blazer

shoot the bl**dy squirrels - I normally pop-off 200 per yr with a high of 400. There's no such thing as 'a' squirrel - there will be 6-10 of the little blitters that know the route. If the tree is fairly isolated use 'Fen traps' at the base of the tree with a cover over, to protect from cats, observe the route used by the squirrels, or bait another area to the fen traps.

*** I have got it**** Just thinking it over again, I can't see how with a modern production system how such a basic fault could happen:confused1: The saw must have been run by the dealer but filled with 'neat' fuel by mistake, cans not labled ( if left 1/2 filled with neat fuel, on topping up this would reduce the mix). This would put the damage onto bearing and cylinder very quickly, even if only run for a short while. Then when you got home and filled the saw on the correct mix, the damage was already there, so failed later in the day or very soon. With modern motors being made to much finer tolerances than yrs ago any damage would avalanche. This ties up with other guys and different products failing but all with common symptoms. no wonder the makers claim it's not possible for there products to fail:thumbup1:

Much the same here but my bikes were a bit older, from old BSA, Bultaco & a Suzuki T500 + loadsa 4-stroke bikes - so saw motors are fairly easy to sort. Now it's a Suzuki Eigar Quad and my sons Yamaha XT660R. The upsetting part is I paid less for the T500 in 1970 than I did for a MS 260 10 yrs ago. Back to the saw, I would say it was faulty before you started it up, if dry or to much pressure on the bearings, the bearings would fail very quickly. Maybe an idea to get the dealer to run it before buying and check your fuel mix.

I have felled pines with a lean at 90 deg to felling. I set the gob as normal but set up some slings and a 1.5 tonne chain block with the ground point in line with the hinge, so with a thich tapered henge the chain block. So when the tree went the chain block held the tree as it went. It takes a bit of working out to sort the 'physics' & estimate the load, but it works - I have used x2 chain blocks with the second to pull the tree. I'm reluctant to use the winch at the back of my L200 - just in case it goes wrong.

I have had problems with a MS280 - doesn't seal well by design. It played up for last season so I stripped down the carb and cleaned out with solvent plus blow out afterwards - like a new saw now. With all fliters on other saws I brush off dust when working then wash with solvent and use a 'air dust' can back at home. Like the grease Idea

I have 'Nome' idea how the Elf he starts it up:confused1:

All I can assume is that the crank bearing was totally dry on assembly. If run dry even with oil in the fuel it would take a while to get inside the bearing, with tolerances being so fine it would be enough to damage the bearing. Just like bearings, oil seals need some lub on assembly. All I can suggest is to remove the plug on a new motor and hand crank it for a while - even if it smokes on start up. I can't see how a bearing could be faulty with modern production techniques on quality bearings used by Husky/Stihl. I have had a faulty ball main bearing go on a used bike T100 yrs ago, it made a 1/2 spead rumble, so I assumed it was camshafts etc but it was the main bearing, with wear on both the inner & outer rings and with a few faulty balls, so when they all lined up every other rev it clunked. Bearings can be damaged on assembly by pressure on the opposite ring; if say putting on a shaft a small tube needs to be put on the shaft to drive on - equally if being pressed into a casing a larger tube to drive on. If driven onto a shaft with outer pressure all the balls in the bearing and tracks will be damaged.

look on 'Visa tools' for axes mauls, log splitters etc with both wooden & fibreglass shafts.

I did something simular with a well leaning old ash about 2' dia at about 45 deg lean, I wrapped the tree with slings just in case but not needed. Cut the 'gob' as normal, then plunged behind the hinge to leave say a 1.5" hinge, then cut out either side at 90 deg to the hinge from behind the tree leaving say a 6" strip at 90 deg to the hinge now taking all the load in tension. Then slowly reduced the thickness of the back from each side in turn untill I could hear fibres starting to go, then took a walk. The tree slowly went down, pulling out fibres from the back, like a massive rope breaking. When down the fibres on the back were pulled out say 6" deep. Don't know if it's a technique but I worked it out as I went and it worked safely.

Those chain pictures really made my toes curl - they would rip the flesh out of the user by filing down to the rivits. They are brill examples of what must happen in alot of cases. I knew an old boy on an estate who chain smoked and had an old worn 026 that smoked with him as they worked together, the other guys put his chain on backwards to see how long it would take for him to notice - about 2 days:blushing:

spot on mate

You must have a job:confused1: Sky is locally know as 'benefit TV'

how do you assess statistics - from A+E records? I know a guy how cut his foot with an axe but he told A+E staff he 'dropped a piece of metal on his foot'. Even doctors use set causes of death on certificates. I quess HSE records will be for major 'reported' accidents only.

Dragon Jeans ? often wondered if the Kelvlar motorbike jeans would offer a level of chainsaw protection, for experienced users on a hot day:confused1:

HI Jarbman For me you have just done your training and are 19 same age as my son. My advise would be you haven't worked with these guys before, so it's an unknown risk how they work. Like 'Pub Climbers' - they talk good - believe what you see not what they people say. For me insurance is your skill, a piece of paper is for when it goes wrong. You need to make you own assessment and work plan, if other try and take over leave the site, he's a mate not a commitment, you can walk away at any time. never underestimate the height of a tree and allow twice the time, this way you have the extra time to work safely, and take breaks and you will be praised for working inside your doubled up time:thumbup1:

I help out gamekeepers on a large estate and I'm the only one to wear any PPE. NO such thing as a quick job? some days putting on saw-trousers is a bit of a pain for a few cuts, so I cut the back of the legs and bum out of an old pair of A-saw - pants and sewed in x3 buckles per leg and reversed the belt - work a treat, with the other PPE. I'm amazed by these guys with their safety attitude, the shoot captain a mulit millionaire uses a larger saw no kit not a clue on felling etc - thinks he is up on 'Man-points' over me with the PPE. To explain 'Man points' - if you have the biggest motor bike in a group, with 'not for road use' on the exhaust - you get the 'man -points but go to minus-points,if the other guys find you had a hot waterbottle under your leathers.

These are an improvement for protecting tools after spending hours sharpening them. I have old gloves on my axes etc and cardboard tubes on the slashers, and racked storage boxes for my hand axes/bilhooks.

I mounted a 8,000lb winch to the draw bar of my old L200 4 life. I was lucky in that it was a square section draw bar which was bent out by design. So with a 2ft piece of heavy angle fixed to the tow plate I could mount the winch plate with additional clamps. The cables run in a protected route to the battery via a fuse and isolator switch, with 2 doubled up connectors so I can remove the winch. With the number plate covered I fitted an extra plate to the top. I have a combination hitch mounted underneath, so with a farm type plate say 18" long with 2 big holes I can run the winch cable though a pulley and back to the plate in the hitch, which doubles the pulling power. To stop the truck being pulled back I used wedges at first then got a local lad to make me up a winch fork (sorry forgot the proper name) which also goes from the hitch to the ground - works a treat. I leave the engine running if working hard, it can pull out say a 20"dia ash tree 20 ' long, or say 18" dia hangups. I have used it to pull trees say 15" dia 60' high while felling with 3 - 1 tonne slings only 10 ' up but acting as a spring, then the winch cable - worked a treat, top twigs hit the truck. Overall it really helps and above all make work safer, if of interest I will try and get my son to put up some pictures:thumbup1:

Do you find the 30mm spacers affect the steering?

with the clay soil in Oxfordshire even mud tyres fill up, I can just get a round with my L200 with 31x10.5 - 15 M/T's but for hard greasy mud I carry a set of snow chains ( Brindley Chains about £120 4x4 , £300 for high grade). Trick is to put them on before you go into deep mud and keep an old nylon coat and a pair of thin work gloves with them - for taking them off. I first used snow chains on my 4x2 ranger and I could get most places a 4x4 could, used to call it a 'poor mans 4x4' because of getting muddy. Over the last 10 yrs I have used snow chains more in mud than snow:thumbup1: Got the idea from watching WW2 B/W flim of trucks in deep mud with chains on, although they are used in the industry the 4x4 type are good enough for most conditions. Althought the 'landy diehards' won't accept you 'may' need them.

Tell me more - bad experience:confused1:

I go online when on my boring day job and evening but far too busy when off to the woods

try F.N.Pile Warmington 6 mile north of Banbury 012950211790 Contact Andy Moore ( from F.N. Pile) 0790 8442789 he should be able to help, good luck. Tell him Cliff recommended, met him on a local shoot.

On thanks guys I will stick with my Pelican bill one:thumbup1: Even the pets and kids went up, like the idea of a fire in a tree house:confused1: It would be interesting how long the HSE naughty list would be. I wondered if the whole tree house project was just for the cameras:confused1: