Tom at Heartwood

I bought a pair of Protector Forest at the APF 2014 and they might just last until the next one in September despite the heavy use that I have given them. They have been great boots but I've struggled with spikes and they were quite numb for climbing in to start with. I know that they are primarily a forestry/ground boot. The sole shape on the Protector Ultra looks the same as the Protector Forest but I might be wrong. Tom.

At the risk of derailing a thread that I started about Discos (which has been very informative and useful) I'm now thinking that if I do decide on an LC Amazon instead of a D3, then would manual or auto (early 3 or later 4 speed) be best? I guess it's down to personal preference. My work does include heavy trailer loads up and down steep and windy forest roads. There are far more auto 100 series about than manual and with the autos I presume that the later 4 speed was an improvement on the 3 speed. Earlier 3 speed autos do come up with lowish mileages (around 100K) for not too much money but if the 4 speed auto is much better then perhaps that is what I should be looking for. Perhaps I should start another thread but it is a theme within this one, sort of. Cheers again. Tom.

Thank you for all the useful responses. I will continue to think through the options and test drive a few Discos. If the fuel economy of the D3 isn't so different to a Land Cruiser Amazon then the relative mechanical simplicity and longevity of the LC weighs in its favour even if the D3 is a better driving experience. It's never straightforward is it? But interesting trying to work it out! Cheers, Tom.

I'm looking for a comfortable and rugged 4x4 with 5 seats that will tow 3.5t without strain. I aim to work locally but still seem to end up spending a lot of time travelling to sites. I've looked at the various current double cab pick-ups that are rated to tow 3.5t but have my concerns about whether any of them are heavy and tough enough although fuel consumption is appealing. I like Land Cruiser Amazons and you get a lot for the money but fuel consumption is off-putting (and I'm a fan of Overlander Stan's imports as well). It occurs to me that a Discovery 3 might suit my needs. Plenty of vehicle weight, powerful TDV6 engine and well regarded for regular towing as well as being comfortable for longer journeys. Fuel consumption averaging 30mpg (not towing), plenty around and probably as much useful space in the back as a double cab pick-up plus scope for a very big roof rack. The disadvantages seem to be electrical, parking brake and exhaust gas recirculation niggles so it would make sense to go for a basic model to reduce the number of things that can go wrong. I guess that they are a fairly complex vehicle with a new price tag to match so repair costs could be high. I guess I would be looking for an unabused 2005/06 with 80k on the clock for around £7K. It would mean a change in work style for me as I currently run a 1993 Iveco Turbo Daily 4x4 (which I'm very attached and would keep for local jobs) that accommodates tools, tool boxes, many different tubs of fuel and oil, swing lift, Jo Beau, bulk bags, logs, climbing kits etc. There just doesn't seem to be anything more modern and reasonably priced to match that has rugged 4WD, 3.5t towing capacity and all the room inside but some drawers and boxes and a good roof rack on a Disco would hold a lot. Anyway, your thoughts and experiences of Disco 3 for forestry and arb would be appreciated. Cheers, Tom.

Hello, I was recently asked to inspect the two trees at either end of a zip line and to comment on continued use of the zip line in a private garden. The zip line had been installed some years ago between a sycamore on the uphill end and an ash at the downhill end. The rope is, I think, galvanised steel. It is chokered around the sycamore with with an old tyre to provide some padding at the top side. The wire is now embedded within the stem and the tyre has been partly included. Whilst it is difficult or impractical to non-destructively test the robustness of this set-up my concern is that there will be some inherent weakness and that a potential failure point has been created. Otherwise the tree appears vigorous. The ash tree at the other end has had a hole bored through and the wire passed directly through the stem with a ratchet capstan type tensioning device fitted. The wounds have fully occluded although I guess with use of the zipe line the movement will cause abrasion. As with the sycamore the tree will have been weakened although I don't think that it is practical to judge. The owner is keen to continue to have a zip line in the garden and is interested in suggestions as to how to best go about this. Whilst I am qualified (and insured) to advise on tree safety, the request to advise on the use of the zip line is outside of my experience. My thoughts are to advise that due to early wounding of the tree that the zip line should not be used in its current condition although I am aware that this is a risk averse response. I assume that LOLER testing or similar is required with zip lines and similar installations although I can see that this could be made more complex with living trees as part of the system rather than designed structures. I would be interested to hear of any thoughts or experiences in this area. I guess that there must be many similar installations in gardens as well as tree houses with similar concerns. Cheers, Tom. Tom Dutson, Heartwood Enterprises, Cumbria.

My mate says that, as a rule of thumb, an excavator will be able to lift a weight equivalent to 10% of its own weight at full reach. Does that sound about right?

Yes I remember seeing them on Ebay I think but couldn't find them when I looked recently.

Thanks for that. How heavy a log can you move about with your set up? Tom.

I'm thinking that a 2.5 to 2.8 tonne digger would be useful for a lot of jobs and would prefer to keep trailed load within 3.5t to tow behind the van rather than go bigger and have to move about with the mog. I'm also looking at cone splitters as I have a lot of oversize spruce to break down over the coming year. I've seen Lasco and Blacks splitters working on bigger machines but am wondering how useful one would be on a smaller machine. I guess it's down to flow rate to the breaker pipes and also that lifting logs will be limited with a smaller excavator. Any thoughts or experiences would be welcome. Cheers, Tom.

Graham w - I would be very interested to see some photos or video of the splitter that you made and to find out how it is going. Tom.

Here's a link to another thread discussing this splitter. You may have already seen it. Cheers, Tom. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/large-equipment/79486-rabaud-f80-log-splitter.html

I have no direct experience but have the impression that Rabaud kit is well designed and substantially made. I could put a splitter like that to good use breaking down oversize spruce into 1m billets. I like the way it would work with crane loading. Do you know the price? Tom.

I would be interested to find out more about this winch. I've sent a PM. Cheers. Tom.

I looked into this a while back thinking of making up a hydraulically driven PTO to fit on an adapter plate on the front of my Schӓffer 442 loader. I recall that I worked out that from a hydraulic flow rate of 48 litres per minute at 180 bar pressure I would be able to get around 23HP at the PTO. That didn't seem enough to be worthwhile. Flowfit can supply hydraulic motors with standard 6 spline output shafts. There is an American website that has calculators for working out the power that you can get at different pressure and flow rates: http://www.surpluscenter.com/shop.axd/TechHelp More recently I have been looking at hydraulic winches to fit either on the front of the Unimog and on the front of the Schӓffer. The Farmi EV300 (3 tonne) seems to be available in the UK (Corwen Forestry and M Large) although the Farmi website also has the Farmi EV35 (3.5t) which looks like a more modern version. The also looks to have been an EV45. The hydraulic chain winch that you mention is possibly a Rabaud that Ryetec are now selling: Ryetec Rabaud Tractor Hydraulic Forestry Timber Winch | eBay

It was already done when I bought it but I think that it is just a paer exercise. There is a good Iveco 4x4 Yahoo group if you are interested. Tom.

This post knocker has worked out well. A 1.35m tree stake takes 2 or 3 knocks compared to 6 or 7 with a fencing maul. The only problem I have had has been when stakes have snapped inside the post driver and the two broken bits have jammed against each other (three in a day). This might be less of a problem with a smaller internal diameter. Tom.

Hi. Thanks, yes that looks like a good size for the job. Waratah Steel Post Driver - Kiwikit Ltd Cheers, Tom.

Great . Thank you. I have just pressed buy it now from the comfort of my armchair! That should hopefully reduce mallet wrist ache. Tom.

Yes. Could do but right now it seems a lot easier to press buy it now than get the arc and grinder out!

Where abouts on the Tubex website? Cheers, Tom.

Can anyone please advise on where I can buy a very small diameter post driver? The simple Drivall manual tube type with a handle either side. I've seen them in the past but can't find them online. Cheers. Tom.

I've seen (on youtube) bundles tensioned with a ratchet strap and then with cordstrap so that cordstrap doesn't have to do all the work tightening. I intend to give that a try to get my bundles tighter. I've found moving bundles with a crane gives problems but a round bale grab on a loader can do a good job.

Hi. Can do but access only for six wheeler and drag. Where abouts are you? Tom.

I sell billets in bundles or loose tipped trailer loads. My bundler will do 0.5m bundles but my customers who need 0.5m billets take 1m bundles and cut them in half themselves. I roll 1m bundles off the back of a tipping trailer to deliver. You will need to be BSL registered to supply a customer with a boiler that qualifies for RHI. Good luck. Tom.

This is an informative FC Practice Guide: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcpg017.pdf/$FILE/fcpg017.pdf