Rob D

Down near Lymington but prob a bit far away from you....

Or are you hoping they might nick the transit (with your wife inside!)

18 months of daily use would be good but most of my saws only work 2 days a week on average. And I'm pretty good at maintaining them. I just think a saw should really last 3 years of pretty solid use before you have to get into the innards. I spent ages talking to Stihl about the carb issue and in the end they admited having a problem. A dodgy carb is going to cause more wear in other parts of the saw. I know what you mean about using a larger saw when chogging down the larger stuff but even so the 200t should still be capable of doing it if that's what you want to use. I have never burnt out a 200t but I've had loads of idling/running problems with them over the years despite carb kits and the rest.....

I dry every last bit of wood that comes my way and sell as firewood... once it's down the old magic 20% everythin will burn although some not as well as others....

I have to say I expect to get 18 months trouble free use out of a chainsaw. This includes normal servicing such as air filters, bars, spark plugs etc. After this time you need to do a new carb kit. Any longer and then looking at new piston rings etc. Otherwise they won't start, they won't idle... in short they're just a pain in the arse I have had 4 MS880s and 5 200T, several makitas and none of these modern saws last yet the older models seem to go on and on.... It's true that they don't bulid 'em like they used to and the emission laws etc that have changed is not an excuse for modern saws to die early. I run on Aspen 2T relegiously as well so the mixture is not an issue as they always have exactly 50:1 mix every time. I'm sure like most things all the manufactures are interested in is reducing costs all the way down the production line... And I have found particularly with Stihl if you have a warranty issue then it's generally your fault and you have to fight and wait to get it sorted.

They would be good as small log stores. I'd spray treat them which would only cost you a few quid and would make them look nice and uniform, and try and sell them for £30 to people you deliver logs to.

I'll definately second that and to be honest I get more of a thrill milling timber than climbing trees...! It's what I want to be doing in the future.

Are they managing to sell them for those pricess? Seems bloody steep and but then up the road this place that sells log burning stoves sell oak beams around the £250-00 mark. I've got a fair bit of timber ready for sale but It's bloody hard finding the customers. People ring up looking for wood but they never make it round to actually buy it!!

f.a.b!

Lovely looking stack there! Also the stacking of wood on pallets makes a big difference and stops water transfering up from the ground.

Great video Mike that is just lovely quality... and slick work. IMO if you're happy to use a top handled like that and you obviously have good control over it then whether NPTC say it's good practice or not is irrelevant. Good work and the groundie really knows his stuff as well.

Ditto. If you're questioning whether to keep a tree or not then that's your answer - fell and replant.

And I feel put out if the old lady next door tuts because 2 or maybe 3 leaves have blown out the chipper onto her immaculate gravel driveway! There's some lovely people about ain't there!

I expect I'll be on the stand but hopefully I'll be able to see what's going on in the distance! Like to have a go though... but don't know if I'll be able to fit the climbing gear in.

Cheers for the offer Mick. If Jo can bring down a couple of good lumps that should do it though... but will bear in mind thanks very much. Green timber is best for milling straight from the fell. As wood dries in the round you get all sorts of tension building up. I milled an ash once that was pretty dry and the planks were popping open as it was milled! 9ish should be fine for Friday morning Jo as the show I think starts at 10a.m. Let me know if any problem pops up 07811611457 but otherwise we'll have a chat a week beforehand to discuss details if this is ok. Thanks again.

Cheers - I need to update all that but have sold a few bits of furniture this year so the old milling timber is worth sticking at but takes years before any return.

That last bit is just not fair! Sometimes doesn't matter what you do.... the head gasket went on the forklift Friday and I'm hoping the head isn't warped... but that pales besides your story and the knife wound patching.... puts it into perspective really. Hope the finger heals up quick.

I'm not sure what flaking means!! Is that storing so is easy to throw and doesn't get tangled? I reckon a baking tin is a good idea if that's the case.

Fantastic pics!

That would be perfect cheers Jo. I can bring down one lump in the back of the truck to get started with on Thursday. If you could bring 2 lumps down early Friday morning that'd work. Walnut sounds great as I've never had any to mill before. What sort of time would you get there on Friday do you think?

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is it going to make that much difference to the tree that it looks 'tidy' after that sort of a reduction? Growth looks quite thick up there anyway as if from an old pollard or lop job.... Really hard to get those looking natural anyway as there are no nice reduction points on the newer growth. If they're happy, the customer is happy and they've paid you then all is well - it's nice to be able to do exactly what we feel is right for a tree etc etc and we can always give an opinion but after that just get on with the job IMO.

Nice one Khriss they're a really handy cut for super heavy lateral branches - in fact the only cut that would work on some of these. Some of the 'boxes' left were huge. But notice being the honest soul I am I never took the credit for them! Good on you for coming up with the idea.

I'm going to the FR Jones show in Kent at the end of August and need a few good size bits of wood to demonstrate the mills on. Can anyone help? In return for dropping them off I'll get them all milled/stickered up ready for drying for free as well as a good deal on a mill if you still haven't got one. And I will make a bench for you on site! Prefer hardwood to soft if possible. Doesn't matter if there's holes and defects in it - all adds to the character. Maybe 2 x 3ft ish diameter 6 foot long and 1x 2ft ish diameter 6 foot long. The show is at Kingswood Training Services, Wagoners, Back Lane, Shipbourne, Kent, TN11 9PP The timber needs to be dropped off 24th August (mon) morning to 27th August (thurs) midday. Much appreciated, Rob

He's made of tough stuff that little guy! Just to have survived all of that although now he is just an 8' stump I'm hoping he can come back again albeit just a shadow of his former self!

Second part here! There's another Monterey that had to be felled behind the first - will the brave little Rowan tree survive another direct hit! You'll have to watch to find out. Also it is Martin's (seen in forklift) first day. Final part in a few days. I do a 'box cut' on one of the big lateral limbs. A mate who's a tree surgeon in Cornwall showed me it. It's good when a limb growing out sideways has so much weight that a normal hinge won't work. You undercut about a third (or less - before saw gets stuck), two side cuts in line with undercut (almost like sapwood cuts but 20%) then top cut again in line with the side cuts (leaving a box of un cut wood). The branch closes on undercut then pops off horozontally. Sometimes you can do the top cut and wait 30 secs hearing the wood crackling and then the branch pops off. In this vid mine aren't that well done but still did the job. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR99R9egfy4&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Monterey Pine Job Martins First Day[/ame]