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Matthew Storrs

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Everything posted by Matthew Storrs

  1. Matthew Storrs
    This!!!! The ground will make or break a job. We’ve done 400-500 meters a day in good ground and straight runs. Generally though with 2 of us and a digger and postknocker we tend to average about 200-250 meters a day In average agricultural ground, 100 meters if I’m on my own. Up here on Dartmoor it’s generally either soft peat ground (which has problems of its own) or its just granite everywhere!!
  2. Matthew Storrs
    £6 a meter for good quality stock netting on either uc4 posts or Chestnut would be about right, plus 2x stands of barb. That would be done with quality strainer assemblies not bodge stuff. Roughly it works out at about half and half materials and labour. Adapt as you see fit. Big long lines with minimal turns of direction could be cheaper but awkward stuff needs to be more IMO.
  3. Matthew Storrs
    Stumps and all? Otherwise your just coppicing!
  4. Matthew Storrs
    Yes and no, the smaller the machine- generally I find the more they hold their value relatively speaking. You’ll get more ton for your money if you went for the 13 tonner. But then when it comes to selling it the same logic applies. 6 ton is a fantastic size IMO. Very capable, good reach, not too thirsty. Nice to have a blade too- most 13 tonners don’t.
  5. Matthew Storrs
    I used to hire a ride on machine called an Efco Touareg. It had a low center of gravity and could handle grass and weeds so high you couldn’t see where you were heading, fanstastic machine.
  6. Matthew Storrs
    Thousand tons?? Long whistle. That’ll take some time in a muck truck!
  7. Matthew Storrs
    Yep can, the little 1 ton wheeled dumpers are fantastic. I find them much better in soft ground than the 3 ton ones as the wheels are similar size yet far less capacity and weight. 3 ton and above sink quickly in bad ground. just be a bit cautious of the 1 tonners on undulating ground- they’re pretty narrow and speed can soon throw them.
  8. Matthew Storrs
    Very nice- well done! Out of interest what made you go for the Doosan in the end?
  9. Matthew Storrs
    Yeah you’ll be over the limit for sure. I have the same digger as you, I put it on a stripped down ifor 10x6 flatbed with buckets in pickup. ‘‘Twas borderline if I had mud in the tracks. Don’t forget quick hitch and all the other bits and pieces. Generally put it all on tractor and trailer now to save undue wear and tear on truck and I like just being able to chuck everything on the trailer and not worry about weight.
  10. Matthew Storrs
    Yeah, this has always been the case with these 3.5t rated pickups- it is a con really as you say and in any case I think a truck is safer towing 3.5t if it actually has a good but if weight in the pickupbed. this is why I stick with my old Landrover 110 pickup because GTW is 6550kg, Landy is about 2200kg so, if towing 3.5t I can still have about 850kg worth of stuff in the pickup bed at the same time.
  11. Matthew Storrs
    What about the classic 2wd tractors, grey fergie, MF135, international b275, ford 4000 and that kind of ilk? Can get plenty of decent ones for well under £5k and they are a bit of character too, also good turning circle and generally quite a bit of horsepower 35+. Downside is they don’t generally have much in the way of aux hydraulics but fine for PTO work...
  12. Matthew Storrs
    As well as adding to stability I think having more counterweight may actually be better for the slew gear if your generally on heavy attachments- less asymmetrically loaded. I really like the idea of a big thick slice of metal underneath the machine as Eddies photo showed on that Komatsu- just another level of protection underneath- on one machine I had the panel covering the sump pan got slightly pushed in- no big deal but over a few years it rubbed right through the pan and resulted in oil emptying out whilst I was having lunch one day. Oh yes, I know it’s obvious but don’t forget to have a hole cut to access the sump plug!
  13. Matthew Storrs
    Have a good think abOut how much of your work would need a tilt rotate. I say this as I recently purchased a Helac Powertilt hitch for my new Takeuchi and I got so say it suits my work very well. There are times when a rotate would be nice too- but not really enough times to justify £10k plus. The Powertilt is about £3500. Doesn’t weigh much more than a standard quick hitch and is very nice compact design and very well built. It gives you a full 180 degree tilt so you can stand the bucket on its side . I find it great for cambering footpaths/grading/tidy ditching etc and can be used with regular buckets. just a thought like!
  14. Matthew Storrs
    Iv had 3 Stanleys pack up on me, they stopped keeping heat in, the £5 Tesco one 1 later by comparison is 5 years old and in daily use- yep I’m one of those who drink tea and coffee regardless of the heat! the Stanley food flask Iv got is pretty good though- personally I’d keep food and hot drinks in seperate flask- prevents taste contamination!
  15. Matthew Storrs
    R380 is a very good box IMO, actually it’s not my option, I think it’s widely regarded as one of the best boxes LR ever put in the defender. im afraid I know little about mating one up with a 200tdi though,
  16. Matthew Storrs
    I don’t. i pay the money into machines instead- if something should happen to me I have an asset I can release to tide me over, if something really bad happens, I have assets my loved ones can release! I’m sorry- but I’m a big believer in tangible insurance provided by myself.
  17. Matthew Storrs
    Why not just go for an older ‘conventional’ 2wd tractor? can actually do proper work, cheapish to buy and a nice cab to get home in when it’s peeing down...
  18. Matthew Storrs
    For some reason this year Iv had no problem with the heat- the winter we had before it caused me far more grief- in fact I came pretty close to packing it in at one point- so I mentally have ingrained it I’m my mind that I will NEVER moan about heat again.
  19. Matthew Storrs
    I paid for the gas repair myself, utilities had it fixed in an hour or two and I got a bill for £800. The funny think was the hole I drilled when I did it wasn’t even the job but just added an extra fence rail in to make good a corner! Such is life. i asked ins if I would have been covered, they said yes as long as all precautions were taken- ie I had scanned the area and or got maps! often moled in pipes arnt accurate on maps anyway so they should always be taken with a healthy pinch of salt.
  20. Matthew Storrs
    Good call, just booked a cat scanner course my local NHS trust is offering, should do the trick?
  21. Matthew Storrs
    Think I’m right in saying you need the Genny for gas and water. And be able to put a conductor on the pipe in the first place. i hit a gas last year, the area hadn’t been scanned, but wonder if it would ever pick it up anyway as the pipe had been moled in.
  22. Matthew Storrs
    Yep, this confirms my experience with them so far. But even the vague location has helped many times, ie I can space post holes to avoid the area.
  23. Matthew Storrs
    Yeah I don’t know a great deal either, Iv hired a few, I think it’s a bit of a knack using them cos whilst I can usually locate the cable ok I can never seem to really pinpoint it- partly the reason why I want my own so I can practise with known cables.
  24. Matthew Storrs
    I expect there’s a few on here who have CAT scanners for stump grinding/ fencing etc. I am after one, preferably want to keep it to under £250ish which I think will mean a re-calibrated used one, mainly for groundworks fencing operations, sick of hoping for the best when I’m drilling fence holes!
  25. Matthew Storrs
    Is that full time on the books? If so I think that’s good. £120 a day is around £28k a year- which is good going IMO on the books.

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