Chris Sheppard

Got to agree with that - I don't think I could do it myself

What engine's that Hodge? Seems mega expensive for a landy.

From what I've seen, the branch logger will take some beating by any other methd - pretty much as fast as a chipper and straight into the bags at the same time. No snedding or owt. But, it's not really comparabe to actual logs.

I still like the idea of these too. Did try burning some of the chunks it produces and they do burn well with plenty of heat, and not as fast as first thought it might. Reckon it would work well in a decent stove.

Is that the Rum one? If so, then yep

Quite liking Old Peculier again at the mo. Innis and Gunn's Oak aged is quite nice too. Depends what mood am in but generally like the darker beers.

Liking that. Is that the 650? Did my Mod 2 on one of them, same colour too

Maybe I'm just being thick, but surely just a spare battery kept charged up is as good as owt? I have a battery that came off one of the tractors that I keep charged up and decent set of jump leads and it does the job.

Bet there was some cursing going on digging that out

Yep, I'd agree. I've always got on better with braces though as they seem to stop as much sawdust going down the back of them As for tempurature, I've alwas got on better with a baggier cut of trouser like the old functional/pr lights than the more fitted ones like the husky technical. Despite the vents, I found the technicals warmer as they were such a close fit. The new functionals have the best of both worlds, slightly looser fit and vents.

I'm currently liking the new style Husky Functionals. Only had them a couple of weeks so far but pleased with them so far. They're a closer fit than the old ones (which were just the old Pro Light ones in a different colour) and are still cordura down the fronts, but they now have brought it round the back at the bottoms too - which should stop them tearing up the backs. They're not stretch like most others are now, which is good too IMO as they should last longer without tearing the fronts too. Size wise, I really don't know how you'd get on. I wear the mediums (33-35") and am 34" waist and they're OK, the Smalls are meant to be something like 31-33" think. I got mine for £112 from our local dealer (they're £140 list) so fairly chuffed all in all. Best of all they don't look like I'm wearing a set of Dickies farm special overalls like the old ones did! Waist trouser, Functional - Protective equipment and Workwear

They look great. Aren't they classed as section 5 fireams now? I had to put my Brocock rifle on FAC but it was section 5. Don't know the total ins and outs but what it boiled down to meant the only way I could ever part with it if I surrendered my FAC was to send it to be destroyed (That was a sad day when I did). Even the ammunition came under section 5 too in the end (that was even worse as they were worth as much or more than the rifle was) Borrowed a little black pistol like yours for some pigeons in a barn a few years ago, that was good sport.

Do you mean a Wankel

We've had a couple of days of fairly nice sunny weather now - it's almost feeling like spring time at last.

Worked Friday and was expecting to be working at least one other day but got it all done in a long one Friday so all good. Not doing much of anything today, though while the weather's good I really should be working on refitting bike engine.

I've been thinking a little mre into this. Not trying to knock your enthusiasm as it's great you've managed to bounce back so well after closing down your previous operations, but it's starting to seem like your answer is just chuck money at shiny kit without really knowing what you want, or more importantly need. We're all guilty of buying on impulse from time to time, and it's very easy to convince yourself that you really do need a certain piece of kit, but if I were in your situation (only from what I've read on here), I'd be looking more into getting a decent contractor in for the machinery work until you know just how much you have in front of you. Chances are they'll be cheaper too as they'll have more experience in making the most of their machines.

If it was me, I'd look at getting the quad back togethr, sell it and buy a different engine. Am sure the quad engine would be fun to make work but chances are it'll be very hevy in comparison to it's power. I'd be surprised if theres much more than 15/16hp at the crank when new. Even tweaked and fettled, 20hp's a lot for a 200cc 4 stroke bike engine.

Most mid sized cranes are available as 3pl mounted but as to what'll suti you best, it all depends on what you want to use it for. In my limited experience of using a crane mounted on the 3pl, I'd go for traielr mount or roof mount if at all possible. If I had to go 3pl I'd be looking for something fairly lightweight. Also, make sure it bends in the right places to clear the cab. There's loads on it if you use the search function......

Reckon that's exactly the case I got a hold of a 345 (I think) with one that another guy was using and my first impressions weren't great. He reckoned it didn't get in the way but I think it will, maybe not for someone using it occaisonally for buzzing up a few logs, but for day to day use out in the woods I think it would do your head in. On the whole snedding thing, we were taught that as long as the bar is on the right hand side of the tree then you didn't need to put the brake on when you took a forward step. If you needed to reach and move brash then you sat the saw back a bit and rested it on the front of the engine holding it by the back handle and reached across with your left hand. Probably all changed now though. Other than dismantling a big hardwood crown when it's on the floor, I can't really see an occasion where you'd need to put the chainbrake on while snedding.

Price wise, I really don't know. Mid £20K's would definitely make it more attractive compared to an Alstor I'm sure. Like the Alstor, I'm sure it would be a fairly niche market so there's never going to be the huge numbers of sales. I've no real experience of the Alstor other than wathing them at Demos or on the internet, but things I see as negatives are the ATV type tyres look as though they could be easily damaged, the lack of reverse drive on the base models and the small payload. I realise the payload can't be made much more without making the machine bigger but I feel a machine that sat between the Alstor and say a Vimek 606 would be a good useable size. Sub 6ft wide between the bolsters and artic steering would be able to wiggle through most younger thinnings in the UK. 8wd would be nice, but 6wd would be a good starting point. Reverse drive. Diesel Engine. Good hydraulic flow, with enough pressure to be able to handle something like a biomass shear (or even a bed processor/small stroke harvester head?) Being able to transport it on a trailer behind a suitable 4x4 would be a huge advantage, even if it meant a purpose built skeletal trailer.

It depends on loads of things, usually site related, but it's been known round us to go as stupidly high as pushing £20/T on exceptional stuff. If you're pruning and cleaning as you go then effectively they're getting a paid job done for free too so it's always a good bargaining chip, however, IME a lot of landowners don't really care, they just want the most money out of it they can. Roadside prices seem to be pretty stable at the mo, if anything the demand is still increasing so could probably stand a bit more. If we could get hold of it, I'd be fairly confident we could sell 3-4 times what we could extract per season than we currently do. All I can suggest is don't undersell yourself at roadside, there's plenty of idiots who'll want it for peanuts, but for every one of them theres at least another who will pay what it's worth. Radside prices seem to vary nationally a fair bit but it sounds like hardwood isn't massively abundant round you so I'd expect it would need to be pretty rough stuff to not be making mid £40's /T+vat roadside.

Tis but a scratch, bit of T cut and no one will notice Bet the driver leapt a bit when it happened.

At least it's going to live on in one shape or another

Try Jon Vicary - google J&S Vicary and you should find it.