Chris Sheppard

Just the job - was hoping the decompressor could be bypassed and a normal one fitted. Will get it in bits and report back

Nice one, just the sort of thing I was hoping to hear I've still not got as far as pulling the pot off yet, kinda chucked it all in the box and went before the guy could change his mind, had a quick go at getting it to go and then chucked it all in the corner until I get chance to have a look at it.

That sounds fairly similar to what we used to run - 150ml of oil to 5l of petrol in every 2 stroke crossser I've owned

North of where Surely it's more in the middle

bought a very lightly used 357 last week that I think has been run without 2 stroke oil, given that there was half a tank of very clear fuel i nit and the front of the piston is fairly heavily scored. I paid not a lot for it and have worked on the basis that it's goign to need a new piston and pot and even if I put a genuine one on it'll still be a sensible priced saw. I'm not averse to trying out non-genuine parts and wondered if anyone had tried any of the non-gen piston and pot kits off ebay and if there were any to particularly avoid? Another question, it's been a long time since I've rebuilt one that's scored a piston enough to grip the piston ring solidly so can't remember the answer - would I still be able to get it to fire, even if not actually start or would the compression be too low (it has one of those stupid auto decopmpressor things on it so without tools I can't blank it off to try and get it to fire) There's a spark and fuel's getting through, but as I don't know whether it was scrapped because it wouldn't start or because it stopped. Quite looking forward to getting this one fettled as we've some decent Pines to be getting on with and the 372 likes a drink

you sure one that one? what sort of diameter is it? Edit: even softwood is making quite good money at the mo though

Reckon Ed is the president of it though

I've a 353 that's now around 7 years old and spent at least 4 of them working fairly hard in thinnings. It's startign to feel a bit tired now and is starting to show a few niggly problems but all in all it's been a fantastic little saw. Whilst it's not an XP like the 346, it was always classed in the super pro range (as it used to be called) and will do anythign a 346 will, but a bit cheaper and as the others have said, with a little less power. I have used a silverside 346 a bit and to be honest I can't notice any real difference other than the silly starting bubble thing I would say if the price is right, go for the 353 and you'll not be dissapointed

we once went there climbing with school, must be 15 years or more ago now. Weather looks better than it was here this aft

Absolutely - we're now having to pay not that far off for standing than it was making at roadside less than 5 years ago, and it's making as much and more than softwood sawlogs at roadside now - crazy

I may be gettign my wires crossed a bit somewhere, but I think the earlier ford Cargo engines can be made to fit quite simply and give a bit more power as well as better top speed (though flat out as standard mine was scary enough) Price wise, all I know is they are making more than they were when I sold mine.

Yep, tell them it's market research, maybe don't even tell them its' softwood until after, just a different sort of log. reckon there may be some that dig their heels in if they know it's softwood before hand.

That was my understanding too

well said

My comment was a little tounge in cheek following from the "working with gamekeepers" thread, but in reality, a lot of woodland that is managed for shooting you'll not get to work in between June and Feb (most of the time the rearing pens are fairly well rammed in so you'll always be working near one), hence my reply regardign the bird nesting.

Think this thread jinxed my little saw as I did another spring yesterday Took some pics of how I do it (which is probably not how everyone does it but it works for me) and will post later

Least amount of handling would be: Stack in round straight off lorry, load onto processor deck with machine, fire through processor into delivery truck and away. Down side of that would be amount of time to dry the wood to anything like decent takes a long time in the round. Next would be as above but process into cages etc for drying , btu then requires loadign into delivery truck. Fastest way of drying - billet and stack, then saw to length and into delivery truck Down side is more handling of the timber during splitting, and can be a bit slower, but is a faster turn around from the timber being delivered into the yard.

I aren't buying - I'm selling

can't help on the Novotny (looks a good tool though), but all I can think of that is anywhere near similar is one of the 6wd Vimeks, but guessign the single front axle might be the problem for ground damage? Seems to be a few of them available second hand in Scandinavia usually or Caledonian are meant to be importers.

That course sounds quite interesting. Been looking at putting a bigger retort together for a while. Got a tiny one made from an old gas bottle nad an oil drum - works great in the garden but deosn't make a lot each time. Like the idea that you're never actually burning the produce and it doesn't need a lot of fuel once the gas gets going.

I thought that too

I'm told it is, but not holding breath

they are great aren't they I don't think any saw out there can touch them for flickability for snedding.

I like that

very very small "cockpit" area, not a lot of room to drive wearing big boots. They do do some bigger ones though. I did look at these before I bought the old Carraro. I'd say if you were goign to look at an alpine type of tractor then 35hp minimum, smaller than that and they are little more useful than a quad as they won't handle normal small implements that well and they will feel cramped to drive in boots.