doobin

I feel like I haven't lived!

Jesus, reads straight like the judging from our local horticultural show.

To be fair, I wouldn't have fancied it on those hills in 2wd even on those Cross Climates, which are simply an incredible tyre for the snow- or wet. You can go flat out through deep puddles and not feel a thing at the steering wheel. The Panda is incredible. It will do 65mpg if I absoloutely baby it, but will also go anywhere that ground clearance permits. The Defender driver with all terrain tyres couldn't hold a candle to it- simple fact is it was an extra ton of vehicle on a very similar tyre footprint. I got back up the hill, he didn't. People can bang on about a Defender 'with the right tyres and driver' being able to go anywhere- but I don't think that's the case. The electric traction control in the Panda is amazing. On sheet ice in a slight incline it went up OK, but scrabbling badly. Press the button that says ELD and I might as well have been on a dry road- straight up with no spinning. Technology and physics (light weight, snow tyres) for the win here, like it or not. And no, I'm afraid you wouldn't fit. Headroom is the limiting factor unfortunately!

For fencing products it’s all hand cut. You can’t get acceptable quality with a harvester, despite what people unable to find cutters might tell you until they realise people don’t buy from them twice! to be fair, a lot just goes for biomass now which is a shame.

Both of those above are just rebranded Chinese shit and a white label tracking platform. I'm not buying a dozen of them only to have them hike the monthly cost or simply go bust. Anyone used Teltonika trackers? Seem to be about the only EU made ones.

Harting hill was fun when it snowed. I popped down in the panda to laugh at idiots and left a red faced defender driver spinning trying to get back up. I took the scenic route to the yard. Notice the tracks in the second photo where someone tried to come up Treyford Down the other way and gave up 🤣

Decent hand cutters are always in short supply!

I already run quite a few Automatrics trackers on the expensive gear so aware of those particular benefits. However, I'm seeking recommendations for: 1. Wired trackers that I can self fit and self manage. Something with backup and ongoing availability rather than a Chinese special. I don't want anything with ongoing management/tracking fees- they only use a white label version of the same tracking platform I can use anyhow. 2. A sim provider for those trackers. Someone was telling me about a roaming sim for £5 a month but I can't find anything.

Work is about to drop off a cliff. You only have to look at the huge uptick in companies advertising on FB to see that. I had a guy call me and come round to my yard yesterday looking for work. Seems multi skilled and fed up of working for a bricklayer who apparently couldn't run a bath. Gave him a try on the loader, digger and welder and he passed with flying colours, as well as seeming to be the right type- quiet lad, early thirties, baby on the way. I first met him on a job where I was with the loader, and he sought me out by asking the client for my details six months later. So I'm not sure what happened but I said he could start Monday 😗 He sort of talked me in to it. I hope he's going to be as good at talking customers in to extras! Seriously, work is looking very precarious. I'm not worried personally as I'm exceptionally diverse and multi skilled. This new guy had better be the same. At the end of the day, he's got more chance of staying busy working with me in the coming recession than a brickie I guess. So if anyone needs machinery or trailer servicing or welding/fabrication in the Sussex/Surrey/Hants area, get in touch! There we are, I've joined the ranks of the desperate companies advertising everywhere. Now to get the missus to spam every local FB group sign up to Bark and I'll truely be scraping the barrel 🤣

Absoloutely brilliant post, welcome to the forum. Care to elaborate about signwriting bringing your insurance down?

PM me, I'm at Midhurst and have a hydraulic version available for hire. Or can do it with digger and post knocker.

Does anyone know if you can listen to music from your phone on the Stihl or Sena version- will the music just cut out as someone else pushes to talk?

Those look great for wearing whilst working on my own and being able play music and answer the phone. However I'm looking for ones that do that but can also have two-way communication with another pair?

Anvil gap seems to be the important thing for a drum chipper. That and sharp blades obviously!

Don't know about that chipper but my mini chipper blades aren't hollow ground.

They look great.

As big as that?? What head would you recommend and what pressure required?

Name and shame the hire company, they are clueless idiots. I would refuse to pay for the hire. Tell them to come out with suitable timber and show you how to use it then.

That's a scam but there are multiple genuine for 4-5k

How are you linking that into your helmet?

Most hire places charge a sharpening fee as standard.

Totally shagged blades and the anvil gap can't be right either with those stringy chips. I wouldn't be paying for that hire.

I'd just buy a decent off the shelf splitter and pto pump combo- it'll include the tank, cooling system and pump which you will otherwise need. Sell your existing splitter. An off the shelf setup will hold it's value far better than a hodge podge of bits, and probably won't cost much more. 6t is not massive so wouldn't need much flow. No experience of the AGT but guess the reservoir size / cooling setup might be the limiting factor.

I see an advert on the home page for the latest Stihl bluetooth comms systems. Does anyone have any reviews or other recommendations? I want to be able to use two sets to assist with winch fells etc, as well as use them to listen to music and talk on the phone whilst operating machinery (so noise cancelling for that would be a big plus)

Moving the blue bit is actually overriding the guvernor so it revs its tits off, and yes you will fk the machine by doing this. Most likely blunt blades, get a photo of them first.