Tom D

A few tips for Rayburn users: If you have the 355m and onwards, take out the summer fire bricks altogether, this gives a much faster oven warm up time. If you want a quick heat up to boil the kettle in the morning, put some skinny logs (preferably softwood) in the oven the night before as you close it down, by morning they will be 0% moisture and will flare up really quickly. Clean the boiler regularly, I have a metal spike that I use to scrape the tar off the flue ways in the boiler, only takes 2 mins and is better than waiting till it gums up. you can do it with the fire in if you open the flue right up as the draw stops it smoking. best when the fire is really low though as you can rake out the bottom of the boiler more easily.

Thanks for the comments. I only got to see it today as I'm not a subscriber:blushing: James who wrote the article kindly sent me a copy. Looked pretty good, I just emailed a load of pictures and they blinged it all up. James would probably be interested in doing a feature on other companies if you want one, He's a freelance writer and always looking for a story . PM me if you want his email. I'd scan it in and post it up but its probably not fair on essential arb. Nice feature on a certain MrJones too....

Sounds like it will be on a gated compound, prob quite safe. I'd take my kit and team out there for the right money to do the whole contract, wouldn't go as a subby though.

I noticed on another thread that a lot of rayburn owners burn coal and smokeless, is this because you can't keep it in? I can keep mine in every night, even on leylandii. In the 5 years we have had it it has never burned anything but wood. Tree surgeons buying coal seems like madness. I can't figure out why some will go overnight and some won't. TD Tree & Land Services Ltd.

Could you possibly approach one of the big estates and see if you can get 3 days a week there? leaving 2 says for your own stuff....

Try asking Jimmy, this is the garage that does all my servicing etc, they are very good, they also do loads of camper conversions, you find your box, tell them what you want in it and they will do the rest.... Motorhomes Campervans Scotland | Mill Garage Duns

I take it the two front axles steer?

Its a sad situation thats for sure. I do think it is unacceptable to leave timber stacked in a public place. We have recently left around 50 ton in various public parks (woodland areas) on an LA contract that we were doing. I have been particularly worried about this type of issue. My 2 year old loves climbing on anything, a pile of wood is an invitation to a child to play on, signs or not. We left all the timber from this job one stick high, except for the small cord wood. On slopes we left the sticks extra long (spec was 2m lengths) and left large stubs on the sides to prevent rolling. This is about as much as we can do, the biggest problem that we have had is the firewood fairies coming in after we have been in there and messing all the stuff up. There were couple of big trees that we felled with 10 ton+ butts lying on steep slopes and guys have been in with saws cutting them up, if one rolls on someone who is at fault? Its a bit of a nightmare TBH. The LA want to save money by asking contractors to leave habitat piles rather than extracting, but the timber gets extracted anyway....

Mine is exactly the same, I thought clutch springs... and ordered a new set, haven't got round to fitting them yet, we just use it with out the chain brake. Might have to order a bearing then.

I don't care what it looks like,if it has the payload, as strong a drivetrain, the axle travel and the towing capacity of my 110, I'll definitely have one.

Did you spike em David?

A beer a day ( ale ) occasionally 2 and sometimes a nice malt. I am thinking of cutting it out a couple of days a week though. Better that than drinking 8 pints on one night IMO. something I never do these days.

You can't win every job. If you do then you are too cheap. Its hard not to take these things personally, but try! Because the way to running a successful business is to harden your heart and let 20 - 30% of your quotes get rejected.

Good. All we have to do now is get rid of Abu Quatada and I'll feel like I live in a decent country again.

Alder is extremely rot resistant when permanently submerged, but not good out of the water. Basically use what you can get..

Autos are favoured by a lot of the serious competition 4x4 competitors, I'd have an auto landy if they made one...

I've always wanted to fell a big tree on a car...... perhaps you could video it for me:001_smile:

If a client doesn't care about the hedge why spend ages cut and chucking when 1 cut will do?

How did you find it?

I bet Dadio could have jumped that right over the hedge.... Nice job mate.

To be fair Steve, that was the only benefit I could see, but at say a 12' log a tiny movement in the saw could be several inches at the cut...

Gimmick. Why would you want it?

Nice to see them putting a section in for the bored husbands, why else would you go to the ballet?

In the spring, when the first shoots appear you can eat them like asparagus, Apparently. Never tried myself as I have never found it at the right time of year.

If its you, your kit, van and chipper, then you should be looking for something approaching your normal day rate. TD Tree & Land Services Ltd.