Squaredy

I seem to remember reading that in Milton Keynes new builds do have to have solar panels, and that was many years ago. Do I remember right I wonder?

Yes that is my situation; I am on a fixed price until the end of next year so I have just over a year to put up solar panels to charge my car. And I can’t afford a fancy array with a feed in to the grid, I am going for about a 3kw off grid array on a garden room with no battery storage, so it should cost less than £4000, diy fitting of course.

Most Swedish lakes would only come up to Jonathon's knees anyway, so I am sure he will tell you the water is comfortable....

Might be worth contacting the Canal and River Trust, as they use clay in the same way to mend canals - and they are all over much of the UK of course. I don't see why they wouldn't give you details of a supplier they would use....as long as you can actually get to speak to a worker who knows such things and not just get stuck in a call centre somewhere.

Thank you for that. I am not too worried about spreading the spores as there are thousands of NRW larches within spitting distance which also have Phytophera, so my handful are insignificant. NRW are so far behind they missed their own deadlines for felling diseased trees.

I don’t see it as a political thing, but yes I know you get blasted if you ever say we need to fall back on our own resources before expecting handouts. Also what is always overlooked is that we are almost entirely in control over how much gas and electricity we use, and cheap meals are always possible. I am feeding my whole family tonight for about £8. Not because I am skint but because we all love sausage casserole, and it is a great way of getting us all to eat loads of veg. Some people will struggle for valid reasons I know, but 90% of people can manage ok if they really try.

No doubt a lot of people will rely on their wood burner more this winter. I don’t sell firewood any more just briquettes I buy in; and demand has picked up already. Of course the whingers will just keep going the way they always have and go into debt and play the victim card. I hope most people will actually manage their situation and cut back sensibly, but all I hear is how folk are going to starve or die of cold.

I don’t think you will stop the rot, you need to plan for it. I have this problem with drying sheds on my site and I am gradually using steel brackets to fix the posts to concrete to allow for when the bottom of each post rots. Of course it is more difficult if you are not putting a concrete slab down.

My work site is in a 3000 acre planted ancient woodland, where tens of thousands of Larch have been felled due to Phytophera by Welsh Forestry Commission (and now NRW) and the woodland trust - the main woodland managers. Now a number of the trees within my little site are suffering. They looked good in the spring, but not at all good now. Now if NRW serve a plant health notice on me I guess I will have to fell them. But if they do not I am tempted to only take them out as they die. Is it ever the case that a tree will recover or that some in a group will be resistant like with ash dieback? The FC website says Phytophera will kill Larch quickly but I know local trees that have been going downhill for four years and are still not dead. The main stand is a group of about twenty large larch that have a fantastic amenity value. There are a few others dotted around the site but they are of less consequence. I will post some pictures tomorrow but wondered about fellow arbtalkers experiences. Thank you in advance for your input.

Yes chestnut would cost more. Larch you could simply use unseasoned, but chestnut is so wet you may want to buy dried. Same size slabs would cost you maybe £80 each. Larch or cedar or Douglas fir would have a very long life if you look after it a bit.

That is very nice and might be perfect in this instance.

If you can find a simple rustic design you like you may get something for the sort of money you are talking about. You should be able to get two through and through Larch or Douglas fir slabs for about £50 each, so then you have to find a chippy with time on their hands.

Thank you I will take a look.

I was hoping a few people might already be doing what I am thinking….. must be a very common idea with electricity prices going through the roof!

I am near Chepstow, and I have one or two people who rent workshops from me who could make a bench. I have done items like this in the past but I stick to sawmilling now. A simple rustic bench might be a day or two work, or a traditional park type bench with multiple joints will be more like 6 days or more, so price can vary enormously! Are you not a woodworker or do you not fancy making it yourself?

Well that is a good question, but as I said, to begin with I would not have battery storage. When I could afford it I would probably add battery storage so the question is still relevant.

Thank you very interesting. It is very difficult getting information about these matters. Someone is going to set up a company providing simple solutions and make a killing!

I am looking into getting a solar panel array to charge my electric car. I am lucky enough to have not yet been affected by the recent electricity price rises but eventually my fixed rate will end. I do not have solar panels on my house but i am building a garden room which would have space for at least ten or twelve full size panels facing due South. That would be up to about 3kw of power on a Sunny day. Even without battery storage this seems to me like a great option as my car is at home three or four days a week minimum. By the way I am looking at a simple off grid solution probably, as we use very little electricity in the house and I would simply fit them myself (saving thousands I would say). Have any Arbtalkers constructed an off grid solar array for such purposes?

I agree it is more likely to be the can that is wrong. BUT I had an experience many years ago when I filled a one gallon can with paraffin and the pump registered 7.5 litres. I went in to pay and pointed out the error and the owner said that the pump often was wrong at certain times of the year when it had not been used for a while. We estimated the correct amount and I paid accordingly!

You need better photos, ideally showing the leaves close up and if possible fruit as well.

I will speak to him, thank you.

Thank you Mr Eggs, I had a feeling you might have a suggestion or two...

My work site enjoys a private water supply - spring fed - and is shared with three houses. It was established when the Forestry Commission built the houses and the workshop originally in the fifties and then added more buildings in the eighties. What I am hoping for is help with suggestions on the way forward as two of the three chambers which help allow sediment to separate are now in a poor state of repair and ideally need replacing. The originals are brick construction on a small concrete slab and the pointing is failing and the interior render is also failing and generally they are probably at the stage where they should be replaced not patched up again. I assumed there would be an off the shelf option for a ready made chamber designed for drinking water where all we have to do is dig a hole, plumb it in and away we go. As far as I can see most off the shelf chambers are designed for above ground use or for foul water. This needs to be suitable for use mainly buried. The current chambers are at a guess about a cubic metre each, maybe a bit less. Any thoughts or pointers fellow arbtalkers?

Very interesting question for me as I have toyed with this idea also. Sorry I have no answers but I look forward to a knowledgeable arbtalker or two sharing their experience...

Have ordered the Husqy 420EL. Never thought I would go back to using a chainsaw with a cord, but for my use it makes a lot of sense! Meanwhile does anyone want a good Stihl 023C which was a great saw but won't keep running?