Chris Sheppard

Impressive stuff. Looked like it took a bit of persuading into it's new hole.

On the whole, I think most of what I've seen have been with the hoses to the outside (so farthest away from the operator). Dunno if there's a right or wrong but I reckon they sit better that way.

What I was meaning was that as he wouldn't be felling it, surely it matters not what size tree/bar/saw it is? Regarding refreshers, No, I've not done any refresher training. As yet no organisation has had any problem with the date on my certificates when presented either, including FC (though to be fair we've not been on FC land for a year or so and generally don't) What amuses me somewhat is a 15" diameter tree could just as easily harm someone as a 16" diameter or bigger tree - it's all a bit silly really IMO. Especially when you consider how varied a tree can be - we're currently thinning overstood Ash pushing 100' tall but more are sub 15" DBH than are over it - not a place for someone fresh out of a CS31 course even if they were on paper deemed competant to be dealing with timber of those diameters. Were it to become mandatory across the board for refresher training, then perhaps something might be done about the costs of it? Surely it's obvious within a few minutes of watching someone work whether or not they are competant in what they do regardless of how many certificates they may or may not have? Sorry if it seems a bit ranty Paul - think it's just pushed the right (wrong?) button.

I'd interpret the restriction as to be tree diameter for felling and that he would be OK - I know there's no mention on my CS30 about bar length or tree size, just on 31, though they are 10 years old now so it may be different.

Don't reckon I'll make it, didn't realise it was on and forks still need some fettling - they keep pressurising and blowing the rebound adjuster off the top.

Maybe I should have added "legally" to the end of the first bit

Usually just short of 19T

missed that bit. I'd agree with that

That's been my experience too Though dealing with Dom at LR series, the genuine stuff usually isn't much dearer so I go for genuine if it's something important or contains moving parts.

TD = Top diameter (so the diameter of the thin end of a sawn length). I probably worded it a bit badly - I should have said highest price band rather than top grade as that was maybe a bit confusing. Sawlogs into Taylormade are/were 150mm min TD up to 400mm (could be 450 but we've not sent any since last year) over that they become oversize and the price dropped by £4/T from memory.

I've got a husky 357xp going spare, though it's a little over your £200 budget but is tidy - might still be on arbtrader I think.

That'd be who I was meaning

£500 will easily buy you a 550xp from a UK husky dealer and a little bit more should see you a 560xp.

There's loads of things to take into account but one of the biggest things in your favour is going be location - most of the millable softwood from round us head up to the North East anyway. Size wise, you might be lucky enough to sneak all the sawlogs in at the top grade (i.e not over 40cm TD) which would add a little more value to it. More important things to look at are whether ti's to clearfell or just to thin, and how far down the slope they'd need to come. Also, how much tidying would you be expecting the contractor to do afterwards. If they are as straight and clean and fairly knot free as they sound, then there should be some reasonable grade material come out with minimal chip grade stuff, though even that is worth a reasonable amount now too. Without seeing the site, I'd purely be speculating, but I'd say L.C is a bit on the low side, though I'd agree that if anyone was going to do it, they'd more than likely want to do it all or not at all as it's only a few days felling from the sound of it.

Bob, if you don't get any takers, there's a log guy just on the edge of Gargrave, just after the pub on a farm (you can see the potato boxes from the road) - he's a member on here but doesn't come on a lot - reckon he'd be worth a knock if you get stuck.

The radio version of the MSA/husky ones (old or new type) don't keep the sound out like the non radio version do, they're OK with a saw but the chipper still rattles through them. I reckon the Lidl ones work pretty well as ear defenders - probably not far off as good at keeping noise out as a pair of Peltor muffs I have (just plain muffs with no radio)

They're the same as the ones I have too. They might say Husqvarna on them but they aren't made by Husqvarna If you have a look at the latest model MSA ones you'll see what I mean. Just like the previous model Husqvarna ones were MSA ones too......

Those orange husky ones are MSA ones - just the new style. I'm a bit disappointed with mine really, though I'd rather have them than none at all.

The old type MSA ones were great, the new style ones (like in the current Husky catalogue) aren't half as robust or as comfy. For the money, the ones that Lidl have occasionally aren't bad at all - they just don't like getting wet and the battery covers are prone to falling off and getting lost.

I haven't, but it almost has a bit of a (good) home made look about it. Looks like you could soon have the standard tirfor back out of it easily enough and that the hydraulics are only operating the controls rather than the winch itself having hydraulic internals (though I could be well wrong)

Given the diameter, they're going to try and dig in more than a long but thinner stick, plus taking into account they're going up hill rather than flat or downhill, I'd suggest something fairly sizable - probably 5T as a minimum (just because it says 5T, don't expect it to pull a 5T stick) Chances are, you'd find that anything smaller wouldn't really sit well behind the 390 either. If you have to use a snatch block, try and get one with a pulley that has quite a large diameter so as to put less stress on the cable - too tight of a radius and there's a greater chance of it snapping. If it's really steep and there's a suitable anchor, it might be worth putting a redirect in to keep the wire off the lip of the bank - but don't underestimate just how strong the spar tree needs to be - it's not uncommon to pull the spar over and there's been at least one guy killed from it in the UK in the past. Are you looking to buy one or hire one? If hiring, I'd be trying to find someone with either a big 3pl winch and tractor to suit, or something like a cookes/hesford/boughton with anchors.

Was that you in the Berlingo on Saturday? That'd be us then

That looks lovely Good thinking with the throttle cable too. Just got back from the maiden voyage with my KTM, me and Buzzsurgeon did a Vintage enduro up in Northumberland today and it was ace. Flowing and fast with a few more technical bits in and slack check times too. Was a bit nervous as haven't ridden a 2 stroke for over 10 years, and always had been 125's on the whole - don't know what the fuss was about - the 250's just amazing! Think front tyre wear could be minimal but it's not half as savage as I was expecting. It ran great all day, despite me having to araldite a crack in the radiator minutes before my start time (serves me right for last minute fettling - nipped up a rad mount a bit hard ) but it held out and we both got to the end and neither of us lost any time all day - just need t osee who set the fastest test times now

I've had mine since Feb (might be march) 2012 and it's been no bother. OK it's not come out every day but it's had a fair bit of stick and it's been no problem. If you want a 50cc saw, then IMO there's nothing else on the market comes close.

Nice one I reckon before you know it you'll have big test booked