Matthew Storrs

Sentimentality and emotion gets in the way of logic with humans. I’ve heard if bears are starving they will eat their young, the mum can always have more Cubs but the Cubs would die if the mum starved. That’s logical, cold and harsh but necessary for continuation of a species.

If it’s a TB125, I seriously thing they’re the best machine in their class despite being over 10 yes old. Mine will wipe the floor with most newer machines I’ve tried.

Yeah, Kubota kx019-4 might be a different story but when I was looking I tried the kx018-4 and didn’t like it much. Ended up with the Tak TB216 which I bought blind as thought it’d be a similar story to its predecessor, it has quite a few design flaws and slew control is not nice- too erratic and sloppy. However, very stable, Tak got it nicely counterbalanced and hasn’t had any issues in the 2.5 years I’ve had it so far. It does the jobs I ask of it but definitely wouldn’t buy it again though

I dunno- I’m not one to judge- I follow rules if they make sense, don’t if they don’t. Basically. The latest Christmas Day meet only is a classic example of a restriction that does absolutely nothing other than make people break the rules...

There might be some pollution. Plenty old boys (my dad included) round here been burning stinking timber all theirs lives (some of it of dubious moisture content). Dont really know if it’s done much harm versus the pollutants you might meet walking around your average city street... Christ just driving into Plymouth I’m disgusted by how apparent the smell of fumes becomes sitting in traffic etc. Walking around town smell of cigarette smoke- something that I never come accross where I live.

Would a set of pallet forks not work?

I’ve used them for the last ten years in various different guises Beau . After 3-5 years they do start to lose their waterproofing but I’ve never bothered with any kind of re treatment etc and also think they resist getting torn very well.

I have a stovax Stockton 5, I’m afraid I don’t rate highly. It over burns, it isn’t an efficient stove at all. Stupid mechanisms to prevent shutting it down and also a limited aperture to fit logs in with the grate in etc. The door doesn’t even seal right 3 mm gap around one side despite new rope etc. I wish I’d fitted an AGA little wenlock. Superb little stoves imo

Yeah very similar to the 856 same backend I believe but 4.4l non turbo. Supposed to be a good lugging tractor. This is an xln cab which is more of a low profile- which isn’t a bad thing for getting under trees etc. I’m not interested in it If the cab is rotten so hopefully it won’t be!

Of to look at a tractor tomorrow, an 844xl. 40k good solid thing and looks very tidy- you really have to jump quickly these days if you see something that suits, blink and you miss it otherwise.

Case 5140, Ford 7840 is the sort of thing I’m looking at at the moment with similar kind of budget. 40k, good strong 6 cylinders, good parts availability etc. Lamborghini/same etc are pretty good value for money too, but won’t hold their value as much and depends how close you are to a dealer for parts etc.

Stock Takeuchi TB219 can be had by January- I enquired the other day. But think pretty archaic compared with the spec Doobin has on his E19. Still, thought the waiting list would be through the roof. Apparently the dealer was saying the lead time on Tak micros is much worse for some reason.

Yeah exactly. Not worth buying use IMO, I change mine every 3 years as a matter of course, cheaper than forking out for new floor/brakes/tyres/lights/damperEtc which all start to show wear and tear after 3 years use.

Would that not be Win Pins brother himself? Winstons still at it and his wife Heather mans the phones and is a delight to deal with. They had something like 200 trailers on order from Ifor so really didn’t need my custom but were ever so helpful in getting my 1054 quicker than any one else.

I’d also add that even though I could fit my 1.8t digger on a smaller trailer the 1054 allows loads of extra room for buckets/attachments, can even just fit a dumpy bag in front of the digger, but also can fit a 3 ton tracked dumper in (just) and my 2.8tonner so all in all very versatile.

1300mm = 5ft 10”? Might need to check again! for what it’s worth I have a GH 1054 and find it’s perfect for Devon lanes, have no issue with it at all behind my landy. Winston Pincombe was brilliant to deal with too.

It doesn’t, my old one cracked, right where the spring hanger meets the body of the trailer- very thin section of folded steel, my GH1054 looks to be much stronger.

I don’t think loading height is a problem with tippers, once your up there and all strapped down, you can always tip it up a bit to reduce the apex as you go from ramp to trailer. However the 10ft tipper from Ifor is relatively narrow, the 12ft one is pretty big and prone to filling it up/overloading. I think the 10ft Bateson or Nugent one is a good compromise As it’s 10ft long which is ample for small diggers and dumper but wider than the Ifor which would increase stability... Get the ally ramps- anything to make life easier- the steel ones are quite heavy.

That looks convincing I must say. Assume reinforced concrete?

As long as there is something down there to bite on. If it’s just soft shit then flotation is everything.

5- but that was for the things I had done ?. Yep not much happening round there ‘ere parts.

Well I am a bit of a revolutionary! Just not so good at business!

My method is to increase for the jobs/customers I don’t really want and more or less keep prices the same for more desirable work, that way my diary gets booked up with quality rather than riff raff! Money is not everything to me though- I’d sooner enjoy my work for modest income vs headache high earners!

Pfft- a mere lowland dweller ?

Haha! I live in Princetown which is just about the pits weather wise. There’s a reason they stuck a prison here- the land wasn’t much good for anything else. ive coped/put up with it for 10 years, but then I grew up on one of the highest farms on Dartmoor- rain is just part of life up here- much like other upland areas- Wales etc. @Big J I totally understand where your coming from, endlessly trudging out into the gloom fighting mud mud mud. For me the only way I can work with it is to keep my out goings as low as I can and don’t employ anyone so I have a degree of flexibility working around the weather- I used to just go out in it day after day when I started my buisness, but now I’d sooner work the weekend if it means avoiding the wet, not that it helps ground conditions of course as that won’t dry until spring now. it all takes it’s toll on both body and mind, it’s pretty tiring battling against elements all the time. personally though, I would struggle to move to a agriculturally landlocked area like I consider the lowlands to be, I find field after field with nowhere to really walk except designated footpaths pretty depressing tbh- give me the wild Rainswept hills of Dartmoor any day.