Marko

It is a problem many brains have pondered but nothing forthcoming as yet!

We set up this page some time ago to help 'clarify' the situation re buying firewood and help set exectations. Information for firewood buyers: Buying Firewood: A guide to buying firewood, logs, kindling and how to use a moisture meter Information for firewood sellers: Firewood Selling Guide - Best practice and standards for firewood suppliers and retailers "Builders bag / Ton bag / Dumpy bag of logs A builders bag is a convenient method of delivering firewood as it is relatively easy to handle for both the seller and buyer. A builders bag also provides an easy way to visualise the quantity of wood that is for sale. Please remember that a builders bag is not a ton of wood and it is not a cubic meter of wood (probably around 0.6 m3) and don't let anyone tell you any different! Again, it is likely that the logs inside the bag have been loosely loaded so expect the volume of your purchase to reduce if you make a nice stack of your firewood. Be aware that only dry, seasoned wood should be stored in a buiders bag; as there is little opportunity for air circulation any damp or wet wood will quickly develop mold if left in the bag."

BBC News: UK scientists have mapped the genome of the British ash tree, in research to find a way to protect woodlands from a deadly fungus.BBC News - Scientists map UK ash tree genome

You can buy the pump new or, now and then, they come up for sale at farm sales or on ebay. My pto pump and tank is for sale on ebay now - finishes tomorrow night. Making the reservoir would be straightforward and it really does make sense to build it to fit on the splitter like the one in the photo. Should have done that years ago!

Make sure the inevitable "can you just..." is firmly managed. Saying no due to "other commitments" and explaining why a day rate would have been much more flexible might be a good way to set the scene for the next visit.

I heard that the Cider Jon drinks is just Aldi Taurus with a bit of piss added to give it some flavour.

Anything that prevents an unwanted incursion is surely beneficial?

I never got around to fitting them together as one unit just in case I needed the pump for anything else although I never did work out what that something else might be!

Agreed. Best thing I've seen in ages. Would have made a great TV programme.

Having given it much thought over the week I have decided to have a clear out and sell both our small splitter and the pto pump. As I really haven't a clue what either of these are worth I can't put them in the classifieds so they will both go onto ebay this evening as two separate listings. The auction will be allowed to run its course with no 'buy it now' or 'advertised elsewhere' boleaux. If anyone wants a demo please get in touch.

A word of warning... it was a real disappointment when we tried our pump on our little B7100 - plenty of power to drive it but the pump just would not fit in the space available on the rear end. No doubt adapters could be made etc etc but the beauty of such a system is just clip it onto the pto of any available tractor and off you go. Forgot to say that if anyone wants to try it out they are more than welcome but I would expect you to need to split around 5 cubes with a standard hyd take off then another 5 cubes with the pump so you would be absolutely sure .

It probably stands me at about £500 - £600. It was part of an irrigation rig that we had but the rest was sold off. I have no idea what it would cost to make up from scratch. I don't know if you have 3 phase but we have now made up the same sort of system with an very big electric motor driving the pump. This has cost around £300 to build inc all the fittings and oil. I picked up the main unit from a massive paper guillotine for peanuts. This is even quieter, cleaner and (I suspect) cheaper to run. If you have 3 phase then it may be worth thinking about.

Photos below as promised. The frame on the pump sits over a lift arm to stop the whole pump rotating. The fittings on the tank can cater for both the old "dowty" connection and the current quick release fittings. Whilst our tank is on a 3 point linkage it lives on its pallet and just gets placed behind whichever tractor is driving it. Extension pipes on the splitter mean that the tractor can be outside whilst the splitting can be done inside. Why use a pto pump when you have a tractors? 1) The capacity of the pump far exceeds that delivered by the internal hydraulic system of smaller tractors (135 996 B3030 etc) and so it can work all day at tickover. It saves thrashing a small tractor or wasting a big one, provides a big fuel saving and dramatically reduces the noise of operation. 2) Multiple tractors can be used on the splitter without cross contamination of the internal hydraulics; the splitter works as a closed system.

I will make a note and take a photo of what you need tomorrow. Very easy to do.

Try and keep up with the one drum until you have a full 12 months of selling. If it is seasonal you will be able to get some stock built up ready for next year. If it isn't you know you are in the market for another drum at least.

Could it not also be deemed "a failure to determine". They have a statutory duty to say Yes or No within a given timescale. A Planning Expert sounds like the only move forward

We have had a bearcat for years mainly for dealing with hedging and general arisings around our own place. Spares are no problem, they come in days from the US if they can't be found over here. Previous owner had worked it for 5 years on tree work. He had replaced the stress control which had played up from new but had had no other problems. Big V Honda starts every time and is very easy to service. Not one for the big boys at all but as a general purpose hitch up and go it is ultra reliable and just the ticket for estates. I take the view that if it won't fit in the bearcat it should be logged for firewood!

Put a full load of timber onto the trailer in the woods. Tip it out and chip it into the trailer. You will then be certain which is the most efficient method.

Your talking to us not the mrs

Further to my earlier post in this thread about getting the website foundations right as well as the graphics (and only by way of an example as you put your head above the parapet with your invite)... your home page looks fantastic but fails html validation with 7 errors and 6 warnings. All fixable and nothing dreadfully amiss but these things do matter especially with multi device platforms and the all seeing algorithms of google.

Agrred. I am very happy burning willow, pop and conny. I hate burning ash, syc and oak. Would have much prefered to have sold it.

Sound advice from Mr Bullman. It isn't rocket science but there is a level of skill and experience needed to get the most out of it. Just ponder all the threads on here that cause much excitement, derision and scorn from professional arborists when people assume tree work can't be that difficult. It is just the same for web design (although getting it wrong is never quite as catastrophic!). Each to their own. Equally don't assume because you pay for a site it will be of quality; a fantastic piece of graphic design is of no use if it hasn't got the proper foundations to support it.

Looks great. Good work!

1m length seems to work well for us. Easy to estimate stock, easy enough to grab a load on the forks (pallet forks or muck fork) and easy enough to manhandle on a saw bench All stacked same way and left for 2-3 years which ensures that whatever the wood is in the pile it is well seasoned before it gets sawed to length.

"Coming out. I fancy my groundie." Male or female is fine but fancying a groundie??? That's disgusting.