ThrustSSC

Making the throttle cable stick, perhaps? A good point. If it was, it would definitely be one of those unique-to-that-saw sort of issues! But I wouldn't immediately dismiss it. Do let us know when you get to the bottom of it!

In my time I've worked with a Randy Shepherd, a Richard Head, an Annette Smith who then married Mr. Curtain, and a Drew Peacock. Surely it's not just me?

Unlikely, I'd say. The heated handles are a separate circuit, not part of the Autotune setup, so I can't see how they'd affect the AutoTune. A sticking throttle cable or linkage on the carb, perhaps?

It's a heck of a good price! Round here roadside is looking like £45 for beech, £50 for ash. And then there's transport...

Not quite, I'm afraid. Woodworm larvae take a number of years in there before they come out (5-7yrs from memory) and they emerge in the spring - so March through May or so. It's a good reason for not keeping logs indoors past the winter, even on display. And why display logs are treated. Woodworm goes into the heart wood - if I see any it's almost always in wood that's a bit rotten and is destined for the bonfire anyway. Or if it's a bit sound, I burn it myself. Ash bark beetle never goes deeper than the bark - lots of holes in the bark, but not in the heartwood. Only one customer has ever mentioned it to me - he kept his logs in the conservatory and they flocked to the windows and died - but he wasn't bothered. He just hovered them up. But for the 'posh' customers, another good reason not to keep wood in the house for long.

Hardwood seems harder to get and more expensive again this year - or maybe it's just me. Just wondering what prices folks are seeing for a) hardwood and b) just ash roadside this year? Obviously transport will add some to that and will be variable, but at least roadside prices will give a good feel for things.

Diversification. Well put. Crucial if you're off-grid, IMHO. The only question I have is what to have as backup if we convert our place to entirely-biomass? If biomass prices go completely silly (will they? how can we be sure they won't?) how do we then cope? I suspect the answer still lies in producing firewood as a sideline - it means we get it at very low cost. That doesn't obviate the question of what to do if we can get more selling it than the alternatives cost us!

Indeed. Just got a new hedgetrimmer - a Husky. It came with a note to register it online for the 2yr warranty cover. You even get to specify if it's home use, estate use, or pro use.

Difflock is spot on - I've made the same calculation that selling the logs to buy oil would leave us better off. BUT... I burn partly the crap that I won't sell (I market mine as a high-quality product, and that means properly-seasoned, no rotten bits, etc.). Logs with rotten bits on them burn nicely, but look ugly, and for me are a waste product.

Check out the Nottingham Energy Partnership online: September 2013 | Energy Comparison Data | Energy Cost Comparison | Nottingham Energy Partnership. They publish regular comparisons of all the main fuels - oil, gas, coal, logs, chip, pellets, etc. The key learning is that wood is pretty similar to oil, and more expensive than gas. BUT... The point about logs for MOST of our customers (or at least most of mine!) is that they are: a) a luxury, giving them a nice romantic, warm living room after the kids have gone to bed b) a 'point' heat source, heating only the room they're using. AGAs are the same - although they're inefficient compared to a condensing boiler, ours is actually cheaper to run as it only heats the room Mrs. ThrustSSC is in most of the day, not the whole house. c) sometimes available for free - when you or friends cut down a tree, or burn some joinery offcuts - diluting the costs Between the above, logs work out economical for most folks. But for those using them as their only heat source, and paying full price for them, they're expensive. What will be interesting will be the subsidies under the new domestic renewable heat scheme: will these be high enough to cover the cost of the cord to produce the chip/pellets? If they are, does this give those prepared to put the effort in to converting cord into fuel the option of free heating...? (Accepted there will be administrative hoops to jump through!)

Agreed, with a preference for the 576XP-G over the 372XP... and for what I do, the 395XP would be a luxury rather than a necessity.

I use an X27 for most of my stuff, and a Spear and Jackson maul for the stuff that needs brute force. A good combination. I rarely go out with just one of the two.

Agreed on that one. Saw tells me when it's about to die - so hit the red switch and refuel. Very occasionally it doesn't, and it takes a few pulls to get the fuel going again (no bulb - another missing item on that otherwise-amazing saw), but nothing untoward.

Not on my 576XP. As I said, refill, decomp, pull, get on with it! It cuts like a nutter, and it's completely unmodded, so open to suggestions if folks think I'm missing something!

Thanks, all. Some good alternatives there. Will give it a go - shame about the size restriction on the Sugi ones, though!

What's the deal with not running out of fuel on AutoTune saws? It happens to me all the time on my 576XP - which doesn't have the fuel gauge. I just fuel up again, pop in the decomp, pull and carry on. The saw goes like a train, starts beautifully, no worries. If I had to keep stopping to put half a tank in it would be a right pain!

Damn! I was all ready to say: "You have a deal!" then I got to the bit about having girly hands :-( I'm with Jon Mendi-Plogs, I'm afraid. Big hands

Ok, I'm getting peed off with buying new chainsaw gloves far too frequently. I didn't mind when I had a crappy saw and bought cheap ones, but then I got some decent kit and graduated to Stihl's gloves at about £25 a pair. Problem is, the leather side rapidly gets holey - they just don't last. The chainsaw protection side is fine, but the grip side is far too flimsy. Can anyone suggest something hardier from experience, please?

No way! I'm usually sawing close to the end of my log stack - no way I would make it harder to run if the lot unexpectedly decided to start moving my way!

Me, I'm relatively-inexperienced user. I recognise that and admit it. So I use the chain brake when I'm not cutting - when moving around, when I put it down, when I sharpen it or fuel it, when thinking about my next cut, when rolling a ring out of the way. Mind you, after driving well over a million miles I still use the handbrake when I stop, too. I wish more did so their over-bright brake lights didn't blind me. I don't want to end up wishing I'd used the chain brake more...

Ignore the miserable trolls.... who really meant to say: "Congratulations!" ;-)

I've nothing to hide. So will enjoy the conversation

I'll look forward to my visit, then. First question from me will be: "When are you going to pay me the money you owe me?" I know we need HMRC for the country to function, but I do wish they were competent. I can only presume the pay there is dreadful...

Biggest difference - other than AutoTune for folks like me who want to just get on with things - is the vibration. Fuel consumption, power, weight etc. pretty well identical for the two. Wonder how the 576 would cope after Spud had done his stuff? As I said to Jon Mendi-Plogs, when it eventually needs serious work (it's never missed a beat so far) I think I'll send it that way...

Mine's still original and still incredible! God only knows what a re-mapped one is like. Hodge does, too, by the sounds of it... ;-)