Marlin.45

Taupo, Out here on Salisbury Plain we had an abundance of apples this year so I spent a couple of days squeezing out 12 gallons of juice from a variety of local windfall. Just racking it off at the mo and will be giving it a few weeks to 'age' a bit before Christmas! To chip the apples we use a garden shredder with the only mods being a few washers under each blade to raise them a bit to generate bigger chunks and cutting the inlet/feed hole slightly larger to let the bigger apples into the business end. Works well I borrowed the press and substituted a car scissor jack for the screw system in the end. Looks crude but worked well enough and I have 12 months to build something better Paul

Nail. Head. Struck hard Either Darwin theory comes to pass or they do actually know what they are doing or will come to respect the real cost of splitting timber?

Here's my little bundle of trouble Bren Latest forays are bugging the local hedgehog to the point Bren ended up blooded and had one spine embedded (Hedgy was fine and has now been placed somewhere safer ) and now next doors ESS is on heat and don't we know it!

As mentioned previous I would also agree and say go for another Terrano tdi. Our last one had 170k on it and was running sweet when we moved it on (had the money and a nice '07 Defender came along). For that cash you would will find one with high miles. It's just a PITA it won't be one you know the history of But long term you should be able to replace it again with something better.

Ours has been lit for the past 3 weeks most evenings. Whether this is out of necessity or my love of having a real fire burning in the grate is debatable though

Sparsholt would be the first suggestion for many in that area but the cost obviously would kybosh that one and the same goes for anywhere else locally. All around £280-300 for tuition only. It'll be interesting to see what else is suggested?

Shotgun you can apply and if you have been a good boy then no problem with getting the necessary. Anything else and some form of training, though sometimes informal, is required in the form of club membership for 6 months or mentoring But it is down to the local issuing forces discretion.

Car rental place just dropped off a car to get me to Nottingham on Monday. I struggled to get that even up the hill to the house. Not surprising as the front treads are 'just' legal Stocked up with beer and food and ready to baton down the hatches if it hits here and the 4x4 fleet is fueled and ready if nec

Totally agree Tommer and to be honest if a course was offered to me 10-12 years ago it would have saved me a bunch. The majority in not buying rubbish 'store saws' At the time it didn't appear that much was within my limited budget back then so I went with the local tree guy for some hands on experience (then dumped the McCullough and bought a Husky!). Last week my BiL was given a 445 for Christmas with zero experience (pre-felled wood for the burner) and I was shocked how little he knew ('So where does the chain oil go and why do I need it?'). I ran through the basics with him but did 'suggest' he looked at a simple course. They are in Shebbear, Devon so I have passed on the LANTRA group you recommended. On chain sharpening I still struggle to get that 100% on a semi-C after all these years LOL. Cheers, Paul

Yes we are being ripped off down here. Sparsholt prices- CS30 - Sparsholt College Hampshire - Maintain and Operate the Chainsaw - NPTC CS-30 CS31 - Sparsholt College Hampshire - Fell Small Trees - NPTC CS31 The OP did not come back from what was termed 'cutting up firewood' so the CS31 ref. relates to coppicing clearing/pruning which many people do do to suppliment their fuel supply. Re. the HSE it is again a work or employment issue not personal use. The jist of any HSE docs I have read state that if you are employed doing tree work then 'adequate training' should have been provided by the employer or carried out by the employee. But that is by the by. The original poster mentioned it was (or I believe) it was for home use? http://www.gardening-tools-direct.co.uk/content/hsechainsaws.pdf Cheers, Paul

These guys do the winch mount without the side bumper sections--> Winch Mount for Ford Ranger - 4x4-R-Us.com - Specialist equipment for all your 4x4 needs! £190 - WINCH ACCESSORIES & 4X4 PRODUCTS - FORD RANGER WINCH MOUNT - Super Power Winch Ltd - Winches, Power Winches, Hydraulic Equipment, Towing Equipment, Load Restraint, Superwinch, UK Or give Devon 4x4 Off Road - Home a call. As Tommer mentions. They also are a big agent for ARB.

Looks like this area is being ripped off for training then? What is 'this std'? If it is CS30 then no you don't but if it is a form of 'training' to cover your employer to show they have carried out their 'duty of care' requirements then far do's. Which is where David's comment comes in? Sorry about the 'bud' comment if it causes you soo much offence but after living in the US for a chuck of my life it influences my way of talking and writing.

Sorry I guys I just realised I had not updated this thread and just in case someone does a search and gets the wrong idea about NSC. Well the new bar etc. arrived on the day before Xmas Eve via courier (I had paid for 1st class). The courier Co. had been stranded due to their parking lot freezing over? Anyway I don't blame NSC for it and everyone else was also having problems due to the weather and the time of year Parts superb and a very good price. Would I deal with them again......I already have. A week later the Husky 350 needed a new pair of chains, and I also splashed on a new Oregon bar (didn't need it). Christmas after all. Turned up in 24 hours! http://www.newsawchains.co.uk/epages/es108227.sf Cheers, Paul

Sorry bud but you need to get real. a) CS30 down here is £492 at Sparsholt then add CS31 on top. b) There is NO legal requirement to have either. Contract wise the 'employer' may require it or more importantly the insurer will require it to provide indemnity. And read my post. I stated I do not use it for work and neither is the OP Paul

Bren. 15 months old and mad as a hatter! On the sofa and both JRT's sleep on the bed in our house

I have a '97 4.0 Cherokee that I had converted to sequential injection LPG around 5 years ago at a costs of £2k (underslung toroidal combi tank). Initially I had a lot of problems but McLaren the system importers eventually sorted it out, and it goes great now. Financially it costs me less to run the 200bhp lump than SWMBO's diesel Terrano. Would I do it again? No! It is now reliable and gets me anywhere I need to go but fuel availability has to be looked for every trip if I don't know the area. If I have any problems with the system it is a PITA to find anyone that can work on it unless I want to drive 35 miles and leave it for a few days then get fleeced. Luckily that rarely happens Next truck will be diesel and suitable for veg. Oh, hang on I have one already and another under construction

Well so much for none. Woke up this morning to around 4cm of snow laying outside and no traffic past the house at 6am. So no excuse not to engage 4wd? Transit from 32 miles from Stonehenge to Southampton was slushy but easily doable but would have been better is a large contingent of road users stayed at home and didn't clog up the roads at 20mph just because the surface was wet! Snow now coming down heavy at the So'ton office but may not make it home tonite? Half the office have phoned in and cannot make it in. They live 3 miles from the office

Looking out of the window on the edge of Salisbury Plain and no snow here - yet! But it is very still out there and the temperature is spot on. 4x4's all gassed up and ready for the morning

It depends on both the level of experience of your partner, their level of responsiblity and what they intend to cut. Now those above quote training. To be honest I don't support that if the operator is sensible and has a good idea of safety and how dangerous a saw can be. All tools are dangerous and +£1k of training doesn't stop you from being stupid, it just points out when you are. They are not using the saw for formal work or in public areas. I have never had any 'formal' training just used saw's for around 10 years for firewood and minor felling. But, I work in engineering so I have a good feel the mechanical delicacies and work in a predominantly H&S orientated environment. Anyway, outside of that for cutting firewood on a log frame up to say 6" diameter a Husky 346XP, 445 or Stihl MS250 with a 15" bar would do the job admirably and last for years But as mentioned before let us know where you are located so someone can recommend a local specialist. That way you can get some advice and a feel for the saws on offer.

Sorry I am late to the thread and glad the LR is now fixed. In the case of turbo compatibility the Def/Disco assy's will swap straight over. There are more Disco lumps out there than Def ones...especially as the Def turbo assy is as rare as hens teeth (you were in luck). Or fit a 300tdi if you want to fit new engine mounts. Even more of those coming up and, again ancilliaries swap over from the 200tdi.

Just sent a copy out to Afghan for the chaps to appreciate when coming off patrol

Still delaying picking up a copy but play COD4 (PC) online regularly. Our clan is F&L and I go under the same ID as my signature.

Just had a bottle of 10 yr Ardberg delivered for Christmas from SWMBO so I know what I will be on tonite once a few San Miguels have warmed it's way. Failing that I have 2 litres of Sloe Gin and Sloe Vodka to try out

But were any of them Police? I managed to torch the thatch on my house back in 2005 so understandably I had to make the 'call'. In the end I had 12 (seriously) fire vehicles here within 30 minutes (a lot of thatches in close proximity) including the military airfield foam truck. It was a quiet night for them after all. As a side note if anyone knows/is a firefighter in the Dorset/Hants/Wilts area and has to sit through the 'how to deal with a thatch fire' video. That was my place. Damn filmies