monkeybusiness

I reckon someone may have had a fire at the bottom of that tree in the last couple of years.

Finish your mechanical engineering if you can bring yourself to - I really wish I had an engineering degree and have regretted not doing it ever since I was your age. As you get older and your responsibilities/commitments grow you can start to lose the opportunity to study - make the most of it now! You have the rest of your life to go out and work in any industry you choose - if you can finish your course and get a qualification it will show future employers that you have the mettle to see things through, even if you don't follow an engineering path. Focus on the positives - you must have chosen your course for a reason. And as Rupe (almost) says, go out and hunt down some poon-tang if you're feeling a bit low, it usually helps (but often brings a whole new set of problems to the table if you aren't careful...)!

In response to this, I've used a couple of 362s extensively over the last two years and then bought a 560 when they first came out. The stihl is not as good as the old 361, but it pulls a bigger bar (ie 20 inch) with ease which can't be said for the 560, which seems to struggle with an 18 a bit when worked hard. If you're looking to run a smaller bar then get the 560, otherwise I'm not so sure it is that much better. We are still having a few issues with 560s... (but they are absolutely fantastic saws when they are running properly with a 15 inch bar). I used my old 361 for the first time in 12 months the other day - that would still be my first choice as an all rounder if they were still available.

Check the owners manual, or try google.

I've dragged my mega mud-tyred 300 Tdi HiCap out a couple of times with my new shiny Navara D40. The Nissan is the dog's back wheels (it's my second, I've now run them for 6 years). I have yet to drive a more comfortable all round capable vehicle to be honest (the other Jap competitors aren't as comfortable/car like/well equipped/value for money in my opinion) but it is in no way faultless. Fortunately the Nissans have always been under warranty - I would be wary of buying one with no warranty and mine doesn't really get used for proper work (it'd soon be devalued/destroyed doing what we do for a living). I am in no way a Landy basher - I think they are mint and have owned/operated them for a long time. You can't get away from the fact that they are built around an ancient design and go wrong more than they should (partly due to poor/antiquated engineering tolerances, but mostly due to a lack of maintenance that isn't necessary in more modern vehicles so often gets overlooked). My Landy has had a hard life (it has been well maintained but expected to work!), but has earned me more money than any of my other vehicles. It looks OK without any straight panels and a brush paint job, and will still be worth more than scrap value when it finally gives up the ghost (which it won't as bits are super cheap). Basically, Land Rovers are the nuts - however I would think twice about having one as my only vehicle.

Mint - you win big style!!!

That's the ex-demo price, not new then? At 50k they sound a lot more interesting - the talk has always been of 100k plus

Kool, cheers

4 inch or 4 feet? I'm guessing the latter. They will be amazing beams (if you can find the timber). I take it they need to be Acacia for the colour/grain?

The distance between your blades and the anvil(s) is critical. Assuming they are all sharp/square (and if they aren't properly sharp and balanced then you are wasting your time) then you need to check the operators manual and ensure the distance between them is correct and even along their length (ie they don't taper in/out from each other). There should be more than one anvil (probably 2 - one bottom and one side) that need to have good, sharp square edges - chippers cut in a similar fashion to scissors and need 2 sharp edges to work correctly. If you can't find details of the correct blade/anvil gap then you won't go far wrong if you use a hacksaw blade thickness as a guide - set the gap and then rotate the flywheel to make sure the opposite set of blades doesn't foul (if it does the blades aren't set correctly/the flywheel may be mis-aligned/bent!/the blades aren't balanced). Check the flywheel can't float in its bearings - if there is nothing to stop the flywheel moving in/out along its axle then the blade/anvil gap can open up as soon as you start feeding the machine and may potentially close up (with serious consequences as the blades and anvil will meet at massive speed). It doesn't matter what make/model of chipper/saw/razor etc you buy - if it is blunt it won't work. A well set up Bearcat will out perform an abused Timberwolf/Jensen any day. Congratulations on your purchase - you won't look back I'm sure of that!

Acacia trees

I still don't understand how the solenoid voltage is supplied below 12v (approx, dependant on battery state) - is there some electrical gubbins that does this hidden somewhere within my Defender? I'm concerned because I've just put a 200tdi in a lightweight and am now worried that I'm going to burn something out as that can only be running at 12v(ish).

Does that include a chipper, tool box and chip box?

I had a boot/chainsaw encounter a few years ago, and even started a little thread about it at the time. The importer of my particular boots gave a very good insight into what the boots have to do (and their limitations). It's a bit long winded (I waffle a lot), but you can find it here - http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/2604-chainsaw-boots-dont-stop-saw.html I still wear the same brand of boots today as I feel they are the best available (even though they don't appear to offer any real level protection over and above a cheap pair of leather work boots). The incident was 100% my own fault, caused by complacency, and I was lucky to walk away from it (literally!) with no consequence other than a wallet bashing as I had to invest in a new pair of boots. The most important thing to bear in mind is that PPE is the very last line of defence, and at best it might minimise the severity of injury to a degree. Have respect for the machinery you operate and use it in the same way you would if you were just wearing your speedos - never ever rely on your PPE ever ever.

That's amazingly cheap, especially if they are using as much aluminium as in your pic. The one in the photo has got steel floor/corner posts etc with ali sides (which would still be a bargain at £1400) but bear in mind that however the steel is treated (painted/powdercoated etc), unless it is galvanised (probably unlikely to be able to get it galv'd because the floor and headboard may warp) then it will probably start to rust through the coating within a couple of years.

Speak to the service department at Greenmech, they'll fix it on the phone. They are fantastic people, and know all the machines inside out!

Mega!!! I love the hieroglyphics on the dumper body - are they the old sides off Tutankhamun's coffin?...

I picked up a cheap roll from my local scrap yard

I wondered if it was a LOLER issue with bulk bags - ie not worth getting them inspected so that's why they are now seen as disposable within the building industry. The same issues obviously apply to our industry too - if the bags are going to be lifted then LOLER applies. How's that for a can of worms...

Just get a more powerful truck - you won't notice the problem then.

I've got 3l 140 HP and they are brilliant, but a couple of mates have 2.3 120 HP that are very good but also give much better fuel economy.

Can you fit prop stands to the back of the trailer for loading/unloading, to remove the twisting force and direct the load straight down into the ground?

The older machines with indirect injection engines all do it a bit - it is just overfuelling (ie unburned fuel) at start up and is of no concern. It doesn't seem to happen with the newer direct injection engines. It just shows everyone that you've got a double-hard chipper!

Speak to Mark at Hydraulics Online (google them or call 0845 644 3640). They are based down the road from me and are BRILLIANT! He saved me a lot of money on a pump and 2 motors and really knows his stuff - give him a call when you are with the machine and ideally have the pump off if possible.

Go VAT registered and claim it back?