Arghshh

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I have boot dryers but I just tend to drop the boots in front of the stove and it works a treat, I know it's supposed to wreck the leather but I've never had my boots crack or go stiff or any untoward damage occur over the years.

To be honest I should have worded by question better as they do dry over night fine in front of the stove so drying the boots isn't an issue, I'm just interested in which boots people get on with best for minimising s sweat build up, I know socks play a part and have tried merino, them 1000 mile things, pure wool, stupid nylon ' technical' socks which are especially ****, . The one thing that makes the biggest difference is the foot wear itself, not just with my boots but across all my footwear like trainers, shoes, walking boots. I've found insoles also help, haix insoles seem good at managing moisture as do brasher insoles, mammut are terrible as are nike variants......

Anyone found a boot especially good at moisture management?

Hello, I suffer with sweaty feet when theyre stuck in boots or any shoe tgat isnt decently breathable. Ive found my best combination are a pair of Haix Protector Pro with high cotton percentage sport sock and Dickies work socks over them, feet stay comfortable all day but the boots are wetted out and take a couple of days to dry unless sat in front of the fire to dry. Ive tried meindl airstreams and they dont work as well as the haix for keeping feet dry for me. Has anyone susceptible to moist footwear got any suggestions?

indeed

Anybody still contemplating this?

I think general consensus from lads I work with and local dealers is that newer saws have and will have more issues with carbs, running, power etc due to a need to meet Euro emissions etc, hence why 020's and so on are revered, and probably always will be. I'm waiting for superconductors and the like to make battery powered saws the future!

I've a 020 that I bought second hand a couple of years ago and I've dropped it twice from about 15 ft and it's had daily use, often used as a ground saw (naughty) and it's still full of beans - albeit a bit weathered!

I like the look of Echo's saws, Iit would be nice to read some meaningfull feedback. My only worry with anything that isn't a mainstream brand is parts and backup....mind having said that all Iv'e bought for my 020 are bars and chains.

Hurrah!

Yea I'll do a climb with you Benny Boy! Teach me some tricks n that!

Cheers gents. I understand a blanking kit can be had from Husky dealers so will go that route methinks. Its a repair for a pal so trying to do it on the cheap.

Evening all,

Ive got a 357xp with a scored piston. Its a 2002 model and the cylinder has a rubber pipe from the top/spark end where you would expect a decompression button to be that runs back into the cyclinder lower down. This is split so I assume this has caused the goosed pistion. Can anyone explain what this is and what i need to source to repair or replace the cylinder, i may be able to treat the aluminium tranfer on it but this hose thing looks like a bit of poor design and a mare to remove.

Cheers

Ash

I've got the cylinder pretty smooth now so I am going to go for a Meteor piston assembly. Ill see my local husky dealer to get one of those manifold clips and carb spring. Otherwise a used carb off fleabay.

357XP

-Does it have either of the autodecompression or plastic boot clamp?

Yea it's got the decompression valve, seems to be nice and clicky etc. It also has a plastic boot clamp which I will replace with something more sturdy before rebuilding.

I have worked on the aluminum transfer in the cylinder and removed it, the actual cylinder bore is scored below the aluminum so I think it's goosed - I plan on buying a non OEM head and piston kit and testing a new piston in this old head to see what compression it produces as a learning tool then assemble the new stuff after before running.

BG85

- Did you remove the circlip or is that missing also? It was missing

Looks like someone tore it down and then decided it wasn't worth fixing? Almost definitely

- Has part of it has chipped off near the lower right transfer in your picture? Yes it has, looked chipped/worn

IMO you would be better off selling the blower and using the money toward the 357 - I agree!

Thanks for the advice and parts lists and parts suppliers info, very handy stuff.

Also thank you to Steve (Spud), also very helpful and excellent service with the 020 I purchased from him, a reliable seller indeed.

I will update on progress. Feel free to comment on my plans!

Ash

Also while I'm on I picked up a BG85 blower and it was leaking fuel from the head/crankcase interface due to a loose bolt. Opened it up and it looks like there should be a gasket between the crank and head which wasn't there and the piston is scored and missing a ring! Also there is rot on the crankshaft as pictured but I don't know if this will affect running as everything else is clean and play free in there?

It draws fuel through fine and there is a spark etc from the magneto. The only other problem is a split fuel line and the fuel filter is past it's best I reckon.

I've looked for a replacement head (as that is heavily scored as well) and piston and nobody sells them other than Stihl dealers for large sums of money. I've bodged the flywheel by snapping off the fins opposite the already missing fins just so I can get it running half decent first then probably replace the flywheel.

This and the 357 are my first venture in fixing properly knackered machines so I'm keen to get them running again and don't mind putting a bit of money toward them as a learning process, I'm not wanting to sell them for a profit. I'd appreciate any tips anyone can offer in getting these machines back on their feet.

Regards

Ash

I've just got a Husky 357xp off a pal for nowt that has chewed its piston up and the throttle return spring looks like it's snapped.

Can the throttle return spring be replaced or is it one of those impossibly fiddly jobs and a whole new carb is needed?

The cylinder looks to have aluminum deposits scratched over it on the exhaust side from the piston and not actually scored. Is it possible to clean this alloy off without removing the cylinder wall material and misshaping it etc, or am I looking at a new cylinder and piston set? The crankcase end looks mint and there is no play in the bearings so this could be a cheap fix although I don't know how to pressure test the crankcase to make sure its sound - bearing in mind what Steve has just posted above!

Advice on where to get a throttle return spring (if doable) and piston/cylinder online would also be much appreciated.

This saw is very clean and has had little use so I'd like to hear views on what caused the piston damage.

Many thanks in advance

Ash

My two cents on my Harkie smock

The collar is too small a diameter for me to zip it all the way up, it squeezes my face/jaw.

I find it incredibly sweaty, it would be nice if it had armpit and chest vents. The jacket wets out from sweat. Also it could do with a mesh lining throughout to help keep it from wetting out.

I like the oversize collar as it keeps your neck dry and the fit is otherwise excellent.

Hope this helps

As per the title, hardly used, just a small Ash crown thin. I won a new saw over the weekend so don't need this and need to get some money together for all these shows over the summer.

Not sure what to offer it up for, hows about £35 posted? I'll probably get shot down but the cheapest I can find one posted with VAT is £45 so it's a tenner saving

It's on eBay as well...... Silky Gomtaro 270mm pruning saw, for arborist use. on eBay (end time 20-May-11 16:06:45 BST)

Yorkshire or this now, argh!

Whats the matter with you man just go to them all, soft lad - including the highland, royal welsh et all.

I would imagine there will be some EU ruling before long against splicing and tying rope for safety reasons and we'll all be using ART made devices that cost £100's and need replacing for LOLA faster than you can pay off your business account for the last load of kit, and we won't even know how to tie our own shoe laces?!?

Yeah rope guide is made by ART and does cost some £££..

 

I see this thread going the same way some have gone before.

 

'What are folk thinking of suggesting other climbers climb on non CE marked kit? At best case scenario it would potentially invalidate your insurance in the case of an accident. Home made stuff isn't tested to any industry standard and may be assembled incorrectly and could fail.'

 

'It goes against all of the industry guidelines and a decent LOLER inspector should point this out ! (see LOLER thread started by Andy Collins) It should be possible to climb using loads of rigging kit but its not tested or constructed for PPE Jees guys what are you thinking recommending this to folk ? '

 

So by this you are saying that all handmade splicing should be stopped even if we have been trained?

 

I had a CE splice on an old Yale inferno fail even before i climbed on it as the rope had clumped on the inside under the pressure during the splicing process. With a handmade splice you know how it has been put together and understand how it works.

 

With a factory splice you know its been made under extreme force by machines and have no idea what the inside looks like.

 

I would say the same applies to making PPE (i.e cambium slings etc). If it has been made in a way that you understand how it works and components are rated then surely there isn't a problem.

 

Some climbers use accessory cord for friction hitches. Accessory cord is not sold as PPE but to hold accessories. This doesnt stop them selling it shops as prussik cord.

I'm not slagging anyones points but I agree with yours, I'm twitchy about using a climbing rope with a factory spliced eye, I feel safer on my own tied bowline because I know I tied it and tied it properly, I pull other peoples knots out and redo them before climbing on a system.

As I say I appreciate everyones input, it looks like I've opened a can of worms that have been opened many times before?

Can someone show me a ropeguide, is it that ART thing that costs £150?

But a normal cambium saver isn't availiable for the purpose! A rope guide is, but you're looking at mega bucks. If I'm right the OP needs to attach a line on a pollarded stem, Not over a normal branch like a normal cambium saver.

Correct!

Thanks for everyones advice and points

fair enough, and the point regarding retrieving a cambium saver from the floor is a good one.

cambium saver is only £30

 

What if you need to use woopie and a cambium saver at the same time.Then your nackard

 

Just spend the £30 save your self the agro

What situation could I find myself in where a whoopie with a crab through it couldn't perform the same task as a saver?

Yea I was contemplating it!

Aye but I can get Yale Whoopies for £25, never seen a Loopie for sale in me local arb supplier. I take it you just choke the Loopie like a webbing sling with a girth hitch?

As per the title really, seems to me that a whoopie sling would make a decent cambium saver and/or anchor point by chocking it around a crotch or round a stem and running a crab for your rope to slide thorough, possibly even a mini pully on that crab. It is adjustable in length so more versatile.

I'm wanting to make an anchor point in a nastily pollarded willow where there is nothing substantial to anchor to other than one of the 3 main 'stubs' that have tons of regrowth coming out of.

Good idea or bad idea?

Have you tried starting it with the fuel cap off/loose??

Just tried that, still won't fire.

I'm going to strip and clean the carb again and double check everything in there.