AHPP

A 160 or 200 is probably comparable to your 180 power wise. A 220 is more powerful. Don't be scared of power. Sharpen well and work well and you'll be fine.

I’ve only used a 120 and a 220. Can’t comment on difference between 200 and 220. I had an opportunity to use a 200 the other day and didn’t take it, probably because I know I’d always buy the 220. Not much heavier and the most powerful. What petrol saw have you got and what sort of cutting do you find yourself commonly doing and foresee yourself occasionally doing?

The other way to look at it it is that it’s lulling him into a false sense of security. If the tech fails, he dies. If he didn’t have the tech in the first place, he’d learn to ride within his limits (or die anyway; he is a motorcyclist after all).

Depends a bit on your use for your current petrol saw but I'd be inclined to get a Stihl pro range saw that takes the AP batteries you already have for the long reach and, unless you're doing bigger stuff than I'm imagining, sell your petrol saw. The Stihl 220 battery saw is comparable to a 40-50cc petrol saw. I'd go for 3/8" picco chain; easier to sharpen than 1/4" picco. Spend the money you get for the petrol saw on an extra battery if you need one. I've tried a different Dewalt battery saw to the one you posted and the ergonomics were terrible. The one you posted looks comparable, possibly worse because of the olde worlde topbackhandle. Or if you want to keep your petrol saw, the Stihl 120 and 140 are excellent. You'll end up using it for all sorts of little woodwork jobs. I have a 120 and have cut double bar length with it but it sings on 4" and under.

Most modern conveniences end up being dangerous by infantilising people. The electronic throttle on my mum’s car will one day kill me. You push the accelerator pedal and get the power about half a second later, by which time you’ve already let the clutch up and are wondering why you’re stalling whilst rolling into a junction you wanted to nip into. It won’t kill her because she’s the type of life-passenger these things are designed to please and appease. She’s learnt to artlessly pin it and then think about the clutch, like a learner having their first go.

I happen to be watching this in the other window as I read your post. Interesting stuff on tuning for sanity, including throttle ratios.

If there are three or more on the floor, for long ascents I’ll have them pull me back up with the rigging line while I tend my climbing line. Even better if there’s a capstan/truck/skidsteer/digger on the rigging line. Not tried it with a Hobbs/GRCS but suspect it would be too slow to be worthwhile. Haven’t climbed double rope much for years but will have probably had some hauling help on that too. Every little helps. I’ve also done some experimenting with a counterweight system of a few concrete blocks but getting the weight perfect was a fiddle and you’ve added a load of concrete blocks being hoisted up and down a tree, catching on stuff and just generally being sketchy. Could probably improve it by underweighting the blocks slightly and adding a hitch and running a slick shaped weight but it still seemed like too much fvcking on for the added complexity and risk when I left it. Not written off but if you want a step forward in easy climbing, it’s probably down the road of a battery winch, either on you or at your tie in.

The thing with Paddy’s and Khriss’s approach is that they learned it from industries where costs and risks can always be given to someone else, eventually the consumer and taxpayer. Their industries are convolutedly regulated enough that they don’t need to concern themselves with sanity, compromise etc when instead they can enthusiastically overreact to some new guidance or regulation and create prima facie profitable work filling in forms, training people etc. The building industry is diabolical for it, slavishly following the minutest new diktat or, better yet, exceeding the requirement rather than merely meeting it. This has created the compliance arms race that means only the most boring cvnts get big contracts because only they can be arsed with the paperwork. It of course then becomes in their interest to tell everybody else that only they’re doing it right. Stark contrast with the (altogether more wholesome) world where red blooded men of industry put their wit and capital into competition with that of other men and that’s that.

I was puzzling at a log the other day. Looks like willow on the outside but has medullary rays.

But aren’t as good as summers in the “summer” (probably February to November inclusive where you are). The great majority of the year you’d be using a compromise that wears out faster than a summer tyre.

All terrains are shit in the same way all seasons are a bit shit. Compromises with tyres don’t work. People primarily buy all terrains for looks.

I’d encourage the two sets anyway. It’s good incentive to keep on top of pressures, rotating them etc, you always have good spares and you can take wheels for new tyres without the vehicle. Nice little stores of wealth too, having tyres bought ahead and at convenient (discounted sometimes) times instead of buying in a hurry because you need one now. Even if you only have winters on for December and January, that’s two months in which you can buy summer tyres at your leisure and convenience.

This winter's not been cold but it's been depressing. I've burnt more than usual because every time I look out of the window it's piss wet, inconveniently shitting it down with snow or I can see legions of classless fvcking cvnts banging pans in adulation for government hospitals (or whatever's popular and ghastly this week). There's some market research for you.

That looks tremendously neat with stakes and binders (and I imagine it's quicker/easier to do it that way) but that's a lot of stuff you've had to buy, hammer in and weave. If one was sufficiently cheapskate, could one baler twine them flat to the next stool and not have to import material?

Does that really chunky stuff die and get replaced with the knit of new stuff or just keep getting fatter and gnarlier in perpetuity? Looks bombproof atm.

Greens also stock the finest most-weather climbing gloves, the white leather palmed Cutter brand. Can also be used to direct traffic like a Japanese policeman.

My thoughts exactly. I need to find glaucescens specifically though because that could be a different kettle of fish if they need 25 years to get to final harvesting size but have already shit themselves at 15 years.

Got any pictures/data/anecdotes about any UK eucalyptus plantations older than fifteen years, J?

I know of a pair of those boot covers sat in the saw box at a campsite I used to help look after. One of our gang had been on a saw course through college and proudly donned them (and chaps) to demonstrate his prowess to the boss. He looked like a hockey goalkeeper, made half a cut and then fell over trying to get the saw out. Hopelessly impractical.

Inspired by something I saw Gordon Ramsay cook on his youtube channel. It's not the silly bollocks shouting at people etc, just him in his kitchen knocking out excellent food in about four minutes. Recommended. He cooks quite similarly to me. Probably better even. He did it by browning meatballs around the edge, piling spices and chilli, garlic and ginger in the middle and then quenching with stock and coconut milk. I did similar but used the perennial cooking bacon and a bag of Mediterranean vegetables in a full coverage and comparatively wet/oily fry (so less browning) and then pushed that to the edges to do the spice, heat and quench. Large diameter, flat bottomed pan for a nice waterline and simmer. My spices were turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, black pepper and probably some cumin. Turmeric and cinnamon probably the most important to make it a bit oriental. I'd have put lemongrass in if I had any. I want to try it with scraps of lamb, rolled like fruit winders, seared on end then left pink as fvck in the middle and the broth will wick up them. No reason you couldn't do the same with beef. Or anything really.

Not remotely. The politicians who invent these schemes and the crumb guzzling dolescum who take advantage of them have a gun in my face and a hand in my pocket.

A quick being a rooted whip or a living offcut that you hope takes?

If you have a gap between living stools, do you bury and/or nick the middle of a pleacher to try and get new growth in the gap?

Everyone involved in this sort of thing should be put to death.

Where in the country are tractor pulling competitions held? I’ve been looking for a sympathetic locale to marry my sister.