ChrisSaunders

Hi all, A sculptor friend has asked me to look out for a large butt for him to whittle (or whatever) into an artwork he is planning. A big old oak, or beech would do very nicely, and particularly anything with two main trunks. He is not looking for a freebie, quite prepared to pay real English pounds for it and pay for transporting it to his studio too. So I would be very grateful if all you tree professionals would bear it in mind when looking at jobs, or maybe someone knows of something suitable or has a large lump of wood lurking around the yard. Any leads will be very gratefully received. Thanks chaps, CS.

Hi all, I am the lucky s*d who had the good sense to send his ailing Husky 262XP to senior member spudulike for some much needed care and attention. Spud is not only a chainsaw engineering genius, he is also a perfect gentleman who charges extremely reasonable rates for his first rate skills, and freely dispenses excellent advice. From the factory the Husky 262XP was already something of a ripper, but with polished ports, Spud's brilliant double barrel exhaust muffler, and a posh new Diamondfire spark plug fitted, I think this saw is really going to rock. I reckon maybe 5.5hp from a lightweight saw. Cool!!! I'll post a video of the saw running as soon as it is run in. Best wishes, Chris

Anyone seen one of these?: Safeguard Ventures producers of the Centurion chainsaw guard for protection against chainsaw kickback injury Don't know how it works ... maybe the top of it smacks you in the mush if the saw kicks, but with less potential devestation to one's noggin than that caused by a bar and fast moving chain. Or something. CS

Bear in mind that the chainsaw is one of the most dangerous machines man has invented, and all saws will kick back and bury themselves in your head if handled badly. As long as you have a good instructor the CS30 and 31 courses will make you a safe user. Don't fear chainsaws for their inherent ability to kill you, but respect them. I used to have a 346 and they are cracking saws, but the best you could do is go to a good dealer who will let you pick up and perhaps even try cutting both the 346 and the ms260. One of them may 'fit' you better than the other. I don't see the point of heated handles when you should be wearing approved chainsaw gloves. Heated handles might be good in Canada in the winter but in the UK with spring and summer approaching while wearing gloves anyway? I think not. When choosing saws I am guided by their power to weight ratios. I am not the biggest bloke so I like lighter saws as I get less tired using them. My current machine, soon to be replaced, is the Husky 262xp. With 4.8hp available out of just 11.6lbs (powerhead) it has a power to weight ratio which has never been bettered, yet it is nimble, agile, reliable, has great anti-vib, and a good one will run bars from 15 to 24 inches. I'll write it again - all saws are inherently dangerous especially in untrained hands, but in my view semi pro or low power chainsaws are more dangerous than the others. Work all day with a gutless saw and you will get fatigued, and a tired chainsaw operator is a nasty accident waiting to happen. Conversely, given that power = the capacity to do work, the more power a saw has the less work you have to do. If you are less tired, there is less danger of something bad happening. Therefore it follows that feeble saws are more dangerous than powerful ones. So if you are a hulk and can comfortably work with a ported 385xp with about 8hp on tap, get one. It will do so much work for you, life will be a breeze. My advice is don't be swayed by those here who have their feet firmly planted in either the Husky or the Stihl camp (or Makita, Tanaka, Solo, Jonsered, Echo et al); try first then buy the most powerful chainsaw (i.e. the saw capable of doing the most work) that 'fits' you, and which is light enough for you to comfortably use all day while wearing all the mandatory PPE (including gloves!). CS

Hi Phil, Good to learn there is a qualified climber in the area. I work in and around Bexhill, Cooden, and almost over as far as Eastbourne, which is not so far from you; so if or when I need a climber I will give you a call. Best wishes, Christopher Saunders - home page

Hi all, I need to fit a new muffler/exhaust to my little MS200T, the old one having fractured (it sounds really rorty at present but is a tad antisocial!). Does anyone know if this is an easy bolt off/bolt on job I can do myself or do I need to take the saw to a service centre and suffer the financial consequences of having a Stihl trained boffin do the work? I am not averse to tinkering with and repairing my bigger saws as necessary but I'm not sure about taking my spanners to the little Stihl. Any useful advice on how best to proceed will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, Chris.

I did my CS30 and 31 at Plumpton and had the use of their MS260 saws during the course. Though the machine seemed thoroughly competent but it was a tad heavy for me - I'm only a skinny little bloke. The first saw I bought was a 346XP which I preferred to the MS260 as it seemed lighter, better balanced (for me) while being no less able. Then I read about a chainsaw which has one of the best power to weight ratios of any saw ever made - the venerable Husky 262XP. I bought a reasonable one off ebay for £138, then bought another from the same source to plunder for spares which cost me £50 or so. A spent a few evenings in the garage cleaning things up, fitting new filters, plug, chainbrake, sprocket, starter cord, and tuning up; and now have a saw which I can only term 'awesome'. It happily runs a 20inch bar, has never let me down, is beautifully balanced, is absurdly powerful for its size and weight; and cost me far, far less dosh than an MS260, a 346 or an MS261. Some folks have to have the latest, newest things equipped with the latest gadgets and widgets, but I would not swap my 262xp for anything, ever. I know of no other saw which can match its versatility, and it makes me feel good to know that to get such a brilliant saw cost me so little. If you are looking for a powerpacked saw which will outperform pretty much anything else similarly sized and you are on a budget, I wholeheartedly recommend the 262xp. Owning one feels rather like being a member of a very exclusive club. CS.

I am clearing a garden at the weekend, it is completely overgrown - bramble, young saplings, nettles and all sorts; no one has touched it in years. I looked on the internet at what I could get to go on my brushcutter (Echo SRM330) and found a blade called the Weedwakka. It seems the Weedwakka comes in two versions, the heavy duty model for smashing up bramble etc, and a multicut model for cutting grass. The marketing blurb claims that with these two tools you will never need to buy nylon line ever again. Hallelujah - I like that! It is manufactured in Australia and available in the UK through a company named GlobeMall. I had trouble finding a retailer in my area so I phoned the UK importer - he is very generously sending me a Weedwakka to try, for free, which is very decent of him indeed. I will be using the heavy duty variant this coming Saturday so I'll let you know how it performs, but if the marketing is to be believed then it looks like the Weedwakka could be the blade you are looking for. Best wishes and I'll post again when I have tried the Weedwakka myself, and will give you my honest impression of it. Sincerely, Chris Weedwakka Home Page Weedwakka

Hi, I've owned and used the Ardisam CS6 chipper for two years and for its size I love it. It was cheap to buy (£400 secondhand), it has never clogged, handles up to 50mm diameter stems, and as far as I know is the only machine which bags up the waste and offers a vacuum kit. It's a compact unit which can fit through most side gates, and I can lift it in an out of my van easily. The only bad point on the machine is that changing the two chipper blades is rather a drag - lots of bolts to undo, other than that I am delighted with it and will be keeping it for a while yet. Chris

Hi, Yes I looked at the Scag machines too. I can recommend a trip to the big Saltex show at Windsor in September to anyone with an interest in such machinery - they are all there. After visiting last year's Saltex I chose to import this machine because it had all the capability without the high cost of a Scag, John Deere, Toro, or a Great Dane. These are all great machines but were too rich for my meagre budget. My mower has a 32inch width of cut, chosen as it will pass through side gates etc. The USA company who sold me my machine also make them in 36 and 44 inch widths, with a flail mower due to be added to the model line up soon. In our ever shrinking world I determined that supply of parts would not a problem - anything engine related is carried by Kawasaki UK, I have a set of spare blades and drive belts; and apart from that there is little on the machine to wrong (touch wood!). Did I do the right thing in importing this machine? Time will tell but so far I can only describe what it does as 'outstanding' for the money I spent. It cuts grass many, many times quicker than my old 18inch Masport machine, which means I am earning money much faster too. If anyone wishes to look it over, you are welcome to come down to Sussex, have a look and try it for yourself. Chris.

Hiya, Yes, I did look at the Countax range, and many others too. The closest I could find to the spec of my machine was the Great Dane dual hydro mower but at upwards of £7k it was far too much for my small budget. The Great Dane is a fine machine by all accounts but I don't think the company offers the ride on dolly option that mine has. This versatility - being a top class walk behind and a ride on too, allied to the low price and outstanding value for money, were the qualities that guided my decicion making. I think I got a real bargain, hence my post here to bring this machine to the attention of others. Chris

Thanks for your comments, the virtue of this machine, and what really sold it to me, is that it is both a pedestrian/walk behind mower, and with the dolly attached its a ride on too. Chris

Hi all, As a pro gardener with a big interest in lawn care I spent the early part of this year checking out commercial mowers. With a limited budget (haven’t we all) my options were limited if I wanted a tough machine which could handle long grass and rough ground yet cut a finish too on good lawns. Anything decent was way too much money to purchase new and I have an aversion to buying such machines second hand. I thought I was stuck until I found this American made baby: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/cesky.fousek.uk/NewMower#5490495539872571842 http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/cesky.fousek.uk/NewMower#5490495542677147202 16 hp V twin cylinder electric start Kawasaki engine (sounds like a Harley!), dual hydrostatic drive, twin blades, 32inch cut, mulching kit, built like a tank yet is light, very compact and amazingly manoeuvrable; it’s fast (over 7mph) and comes with a brilliant ride on dolly which is towed behind the machine. So many features - it even has headlamps! Best of all, including shipping to the UK and VAT it cost me a bob or two less than four grand, saving me over £3K on anything comparable here, not that I found a mower with the foot ache saving dolly on sale in the UK. Now that’s what I call a bargain! If anyone wants to know more or would like to see it with a view to buying one, please do get in touch. Best wishes, Chris.

Hello Mick, I would be very happy to help with you with this ash removal if you need me. I hope all is well with you, best wishes, Chris Saunders

With apologies for perhaps stating the obvious - whichever saw you ultimately choose to use, make sure you equip it with a chain that has teeth designed for the ripping wood - cutting along the grain, rather than the more conventional crosscutting design of tooth. Your mill saw will be so much more efficient if you get the right chain for the job. Safer too. Keep safe, Chris

For the non-technical the following ode has useful advice, and lots of charm too: BEECH WOOD FIRES ARE BRIGHT AND CLEAR IF THE LOGS ARE KEPT A YEAR. CHESTNUT IS ONLY GOOD THEY SAY, IF FOR LONG TIS LAID AWAY. BUT ASH WOOD NEW OR ASH WOOD OLD IS FIT FOR A QUEEN WITH A CROWN OF GOLD. BIRCH AND FIR LOGS BURN TOO FAST, BLAZE UP BRIGHT AND DO NOT LAST. IT IS BY THE IRISH SAID, HAWTHORN BAKES THE SWEETEST BREAD. ELM WOOD BURNS LIKE CHURCHYARD MOULD EVEN THE VERY FLAMES ARE COLD; BUT ASH WOOD GREEN AND ASH WODD BROWN IS FIT FOR A QUEEN WITH A GOLDEN CROWN. POPLAR GIVES A BITTER SMOKE, FILLS YOUR EYES AND MAKES YOU CHOKE APPLE WOOD WILL SCENT YOUR ROOM WITH AN INCENSE-LIKE PERFUME. OAK LOGS IF DRY AND OLD WILL KEEP AWAY THE WINTER COLD. BUT ASH WOOD WET OR ASH WOOD DRY, A KING SHALL WARM HIS SLIPPERS BY. HOLLY LOGS WILL BURN LIKE WAX, YOU SHOULD BURN THEM GREEN. ELM LOGS LIKE SMOULERING FLAX; NO FLAMES WILL BE SEEN. PEAR LOGS AND APPLE LOGS, THEY WILL SCENT YOUR ROOM CHERRY LOGS ACROSS THE DOGS SMELL LIKE FLOWERS IN FULL BLOOM BUT ASH LOGS ALL SMOOTH AND PALE, BURN THEM GREEN OR OLD BUY UP ALL THAT COME YOUR WAY, THEY’RE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD.

In my experience a good dealer will always assemble, fuel and oil a new saw, run it up and tune it, i.e. check that the idle speed is correct, and that the slow speed and high speed needles are set to optimum. It is unlikely you will get this quality of service when buying over the internet unless you choose your supplier with care. The prices may be attractive but as ever you gets what you pays for - a saw from a good dealer may cost a few quid more but those few quid may prove to be a good investment. I would advise anyone contemplating the purchase and use of a chainsaw to do the NPTC CS30/31 course - yes it costs money it teaches all the basics about maintaining a saw to keep it running well, and vitally teaches the importance of safety too. No other tool has the potential to cause injuries like a chainsaw in unskilled hands. For DIY tuning, all you need is a vice, a suitably sized screwdriver, a pair of ears and a rev-counter - I bought one off ebay for twenty quid and it works great; I am sure a service centre would charge more than that to tune a saw, plus I get the satisfaction of looking after my own machine. Finally, read the manual, then read it again, and again and again and again. Keep safe, Chris

Briggs & Stratton make and distribute a fuel attitive which keeps petrol viable for up to two years. B&H Fresh Start Fuel Stabilizer is not pricey and one shot treats 5 litres of fuel. The blurb states that the product will also help prevent gum from forming in the fuel system and the carburetor parts over the winter months. I add it when I'm mixing up my two stroke fuel, it is good stuff. Most garden machinery sellers should have it.