Bunzena

I'd echo Mark J. It is easy to set up a company - but there are some pitfalls too. Especially in terms of understanding your responsibilities for filing, etc. A good accountant will advise on your options - and will even set things up for you, if you want. It will cost a bit more - but it saves time and worry in the end. Don't have or know a decent accountant? Always go on recommendations.

I switched to Aspen 3+ years ago across all my kit. I had to change some parts after a the first season [Carb diaphragms and fuel lines] because Aspen seemed to cause some issues [leaks - primarily]. Now all is fine. This is another reason I haven't gone back - even briefly - to standard two stroke and pump fuel. Like a few others here - I now have a mix of petrol and battery tools. True that for some jobs - battery doesn't cut it - but for many it does. I have only used the petrol strimmer/brushcutter twice this season. The future is electric! Accept that Aspen is expensive but I'd never go back. In 100 years time, people will marvel at the risks we put ourselves in using ordinary petrol in tools we used 'close-up'. Alkylate fuels like Aspen are far from perfect - but what price is your health?

Best to know what's doing the killing - then you can work out the best strategy to stop it. We lost a few ducks to what I thought was a fox - turned out to be rats. [Not suggesting this is the case with you]. An electric fence is a good suggestion for a Fox - not so good if the culprit has wings. We bought a cheap wildlife camera and set it up. Caught the b4stards on film - in the act. Mixture of Fenn traps and poison then sorted-out things out.

I'd second what nepia says. The 'Latin' names often have a 'meaning' that describe the plant itself. Making it more memorable. "Horse chestnut" = Aesculus hippocastanum. Hippo = horse, castanum = chestnut. [Yes, yes - it's actually Greek!] Once you've learnt a few - it will all start to join up and then make a lot more sense. Even works across the world of nature. "Hippopotamus". Hippo = horse, potamus = river. Hippopotamus = River Horse. [Greek again]. Nigrum [black], Lanceolata [lance shaped], Bella [beautiful], Odoratus [sweet smelling], etc.

Looking for some advice and/or views on a Mitox Log Splitter. A relative [lives in another part of the UK - so I'm not around to help] is looking to buy a domestic log splitter. It will be used once or twice a year - to split no more than 2-3 tonnes of wood. He's not up for using a maul [70+] - so looking for a splitter. Budget is really tight. He wants a splitter on a stand. So the best value seems to be the Mitox LS65x. Online at around £270. Any views on this model, or on Mitox in general or on anything at a similar price that might be better? Much appreciated.

My wife has a Mitsubishi PHEV Plug-in. Swapped an older Kia Sorento that was comfortable and reliable - but costing £150 in diesel each month. Each morning she does a school run of around 20 miles - all on electric. In two-and-a-half years she's notched-up 30k miles. It wasn't especially cheap to buy - but running costs are low. With a mix of long and short journeys - it's averaging around 65 mpg. The tech is pretty clever. It's hard to notice when it switches from petrol to electric and vice versa. It just 'does it's stuff'. It's quick to drive [petrol engine and electric motors working together deliver approx. 200 bhp and bundles of torque] and very quiet. It handles really well in wet, snowy and muddy conditions [the drivetrain and steering and very clever]. It feels a generation ahead of any other petrol or diesel car I've driven in the past couple of years. It doesn't always get the best reviews in the press - but it really is one of the nicest cars I've driven [and I've had a few over the years]. The only downside is that the interior feels a bit cheap for a car that has a high list price. I do think they are a good bet second-hand though. Interestingly, when the guy from Chargemaster came to fit our charging point - he mentioned that there's a big reliability difference between the Japanese/Korean Hybrids/Plug-ins and the Europeans. He implied that the Japanese/Koreans have been playing with Hybrids for so much longer - they're producing better products. No doubt that we're starting to reach a point where an all electric car is a real possibility. I had a look at the all electric Kia Kona recently. Reliable range of around 270 miles.

I've also gone the Makita route. Brushless chainsaw, hedge trimmer and strimmer. All 36 volts. Not as good as the petrol equivalents - but still brilliant - and I find I'm using them more and more. I have mostly 5 amp batteries. The charge time for 6 amp batteries is around 45 minutes versus 22 minutes for the 5 amp ones.

Just seen two Spitfires and a Dakota fly over the house. Fantastic. When I think I'm having a tough day - I sometimes remember what it must have been like for those arriving at the Normandy beaches.... Saw Guy Martin's programme over the weekend where some of the veterans [all in their 90s] were talking about their experiences. All had the gift of understatement about what they'd been through.

This is all good. Fingers crossed that it's a simple fix.

Second the comments by Woodlover. See your GP ASAP and get a referral to a specialist while you still have the symptoms. The fact it's affected your vocal chords is a strong clue as to where the problem might lie. The nerves that radiate off the spine are arranged a bit like a circuit diagram. It may not even be a trapped nerve - may be something transient [like a virus]. Important to get an accurate diagnosis - and then treatment that leads to a long term solution. An MRI and some blood tests would be a start. Hope it improve quickly. These things are not nice.

Almost certainly no health risks. But can never be completely certain about anything. Weren't eggs okay - then not okay - then okay and now not okay to eat? The millimetre-wave radio frequencies being used for 5G are not powerful enough to cause the effects described in the OPs article. Living in Cornwall, eating Brazil nuts, using Glyphosate, a transatlantic flight, an X-ray, getting mild sunburn, drinking 2 bottles of wine a week, a bacon sandwich are all probably more dangerous. Thank goodness none of us use chainsaws or climb trees for a living....

Can't be accurate. Even if all the cameras were 'live'. Courts/police generally allow 10% on top of speed "due to misreading speedometers". So that's a minimum 77 mph not 72 mph on Motorways. Then it's generally 3 points not 6 for straight speeding within 10 mph of set limit. 'Bans' kick-in at 100+ mph on motorways - and unless well in excess of that speed - no custodial sentencing. [Have to be considered as dangerous driving]. There's no room inside anyway! Completely agree about phone usage though. Hard to enforce - but a real distraction danger. On the road last night and witnessed a 'head-on' because [allegedly] the driver was texting, head down, and failed to negotiate a sharp bend in the road ahead. Wreckage everywhere. Airbags. Nasty. Luckily no-one seriously hurt.

Would help to know a bit more. Consultancy is a 'big and broad' area. You mention looking 'at the local market'. Any thoughts on what specific things you'd plan to offer?

Thanks to all who've replied. Great suggestions. Woodworks - completely get that you don't like the look of Accoya [it doesn't look like wood!] - but it seems to perform like nothing else. It simply doesn't move. Finding a decent source isn't proving easy. [Also thanks for those links - will look at the options carefully. We bought some bi-fold doors about 5 years ago made of laminated Oak and they have been extraordinarily good.] Douglas Fir appeals - but, as you say Squaredy, may be hard to find fully seasoned. And there are some people who claim it can be hard to paint. Love the idea of Sweet Chestnut openspeaceman! Never seen or come across anyone that has used it for windows though. Given how durable it is - might be worth a shot. Interesting thought agrimog. We used to live in an old Victorian house that had windows made of some sort of Pine. Close grained and so hard the painter and decorator we had reckoned it was 'ossified'. No rot, took paint beautifully. So that is a thought too.

Hi - looking for some advice and opinions on the best wood to build some windows. The softwood ones in our current home are less than 10 years old and many are simply rotting away. Despite being reasonably well cared for. The Pine [Deal?] they are made from flexes and moves in the heat and cold - and it's not long before water enters the end-grain and the rot starts. The movement also seems to 'blow' the double glazing units with alarming regularity too. We didn't fit them - and there's no warranty or come back. I've replaced a couple with joinery-made windows made from Accoya. Brilliantly stable and supposedly durable - the problem is they cost a fortune. So I've resolved to make some more replacements myself. Windows have to be wood - not interested in uPVC or aluminium. They will be painted - but want to use a hardwood - or [like Accoya] a durable/chemically altered softwood. It needs to be readily available and not be so exotic as to cost an arm and a leg. Have researched and researched - and just got more confused. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Stubby – what a shock for you both – and the family. Very sorry to hear the news. But, things have to be taken one step at a time. Make sure you get the tests ASAP. That may mean you have to chase and nag whoever is responsible. The GP should certainly work very hard on your behalf. More on that in a minute. Next make sure it’s done at a Hospital with the very best facilities and reputation. That may not be your local unit. It might be worth pushing for a London Teaching Hospital. It may be a series of scans – it may be a biopsy. Hopefully the results will show it’s something other than Pancreatic cancer – there’s a decent chance that will be the case. If cancer is detected – it’s far from over. Firstly, the issue with Pancreatic cancer is that it’s hard to detect. It presents late – so by the time a patient knows they have it – it may be too late to do much. The fact that your wife had an issue detected by ‘chance’ [after the fall] – is actually a good thing. The delay of five months might have little impact in the outcome. If Pancreatic cancer is caught early – it’s not necessarily a deal breaker. Like any other cancer there are treatments. Surgery, chemo and some more exotic, ‘new’, and personalised treatments using the immune system. The key to getting the best treatment may well be through the GP who ‘cocked-up’. If they feel guilty enough – they can help route you through the right channels. So rather than suing for negligence – leverage that guilt. I hope you don’t need any of this. And apologies if what I’m saying comes across as teaching you to suck eggs. Stay strong, keep positive – and take it step by step. I It’s never over ‘til it’s over. All the best.

I'd echo what Matthew has said. I also have a Makita saw [2 x 18 volt - the DUC353 brushless] - and it's surprisingly good. From memory - it has a higher chain speed than their 2000 watt mains electric saw [UC4051] - that we also have. It's certainly pretty torquey. Okay it's not as powerful as a decent capacity petrol chainsaw - but very capable. I get 100+ cuts [6-8 inch logs] from two fully charged 5 a/h batteries. Quiet, well balanced - but still has a reassuring heft-in-the-hand. It gets used a lot more than we ever thought. My instinct is that the right battery chainsaw would be perfect for you: dealing with sleepers and decking. On the basis of it's performance - we also bought the Makita 36 volt hedge trimmer - and that's pretty good too. It certainly feels like battery operated gear is a viable alternative to petrol driven tools for an increasing number of occasions. Certainly where noise is an issue.

My experience with Makita has been very good. And when something has gone wrong - they have stood by their guarantee. Accept that others may not have had such a good experience. Over the years I've come to realise that it's smarter to buy the best you can - even if you don't use it that often. As already said above - driving such large screws will be a challenge for a Drill - an Impact Driver is a better bet. I would say that going 'brushless' does make a difference. Based on your original brief - this looks like a decent option. https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-eri691com-18v-2-0ah-li-ion-brushless-cordless-combi-drill/5304p I have some experience of Erbauer. Not as robust as the major brands - but the batteries are widely available and not too expensive. A mate has one - and they last well.

LGP Eddie - what a job. Brilliant! In a 1000 years time - some alien archaeologist will be digging this up to see where the King is buried.

Thanks a mill to all those who have replied. I've really been around the houses looking all the options. Considered Willow [as spiling] - but as mentioned above - I think there's more maintenance than I'm after! Considered grading the bank too - but given the space we have to play with [quite narrow and want to plant directly behind] - that's not a preferred option. Had not considered the use of scaffold poles - that's a neat idea. Thanks Steve and Yournamehere. Matthew - I really like the sound of what you've done - but I may have trouble sourcing the materials. On balance - I think - the option of using Chestnut posts and boards might work - but any other thoughts gratefully received...

We have been asked to reinforce the bank of a large pond. The bank on one side is about 2-3 feet above the water and is eroding away. Each winter larger chunks of soil and turf drop in. The length of bank that needs to be worked on is quite short [maybe 30-40 feet long]. Having looked at a variety of options - and the one that seems to be most popular is to insert a number of vertical posts into the pond; then cross-connect with thick boards and then back fill. The question is - what timber to use? I don't have huge budget - and whatever I use needs to be fairly readily available. I've had a bad experience over the past 4-5 years with Oak and it rotting off. Sleepers, posts - the lot. I know it's normally very durable but I'm struggling to spot the duff-stuff before it's been installed. I've considered using UC4 [slightly worried about the preservative leaching out] - but the quality can be pretty variable. And 'in a pond' is a pretty challenging environment. Also considered Sweet Chestnut and Larch. Considered using recycled/reclaimed 'exotics' [such as Greenheart] - but the cost is pretty high. Anyone give me a heads-up on what they'd use? Thanks.

Crikey - she's one! Perhaps adapt the 'man-in-the-suit-and-HiVis' story. "I'm sorry madam - there's a 30" sewer running in there under the roots - removing the hedge could cause a massive flood of the brown stuff down into your property" "Removal might be possible, but did you know about the Traveller camp that's planned in the opposite field?" "Yup - the hedge can come out. The council would appreciate that. We've just had to pay out to a flasher who caught his todger on the prickles last week..." Don't tell me one of those won't work...

Get a mate that can keep a straight face to put on a suit and a HiVis and arrive at the house with a clipboard. Tell the MiL he's from the council. Get him to 'tut' and suck on his teeth whilst exclaiming there's an HPO on the Hedge. Damaging it comes with a hefty fine. He's sorry - but nothing doing. It'll cost you a few beers. If the MiL finds out - just be as angry about being conned as she was.

I can understand you're frustration! As a dog has an amazing sense of smell - we used that as the basis of our strategy to stop a similar problem. We liberally sprayed the area with a mixture of citrus and creosote. We covered the area that was being fouled - and then sprayed a 'barrier' line across the drive. This did seem to work. The smell has to be very strong and long lasting. A chemical smell is important too. It needed repeating - but not for too long. The dog moved on and did it's business elsewhere. Dogs are creatures of habit. I had heard another story. It revolves around a couple who regularly left their dog in a car in a street while they went shopping. The poor dog would bark and drive the neighbours mad. So one enterprising guy fed the dog a sausage laced with laxative through the partly open car window. They never left the dog there again. Not fair on the dog - so I'm not suggesting you adapt this approach...but... As several people have already said - it's not the dog - it's the owner who is to blame.

Sorry to hear this - especially when you suspect arson. My advice would be to talk to a good, local insurance broker. If they are worth their salt they should be able to sort something out that's bespoke to your circumstances. Clearly you need to be insured - and there'll be some specialist elements to your situation. A broker can have a conversation with an Insurance Company direct [in a way that you won't be able to] - and they may be able to put something together for you. If you don't have a broker - then word of mouth should get you going. I've always phone someone locally - and if they can't help ask them to recommend someone else. Good luck and hope you get it resolved quickly.