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Rob Stringer

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Everything posted by Rob Stringer

  1. Rob Stringer
    Just got my early spuds in today, in between taking cover from the rain. I can also recommend the john seymour self sufficiency book, it covers just about everything on the subject.
  2. Rob Stringer
    I expect this is what Cracker meant for efficiency also but I have a different take on it; consider that the remaining calorific value of the char is probably below 50% of the calorific value of the dry matter of wood that you started with. This is one reason I only use material not easily saleable as firewood for charcoal production as well as it being dirtier and less profitable work. Always good to have a kiln going in the background during the summer while getting on with other stuff though.
  3. Rob Stringer
    They apparently have a better conversion rate for charcoal produced to wood put in than ring kilns, burn times are quicker and less smoke emissions etc...Shame about the cost, you'd need to sell a lot of charcoal to make it worthwhile.
  4. Rob Stringer
    I run a lwb terrano 2.7td (1997) and have found it to be very good. Just went through another mot, needed a plate welding onto the sill near the rear wheel-arch but little else. As above they do get a bit of rust and are pretty juicy-especially when towing but other than that i've found it very reliable, good off-road and good value compared to other 4wd's and pickups.
  5. Rob Stringer
    Roast garlic is good as well..
  6. Rob Stringer
    Just have garlic in the ground at the moment (still eating last years crop). Used to grow loads of stuff, had a polytunnel full of tomatoes, peppers etc. But as i've got busier with woodland work etc. its gradually been neglected and i'm just growing staples like onions,garlic, carrots&potatoes. Want to get back into it again though..
  7. Rob Stringer
    I use an fairly light elwell billhook for most work (bundling up hazel) and a heavier nash for cleaving hazel for hurdles. Dont sharpen the nash so much as its just for cleaving and its often close to my other hand
  8. Rob Stringer
    Went to have a look at Wistmans wood last year but between my map and the country roads couldnt find it.. Looks to be worth a visit from the photos so i'll try again one of these days..
  9. Rob Stringer
    Waterproof smock turned up today, along with the snow! Thanks Tom D
  10. Rob Stringer
    Quite likely, probably best see one/several in action and/or try them out to see which machine is most practical for your setup. Processors tend to have less power for splitting knots than a splitter and are usually better suited to small (10/12" and under for basic models) cordwood- obviously varies a lot depending on the make and model etc.
  11. Rob Stringer
    Pretty sure that'd be covered, just check the wording of the insurance to make sure there aren't exceptions that'd invalidate it (restrictions on height of tree etc.).
  12. Rob Stringer
    As of today (just now in fact), my norton anti-virus is doing exactly the same thing. Did something similar a couple of months back but then stopped. Didnt encounter any problems, just hazard warnings.
  13. Rob Stringer
    Never used one of these but doesnt look like it'd lift the bags high enough to get them over the sides of my trailer, can they be used to winch bags up the ramp? Is it practical to fit one to the a-frame so it doesnt take up space on the trailer or would this not be road-legal?
  14. Rob Stringer
    Are half-size barrow bags available? Might be a better bet when my current ones fall apart (glad i'm not lifting them into a landrover/pickup though it has to be said).
  15. Rob Stringer
    I had one of those before I got the barrow bags.. worked sometimes but had problems adapting it to my trailer so ended up passing it on to someone with a pickup.
  16. Rob Stringer
    Forgot to say, yes I use a sackbarrow for moving them, I still have to drag them up and down the ramp on my trailer which I thought might be the cause of my aching back... If nobody else has problems maybe I need to do some exercises or something... The bags say 0.25 cubic metres on the side and the measurements seem to match up to this but its pretty approximate as the bags tend to bulge in the middle and settle so they only look 2/3 full. If they didnt bulge in the middle I could almost get 10 on the trailer, as it is I get 8 on and can only just shut the tail-gate. I've found them handy for awkward deliveries as well (as long as theres no steps..) and i've found loading/unloading pretty quick and efficient so would be reluctant to go back to doing loose loads with a wheelbarrow. I suppose a tipping trailer would work well for some deliveries but only where theres an accessible driveway.
  17. Rob Stringer
    I switched to delivering logs in 0.25 cubic metre potato-vented barrow bags back in the spring to save handling each log 10 times between splitting and delivering (I was loading and unloading my trailer manually before). I can get 8 bags on the trailer for a full 2 cubic metre load. Its mostly worked pretty well, I find deliveries take half the time they used to and I can unload from the pavement etc. without problems... Noticed my back aching a bit recently and I suspect dragging the bags on/off my trailer hasnt helped (get at least 80 logs in each so i'd guess 80 kg+ weight)... I was wondering if anyone else delivers logs in barrow bags regularly and whether they've had the same issue or i'm doing something wrong? I dont want to go back to hand-loading but not in a position to spend a fortune on more equipment at the moment, anyone found any simple ways to reduce handling they'd be willing to share? Thanks, Rob S
  18. Rob Stringer
    I dont have a formula, but the volume will vary greatly depending on the age of the hazel. Hazel that hasnt been cut for 60 years could contain up to 12"-ish stems whereas if its been cut regularly on a 7 year cycle there'll be a very small volume of wood really.
  19. Rob Stringer
    Construction is a much bigger industry involving a lot more people which probably explains the higher number of injuries overall... Cant really make a direct comparison without looking at how many people work in either industry.
  20. Rob Stringer
    Yes, they're a good machine. Can run for 8 hours or so with 10 litres of petrol, typically i'll split 10-12 cubic metres of hardwood logs in a day working on my own though a lot depends on the wood, how well stacked it is etc.
  21. Rob Stringer
    hello all, the tyres on my twin axle trailer are going to need replacing fairly soon. At the moment I have crossply tyres but have seen radial tyres with m+s (mud&snow I think) rating available, though they're a bit dearer. Was wondering if anyone has any experience of what the pros/cons of either type of tyre are? I use the trailer mostly for deliveries (logs etc.) but also use it in the woods to extract material. Thanks, Rob S
  22. Rob Stringer
    Ran out by xmas and could have sold more in the new year. Wasnt inundated with calls in the new year like in previous years though.
  23. Rob Stringer
    I've recently cleaned the air filter, though the mesh on the filter base still doesnt look that clear (after washing in warm soapy water). Just seems odd that the problem has just appeared.
  24. Rob Stringer
    hello all, was using my stihl ms 660 today and found it wasnt running well at all. It seemed to run ok with the throttle pressed halfway down but if I pressed it right down the saw would slow right down. It also started stalling at random so I got fed up with it and now i'm scratching my head as to whats causing the problem (has always been fine in the past). Was wondering if anyone has any ideas what the likely cause could be? Thanks, Rob Stringer
  25. Rob Stringer
    Is there a simple way to estimate cubic feet/metres in a round log? No doubt if I search long enough this has already been answered somewhere..

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