GreenGui

I doubt they do too... But I would happily discuss it with them rather than just digest tabloid media output. Incidentally, you might want to do a bit more research regarding that 'incident'.

Do you really believe that real terrorist's would be that stupid?. If something did happen it would of been allowed to happen. Why else do you pay for MI5/6 in your taxes? Or do they just rely on people in corner shops dobbin in dodgy people to justify their (not "there") multi billion pound budget? With all due respect look beyond the Daily Mail/Sun/Mirror/Gov. headline generator

We have some private contractors paid for by the council come round twice a year with one of those - might not be the exact same model but it looks identical. It copes with 3 ft grass and weeds no problem and is bloody fast too. Only negative comment I would make is that it is not as good as a brush cutter; seems to trample a lot of material down and does not 'mulch' the material up as well as a brush cutter with mulching blade. Perhaps a second pass with the deck lowered a bit would improve it. TBH for finish and speed I think you are better of with a 30hp small tractor and flail mower but you can't easily get one of them in a mid size white van...

My old Merc used to do that to a rear brake light bulb (I know its only 12W) it turned out to be a bad contact between the bulb holder contacts and the bulb itself. The contacts would heat up, burn leading to an increased resistance and then bulb failiure. I fixed it by bending the contacts to make a better connection, wire wool to clean the components and it has not happened again for the last 3 years. If its only that one bulb I doubt you have an expensive problem with rectifiers and regulators IMO

On our Td5 there was a large coil of wire (inductive loop) tucked within the steering column that needed to 'see' the key fob before the immobiliser would switch off. Low battery in the fob meant that the loop would not pick up the presence of the fob and therefore the immo stayed on. In one respect it might be considered 'solid state' but it nevertheless it needs an active component (the fob) to make it work.

45 cube 50/50 oak and beech. Cut with chainsaw split with small electric/hydraulic splitter

Would not be without mine. Use my saw for firewood and carving, never got to grips with a file such that it would cut as well as using this chain grinder. I know, you can call me an amateur... I am

Love the carving, don't like the finish but thats just me. I prefer a natural oil finish. I use linseed oil worked up in multiple coats starting with the first few diluted with turpentine - use the same process inside or out.

Peter - Tres Drole Welshwoodsman - thats the look I achieved for the first 8 years, 5 ft high weed turned to 4 inch of heavy mulch:thumbdown:

I have been cutting 6 acres of ex farmland for the last 10 years with the same intent. First 8 years I used a flail mower behind my "crap chinese" tractor and cut once in the spring and once in autumn. It left so much debris on top of the sword that things just got worse year on year. For 2 years now I have cut it with an old pitman stick finger bar mower, turned and racked with an old belt rake and then baled with an old low density baler. The difference is night and day to the quality of the sword even in 2 years. But I have a tractor and thats not really what you want to hear... The old bit of kit are cheap though as others have said:thumbup1:

There's an arm band for everyone...

Agreed, then we could rebuild Westminster and fill it full of people that might (thats a BIG might) represent us.

I did about 50 meters back in the spring, 1 meter clay based top soil. Bored to 750mm and back filled with a 0/20 gravel mix rammed/tamped, worked a treat. As others have said with your soil description you should be able to just use the fill. Don't envy you doing it now though...

King Dick or Britool both a pleasure to use and have lasted me since my apprenticeship (along with lots of less expensive stuff too:biggrin:)

Another one for a 50 ltr cheapy. On the second one, first one lasted 8 years this one has done 9 years. Used for tyres, blowing out saws, radiators, etc. But has also been used extensively with an air chisel chipping out cement joints and render off walls - I am amazed it still works TBH. One tip - use proper compressor oil, I have motor oil in mine and it has difficulty starting from cold in the winter. Can't be bothered to change it now.

Before going the Oxy route, try 50/50 acetone/auto trans oil mix. Paste in on a few times and leave to soak for a couple of hours - has never failed me yet. Gave up on penetrating oil years ago.

Good question. I have been thinking exactly the same thing myself. I would like a second machine that can perform exactly the same duties as my chinese "crap" tractor can do, still fit onto my trailer and be towed, fit between the rows of my tree plantations and work in my veg plot, make hay etc. Its a tough one to answer. All the second hand reasonably priced machines seem to fit into the large 1970/80's machines (good but too big). The Kubota 20hp type machines are too small (IMO) or the more modern JD etc. way too expensive. A chinese machine of 30 hp is not worth 7k£ but what fulfills the same function at a similar price?

Mine gets loads of abuse, that was my point. It gets lots of attention regarding maintenance too. The engine is Dongfeng, did they make Iveco engines? The ancillaries as I outlined are crap, no doubt in my mind. The mechanics have been copied off other old, well proven marks - its what the chinese do. Their longevity may be open to question by many all I can tell you is my own personal experience based on the time, abuse, hours run and maintenance during ownership.

Thanks for posting, made me smile. Impressive how they stay on.

A lot of people knock the chinese tractors. I have run a 30 hp one for 10 years and put approx. 2,200 hours on it so can talk with experience. I use it with a 1.2m flail mower regularly cutting 4 acres. A finger bar mower, 2.2m belt rake and 1960 low density bailer for hay making (600 bails this year), ploughing and rotary tilling for tree planting and veg growing each year, post hole borer for fencing, towing a trailer and lugging building materials with the back box sufficiently filled to raise the front wheels off the ground!. Mechanically they are tough but old technology and require regular maintenance and understanding by someone with mechanical sympathy (in this case me but I am a trained engineer). The electrics are rubbish (all gauges replaced with mechanicals) and the hydraulics required all the sealing washers replacing, likewise the fuel hoses needed replacing as they collapse. But make no mistake it is a workhorse. I am not flag waving for them but to simply view them as "crap" is grossly unfair. The biggest issue really is with support (non-existance once the importer had sold it to me) and spares backup. I would NOT pay the new prices being quoted for them today. You pay your money and take your chances

I saw that not long after it had been posted and laughed out loud. The next thought that crossed my mind was 'what would the english gardener' think of that...

I hear you Tony even if no one else does:thumbup1: Regards

I'm not sellling one! I am simply responding to a question re sub 500 quid stoves, which incidentally the OP never said NO Chinese when first posting but made it clear it must be less than £500. I can only speak from experience and having run one as a second stove for 5 years without problem for the mighty sum of 300 quid, its not bad. I run an expensive Esse as my primary heat source and whilst it kicks out the heat as a British made product it is not without faults wrt to quality control. I'm not preaching its better than Jotul, I know that its not, just answering the original question which the OP has now amended.

I suspect thats correct but what would one expect for less than £500 in cast iron.

We have a Bernard Davis and Co 'little Wonder' as a second stove: Cast Iron Stoves, Traditional or Modern, Multi-Fuel Heating, East Sussex There is a second maker known as Evergreen who sell copies of the Bernard Davis stove range (have also owned one of these in the past - no problems) and their copy of the Little Wonder is called the 'Larch' and is shown here Evergreen ST0311 Larch Multifuel / Woodburning Stove - Stoves Are Us If I had to choose between the two I would go with the Bernard Davis product although not the purchase experience!