agg221

Thanks Chris, that's the one I'm after. I'll drop you a PM (thanks for the offer too Slackbladder). So long as I don't confuse the whisky miniature I should be fine! Alec

True - but at 3m tall with a 10cm diameter it sounds more like MM106 than M27, 9 or 26, in which case it would be OK unstaked. Wind effects can be funny - it's a bit like the way the trees in the middle of a wood all blow over if the edge goes. If you had a gust from an odd direction, or a bit of eddying around that could be all it takes to set it off. We had a load fall over in '87 which would probably have survived if the wind had been from the NE like normal. If it's making reasonable growth I would say it will get away OK. At 2-3m tall, I would also consider heading it back, but if it's not struggling I would leave the top alone other than normal pruning for a couple of years to encourage rooting, then take the top out to give it a bit more stability, but that depends on the shape of course (guessing a bit without photos). Trees on MM106 or equivalent can comfortably be kept to 'picking from the ground' height. Alec

Unfortunately nobody supplies them in the UK - they are made by Ripsaw in the US and are very difficult to import (I bought mine secondhand on ebay after two years waiting for one to turn up). You can get an impression of what it can do from the video posted by Burrell on page 15 of this thread - from about 1:05 onwards. Alec

OK, it's got some roots, just not very solid. You would probably find a few structural roots but a lack of good fibrous structure. The root system on dwarfed fruit trees can be a bit weak (it's how they stay dwarf). Once they get blown a bit, they develop 'wind rock' where the top sways, breaking the smaller roots as they try to establish, so they struggle to get going again. To break the cycle, I would knock in a stake, diagonally so it's away from the root system. I would use a bit of sweet chestnut, robinia or oak heartwood as you want it to survive longer than an untreated softwood post will. Work out which way the prevailing winds blow and put the stake on the upwind side, so the tree blows away from it, rather than on to it - this will stop it rubbing the bark. I would then tie it fairly securely - I use old pushbike inner tube from the local cycle shop, just remember to check it's not too tight each year. I would also make the soil nice and encouraging for the young roots by putting a good mulch out to the drip line, something well rotted, over a double layer of cardboard so it kills the weeds and then the worms drag it in. Give it 3yrs or so and it should be fine. Alec

Hi Richard, yes and yes - I'll drop you a PM. Alec

They are quite a beautiful colour - it's hard to capture it but they really are that sort of buttery golden colour (compare with the dullness of the background and you can see it isn't a trick of the camera). In the long term I may well have some spare, but I would recommend not buying unseasoned pear as it has a really nasty tendency to twist and split. I would let the miller (ie me) take the risk! Once it's dry it's extremely stable and takes a really crisp finish. Alec

Cheers Chris, by my reckoning I only need around 40ml Alec

How do you know they have no root? Alec

I'm trying to make an end grain chopping board as a Christmas present for my wife - all going well (will put pictures up when done). I am using sycamore and will finish with Osmo Top Oil as food safe, however it recommends using Osmo Wood Protector on timber which is prone to blue stain (which sycamore is) - apparently a single coat is required. I don't really want to buy a whole can for the one job, as I don't see myself doing much with paler, bluestain prone timbers (I tend to use oak/sweet chestnut for most things). As such, is there anyone who could send me a small quantity in the post - enough to coat a single 10"x15" chopping board? I will of course reimburse postage. Cheers Alec

Have you been watching that advert? I'm dreading my two requesting something elaborate (currently making two dolls' beds which is quite challenging enough to get done for Christmas) Alec

Thought I'd stick some pics of this up as it was milled in the dark last night by the light of the headlights - didn't get to see what it looked like until this morning. Really nice piece of pear, max width about 13" with some ripple at the top (see last pic). Alec

Sorted

There are many variants of Wykabor, but they are all formulations of sodium octoborate/boric acid, with different additives to make them work better in particular applications. That ash has a great colour, but I would treat it quickly. Browning is usually a sign of decay, which may not be structural so far but is certainly going to progress until it dries to a low enough moisture content to be halted. Getting Wykabor in it quickly will mean it is transported through the timber, killing the current fungi and reducing the rate of re-infestation (and with insects too). Otherwise it is a competition between whether it dries faster/rots faster! If there is anything worth having out of the last quarter I would also be inclined to take that out now, as otherwise it will rot very fast - ash has very little durability anyway and will be further compromised now. I'm afraid the shakes are only likely to get worse. Nothing you can do about it, just stack it up, dry it and see what is worth keeping, but with that colour to be honest if anything survives at all it will be worth it - never seen ash with that good a colour. Alec

It's my understanding that a lot of the very old mulberries in London date from slightly earlier - planted by James 1st (1603-1625), including a mulberry garden just north of Buckingham Palace, planted in 1608 and the famous one in Chelsea Physic Garden. They were indeed planted to try to develop the silk trade in England - unfortunately they planted black mulberries (Morus nigra) and the silkworm only lives on white mulberries (Morus alba) so it didn't work! Alec

Not sure whether the early model or late model has the longer throttle cable. Also not sure whether they are the same diameters and have the same end fittings. I could fit new handles, but would rather not since it's a very expensive fix for a worn throttle cable! Still works for now, but the outer is cracked so I am looking to get an alternative lined up before I'm stuck without it. Alec

Nice saw, with the late model cover and AV mounts - were these upgrades you ordered or was it already a late one? Eddy - do you reckon your source may have an early AV model throttle cable? These are nla and a pain to make up from bike brake cables! Cheers Alec

The black mulberry was historically propagated from 'truncheons' - branches about 2" in diameter literally just chopped off, cut to length for the main trunk and stuck in the ground, so I would imagine the odds of success in transplanting are pretty high. Alec

Thought I hadn't seen you on here lately - I can't see any particular reason why you couldn't lay yew but I've not see any done:confused1: The oak is sitting in lumps in the entrance to my field where it got craned off - it was too late in the year to risk it so funnily enough I started on it last weekend. I will take some pics of what I've done so far, although it's not the interesting bit. I await the outcome of your oak plan with interest if it turns out to be brown..... Alec

Agreed - very straightforward. Alec

Hi Luke - did you spot this thread? http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/65999-yew-savaging-2.html - a few more pics on page 3. It doesn't address your original question but may give some hope. Alec ps - did you get any further with the other oaks?

Thanks David, very interesting to see the process of adaptation in action with a known timeframe. Seems to be coming along nicely:001_smile: Alec

I would go with an inverter - arc rods can go down to 1.6mm which is thin enough for the low end of steel structures. I don't get on very well with arc - much prefer TIG, but the inverter does both (although you need gas for TIG and it's not cheap as you need argon rather than CO2). There is always ebay, but if you can get to Gravesend then there is a really useful place which deals in high quality secondhand welding kit: Tecweld Unit 12/Canal Ind Park/Canal Rd Gravesend DA12 2PA 01474 326403 Alec

Should be pretty reasonable - depends whether you can get mains to it or need to run off a 12v leisure battery, but in the region of £100 all in. Alec

I'm guessing she has a hard time because of bending over to get down to them? If so, would it be possible to stick a bit of temporary electric fencing around the drop zone each year as the acorns are about to fall, then when they're all down, either have someone clear them all up with a rake and shovel, or lay out some horticultural netting and fold it all in to the centre to lift it into a barrow and away, or use a Henry to vacuum them up (this works a lot better than you might think!) All of these would appear to be cheaper than regular works on the tree? Alec

I don't mind doing the carbs on these. Everything is big and easy to work on - much less fiddly to get on and off than on the 026. Alec