Matthew Storrs

12 years ago had this lovely jungle carpet python called Roxy.

That’s my wife gone then! Perhaps I can have control of the TV remote for once- ie turn it off. I haven’t a clue how brexit will materialise (does anyone?) but myself I will be interested to see how it affects agriculture in particular, I think a lot of farmers I know are quite worried, but surely if it’s gokng to cost more to import and export produce- then perhaps there will be more incentive to encourage British agriculture? Selfishly, I used to get a lot of work doing grant funded fencing so I expect that might dwindle further now. either way, what will be will be and people will just need to adapt to changing times.

Yes, i agree Josh. I don’t really encounter motorways that much myself and In all honestly wouldn’t want to tow at 40mph on one either. I also fully agree with the idea that running a 7.5t truck (for example) probably works out better and safer in the long run and the cost would be absorbed if your in it for the long run. unfortuntaly I never work on hard standing or even remotely near and find myself in situations where I need to acces sites that a 7.5t just couldn’t ever access, the advantage of towing 3.5t with a Landrover means I can get kit to site and once unloaded still have the off-road capabilities to get access, tools, lunch etc across fields etc. My only viable alternative is using a tractor and well, that’s a can of worms in itself running one of those as a business. So in answers to the OP, Id welcombe the idea that suitable 4x4s could tow more with everything updated and rated as a result.

I was thinking about this today whilst tugging my digger around. Firstly, I think towing 3.5t in a Landy is fine but there is a limit to the speed you can go whilst still feeling in control and safe. On normal roads I’d say this speed would be around the 40mph mark. After that it starts to feel too vulnerable to every day road occurrences. I’m a big believer in having as much weight as you can in the towing vehicle to aid traction and act as ballast. A light pickup bed is asking for trouble, and I’d put an unladen 90 into this category. My landy ran out of steam in 1st gear the other day on a very steep hill towing my digger- I had to stop and put it into low box, at no point was I then pulled back down the hill and I’m sure that is due to the extra weight in the towing vehicle. I think any vehicle is going to have its limits regardless of how big or good brakes but it comes down to driver awareness and experience to know how to react and adapt to a given situation.

This is a problem, but it lies with the trailer braking system not so much the towing vehicle. The overun system is as outdated, as you know my tractor weighing only 3.5 tons can tow 10 ton, stop on a hill and not move due to decent hydraulic brakes. If it was overun brakes the weight ratios would soon see the tractor dragged back down the hill. IMO Landys and the like are more than capable of towing 3.5t safely, but electro hydraulic brakes should probably be mandatory..

Rubbish, my Landrover 110 pulls a 3 ton digger with 500kg in the pickup bed too all over Dartmoor hills on a daily basis. I have been doing this with the same Landrover for over 7 years, never had an accident/incident despite meeting people on blind bends etc. the problem is not with the Landrovers it is with the drivers who have no experience of towing such weights and consequently go to fast/ badly loaded/ poorly maintained trailers etc. a fully loaded trailer should pull up fast with good brakes, if your snaking your badly loaded, and if your suffering breakdowns regularly as a result you are either pushing it too hard or don’t maintain it right.

Yeah loads of buzzards. There is also a known peregrine falcon breeding spot near us on an old quarry face- love watching them and hearing them too.

I agree with OP that Facebook and the like will probably see the end of websites as we know them. Unfortunately I despise Facebook so woul prefer not to use it, but when looking at other businesses I can see the appeal of FB because you can easily look at recent photos and updates. does it really cost much to keep a website running too? Think I pay £70 a year for domains etc plus cost of website design- hardly breaking the bank.

Yeah I love hawthorn and blackthorn- burns hot, lasts long and often has interesting flames- not always so nice to split though

Nice one Beau, I noticed the last one you got the mast just out of the picture- would spoil the tranquil beauty somewhat!

I think the main thing is preventing contamination/dirt ingress. As it’s PTO powered and am you won’t be changing couplings over (?) which should minimize that. I would change oil every 1000hrs and clean/replace return filter every 500. My digger reccomends hydraulic oil replacement every 2000 hrs.

https://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/leaf-vacs-blowers/backpack-blowers/showitem-m2-ba650k.aspx looks identical to this one, Didn’t pay that much though.

I have a John Deere (actually a Kawasaki) back pack blower which is about a 100 years old and I bought off eBay for £75 about 10 years ago, it looked old even then. I just can’t kill the thing. Do Kawasaki still make back pack blowers? If so maybe a consideration...

Not that valuable prison space and tax payers money should be spent on them either.

Yes good to hear, but recently a theiving family of scum got nicked for collectively stealing £280k worth of farm machinery and the like- a few of my customers were victims. Anyhow, convicted they were and sentenced to a grand total of 4 years (max) each. After which point they will of course be let out to carry on where they left off no doubt. They ruined many a business and livelihood and the punishment doesn’t begin to fit the crime. Im sure we could all think of far more fitting punishments!

Yes I agree, I’m tempted myself, but also a little concerned that it’s a bit bulky- but perhaps fine if it’s with a grading bucket. Just thinking about working around obstacles and the like it...

To add to point 6) you can buy the thing in my link for less than a tilting grader and it will work with any bucket....

1) digbits will do pins and bushes for any machine 2) To follow on from Richie, yes you need double acting, does your machine have 2 hammer lines? If so there will be a lever somewhere on you machine to make it either a single acting circuit or double acting- you want the latter. 3) There is usually a valve on the aux hoses just where you couple the attachments too- in mine it’s a bolt you turn to shut aux fluid off- make sure they are fully open. When you are using the log splitter- can you hear the engine bogging down/pump straining? Also could be a pressure relief valve on the actual log splitter? 4) that’s a little worrying- does the digging functions still perform as normal, ie just tracking a problem? Does it track in a straight line?. Make sure your track motors have enough oil in them. 5) This is one o the reasons I like Takeuchis- they have actually sat down at worked out the buckets - blade geometry. It baffles me why so many manufacturers fall short in this area on 1.5t machines. If you extend your blade just be aware that consequently it will lift higher- make sure it can’t fowl on any slewing operations when it’s lifted?? Otherwise I’d say go for it- it makes life so much easier really. 6) powertilts are about £3k plus I believe. Would one of these suffice- certainly a lot cheaper but obviously it’s a less compact unit at the end.https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/excavator-bucket-tilt-attachment-to-fit-diggers-from-1-5t-2-7t-inc-VAT-and-pins-/181592362122

Nothing new though Kev. I know of several companies local to me (not just tree companies) who employ the same people week on and week out on a self employed basis.

What about a wheeled digger? You could have a grab on the digging arm for timber, and a winch up front, they weigh 10 ton or so and the loaders are generally heavier duty than standard farm tractor loaders. a combination of the jack legs down and the digging arm ground/dug in, can't see it shifting. purely speculative as iv never seen a 3cx used for tree work really

That does look ace. I bet it's a good tool for brash bonfires too!

I don't really work in gardens, but just in terms of usability- I have a 3ton digger/grab and also a 85hp tractor with forks. The efficiency of a digger IMO is far greater than the loader and is always my weapon of choice when clearing scrub, brash and stacking timber but where it really falls short is is distance is involved and only then do I begrudgingly get into my tractor! I know my example is bigger kit then you are envisaging but basically the same principle.

Another advantage of wheeled machines is when working on undulating ground the wheels can easily adjust to dips in the ground- a small track machine is rigid and any undulation makes the whole machine rock which can be a little off putting when carrying a heavy lump! i can Defo see a few advantages of a boxer but I think these advantages are mainly confined (pardon the pun) to small spaces.

Maybe, but for the uses he wants it for, namely tree work and a house build. I could see both a digger and a wheeled loader could be ideal for both tasks, my gut tells me a boxer might be a disappointment in comparison. The thing about lawns is. A tracked machine going in straight lines isn't a problem and with a digger you can keep turning to a bare minimum (turn on a board if necessary) but a tracked skid steer is going to have to a lot of turning to do the same work. i think if it was me I'd toss it up between the wheeled loader and the digger as I can't see what benefit the boxer would really have over either? Perhaps in very confined spaces it might have the edge as can spin on the spot...

Heater on, radio on, open can of Stella tucked nicely in the cup holder, all whilst achieving maximum productivity with the smallest wrist movements - you'll be living the dream mate.