Chris Sheppard

Mixture of Coal (swapped it for what was left in the oil tank when it got removed) wood briquettes (gathered up during leeds fest tidy up) and half rotten birch hat should have got burnt last winter. Once that lot's gone it's mainly Ash and Syc this winter with a bit of Birch and a smattering of all sorts (inc robinia, leylandii and rowan)

On the whole, ebay's been OK. Had one bad experience with a buyer and a couple that were highest bidders and then never got in touch and even one who was highest bidder then decided he'd accidently bid on it and didn't want it. Need to remember to decide what you want out of it then add the fees (listing, final value, 10% of postage and even paypal's slice too) and it's all good. I like how I don't have to put a phone number up so I don't have to deal with people directly - I can decide whether I bother replying to any emails then. The typical ones that get deleted are the ones starting "now mate will you swap it for my lowered saxo and a half used bottle of white lightning" or the ones that say they can get half of it now and the rest in two weeks

Me too. Most people grow out of having tantrums as children, unfortunately a few don't.

Is that the same as the one you had on your stand at the APF?

Mine's always been OK a 50:1

No tears, but definitely goosebumps. Really enjoyed watching that.

Used to work with a 150 on a mini digger trailer, can't remember what size exactly, but it went on with room to spare and used to sit just right to chip straight into the landrover whilst still on the trailer. I'm fairly sure the bed of the trailer was a little under 7ft long and just under 4ft wide.

I know they're meant to run the same as the 560, but the 562 I had a go with definitely felt better too. All I can put it down to was it was cutting better on the 3/8ths with the 562 than the 560 was on .325?

Good luck for tomorrow Pic of me a couple of weeks ago - not quite sure that's what they mean by "feet up" though Had no choice as sides of that rut just swiped your feet off the pegs every time Highlight of the weekend was holeshotting the Clubman B line on both halves of the H&H the day before

Whilst there is (or was when we had ours) plenty of work around for a small forwarder, I found that it was more hassle than it was worth going out forwarding for others, and I'd definitely not let anyone else drive it. Our last set up was a biggish compact (30odd hp) and three tonne trailer and a few years prior to that I had a 50hp alpine and used to use a 2t trailer behind that. Transport was always a ballache with either as there was no way everything could be got onto site without making two trips or using a truck of some sort. Small gear definitely has it's place, and it is possible to make it pay on certain commercial sites, but it's far too easy to convince yourself that it's worth doing. Fair enough if you've got the work of your own to justify it, but if you need to pimp it out right from the start, then it's a quick way to wear out an expensive machine. That said, I really fancy one of those Malwa forwarder..........

I've worked alongside the 28hp Diesel a fair bit over the last couple of years and other than a couple of little things (a wire chafing through and a switch wearing out) it's been a great machine. Can definitely agree with the above comment regarding how frugal the diesel one is on fuel - the tank is tiny, yet it seems to just keep going. We did tip it over once, but that was operator error (tracks tucked in and it dropped in a hole we didn't see), but it survived unscathed. First mod that got done when it arrived was to fit an electric fan on the clutch housing (I think it was BigBolt on here had done the same to his) and also making sure the clutch is engaged it tickover rather than just banging it into drive at full revs seems to all help as it sounded like most problems people had in the past were clutch related. There's still the little pedestrian grinder in the shed, but since the Predator arrived I think it's only come out twice, and one of them we could probably have squeezed the tracked one in.

Do they have a website?

That's just ace

Been on site there today helping out (highlight was driving a brand spank new 70 series cruiser - I want it!) and there's some fairly cool stuff there this time that definitely wasn't there last time. Back as a visitor tomorrow so should be good

Not 254's, but we use 242's and 42 specials still quite a bit, usually either scrub clearing or on arb jobs. On the whole still very reliable too.

Agreed, but it's still not quite there yet. Obliterates the 242 on torque though

fast bar/changes? I reckon for snedding, nothing can touch a 242 for handling.

We're there Thursday if it all goes to plan, but I'm knocking about Tues night/Weds morning too helping set up a stand.

I doubt it, and if you do happen to find one at that it's going to have been worked hard. Second hand processors seem to change hands for a lot still.

That Malwa looks a nice machine. I wonder why they decided on 6 wheel instead of 8 though? Be interesting to get a nose round it on Thursday at APF.

Did notice the sludgy bit in the dregs of my last drum and never remembered it in the past. It had been a few years since last using the Oregon stuff but the thing I was more alarmed by was how thin it is now. It used to be really thick and gloopy

There was, the 560's were out first then the 550's a little later. Somehow I got mine when everyone else was being told theirs were still weeks away

My 550 is third week of december 2011. From what I could gather it was about the first one sold in the UK rather than being a demonstrator.

372 on an 18" works well and balances fairly nicely for felling/snedding all day with on bigger stuff. 15" works well too though uts a bit of weight on the back handle which some people don't like (but I do). Mine got spudded a few months ago too and it's gone from good to great.

It has been so far.