agg221

Agree entirely with Conrad. Check that your oiler is on max and is working properly, but assuming so, a 'quick fix' I have used is every time you rest the saw, dribble a bit of chain oil on the exposed bit of the nose (you'll need something a bit more subtle than the 5l oil bottle). If the first time you do it, it smokes, it is definitely too hot! It will keep the tension a lot better this way. Alec

Is that your inner woman trying to get out....?

I don't find they sucker, so it's only the regrowth that will need killing. If you can get back to them fairly easily, I found mine died after knocking the regrowth off a couple of times. If you want to go chemical, Garlon is pretty definitive at killing stumps if you can still get it. Alec

You're currently at the other end from us then, but if you keep on going then give me a shout when you get near Wixoe. Alec

Which bit? We are the riparian owners of a short stretch of the Stour, where it forms the Suffolk/Essex border and have been having a few informative discussions with the EA. Trunk rivers are the responsibility of the EA to keep clear (although if it's clear that the blockage arises from a tree which is the responsibility of the riparian owner then they will obliged to clear it), however they are not responsible within 1m of a bridge. This falls to the local authority which owns the structure. EA have of custom cleared some areas which are not their responsibility, however budget cuts mean they are now pushing this back. I've found this out due to the 'ford' at the end of our land which is poorly designed and jams up when branches etc come down after heavy rain. It is currently blocked - EA have historically cleared it, however they are now trying to hand it back. Suffolk highways said it wasn't theirs (after a three month delay), Essex highways agree it's their responsibility but with the increasing likelihood of heavy rain, we are the ones who are at risk of flooding while the discuss who is going to sort it out. In the past, I've just done it myself but there's a big lump of willow jammed in the pipes which is beyond me (and a team of four from the EA apparently). Just hope it gets resolved quickly Alec

What size were the trees before? What size did you cut them back to? My guess is that they were fair sized trees, not on dwarf stock, and they were virtually pollarded, in which case if you get them back in bearing in five years you are doing well. The main thing to remember is that the more upright the branches, the less they will fruit. You can affect this by pruning out very upright branches and tying down others - this should get it back slightly quicker. Continued use of tying down is likely to be necessary if you are trying to keep them artificially much smaller than they want to be (so says Gollum and having done it two years running, I am a convert). Alec

Just a thought, is it worth considering Helmdon as part of the overall plan? If the site is fairly flat and access good then extraction may be OK, there's a decent load and Helmdon are reasonably near and sometimes looking for good, clean poplar. Alec

Bolts are often hardened so they will dig in, either to the metal surface or the paintwork if it has been finished. A washer gives a smooth, matched surface to provide consistent torquing and avoid surface galling (or ripping your nice new paintwork apart). Alec

If you are prepared to get to grips with it, TIG is tremendously useful, although you do need to get argon to use it. It will do thin, and it doesn't add filler unless you want to, which means it will do an outstanding job on thin stuff. You do have to learn to co-ordinate what you are doing with each hand separately though, and do get an adjustable mask otherwise you'll never see what you're doing. Alec

In our experience, this has worked well. Our cat hunts, mainly mice which is useful, the odd rabbit which is fine and the occasional more exotic species - I don't recommend trying to evict an uninjured but very angry weasel from your bedroom as a good morning's entertainment. However, she started catching birds so we tried a bell and bird catching has virtually stopped. I think it's because mice are stupid enough not to notice, and they wander by while she sits still, rabbits are caught by speed but she has to climb to get the birds and they hear her coming. Alec

I think you can still get a 3/8" sprocket (look for one for an 051) but I wouldn't. This saw is all about unstoppable torque and the .404" chain makes the most of this, chewing out big lumps. It's also difficult to find bars with the right mount and a 3/8" nose sprocket, which means getting them made up as specials or using a hard nosed bar. My experience has been that low rev/high torque saws suffer less from the use of hard nosed bars than more modern ones do, so the cheaper option would be to go this route - there is a 38" hard nosed bar on ebay at the moment (I think it's advertised as for an 090 but it will fit) for £85. Alec

Notwithstanding the above comments, are the oak also around 2' dia? If so, are the oak and SC in decent clean lengths? If so, this is potentially into timber dimensions rather than firewood, and if there is a reasonable amount it may pay to sell it as such. Sycamore coppice is likely to only be firewood unless it's very overstood and clean. SC has minimal sapwood and will lie for years. If you are thinking timber then check it doesn't have spiral grain (obvious from the outside) and ring shake or star cracking as it's pushing that sort of size. Alec

On the Stihl side, if you can get your hands on both, I would compare the 260/261 and the 360/361. The latter is heavier, definitely, but will be much quicker through the larger stuff, particularly where it's hard, so it's a trade-off between the extra weight and the extra power. I would try the 260 with a 14" bar and the 360 with a 16" or 18" bar. Alec

I would say you are likely to end up with a more reliable, longer-lived vehicle if you go down the new chassis route. However, how are you going to get it done (DIY or pay someone), if the latter, do you have someone lined up that you trust? How long will they need it for (and what will you do while they have it)? Assuming you have a good route to doing it, if it suits your current and long-term projected needs, I would keep the known good vehicle over risking a new one. Alec

Barchams. It will be good, but not cheap. Alec

One of these (or US equivalent) can really help with slow rooting things as it keeps them moist but aerated indefinitely. It also adds a bit of bottom heat and the sterile growing medium stops them from rotting off. Takes a bit of playing with, but I've just potted up three black mulberry 'Chelsea' which I took as cuttings in early June and have now rooted well. I have some elm taken at the same time and still getting going, but perfectly healthy. AERO-POT, Aeroponic Portable Heated Propagator - BLACK, BIG METAL MISTER! 8x Pot | eBay Alec

One of the great things about urban trees is when people are prepared to plant something really big. The setting has to be right, but I don't just mean parks and gardens. Wide, town centre streets with high buildings look out of proportion with a few little crab apples and rowans dotted about. The height of limes fits with the proportion of the buildings. I also like Fraxinus ornus as a larger tree, with good autumn colour, Pyrus salicifolia and Ulmus 'Sapporo Autumn Gold' are good at medium size, together with some of less common Carpinus cultivars. I think there is also space to try a few less usual alternatives - particularly over grass where the fruit is less of a problem the true service tree and crab apples such as 'John Downie' or 'Golden Hornet' on M25 stock, to give spring blossom and autumn/winter colour. Alec

Are you going to use a sole plate? If so, rest that on top all round and fix the uprights to it using peg joints, coach screws (stainless) or any other fitting of your choice. Gravity will hold it all in place. Alec

Nothing wrong with homemade wooden wedges - you can even use snapped up twigs if you want, so long as the angle is shallow enough. They won't grip as well as ridged plastic ones but will work fine. You have to be careful not to drive the wedges in the first half of the log too far or you will wedge the second half downwards. You also need to take into account sagging and tension which can cause it to grip and pull the chain out of the back of the bar. If it's binding particularly at the end of the cut this is more likely to cause the mill to twist as it exits; if the chain is out of the bar groove it will then hit the mill. Alec

I like Teles myself due to the connection with Saffron Walden which is just down the road from me. Of course they're all Villiers engines anyway. Alec

I don't think we have enough discussion on Teles vs. Danarm vs. Liner 2-man saws.... Alec

That's the reverse side, rather than the cutting side. Suggests a combination of slackness and pinching - what are you using in the way of wedges, particularly at the end of the cut? Alec

Shakes are cracks, usually going in from the end. When you measure as per Rob D's advice, it is conventional to measure the smallest cuboid you could get out of it, ie narrowest continuous width board you could cut, with square ends (thickness is usually uniform but if not then the smallest thickness). This isn't absolute for funny shapes but is the norm. Watch out for the dust when you sand it as it's poisonous. Wear a mask. Alec

Unfortunately the user manual gives no specs and says get it done by a Honda dealer, and I can't find a copy of the service guide online. Any ideas? Alec

As the tree officer, can you see previous applications relating to this tree? To me, it has the possible sense of 'we've moved into the house and we really like trees, but out in the countryside, not here in our garden as it's big and blocks our light and what if it fell over so it would be better if we removed it. Oh dear, it seems to have a TPO on it - lets see if we can apply to remove it. Oh we can't - lets see how much we can get permission to hack it back by. It makes a mess - let's see if we can get someone to say that it's dangerous so that we can remove it.... Alec