doobin

Yeah, that's pretty much flat out for a 35x. Gutless little tractors. If I were you I'd sell it to an idiot collector and buy yourself two Internationals with loaders

This is the newer Duocut. I think you're talking about an earlier machine- this deck is plastic. Went for single speed as I know variable speeds are more trouble than they're worth Can't agree on the height adjuster- it's simple as. One lever, heights clearly maked and effortless to use. Why would it not like being pulled backwards? Time will tell- I just wasn't as impressed as I hoped I would be with the longevity of Kaaz roller mower. Plus wheels and a slightly smaller deck (and mulching ability) suits our gardens much better. I was very much torn between the Etesia and the 19" wheeled Kaaz with a Kawasaki engine. TBH the decision came down to buying from a local dealer, who demo'd the Etesia and I was happy with the result. I wouldn't swap now as the mulching has proved to be most excellent. Reviews on LandscapeJuice (where the guys do more mowing in a week than I do in a month) convinced me to go Etesia. I'll be the ArbTalk guinea pig!

Sorry, but that's rubbish. You'd never get away with it.

Kaaz machines are good but the drive system is a weak point. I've changed my Lawnflite 533 for an Etesia after drive problems, too early to tell if it's the right move. It's certainly much better for smaller gardens and regular loading onto the van. If you're thinking of mulching I really recommend the Etesia. Collection is 90% as good as the LawnFlite but not as quick or 'hungry for foot long grass' if that makes sense! Plenty better than most other mowers though, and fine for for cuts every fortnight. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/landscaping/74285-lawnflite-pro-19-a.html#post1133070

Mate, your sig is so true (that's from a Sussex lad to another!) I answered your questions re long grass and mulching already! It really is as they claim- 100% collector and 100% mulcher. Not tried mulching in the wet but it did OK in some grass I thought would be too long to mulch. It's the benefits to the lawn I'm really interested in, although the time and back saving from emptying the bag are welcome If you rake your lands across a bit just mulched, the clippings are only a few mm long. It's belt drive, nice and simple and you can also stick a bigger pulley on to speed it up for light cuts.

You're going round in pointless circles. 1. A second bloke won't be able to pull his mate out in time- a stop bar is about all that would help. 2. You don't get blokes feeding whole tree chippers over here- it's only dumb Yanks that have a problem, using an unguarded sledgehammer to crack a nut.

McVeigh Parker. Although there are often adverts for large amounts cheap in the Farmer's Weekly if it's a big job.

Jomoco, is medical weed legal where you are?

You could use a vented dumpy bag. We do this all the time with our little shredder, works just like a glorified lawn mower collection bag. A deflection plate may well work for a chipper- I would be inclined to use a vertical large bore pipe constructed of strong mesh with the end at the top capped with mesh also. You need plenty of mesh surface area for the air to dissipate and also plenty of bore to give the chips space to drop down, so the bigger the better.

It'll do in a pinch for an odd job by the water, but you have to be careful with it, limit the bar length etc. Right on about the smell!

This. Americans are backwards when it comes to forestry/H+S. Besides, any WTC being hand fed in the UK would have to have a stop bar. Watch Ax Men. Outdated metal helmets, no ear protection, usually no eye protection and no fckin clue about safe felling cuts. I know it's all for the camera, but can you imagine a UK company acting like that on TV? It's not just chainsaws. All the Yank backhoes are centre pivots, despite them offering no benefit whatsoever and plenty of drawbacks over a sideshift machine like you get in Europe. As far as I can see, safe and efficient outdoor working practices are at their peak in Scandinavia, OK-ish in the UK and we're still waiting for them to get to the US.

Very little is the extra weight of the axle- most of that loss of payload can be attributed to the (steel?) tipper and toolstore.

'It runs but is in need of a tune' is eBay slang for 'bugger all compression left but it will start and run so long as you hold the throttle open'... If compression is good and it has been stood then the carb probably wants a clean, maybe a rebuild kit if bad. Dealer 'tune' will wipe out any saving from a second hand saw with no guarantee it will be any cop afterwards.

Probably as it was thinned so much by the paraffin it gave the impression of not oiling. Technically it was oiling as it was pumping out but it wouldn't have been doing much in the way of actual lubrication. Engine oil won't clog a pump. Veg oil can.

I've just spend over £900 on a Fischer-Price toy. That's right, an Etesia Lawnmowers DUOCUT 46 RMCB | Etesia mower Gone for wheels as we don't handle any particularly formal gardens, and it's always the roller that breaks first, whatever mower you buy. Time will tell but so far I like it. It collects well enough, not quite as good as the LawnFlite/Kaaz in that if you push it too much in really thick stuff it can tend to miss the odd sprig. However this is in stuff that you should really be charging the customer double for anyhow. For mulching it's amazing, as good as a dedicated mulching mower. Very happy with this, and I hope my customers will see the benefits over this summer. I'm hoping it will be a reliable, tough and idiot proof mower. Kohler engine- the Honda option came with variable drive which is just more to go wrong. With wheels you just drop the drive and it's easy to push through real thick stuff at the right speed anyway. The plastic deck and box I like. Easy to steam clean to keep shiny for easy collection and very durable. The box comes with extra inserts to make the mesh finer if you are collecting in dry, dusty conditions which is a nice touch. I'm told all the council guys use them? Height adjustment is a single lever, clearly marked. It's heavier than it looks, but solid build is fine by me.

Glad to be of service

I've given this link out about ten times over the last month! http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/62516-heads-up-good-replacement-engine-stihl-polesaws-pole-hedgcutters-combi-units.html

Bob, your signature is very apt under that photo.... Steven Blairs avatar is pretty timeless re world MEWPS!

If it rounds the ends off, then you probably don't have the outer shaft all the way into the housing at one or both ends. It can't happen otherwise. Symptoms would be it working fine as a strimmer (pointing downwards) and then slipping when you use it in the air with the hedgecutter on. The driveshafts both inner and outer are all the same save for length across the Stihl range when you're talking about inch tube stuff (sub FS310) I've blown a hedgecutter gearbox up but I hold my hands up to abusing it. They're widely recognised as the toughest about.

Just drop it onto your old combi shaft. Vibes are fine- you get more from the hedgecutter head. I sometimes run mine on a short shaft for hedgecutting- use the short shaft that usually plugs into the combi engine bit.

Can foul the plug a bit, but I do it if we run out or we find a can of mix which is a bit old to run through a saw.

A good accountant will advise upon a suitable percentage.

Or charge the customer a lot...

We don't run a cartel. I'm fed up of hearing all this rubbish about how we're underpaid. Charge what you can/want/need, and it it's not enough then do something else/diversify/go on the dole. This is business 101. There's room in this trade for all skill levels, prices and lifestyles. Just decide what you want out of life and mould your business accordingly. This is the joy of working for yourself.

More like three times IMHO.