Chris Sheppard

Still doesn't seem to be much happening round us. Saw a lone combine on the road a day or so ago but not seen owt cut yet.

f you're looking at the one on ebay, it's a previous model to the one Billy68 has (not sure about robs but think his was a new generation one too). The earlier ones were still quick and had the powered infeed and the option of the log lifter but the controls were more conventional (as in pull across the machine), it has loads more guarding and the elevator doesn't slew. I'd still have one if I needed one.

Our dealer seems to look after the pro users pretty well - I've not yet needed to take the 550 in but I'd be very surprised if the bill was £50 each time just to plug in and tweak. Plus, dealer knows we're all tight as it is and would just go back to old saws

We've been discussing big huskys a bit lately and reckon that when they get round to it, they'll probably do away with the 3120 and end up with something around 100cc and call it something like a 598xp (or similar) it'll feel like a bit like a390 to use and have as much (or more) power and torque as a 3120 in a smaller package. Could be very wrong but that's our predictions:001_smile: I was dubious of the new technology on the new genration huskies but so far have been very impressed - seems like husky have gone back to making saws handle and feel as strong as they used to. Think some of the 3 series ones were gettng a bit long in the tooth.

We've been discussing big huskys a bit lately and reckon that when they get round to it, they'll probably do away with the 3120 and end up with something around 100cc and call it something like a 598xp (or similar) it'll feel like a big 390 to use and have as much (or more) power and torque as a 3120 in a smaller package. Could be very wrong but that's our predictions:001_smile: I was dubious of the new technology on the new genration huskies but so far have been very impressed - seems like husky have gone back to making saws handle and feel as strong as they used to. Think some of the 3 series ones were gettng a bit long in the tooth.

the website brings up these JK FABRICATIONS - Home Looks well built stuff but don't think he does himself any favours using such a small powerpack for the demos.

Same goes for stacking neatly for a forwarder - a bit of tapping the ends up is fine but if you;re stack look like the sticks have been thrown on then expect a bulling!

Unfortunatley in first thinnings and by hand there's no easy way - you're going to have to sned like you've never snedded before if you want to make it pay. If they're lightly branched hardwood and you're rack thinning then felling two at a time and snedding them together might work occasionally but generally it's just easier to do one at a time and stack as you go or you'll end up burying it in brash. If you're new to it, get the technique and speed will follow - if you go at it too hard without thinking you'll be making mre work for yourself.

Varies a bit depending on how much sawing is needed but if it's fairly manageable pieces we can do 3 cube of 8-10 inch long logs an hour with two of us, a chainsaw and an 18T PTO splitter with 4 way knife. Really big stuff (two man lift with each ring) then it's probably nearer a cube an hour if it's to saw as well.

How urgently would you need it? We're fully booked up at the mo but should have some spare later on in the Autumn.

The pro lite bars don't seem to last like they once used to but a month really doesn't seem very long. Are you spitting noses out or wearing the rails?

That's good to hear - haven't seen Dan for a year or so but last time I did he was looking forward to getting sorted with a horse.

They aren't a bad machine - I nearly bought one but went for a Hakki Pilke Eagle in the end, as much as for the direction the wood fed in from than anything else. TCT blade is a must though I'd not be surprised if that makes not far off the price of a new one as they often seem to on ebay.

So, 5 months into 550 ownership, a mixture of all sorts from cutting finger thick birch for racecourse fences to dealing with hairy lodgepole and everything in between and it's living up to expectations as hoped. Still running the 13" bar on it but should be trying a 15" on it this week. Whilst it's not as high revving as something like a 242, it has so much torque in the cut and doesn't drop revs like a conventional small saw, and it's so light too. Had my old 353 out last week for the first time in a few months and had forgotten just how numb and docile it felt in comparison. Only thing I still don't like about it is the captive bar nuts as they are so fiddly - despite what others think, I still feel it's one of those gimmicky things best kept for domestic saws - never been a problem in the past so didn't need fixing IMO. Considering the 550 can be had for the same money as a 346, you'd be daft not to consider it - and that's coming from "Mr anti new technology" himself

Neither of those is equivalent to the 550 in any way other than engine size - 550 would wipe the floor with both of them OP, as much as I'm husky through and through, the Stihl MS 261 is a pro saw whereas the Husky rancher is a semi pro/heavy domestic saw so on paper the Stihl should be the better. What you want depends on what you're going to be using it for.

10 hours a night and I'd feel awful the next day, no good for working. Generally don't bother with breakfast, but might shove a couple of pancakes in the toaster if I feel like it. Usually have half me dinner box at morning break though.

That's a fair set of ground anchors. Wonder what it's been used for - can't think how anyone could justify needing something that big for trees regularly.

Usually get around 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 but sometimes manage to get to bed in time to get nearer 7-8. Quite often find I'll wake up a couple of times a night though. Don't really find the amount of sleep I get makes a huge difference to how I feel the next day, notice it more over the course of a few days/weeks and then might feel a bit rough. Do find though that if I sleep too long I almost feel hungover. My problem is actually getting up in a morning rather than the waking up bit

think you can get bits through cundey systems now.

Bad to see from the photos, but as Andy says, a few photos from further back would help. Looks like it's fitted with anti crush/length stop. when it's running and auto returns, it should hit a stop bar when it gets back to it's rest position (or hits a length stop) and that should divert the oil back round the circuit rather than keeping pumping into the ram. Sounds like it's returning and not diverting so it's still trying to fill the ram with oil and because it can't and it should either blow the relief valve or, in the case of a small petrol engine, possibly stall the engine if the releif valve's set quite high. Hope that reads better than it sounded More pics would definitely help

We used to have a technorton on one estate and I didn't get on with it at all. It was well made but compared to the japa and hakki pilke type machines was a lot more combersome to use and I couldn't cut as quickly. The others seemed to like it as it felt sturdy and had loads of guarding on it. Going from a japa to a TN I'd relly reccomend getting a go on one first.

First proper nice day we've had for a while - no rain at all and sun's been out all day.

Always had a hankering for a 200 EXC - one day!

Really liked the idea of one as from what I could gather they are pretty much just a restricted WR 125 so other than being a bit sluggish, will take the abuse like a proper bike.

The Erzberg looks mental. Have been out of enduros (and bikes in general) for about 10 years or so but was good to see there's still a few familiar faces doing the rounds in one way or another - such as Knighter, fast eddy and the Jones's Quite liking the fact there's such as Jarvis and Lampkin getting stuck in - seeing some of what they're doing on an enduro bike's quite impressive. Just bought a bike again meself, got to start from scratch again as never went for test when I was still on CBT with a 125. Really wanted something that would handle the odd event in the trail bike class (WRE 125 would have been aesome!) but ended up with a firebreathing monster in the shape of a 12hp zook DR 125 Very nearly managed to track down my old KMX 125 I rebuilt at 17 (and was as powerful as my current CR 125 at the time) but it evade me in the end.