difflock

A good flail behind a tractor, if only 6 years growth over 12 acres. Especially IF IT was Lawn before.

Brand new loppers "borrowed" and left back well busted. An enquiry elicted the response that they really need bolt croppers but seen the loppers first. For to cut off a padlock. Strangely this "outside the box" thinking did not work.

Spirograph and Creamola foam(in the wee tin)

see; 7500kg-3240kg=4,260kg for Dvr, diesel an Payload So with the 260kg for the Dvr and diesel = 4,000kg payload. With a simply beautifully balanced gas strut assisted tail-ramp. Phew! Already planning my next purchase, an alloy body tipper, on the same(ok shorter) chassis, in my head/dreams. new truck.pdf

Then one is employing a flawed business model, travelling long distances for minimal wages. Or, In farming parlance a "busy fool", working hard, yes, but not achieving a lot. Cheers Marcus

The new Iveco 7.0t van chassis is also very light. But simply not light enough to claw back the missing 500kg (from 7.5t) But nearly!

(i) If I required to drive substantial distances on a daily basis, I would run a newer car, possibly with Green Star cover. Or simply change every 3/5 or 7 years when the manufacturers warrenty expires. Plus have contingency plans in place, like short term hire or loaner. (ii) See above. Simples.

per above, we went with the Mitisu fuso canter merc chassis. Weighed today with complete 5.5m beavertail body work, full width gas assisted tail ramp and 24V winch Total chassis and bodywork came in at 3240kg So 4260kg for payload, less a driver, piecebox and a tank of diesel(say 260kg for these) So a nice round 4000kg legal payload. I am very pleased. Partly because most bodywork suppliers/coachbuilders, that I spoke to, said it could not be done. So a big thanks to Norman Hueston, and his fabricators, for their paitence dedication and downright coachbuilding skills. I will post photos post delivery.

"You lucky lucky baastard" To misquote The Monty Python lot.

It does indeed look finished, the "sheen" was a dead giveaway. Wonderful looking workmanship, my only concern would be the softness of the Tulip wood(=Poplar?) taking marks so easily. marcus

(i) No odure/shite/bullshit (ii) started with a 1100cc petrol Polo, oil pump failed at about 55,000, AFTER driving back from Glasgow. A short block fitted, only in my twenties and working local so I cycled. Other minor issues like head gaskets were done mesel, an I cycled. Then the ould BX, only issue was the head gasket(hmmm again, but it was suspect when I bought the car) Cant remember, think I arranged a loaner car from a mate. Drove it back from Glasgow (again, Glasgow) sans hyd pump, so no brakes, suspension nor much steering. Then the short lived Vento (senior managment stuffed it through a hedge) borrowed a car from the dealer we got the replacment from. Which was the long lived Galaxy, a few issues, BUT never caught out. I did drive it back from Newark, to NI, without any brakes btw Throw in a few hobby purposes but incrediably reliable/easily fixable "G" Wagens. And now the Octavia. But on measured reflection. NEVER stranded at the side of the road due to breaking down. I did run out of petrol ONCE only. PS Including doing the Continent several times a year with all of the above cars.(not incl the "G" Wagens) WITHOUT any recovery/get you home insurances. cheers Marcus PPS I do recall taking the DB1490 Tractor to my work for a week during the Citroen BX days. N.B. Part of the secret is keeping cars for long periods and getting to know them What, we had 5 cars since about 1984,(=30 years) and the current one, the 5th is good for 10 years yet. So 5 cars over 40 years(incl a w/off after a very short period, the Vento)

I really really must order some of Morso's most excellent firewood. 1 cubic metre of Morso Fire Wood

How much fruit did they produce before your work? Ud be my first question.

Strangely enough having, and still intending, to run cars to 200-250,000 miles or 12/13 years old. Over 37 years. And for many of those years only running one car. And now back to only one car after a few years running 2. And mostly servicing/mechanicing myself. At 55, I cannot recall a car breaking down, beyond my "on the spot" repair. Nor indeed "failing to start". Absolutly Seriously. Any driver should be able to spot a tiring battery/keep a trickle charger. The few repairs beyond by capabilities were booked in to a garage. And I cycled or had arranged to borrow or hire a car. Thinking that over, I scratch my head. And I dont reckon myself to be "lucky"

On that line, an "Old Gallant" of a farmer shouted down the shop to Maureen behind the counter that he still wanted to get into her knickers. Quick as a flash, Maureen replied; "I got one arsehole in my knickers already, an I find it is plenty" I could not help clapping in appaluse.

I dont believe the payment is based on the boiler size. Rather on the calculated annual kW*Hrs required to heat the dwelling. To provide a "deemed" figure, for domestic installs. Unlike the heat meters fitted to commercial installs.

prob was too:lol:

Thanks, I was searching IF perhaps, just perhaps the NI scheme had finally been finalized. (I knew the proposed payment scheme for it OK) And I found a 2014 English site stating 12.2 pence for 20 years. Which "quare gunked" me. I read and re-read and double checked, but the scheme was definately described as domestic. I should have saved the web address/link. cheers Marcus

The mainland domestic RHI scheme pays 12.2p/kW*Hr for 20 years. And the NI scheme is suggesting 7.9p/kW*Hr for 7 years. Surely this factor of 4.4 times difference cannot be right/fair/equitable. I appreciate that our oil heating costs are higher than English Gas costs, but still:confused1: Marcus

Peatff! Guess what, this morning I bought a Jefferson 1700/230, with no TIG facilities, cos I reckoned they were only an added complication. An a sexy (non Luddite) automatic welders mask (I was down to holding the glass containing half of the 20 year old cheapo mask in my "free" hand.) Pure MMA all the way:lol: Somewhere about £240.00 + Vat with a better rod holder throwed in. cheers m

Sniff Only for my/me/mesel m

I would take exception to this "far off fields" comment. Having endured a complete nervous breakdown in local government, during our childrens formative years too. I am/was a Supervisor who was routinely tasked to "make bricks without straw", or rather, use unskilled/unmotivated/unsackable long-time Council employees within the constraints of an unsuitable Bonus Scheme. All while being undermined by my 2 line managers who used my staff(on the back of a last minute ph call) to attend to their topical priorities. Then I was held responsible for the failures of routine planned maint ops. Especially if I dared take hols in the summer. I came back to chaos. And was held accountable.(And my Union rep was useless, I finally contacted the Union Head Office in London to query the running of their Belfast office, which actually resulted in changes btw) That has however now changed with the appointment of more foccused, more professional senior staff, who can actually "manage" . I.e. say NO to the unreasonable demands that were/are routinely made. Life is currently OK, and it would be good if we could get rid of the seriously under-performing/overage/unfit/overweight/unwell/cognatively challanged manual staff. But we cant, apparently. cheers Marcus PS My longstanding "joke" is the Council do not pay you to work, they pay to to suffer to work with the people you are oblidged to work with. AND I am well aware that is a double-edged sword!:001_tt2:

Mostly fixing things I break:001_rolleyes:, but only because I insist on "pushing the performance envelope". And "bog standard" mild steel fabrication, trusses, shed overhang extension brackets etc. I dont need TIG, just liked the idea of being able to weld Aluminium, for wee brackets for joinery related projects etc. I can buy a Jefferson 170A inverter from McIntyres in Kilrea for £250.00 + VAT, might even pop up this morning and invest:001_huh:. Then I can fix/reconfigure the old forklift(which I broke the modified/makeshift linkage pins on lifting 2tonne slabs) and get it back on the tractor and get the place tidied:blushing: up a bit. PS Was seriously getting the "hots" for the Finnish built Kemppi, but I dont need that level of sophistication, at near twice the price. cheers all Marcus

Empty of laden, makes no difference. It is the PLATED veh weight which counts. So might as well ballast the tow truck(with sommat useful preferably) And, yes I understood the "B" +"E" allowed for a 3500kg van/truck/pick-up towing a 3500kg trailer. Ud be a nonsense otherwise. cheers marcus

Sorry, but NO, Ladders are not "for access only" if after a measured assessment of the risk, it is deemed to be the safest/only practical way to access and conduct minor works. i.e. Like some of our buildings where there is no room for scaffolding or a MEWP. And the only other option being a crane basket, or humengeous expensive Boom-lift blocking the Main street. This would not be considered a "practical" way to access for minor maint . All correct procedures being observed. The climber being relaxed about being on a ladder etc etc.