doobin

No matter how vertical the hill, you will end up dragging the brances down, not lowering them, trust me PLus an electric winch is really not the thing for the job. Look at the specs on the link you posted- "Duty cycle: intermittant" That basically means only to recover the quad when you really need it. Are you sure re no tracked machines? My current site is a SSSI and tracks do less damage than wheels especially in the wet, and are the preferred option. Operator training re turning is key, don't let them screw the machines around. if you only have a 3 foot footpath to work from, then depending upon length of contract perhaps hire or buy a pedestrian tracked dumper. They weigh only 300 kilos or so, carry all your tools far easier than a quad, and barely scratch the surface on their rubber tracks. You can hire one for forty quid a day to test it, and week rates are as little as £100. I use screw in studs on my rubber tracked digger, it just bites in and goes with no mess. With a drop of rain, your quad towing a trailer full of tools is going to scrabble it's way up the steep footpath churning everything up. That simply won't happen with a tracked dumper. If you want to chat just PM me, I'd be happy to speak with your reserve managers and give them our very positive experiences of using tracked machines on similar ground. Hope this helps. Seriously, you're barking up the wrong tree with a quad and electric winch, I've been there and would never go back.

With respect Steve, how did it pay for itself in two days? Did you manage to convince them to pay you the cost of the system over and above what the normal price would be? Or did they refuse to give the contract to anyone who used a petrol saw? I can appreciate how it might be a much more pleasant way to work, however. But an extension lead and normal electric saw would allow for that in most domestic job situations. I think you would need a lot of specialist work where noise was entirely unnacceptable to justify a battery system over conventional machines. Not trying to start anything here, just telling it how I see it

If it was me and I owned the ground (not sure of your situation) then I'd put the money I would spend on a new handler to cope with the mud into sorting out the mud, putting some hardcore down, and then a decent cap and roll it tight. To my mind that would increase production and profitability much more than a bigger machine to cope with the mud. I hate the stuff!

You're on a non starter trying to use an electric winch like that to pull timber about. Way too slow and will start burning your alternator out after a few pulls once it's emptied the battery. Get the right tool for the job, get a proper petrol powered winch such as a Lewis winch. You say the work site is a nighmare- can you give us a more detailed overview? Myself, I work on some pretty tough sites, all 20-50% slopes and banks with the odd flat spot, and I favour tracked diesel machines (dumper and digger) along with a Lewis winch. I've been in your shoes, using a big 500cc with a winch, and I would not even contemplate a quad bike nowadays. They're not designed for heavy towing and winching. You'll find an old 2 ton Kubota tracked dumper will be comparable in price to an old quad (around 2K) and will go anywhere a quad will, will carry all your tools easily, and drag pretty much anything you chain to the back of it, whilst sipping red diesel. You could even run a hydraulic winch off it, but I prefer a chainsaw driven one for versatility and line speed. Just a thought.

If it's just to pull a big chipper then you need a small tractor. Quads are designed to get one man plus a few small tools across difficult, soft terrain. Not to pull large loads (even the biggest are only rated to tow half a ton or so) They just don't have the weight to put the power to the ground offroad with a heavy trailer. Don't waste your time with a quad if it's just for towing.

Please PM me if you have, have a neighbour with a large oak he'd like processed.

Gamekeeper mate runs one with no problems. I've used it to feed round for him before, and by God they're quick!

Is just outside Chichester too far for you to go to deliver?

Forget Ford or Massey- too many anorak collectors pushing up prices. £2k buys you: a. A Massey Ferguson 35x / Ford 3000 in average condition, no cab, single speed PTO, basic hydraulics (not spooled), no power steering etc, three gears, 1 reverse, no loader or b. An International 454 with a power loader, power steering, cab (may be rotten though!) 4 speed shuttle gearbox (4 high, 4 low, 4 reverse) 2 speed PTO, proper hydraulic spool valve (independant of linkage) hydraulic brakes. No brainer. David Brown are also value for money.

Flog it to a farmer and register it as ag for slug pelleting!

Yes. I have one to fit my digger grab. Used a six foot length of C section, few extra bits of angle iron welded on in the right places to give the grab a good purchase without being able to slip off, and then used narrow Haybob tines bolted to the underside with studding welded on behind them to stop them from being able to twist. Easy and very effective.

Some oaf did that to mine, but as I recall it took less than ten minutes to fit a new one. I remember having to pull a wire with a nipple on the end with a pair of needle nose pliers, but I don't think it was too tricky. Best advice I can give is to do as I've done today- sell your two year old MS181 on eBay for £145 and buy a brand new one for £200. What's really crappy about them is the throttle linkage and choke selector mecanism. The plastic wears in no time and you end up either living with just a choke position and a run position, or spending ten minutes every time you use it putting everything back in place. From now on, mine will be reaplaced every year.

Or change to vented bulk bags, much cheaper.

It'll be the little valves inside. Not worth the fix as it'll only happen again. Hang on till next year if you can in the hope that they bring out a 2-mix version- these engines are amazing.

That'll be per week, not per day...

...but by God, they were three HARD hours! Stihl MS181 Chainsaw - Only 3 Hrs of work in Total - Still under Warranty | eBay

They're useless. A fresh file cuts quicker. The stones wear unevenly or glaze up leading to even worse performance. If the chain takes a heavy knock and you only have files, simply restore the top plate angle with a FLAT file, then bore down and in with a suitable round file to get the required hook.

Until they bring out a 2-mix version then the idea is dead in the water as far as I'm concerned. Does anyone know if an FS240 will take attachments? Outer shaft diameter is the same but not sure if the internal shaft is different- it's the sort of sneaky thing Stihl would do...

£60. My two Polish lads would zip that off in half an hour between them on the way back from another job, and do a proper nice cut. Anything over £100 is daylight robbery.

Your all missing the point. If he has that many machines to renew then he will need A LOT. As the OP says, 20 gallon not 20 litres! If he's lucky they will all run HV46, and he can just get a good price on a barrel of that. However, be careful with the tractor as they will usually use 'back end oil' to do the transmission and hydraulics, and HV here is a no no.

Very popular on the continent I believe. In the Uk however I can't see much of a market for it as people won't appreciate the reduction in moisture that billeting provides and therefore if they've a mind to cut their own then they will just buy a bit of cord and get the axe out.

How much log do you anticipate having? We're a bit further (10 miles) but if theres a lot of logs I will give you a drink for your trouble. 07765776454

Even closer: The Woodhorn Group | Waste Management

You're nuts mate. Honest.

WALNUT TREE, TIMBER, TURNING, BOARDS, WOOD. GUNSTOCK BLANKS GUN STOCKS | eBay They'll cut it down- wonder if they'll help dig the stump out too? Or just cut through it at the base?