the stuff away. We've been lucky and only ever lost a few strimmers and a chainsaw. But once you've been hit once they do come back and i'm sure once you've gone to the trouble of using a cutting torch to get into our container (which has been done) an alarm is going to phase you much. But seeing everything chained and bolted down is going to slow you down, making the chances of catching the sods all that higher. Or at least thats the theory....... In the long run our £50 a time padlocks and £10 chain is expensive but if it saves one saw from going missing its been worth it.

We just got a Timberwolf 125PH. We got two of the wheel clamps from Timberwolf and the hitch lock too. Was a lot of money but it got the insurance on it down. Its stored (or more importantly going to be stored when its delivered) in a giant metal container which is alarmed with sercurity company call out. Its also chained to the floor and sides of the container with lifting chain. Its padlocked with fancy Panzer padlocks that are used for holding shop shutters down.

Don't get the Toyota Hilux. Its rubbish parts are expensive which is a pain as so many bits fall off. We're on the 3rd bumber i believe as its never cliped on properly. Ride quality is sometimes very nice if your going fast and in a streight line. Deviate from that and its utter utter rubbish you bounce all over the place, especially if you take it off road. Won't take a lot of weight in the back either, Toyota clam a tonne but i put a tonne of sand in the back and i shortened the mud flaps as they wore out being dragged along the road. Never have i had so many problems trying to find reverse than in the Hilux. The seats aren't at all comfortable. In its defence the radio is rather good not that that really matters. Oh we got it stuck on a playing field once had to push it to get it going. So its off road ability isn't very good. I'm looking to get a Navara but they' are not to many in my price range.

A dogs tooth cut has your standard 1/5-1/4 of the trees diameter face cut a 10% hinge and a further 1/4 of holding wood at the back. You bore out the centre to form a hinge and cut back to leave a 1/4 0f tue tree as holding wood at the back. cut the 1/4 of holding wood at 45 degrees and cut down to meet your bored out felling cut. Its designed to stop the wood splitting and barber chairing. If cutting greater than guide bar lengh remove some of the dogs tooth your bar will reach all the way across and sether it in one go.

I learnt your standard 3 cuts on your CS31: Conventional, Dogs Tooth and Split Level. I tend to use the proportions they told us on the course. I quite often use the split level cut i just like it. Never use the leaver though, i use a high lift wedge why try a lift it over when the wedge can do that for you? On CS32 we learnt a sweep out the back and a walk around cut. I hadn't done a medium tree since my course in July and i did my assessment yesterday. Got through although my assessor was a little unhappy with my 25% face cut. Got show the Dainish cut which was some kind of weird dogs tooth thing on CS32.

I have one was a good investment. I've got the 36" one and the EZ rails to run it on. There's no courses that i've seen practice makes perfect. Tomorrow i've got some Corsican Pine being dropped off that i'm going to plank up and make myself some shelves. Although i've still not got through my last lot of Corsican Pine yet.

Sorry for not posting sooner i've been busy. I work for charity. A year ago we set up a conservation program for young people with learning difficulties. We got Big Lottery Funding for it. Now we have some money unspent so i'm allowd a few toys; well first the Lottery has to aprove the use of funds. I thought most of the prices for the chippers i got were a little expensive. I did think the Entec was taking the piss as well even though it was a new machine with an old engine. I've got quotes from 6622 for the Entech to 8620 for a 8" Gravely machine. I'm really after a 6" chipper which you can tow on a new licence i.e. <750kg. Not had much luck i'm not sure the Entec is even in that catagory.

Hi I've got about £6500 from the Lottery to spend on a chipper but i'm having problems finding chippers in that price range. I've tried Prochip, Mason and a few other places. I've got a quote on a referbed '98 Entec 6" machine for £6622. I need another quote before the lottery will agree to release the funds. Any ideas where to look? Thanks Andy