pyro

Heyhey No luck on the work front yet, im just volunteering with the BTCV to keep myself busy, though as i cant get expenses its going to come to an end soon i think! I did manage to come by some fresh english oak though today, that will be turned into all sorts, maybe wet or seasoned, im undecided! cheers, took me a while to get the composition right but i think ive got a good-ish set up now. Ive also started a hollowform having been inspired by Flames! Ben

Some of my new stuff, I got time to take some proper pictures as im now job-less! Ben

Id agree with that, no dye, just nice natural grain... Just tried to upload some of my latest stuff, but photobucket isnt working! anyone off to the woodworking and powertool show in harrogate next weekend? Ben

That is stunning Flames! good job! As for high gloss finishes: most of my stuff is finished in libernon pastewax (im currently trying some wood wax 22) I do have some melamine laquer for smaller objects, but as you say it is a pain in the ass to get a good even finished with it. Ive never used spray mind, always thought it was faster but youve just prooved me wrong! I was at the wild about wood festival last weekend, and headed straight for the wood blank tent, spent 18 quid and come out with 6 fair sized oak and elm burrs, along with somthing that just looked interesting! Ben

I saw that on Sunday when i went Kim, It was/is fantastic! Good show all round i thought! Ben

and the end result, (also a few pieces of red cherry appeared in the shed aswell... back to basics as ive not turned in a month or two now! Ben

Hi ray, I like that! looks good from where im sitting! At work this week i had a job to take a yew tree down that some folk had been complaining about and some how it found its way to my shed I dont quite know how it happened but im not complaining! Ben

its the council that are paying for it all (or not as it seems!) Im going to hang in there because i have to. Because ive been told i can use it, ticket wise, I will do. Ive highlighted my concerns with the boss/supervisor so i think ive done my part. I think i can use it safely and i use my common sense when using any tool, if it doesnt feel safe/right then I dont do it! This is just one of many things with the job that just dont seem to make sense. From the quad sprayers being basically wrong for the job, in appropriate use of tools etc. Ill not mention that i was told to use the pole cutter on some step ladders for extra reach... cheers folks pyro

I can sharpen by eye, but Ill freely admit im not massivley experienced doing it, i sharpen my husky when needed (About once a month at the moment with the use its getting). There is another seasonal worker there, who has his own tree surgery company (strugling a bit with current climate and all that) who has just refused to use it and is advising me not to aswell due to tickets, lack of maintenance equipment along with lack of proper gear. The arguement started when i asked for a sharpening kit for the pole cutter and I got told off for blunting it... it was used for 4-6 hours on mossy hard wood, I think that is about a normal time for re-sharpening? I actually got shouted at regarding this. Unfortunatly i need the job and the money so im kinda stuck there. pyro

Cheers terry nptc assessor! I thought as much but having got into an arguement with my boss about it im not really willing to bring it up again. as for using 2 stroke oil as chain oil is that just daft or am i missing somthing? pyro.

Hey guys and gals, as part of my job as a groundsman with eryc ive got use of a pole pruner (long reach chainsaw, whatever you want to call em). Now ive been told that i am the only one that can use this because i have cs30, if i remember correctly cs30 doenst cover pole pruners does it? Ive raised this with my boss and ive been told in no uncertain terms that i can use it. soo, do i need the pole powerd pruner ticket (Cs48?) to use it or does cs30 cover me? where would i stand with h&s if something happened? and ive been told to sharpen by eye with no proper files, and use 2 stroke oil for chain oil... spend 600 quid on a new cutter and attachments, then skimp on a 7 quid sharpening kit. madness. pyro

pictures as promised finished in paste wax and hollowed/whatever with the rs200k tool which is brilliant! Ben

looks good that natural edge bowl. wouldnt like to slip with a tool on that! the finial i think is either ebony so ive been told (but its more red than black) so im not overly sure! smelt like roses when i turned it so it could well be rose wood! went to snainton woodturning at the weekend and got a rs200k multi tip scraper/hollower. very impressed with it so far! ive a bowl i made with it coming up shortly, when i can be bothered to find my camera! wont be at Cirencester as its too far for me and my knackered peugeot! Ben

cheers guys, yeah thick bark peeling right back to the cambium (thats the word i was looking for!) shed has been there for 30 years or so, Ill leave it for a season or so and see how it bounces back! cheers for the advice! Ben

skyhuck: that should probably say it went into leaf at the usual time, all looked well, good n green. then the next week it wasnt. im assuming thats what the :confused1: meant! Ben

I would but i cant at the moment, my cs31 isnt till next month (if they can work out that i dont wants cs30 for the 3rd time!) oh yeah and its (probably not!) mine! Ben

Hey guys and gals, ive been reading through the eucalyptus threads on here, and thought id got lucky with ours (well i say ours its in dispute with ours and the guys garden that runs along the back of ours, completly different story though!) Well, for some reason it caught my eye this evening, it looked like it was leaning 10' further over than normal. went out for a closer look, and in my (not so much) proffesional opinion its dead or at least dying. It went into bud and leaved at abotu the right time, all looked well, about a week ago now they all dryed up, and what looked like peeling bark right down to wood level - see pictures)(excuse my terminology im not thinking straight at teh moment thanks to sister and mother twittering in the back ground:001_huh:) just wondering what you guys would do with it? there arent any more round here that i can compare it too, im just concerned because my shed is underneath it with all my woodturning gear, saw and ppe. (if it fell id want my saw out!) about 4meters up 1-2meters up whole tree, evidence of proir management. thanks Ben

Mounting of spray tanks/reservoir. the height of them and the fact the frames are labled to 65kg, with a 70l tank on the back. that is mounted over the tool kit so you cant get into it. spray lance (hand held one) is not secured on very well. first aid kit is zip tied shut tyres pumped up to 20psi (max 3-6) general maintenance and up keep. all in safe useable condition, just filters and greasing not reall kept up to (spose that is the operators reponsibility really!) hope that makes sense and that some one from eryc isnt going to jump on me Ben (or is it?)

all equipment is supplied through eryc, on friday the examiner had a quick look over it and he didnt seem best impressed with it all, but he said it JUST gets through the saftey/requirements etc. It turned out on friday that it was the lantra ATV, so gave me a chance to get used to the quads again. Pa2a tomorrow, assessment on friday I think! Passed Pa6 on friday aswell, 1 minor - dont kneel down while mixing, which i didnt actually know, but kinda obvious now i think about it. and got Pa1 on thursday - 31/33 which im happy with! the two questions i got wrong were legislation interpretation, bit ambiguous really! cheers Ben

just finished this off in the shed. I should really be at scouts now but heyho! Ben

I should really have said that unless your careful you can get it grounded and itll leave wheel marks on grass (skid marks and divots), and if loading on and of a trailer you need to watch the break over angle (if that makes sense) or you will bend part of the deck/guards! tis a good mower though, sounds welll too! Ben

thanks boss, Now I've somewhere specific to annoy people! Ben

ive not actually got any atv training. but im hoping ill get that aswell! making it potentially 4-5 nptc c&g tickets in as many weeks. (triple mower, pa1+pa6+pa2, and possibly atv) All ive been asked is if i have a driving licence, "yep" that'll do. i shall have to look into the atv bit. cheers Ben

What do i need to know or brace my self for? Im taking it on a quad at morton training services, through east riding council. any tips and all that welcome just passed pa1 and pa6 this afternoon! these free ticket things are brilliant arent they! Ben

I did my cs30 refresher through askham bryan, top bloke running it with the right gear. Unfortunatly i cant remember the instructors name! I did my cs30 and 31 first time round in bishop burton. Poor training, poor equipment and workshop. that may have been the instructor though (training wise) no excuse for dodgy workshops, saws and stuff though. Andrew Morton (im current on pa1 and pa6 with him, literally!) is good, Andrew Morton Training services, Plum Bungalow, Drain lane, Holme on spalding moor. top bloke aswell. excellent facilities and equipment! Ben