Chris Sheppard

^ This Forestry was where I started and what I really used to enjoy, but it was always a bit of rollercoaster. For every good job there was always more bad ones, it's hard on bodies and saws and usually just relentless. Haven't cut anything production for a couple of years or so and can't say I miss it that much.

Firewood, or maybe the lounge?

Is it not worth fixing? There's companies that can repair most damage on radiators (even re-coring) and it's nt usually as expensive as you'd expect.

It may be different now, but usually the 2wd variants of things like the Hilux, Ranger (or Mazda), etc were hardly or no better on fuel than the 4wd versions. Quite old now, but the Caddy or skoda pickups were good little pickups and economical too.

Bet the insurance guy would be pulling some faces when reading the claim forms, but at least he'd get £250 from you've been framed

When it gets tight, does it do it at the same point on the chain each time?

Stumbled across this video a few days ago and it looks interesting, and more importantly, cheap to build. Reckon there's room for improvement (there is a follow up video where he covers some people's questions) but I reckon it gives a good starting point for a back garden burner. I'd be looking to make the inner drum vent to the base rather than out the top to utilise more of the burning gas but not sure whether it would be easier to keep the inner drum fixed and try and seal the top or make the inner drum removable and put it in upside down (maybe use a hinged lid and catch). I've been playing around with an old 5ltr paint tin and a small garden incinerator the last few nights with mostly success but it's been fairly labour intensive and not very efficient as there's not much room to get a decent fire going to it needs plenty of attention until it starts running on the gases. A bigger outer drum would help with that though and that might be mark 2. When I find where I've left the camera I'll get some pics of the next burn.

I always quite like the old N/A 60 series Landcruiser considering it was only a plodder.

I saw those at the Great Yorkshire Show last time I went and was quite impressed with them. I'd like to build one eventually but we've got one of these and it works fairly well.

We used 6mm stokboard on the chip trailer (more for on the sides) but it might work for what you want on the floor as it seems fairly robust when it got support behind it. Only thing we found was that in the sun it expands a bit and can ripple, but it does go back when it cools down.

Very low geared without a trailer on but worked very well with weight behind, though being quite a small truck it can suffer a little with the tail wagging the dog a bit. The garage I worked at when I first left school had a swb van (a turboed one) and it would happily do 2nd gear starts with a car and transporter on the back. Rot wise, I remember us working on one that was less than 5 years old at the time and it already needed attention.

April fool or not, I reckon electric stump grinders mightn't be that daft an idea. Think of the torque, less noise and less fumes when you're in a tight spot.

Had one from new and ran it for several years and the only thing I could fault it on was it's thirst for clutch springs. I know of at least two other people who had the 353 too who had the same issue. It wasn't stupidly often but noticably more often than the 346's did.

Won't be quite as snappy as a 242 but still a cracking little saw.

Not really much of a smiler at the best of times

Used to fish a fair bit when I was at school, never really had much luck coarse fishing in general but used to enjoy freelining bread down the local beck for Brown trout (usually sub 30cm but had a few around 1.5lb) and used to go out sea fishing a bit from Brid (mainly Cod and Dab). Have been trying to get round to getting back into it but it's been a bit sporadic so far Been ice fishing a few times though now and quite enjoy that. Still hunting for an Arctic Char but had a few small Perch and then last week got my first (tiny) Burbot.

Sounds like the new ones could be quite good fun I remember when the Estate I worked on got one (knocking on 10 years or so ago now) and I think to begin with they just used to like firing things out of drain pipes with it

I had one a few years ago and it was OK, but definitely lacked stopping power compared to even a reasonable springer rifle. With a moderator on it it was almost silent though. Mine must've been the short barrel version (at the time there was only the short barrel but it wasnt unheard of to fit the Rabbit stopper barrel) and took cartridges that were about the size of a 3" 12bore cartridge - they never lasted long though.

[ame] [/ame] Or failing that .410 Had a 9mm garden gun for a bit but preferred the .410

Wife got me Ray Mears'/Lars Falt's new book "Out on the Land" -

I can't fault the Tirol Fighters by Pfanner. First few weeks are a bit clunky but they are nigh on indestructible. Admittedly I don't climb, but the guy I work with does and we both bought ours around the time of the APF 4 years ago and have both only just bought new boots - mine were resoled about 8 months ago and his are still on their original soles, albeit about bald. I foolishly bought some different boots at the last APF (meindl Woodwalkers) and they were dead comfy but started to fall apart after two weeks and went back. Lesson learnt and replaced with another pair of Tirols.

That was what I planned to do with mine but landed on a NOS genuine 81cc pot and piston for it.

I've a 181 for sale if it's of any interest? know it's a bit older and a few cc less than the 288 but shares loads of parts and handles just the same.

This fella looks like he's got one of the small ones set up well.

After mine was Spudderised, it happily pulls an 8 pin 3/8th full chiz on an 18" in hardwood. Meant I could drag one saw round in late thin Ash instead of knocking them over with a bigger saw.