Bolt

RE "lantra card". Training is simply 'them' telling and showing you stuff. Assessment is you telling and showing 'them' stuff. You want an NPTC assessment if you want to progress in this industry. Training can be given to you by anyone. (your mum, your boss, a college or a national organisation line 'LANTRA'). If lantra do your training, you get a discount for your NPTC assessment, but to get the discount you need the training course ID number (called a HO number). Lantra issue you with an dedit card sized card, which have the details printed on them, but you wont have that card yet because you havent been trained yet - have you! They may simply be asking if you have already got a lantra card (from woodchipper or brushcutter training for instance) in order to streamline the registration part of the course (i.e. please bring your lantra card if you have one, no worries of you don't) Does that make things clearer??? all the best :-)

FRET WORK! I knew there was a proper word for it. Finger work is something quite different........... ...............that involves the yellow pages .

And on the subject of being sharp, that was supposed to be a 'play on words'............. tuned......sharp.......yeah?...........i'll get my coat. Oh, by the way, nice finger work (or whatever its called )

I do like to see a properly tuned saw. That one clearly wasn't sharp.

I believe this one does a bit. :-) http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/members/slack-ma-girdle.html Maybe give him a PM....

Or whatever the randomly numbered Stihl equivalent is

Re: Pollards and Bog Brushes.... In my humble, it depends on the effect you are after. This isn't pollarding, its simply loppin-n-toppin. Maybe, over time, something good will come of it, probably not. In the UK, street trees are more likely to simply be felled and replaced by some overpriced oversized sapling that either sucumbs to summer drought or Friday night hoodlums. A genuine, proper style pollard will see it all come and go, and probably outlast it all. There is some good stuff (IMO) on this link (other pollard posts are available - terms and conditions apply - the value of street trees may go up as well as down - you home is at risk if you don't maintrain a tree whos roots its secured upon (in clay areas)). http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/picture-forum/5149-way-they-pollard-limes-glasgow.html The photo on Post 1 of that link (TCDartmoor) isn't of what I would call a pollards. These are incompleted 50% dismantles. However cut to page 5, post 41 (JHancock) now this is what I call pollarding. Its not a natural tree shape, but its not pretending to be. There is not a lot in the western word that isn't managed to a certain extent. I don't think its butchery, I like it, but I understand some don't because they like the illusion that trees in developed locations are 'natural'. Of course, on the continent, they do it with a whole different style. I am sure that they aren't all wandering around wringing their hand wondering if they should self flagellate. Page 6, post 54 (SBlair) has some cracking Italian examples. Look at the shapes - Mega Bonsi - there is no way these shapes are achieved by a grunt with a saw, this is years on careful and attentive pruning. They are a bit more worthy of a photo than the bog standard 10% thinning here 30% reduction there rubbish. These are worth driving to see! Page 6, Post 55 (RRule) Has another fine european mainland example. Page 7, Post 63 (JJ Gairn) Has more fantastic knuckles. If you kick around provincial towns and villages, you come across allsorts, much of the pollarding is done by old boys who have been doing it, unpaid in many cases, for years. In the village where I used to live, all the trees in the square and the churchyard were pollarded on a rolling 5 year cycle, and the arisings used on the Nov 5th bonfire night fire. That was a tradition that went back further than anyone can remember. The trees looked fantastic, and they looked just the same in photos from 20years back, 40 years back, 60 years back. Are we really so arrogant as to think we now whats for the best, when this kind of activity has been conducted (one way or another) over hundreds of years? where has my cider all gone......

Dadio

The only time i have handled a Dyson was when I lobbed my wifes in a skip. However, I have never handled a miele (and I had to check how to spell it) so I'm giving the Dyson my vote

As there is an elm tree protection zone around the southdowns in Sussex, imposed by enforcing authorities, maybe they will be congratulating Gavin?

...And just to think, 3 old boys from the local lions club (and a whippet) manage to light the massive local display bonfire on time every year (and thats made of damp old pallets, some rotten chipboard kitchen units and half the village's tree prunings)

It's strange how people don't consider things. On that forum, posters instantly state that a low profile 3/8 would be no good on a ms441, and that a 'full' profile would be no good on a 338xp. Well we all think that. .325 is handy for those saws not suitable for either. Well this is also true. I just wonder why an 'intremediate' profile 3/8 chain hewasn't developed for saws in the a 40 to 55cc range.

not much use to Lifeinslowmotion though, if he is intending to spend the day in front of day-time TV because his boss has just phoned him up to tell him not to bother coming in.

Ha Ha, 'Course, what I didn't mention was the fully tested smoke alarm, and the 3 nasty little burn holes in the front room carpet.

I am burning sweet chestnut on an open fire fire as we type. Lovely. I am using a chimney to control the smoke and a fire guard to control the sparks Ahem, Simples as 'they' say.

use the camera option to photograph them holding a board stating "I have read and understand the risk assessment".

yes, but it doesn't explain why. Why does it HAVE to be .325?

Valid points. But the 254 was using a chain designed for saws from 50 -something CC to oVer 90cc. Its right at the lower limit for that design of chain. As I see it, If 'they' can design a 3/8" pitch chain for a 35cc saw, and a 3/8" pitch chain for a saws between 55cc to 90cc, why not a 3/8" pitch chain (made of all specially designed components) for, say, a 49cc saw. What is so world shatteringly special about 39cc to 55cc?

Ah yes. but is not the true origional version. You will notice its 3 lines 3 lines 5 lines. It should be 3 lines 3 lines 3 lines 3 lines The theory is that back in the eary 1700's the poem was hyjacked by Ye Olde Ash And Hardwood Marketing board My translation from old latin runes, discovered in St Enidock church is as follows.. Beechwood fires are bright and clear if the logs are kept a year. Chestnuts only good they say if for long tis laid away. Make a fire of Elder tree Death within your house will be. Birch and Fir logs burn too fast blaze up bright and do not last. It is by the Irish said, Hawthorn makes the sweetest bread. Elm wood burns like churchyard mould. E'en the flames are cold. Poplar gives a bitter smoke, fills your eyes and makes you choke. Apple wood will scent your room Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom. Oaken logs if dry and old, keep away the winter cold. But Ash wood wet or Ash wood dry a King shall warm his slippers by. Unless the king has access to proper seasoned wood, in which case any old species will do. there, better than the da vinci code.

Nah, In our case it would be more likely to be 'the lad' doing the posting (something like "Look what these dopey old saddo's have been upto now - part 1")

Yes, But.. A .325" pitch chain has, per metre of chain moved, more cutters cutting than a 3/8" because the .325 is closer together, so for an identical profile, the 3/8" chain would be less work for the engine.

hmmmmmmmm. But, little tiny ms200s use 3/8", and so do mighty ms660s (although the gauge is different) So why bother with .325" (which is a silly pitch). It can only be down to tradition.

Nothing wrong with experimenting, and making stuff up. We always used to put our mind to inventing new cuts when we found ourselves with loads of woodland trees to fell, not too many targets to worry about, and a nice bit of 'slow up boys, we've overcharged on this one' time. It's not as easy as you think to come up with something new.. Gob cut here, little bit of boring there, fancy back cut thingy and........ another saw stuck. We did probably come up with a few new techniques for freeing hopelessly trapped saws though.....

course, all free wood is good wood in my book (and I season it by having the heater on full blast as I drive it home).

Where I zz dragged up vrom, tes zed to be viddy bad luck to vell a olly. (Where I was raised, it is considered to be very bad luck to fell a holly). I have come across farmers, and even old utility boys who refuse to touch them. I, on the other hand, consider it worse luck if you fell a blackthorn.