strider

I own a old land rover defender tdi, which is my work horse. I've spent time and money securing it to stop it being stolen as without it my business goes to the wall. 6 o'clock this morning I was very surprised to find that my Tmax winch and bumper had been stolen of my Landy during the night while parked outside my house. This on top of my yard being turned over again 8 weeks ago does make you wonder is it worth working hard and trying to make a success of a small business. If I could lay my hands on those that keep stealing from hard working people, well it's not printable what I would do. Always expect the unexpected and plan against it.

One of the best things with the oil drum kiln, to start with, is that if it goes wrong there is only a small amount of wood and time wasted compared to a ring kiln. A very good way to learn.

Just picked up this thread. I've been making charcoal for the last 5 years along side firewood and other woodland products. I use a ring kiln which burns for about 2 days and produces about 60 bags of good charcoal and about 7 bags of small piece charcoal(ideal for own use but dosn't look good in a bag for customers) Firewood gives a better return but by doing the charcoal it adds another income source and once people know that you are making it and the good ethics of it and that its a good product they are willing to pay that bit extra. I also use the oil drums for quick production if i'm running short, but also so that I can produce timber specific charcoal. Hornbeam charcoal is unberlivably good and sells at a premium. Finally I have found that sales of charcoal are all year round. There are customers out there BBQing in the winter and the likes of B&Q stop selling charcoal normally in September. If you want any advice, help or information get in touch. Finally

Many thanks for your reply and the offer. I keep being told not to take the brake in personally but I do. After doing a job for 15 years that I hated I'm doing something that I love with a passion so when something like this happens it hurts more than just in the wallet.

Many thanks to everyone for your replies. I am happy that my fuel mix is good quality and correctly mixed. However I think that I may have been to ready to put the choke on when it hasn't started within the first few pulls and thus flloding it. I've been using the saw today and have been keeping away from the choke after the initial start and it seems that most of the time to start fairly well, But have had a couple of occasions when its been 30+ pulls to get it going but no plumes of smoke. I will see how the saw behaves next week and if i'm still haveing problems then I will get the carb checked out but as a brand new machine I would expect it to be right. Thanks again for all replies

Very recently I took delivery of a logosol woodworkers mill with a STIHL MS880. The mill is great, should have bought it long ago, but having problems with the MS880. The problem which I am hoping that someone can help me with is that it starts no problems first thing but after that if the saw dosn't start within the first 6 pulls then I can be at it for ages. Once it eventually starts it throws out a lot of smoke. I'm currently spending more time getting the saw to start than i am milling timber. Any information and advice would be greatly appriciated.

Unfortunatley Crays Hill is only spitting distance away. I'm sure that this brake in is connected to other brakein in January because they came well prepared.

Many thanks for the details Steve, I will be keeping a look

To all that have read and also responded. Many thanks its appriciated

I will be keeping a close eye locally. Do you have any details regarding Gaze as i've not come across them before. Many thanks

Unfortunatley it looked fairly standard, noting unusual until opening the tailgate which the left hand side was a right sod, but that dosn't help. Next trailer I will look to try to do something that if nicked stands out. As 3rd brake in this year I agree with shotgun pellets or better still put ontop of a charcoal kiln and slow roasted.

Unfortunatley no usefull pics. Yet another leason learn't the hard way.

Many thanks, because I think that this will be the only way I stand a chance of getting it back as the police were less than interested even though its the third brake in this year

Stolen from Billericay and the trailer was in good condition with twin wheel base Just checked through e-bay just in case but no joy Many thanks

Saturday night I had my Ifor trailer stolen along with fuel cans, various hand tools, barrows, chainsaw oil etc from my yard in Essex. The trailer was secured with a bulldog hitchlock behind secure gates. Gates unbolted and moved with a hi-ab and trailer taken by hi-ab. Also cut the locks off a shipping container with oxy-acetylene torch. Just in case the Ifor trailer was 8'x5' with high mesh sides serial no 250666 with registration plate ARC314 They new what they were after and came prepared.