difflock

Funny enough a stand at the APF on the demo circuit was demonstrating 2 different capacity machines for producing "granny logs" out of branches, or ideally harvested coppice? A very deceptively simple mechanism, 2 (gear linked?) rollers with 3 blades on each, blades timed/set to meet so as to guilliotine the branch as it fed through. Driven offen a wee tractor PTO........................Burp and a branch gone..............and a bag filled with wee short logs. I was pleased to see sommat at the smaller more realistic end of the firewood market, in my preception. cheers marcus

When I attempt to cross charge other departments for work done incl Belfast runs and lost time I generally try for £25.00/hr to cover our absolute cte of £13.00 per man plus the cost of running a van and insurances and fuel and small tools and ancillaries, plus my own wage costs (sigh) etc etc. Generally to be met with a squawk of protest. In vain I say that Pattons charge £40.00/hr for a maint/call-out joiner for the reasons as quoted. Even a big ride-on lawnmower costs £25.00/hr to run with a man plus to allow for a profit, so what ? £20.00/hr nett? cheers m

When I attempt to cross charge other departments for work done incl Belfast runs and lost time I generally try for £25.00/hr to cover our absolute cte of £13.00 per man plus the cost of running a van and insurances and fuel and small tools and ancillaries, plus my own wage costs (sigh) etc etc. Generally to be met with a squawk of protest. In vain I say that Pattons charge £40.00/hr for a maint/call-out joiner for the reasons as quoted. Even a big ride-on lawnmower costs £25.00/hr to run with a man plus to allow for a profit, so what ? £20.00/hr nett? cheers m

make tequila? Or is that the agave?

make tequila? Or is that the agave?

Gensetsteve, Thanks for that furthur information, exactly what I was looking for, pity I went down the PTO route with the wee cross cut saw, but I understand it would not cost a pile o money to retro fit a suitable 3 Ph motor. Plus act as a standby genny for the house. With my kinda agricultural background I keep getting advised to go down the tractor PTO route, but since I only got one tractor that hardly makes sense. Thanks again. **************** Albedo............I hope to get mine soon:001_tt2:, pity the kitty is bare:confused1:, the statutory Local Government Redundancy scheme is not generous. I know from previous experience. More generous than the private sector I admit, but still not generous. Unlessen (i) one qualified for the Patton Scheme (for the RUC) (ii) or generally MoD type jobs (ii) or LA jobs at a much more elevated level than I work at

Gensetsteve, Thanks for that furthur information, exactly what I was looking for, pity I went down the PTO route with the wee cross cut saw, but I understand it would not cost a pile o money to retro fit a suitable 3 Ph motor. Plus act as a standby genny for the house. With my kinda agricultural background I keep getting advised to go down the tractor PTO route, but since I only got one tractor that hardly makes sense. Thanks again. **************** Albedo............I hope to get mine soon:001_tt2:, pity the kitty is bare:confused1:, the statutory Local Government Redundancy scheme is not generous. I know from previous experience. More generous than the private sector I admit, but still not generous. Unlessen (i) one qualified for the Patton Scheme (for the RUC) (ii) or generally MoD type jobs (ii) or LA jobs at a much more elevated level than I work at

I was astounded to observe the various 3pt linkage pins left in various tractor mount implements. This practise had to stop years ago at the various agri shows because of theiving.

I was astounded to observe the various 3pt linkage pins left in various tractor mount implements. This practise had to stop years ago at the various agri shows because of theiving.

(i) GensetSteve, thank you for your comment re the lighting tower, would not have considered that otherwise. Certainly worth considering as an affordable option. (ii) SSC (as above) I would cost operations exactly as you do, in principle leastwise, everything in life must be paid for incl experience. (iii) As a non arborculturist I do ponder some of the posts I come across on here, when as a thrifty Scots bred small farmers Son I tend to think that most of ye on here are very fond of expensive "toys" and a reasonably profligate beer swilling lifestyle, apparently:lol:. (iv) I do also ponder why some think they can run a business/make a living when they cannot even do basic simple sums, it does take more than the capacity for hard physical work unfortunately, to be successful. (v) Re the above I am also astounded at how unnecessarily physically hard some of you choose to work, lifting logs off the ground, hand splitting, multiple manually handling etc etc, I know hard work was never easy, plus I knackered my back doing fool things when younger, but unless a lot of actual artistnal skill is involved any cost effective production process must now be mechanised, not necessarily with shiney new kit though. This why I am a "wage slave", regarding my very limited firewood non-business a a hobby, which just might morph into a retirment business. cheers Marcus

(i) GensetSteve, thank you for your comment re the lighting tower, would not have considered that otherwise. Certainly worth considering as an affordable option. (ii) SSC (as above) I would cost operations exactly as you do, in principle leastwise, everything in life must be paid for incl experience. (iii) As a non arborculturist I do ponder some of the posts I come across on here, when as a thrifty Scots bred small farmers Son I tend to think that most of ye on here are very fond of expensive "toys" and a reasonably profligate beer swilling lifestyle, apparently:lol:. (iv) I do also ponder why some think they can run a business/make a living when they cannot even do basic simple sums, it does take more than the capacity for hard physical work unfortunately, to be successful. (v) Re the above I am also astounded at how unnecessarily physically hard some of you choose to work, lifting logs off the ground, hand splitting, multiple manually handling etc etc, I know hard work was never easy, plus I knackered my back doing fool things when younger, but unless a lot of actual artistnal skill is involved any cost effective production process must now be mechanised, not necessarily with shiney new kit though. This why I am a "wage slave", regarding my very limited firewood non-business a a hobby, which just might morph into a retirment business. cheers Marcus

When the brother was looking for an alternative to his motorfactors job, he concluded that most of his likely livelyhoods were made un-viable by those "doing the double". He was aware of the significent %age of car repairs carried out as part of the black economy from his delivery rounds. All paid in cash. From this perspective some of the breast beating about the Northern Ireland employment statistics are more than a little misleading as a significent %age of the claimants are also working. Especially in the building trades. PS Steve? Iffen I was looking to go 3-Phase for firewood equipment, what sort of money should a suitable 2nd hand genny cost. I could also consider sommat new on running off a tractor PTO shaft? Mulling my options over. Cheers Marcus

When the brother was looking for an alternative to his motorfactors job, he concluded that most of his likely livelyhoods were made un-viable by those "doing the double". He was aware of the significent %age of car repairs carried out as part of the black economy from his delivery rounds. All paid in cash. From this perspective some of the breast beating about the Northern Ireland employment statistics are more than a little misleading as a significent %age of the claimants are also working. Especially in the building trades. PS Steve? Iffen I was looking to go 3-Phase for firewood equipment, what sort of money should a suitable 2nd hand genny cost. I could also consider sommat new on running off a tractor PTO shaft? Mulling my options over. Cheers Marcus

When the brother was looking for an alternative to his motorfactors job, he concluded that most of his likely livelyhoods were made un-viable by those "doing the double". He was aware of the significent %age of car repairs carried out as part of the black economy from his delivery rounds. All paid in cash. From this perspective some of the breast beating about the Northern Ireland employment statistics are more than a little misleading as a significent %age of the claimants are also working. Especially in the building trades. PS Steve? Iffen I was looking to go 3-Phase for firewood equipment, what sort of money should a suitable 2nd hand genny cost. I could also consider sommat new on running off a tractor PTO shaft? Mulling my options over. Cheers Marcus

Oddly enough by MOD Sales, Military Vehicles & Used Ex MOD Land Rovers for Sale i.e. Ex Army?? In the Auctions section Anyone interested? I come across it whilst searching for sommat else:001_rolleyes: cheers M

Oddly enough by MOD Sales, Military Vehicles & Used Ex MOD Land Rovers for Sale i.e. Ex Army?? In the Auctions section Anyone interested? I come across it whilst searching for sommat else:001_rolleyes: cheers M

Oddly enough by MOD Sales, Military Vehicles & Used Ex MOD Land Rovers for Sale i.e. Ex Army?? In the Auctions section Anyone interested? I come across it whilst searching for sommat else:001_rolleyes: cheers M

only took a few,(and had a 16 gig card with me to especially) will post tomorrow when i have access to a proper computer.

only took a few,(and had a 16 gig card with me to especially) will post tomorrow when i have access to a proper computer.

For what my outsiders opinion is worth, and from someone who was mad-keen to purchase a firewood processor but ended up with a splitter and cross cut saw instead. First I have been surprised at how much of the processor operators time is spent inside the machine manually re-aligning logs or off cuts. This from my observations of demos at 2 different large suppliers and the APF on several occassions. My own simplistic analysis is that there is perhaps more to be gained from a well thought out mechanised handling system at both ends of the firewood production system, than from any particular fire wood production system itself. I particularly liked the 2 different "revolver" billet saws, with the simple bench to set the bundle of billets at waist height, a very slick operation. I also liked the American built double action bench splitter for rings, with a different splitter set up to each side, again very slick if fed rings from a bench, no wasted hydraulic ret strokes and absolutly foolproof, though it occurs to me that our H&S might have some issues with operator safety?

For what my outsiders opinion is worth, and from someone who was mad-keen to purchase a firewood processor but ended up with a splitter and cross cut saw instead. First I have been surprised at how much of the processor operators time is spent inside the machine manually re-aligning logs or off cuts. This from my observations of demos at 2 different large suppliers and the APF on several occassions. My own simplistic analysis is that there is perhaps more to be gained from a well thought out mechanised handling system at both ends of the firewood production system, than from any particular fire wood production system itself. I particularly liked the 2 different "revolver" billet saws, with the simple bench to set the bundle of billets at waist height, a very slick operation. I also liked the American built double action bench splitter for rings, with a different splitter set up to each side, again very slick if fed rings from a bench, no wasted hydraulic ret strokes and absolutly foolproof, though it occurs to me that our H&S might have some issues with operator safety?

tst tsk, to think the artistes are influenced by cold hard cash considerations. sigh PS I did put my picks in order of preference btw can I be a judge next year then?

tst tsk, to think the artistes are influenced by cold hard cash considerations. sigh PS I did put my picks in order of preference btw can I be a judge next year then?

Not there on Sat to find out but as a complete outsider would consider, either (i)the 3 bears in a boat, for good use of the log, artistic merit and whimsy. (ii) the 2 benches with the lattice back for use of the log and technical skills (iii) the bench seat with the bears at each end, for use of the log and I dunno? PS I have no idea how these compititions are judged, but was a little taken aback at how little of the rather large log was left by the time some of the compititors had finished, and I think they should definately be marked down for that:001_rolleyes: PS not something I could ever do, and I generally admired the talent and skills demonstrated.

Not there on Sat to find out but as a complete outsider would consider, either (i)the 3 bears in a boat, for good use of the log, artistic merit and whimsy. (ii) the 2 benches with the lattice back for use of the log and technical skills (iii) the bench seat with the bears at each end, for use of the log and I dunno? PS I have no idea how these compititions are judged, but was a little taken aback at how little of the rather large log was left by the time some of the compititors had finished, and I think they should definately be marked down for that:001_rolleyes: PS not something I could ever do, and I generally admired the talent and skills demonstrated.