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There are quite a lot of cherry varieties local to Bucks - have you found Bernwode nurseries: http://www.bernwodefruittrees.co.uk/ They even have one from Prestwood! Hadn't heard of using them for dying before though. I grew up in Kent and used to pick cherries in the summer, up big old trees on long ladders. I grew up on what had formerly been a smallholding, planted 1919, and have replanted with the same idea of a regular source of supply, so a good range of timing and more long-storing fruits (apples, and some pears) to extend the season. We did once manage to eat apples from store through to June, then the first of the new season (Beauty of Bath) in July, so spanned the whole year. I have planted up something similar where we now are - I propagated most of them where I could obtain scion wood. It's completely mixed, with apples, cherries (because I like them), a few pears and plums/gages. I've used mostly EA local varieties or ones which are known to do well here, with a few others for particular purposes. I've also put in a couple of bittersweet cider varieties as I tend to use the deformed fruit for cider and it improves the flavour a lot to put in some tannin - sugar content I can balance courtesy of Tate & Lyle! Alec

Hi Felix, 1850 is an interesting time - there are three types of orchard around. One is the ongoing 'grand estate' type orchard, which is not about commercial qualities so much as supplying the big house, with as diverse a range of produce as possible, spanning the whole year. It's also around the point where what would later be regarded as a 'smallholding' orchard starts to come in, for supply of the London market, but in parallel you have the ongoing home/farm orchard for local use. By 1880 the pattern is pretty well established, so if you're prepared to stretch the point a little and go for Victorian era varieties it should be possible. Yours is what would be classed as 'big estate' isn't it? Are you looking to sell the produce, how big is the area you are looking to plant up and what level of amenity value do you want from it? This is about whether you go for a large range of varieties, which is good for spreading the season if you are supplying locally (farm shop/farmer's market) or go for a very narrow range (selling at commercial markets). This also determines what constitutes commercial qualities - if you want to sell direct to the public they can be educated on the finer points of flavour (I've proved this with cherries) whereas if it's through a middle-man there is more focus on size, uniformity and overall eye-appeal than on flavour. If you give me some idea on the above I can give a few suggestions. Alec

Stumpy, if you're going to end up doing a lot of hand tool work on this, I suggest getting yourself a side axe (and a cant hook if you can run to one, for rolling the thing around, although this can be improvised with some chain and a scaffold pole). You can find side axes (aka broad axe) on ebay for about £20-30. They are used across the grain, using a sort of circular motion rather than a short, chopping motion. You have to cut downwards, hence you need to be able to roll the log around. You can remove large amounts or very fine shavings and you can get a pretty good finish from the off with practice. Cutting something like this out entirely by hand is nothing like as difficult as it first appears, although it's a bit slower and a lot more tiring than doing it with a chainsaw. I made the replacement stem post (bit at the front) for the one on the boat shown here: Hagley - bow deplated using hand tools only after the chainsaw packed up (no pictures to hand of the finished item). It took a day, including making the full length rebates up each side to let the planks in to. I did a lot of it with an adze rather than a side axe, but I would suggest avoiding this unless you are already familiar with their use - although I just picked one up and worked it out over the first few bits of timber, so it's not that hard! If Si can cut the bulk out then you should be OK. Alec

As has been said, rootstock is key - determines how big the tree will get and whether it will need permanent staking. Some are better for certain soils than others and ultimately they determine how long the trees are likely to live/be productive. Also worth considering what you want the trees for and where you are trying to grow them. This will determine which varieties are most suitable. If you can comment on what you want to achieve it will be possible to give some ideas on selection of variety and stock (opinions will probably differ a bit). Most of the decent nurseries tend to supply bare root, so now is the time to be ordering for planting in about November onwards. Bare root is much cheaper too. Ones to look at if you want a wide variety are Keepers in West Malling and R.V.Roger in Pickering. If you're looking for commercial quantities (I presume not given your location?) there are others to work from. Alec

You commented that you are adding extra oil to the bar, but the above suggests you haven't turned the oiler up full? If not, I suggest you do so, regardless of the oil you are using. This is pretty much standard practice when running any saw with its max. bar length and particularly important when milling wide boards which are using a lot of the bar length. Alec

That sounds very much like nerves running down the spine - in my case I did this by dead-lifting a boat engine over a doorstep. Big twanging feeling in my leg, following day I couldn't bend. I used a chiropractor, who helped a lot. Another exercise to add to Spud's list - all of which look familiar, particularly if you find the dog-humping exercise does more harm than good (which it did in my case, and no we have a cat rather than a dog and no I wasn't doing that before anyone asks....) is to lie on your back and gently lift your pelvis upwards. It's a swivelling action - nothing should actually lift off the ground. It doesn't feel like you are doing anything, but done 20 times every morning it builds up core strength in a really gentle way. Alec

Almost. It's actually the ethanol (alcohol) in the petrol that soaks right into the rubber, causing it to swell and reacting chemically with the structure that makes rubber flexible. The ethanol also keeps the rubber supple while it's present, but once it dries out the rubber goes hard and brittle. Aspen doesn't have any alcohols in it, so doesn't cause the problem. The problem is set to get much worse btw as the UK is following the US and allowing a much greater amount of ethanol in petrol, which will mean petrol degrades faster, and rots rubber components faster if left standing. Alec p.s. I use my 076 for felling larger stuff and the 076/070/090 for milling it, depending what size it is and what mood I'm in.

I would, particularly if you can find the receipt or other proof of purchase (even electronic). You at least want to be sure where you got it so you aren't getting 'free' parts from the wrong supplier. I believe GHS offer a 1yr warranty and your photos prove it wasn't lean seized through a fuel issue. I would ring them up, explain what happened and offer to email them the photos. My guess is they will send you a replacement FOC by return. Alec

He won't be able to hurt himself. With no tensioner the chain will come off the bar as soon as he pulls the throttle, jamming itself up somewhere before it even spins. I am sure he will then bodge it somehow (glue the bar on in the tensioned position with some Araldite?) and it will work briefly, then fail and he will give up, put it in the shed and buy something new and shiny from B&Q. Alec

Likewise, thanks to James. Ripsaw works a lot better now Alec

If there is stress, it will move. It will do it whether you dry it first or don't dry it first. The only way to stop it moving is to use it in something where it is nailed down so solid that it can't move. I know straps are fairly commonly used, but in practice I think they only make a lot of difference if you don't want to stick a big weight on the top, e.g. if you want to kiln dry it. The board on the bottom of a stack has the full weight of the tree on it - it's only when you get up to the top that there isn't much weight on it, but sticking the outer slab back on will soon do the trick. The issue at this time of year is more about slowing drying down to avoid cracking. Stacking in the shade, with thin sticks (10mm or so) would be my preferred way to manage this. Ref. milling small logs. I do quite a bit of this (most of my milling is also for personal use, it's just that a lot of it is for construction of boats/extension etc. so the sizes are large). The cutting pattern shown is nice - haven't tried that but worth using. There is a technique which someone put a video link on here for, showing someone cutting timber for a house in the Philippines, freehand with a chainsaw. I've used it since and the rocking pattern with the saw shown here really does come out with a good, flat surface, taking almost all the waste out of freehanding (although I've adapted it slightly in that I usually hold the saw by its full handle, and generally wear shoes). Link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02QWRo1W4II Other techniques for steadying. If milling on the ground I have some wedge shaped blocks I can stick under the curve. They want to be steeper than the curve, so they bear on the outside rather than the middle so the log doesn't pivot on them. If I have a half-log or quarter-log up on edge, I bang in a couple of short, sacrificial pegs about 1"x2" section against the flat side, then lift it up against them. I then stick wedges under the curved side. If milling lower than the pegs I just cut straight through them. On a full log, I have tried sticking a short coach screw through a crosswise batten, up into the log. A 2" coach screw embedded 1" (other 1" in the batten) will hold things still and the bottom edge is scrap anyway. Alec

It may well be cheaper. I used to run a Vauxhall Combo 1.7l diesel, non-turbo, then a Ford Escort van, 1.8l diesel, non-turbo, as private vehicles. I could only find two insurers who would do it so there was no competition. Best quote I could get was Norwich Union at around £550 fully comp. I switched to a Volvo V70, 2.4l turbocharged diesel, with towbar. Insurance dropped to about £200 fully comp. Car = lots of competition. Insuring a commercial as a commercial has plenty of competition, so could drop costs. Alec

Agree entirely with the above comments on use of Granberg chain and the need to check the nose sprocket on the bar. It may be possible to change the nose sprocket to 3/8" so long as one the right shape for the bar is available. Alternatively you could fit a .404" drive sprocket to the saw. The bigger problem is likely to be the bar mounts, which are different on the 880 to the 660. Most very long bars are only available with the bigger bar mounts. The saw will pull it, but it will be very slow and you will need to hold it back to stop it bogging down. It would also be a good idea to raise the grinder right up on the teeth to minimise the hook, and resist the temptation to force the pace as this risks serious damage to the power head. You will probably also need an aux oiler as the saw will be well over design capacity. Alec

It is indeed the new bands. To be honest the finish usually comes out like that, it's just that some of the bands tend to follow the grain and give a wavy surface rather than flat. If you tension them enough to stop it, they snap at the weld. This was with the first of the new bands and although the surface area cut so far isn't that large, it's cutting true and hasn't snapped, so all good so far. Will be a real test when it starts ripping through long lengths of elm. Alec

I've done this, and it works well, but you sometimes get a butt with a lot of stress in it which opens up like a banana when you mill it. A cut dead up the centre takes most of the stress out. If it stays flat, I can then carry on and mill boards, if it doesn't I stand it on edge and do the same again up the middle and the quarters then stay stable so that I can mill boards off them. Alec

You will need to use battens - they create the air gaps that let the moisture out so that the timber dries. Unlike Burrell, I actually enjoy setting up and taking the first cut. I find something satisfying in the precision of aligning it - I try to take it dead down the middle, taking out the pith end to end if the log is straight, so that it gets rid of it, and takes the maximum possible amount of stress out. Alec

Found a spare 15mins this evening so milled up the piece of plum from Nepia. 3' long, 14" across at the widest point. Still looking for more plum/damson/blackthorn/prunus pissardi if anyone happens across some. Alec

Quite agree on the sapphire face - I have a Christopher Ward automatic which I have worn pretty much daily for the past five years. It's been climbing mountains, in the back of engines, milling, everything. Face is still perfect although the bracelet is gradually beginning to wear. The clasp on these is brilliant too. I have late 1950s Rolex Perpetual with original acrylic face and a leather strap which comes out for best, and a late 1960s Stihl automatic which I wear sometimes but needs to go and get serviced before I wear it again. Alec

Your comments really doesn't give a lot of confidence in his competence. Personally, I would be looking to take it back and get a second opinion. One thing - how long ago did you mix the fuel, and how long ago did you fill the tank? Alec

Yep, definitely a good use of a Saturday evening. My neighbours are a bit close to where I mill, so I tend to stop by 8pm, even though they've said they don't mind if I carry on until 10pm. I tried out a new bandsaw band this evening from Tuff Saws, using up the sycamore offcuts - infinitely better quality than the previous bands I've been using, and now I've got something that's cutting nicely I've set up the plum from Jon (Nepia) for milling tomorrow morning. Alec

OK, a starter for 10. Firewood prices roadside seem to be between £30 and £60/ton, depending on species, where you are etc. That tends to be processor type cordwood in large quantities, but it would give you a starting point to base your figure on. Alec

Thanks for the recommendation. I've been having some supply issues with bands for my Ripsaw mill, which is essentially a chainsaw-driven, horizontally-mounted bandsaw. The quality has been poor and I've had re-weld everything. It was very encouraging that Ian's website guarantees to re-weld any band which fails at the weld (I'd say 90%+ of the ones I have bought fail there, but when I re-weld them they don't). Had a very useful conversation with Ian, have ordered some bands and will see how they go. Alec

Breaking with the above opinion slightly, I might go looking at a secondhand Stihl 038. They're solidly built and parts are plentiful and cheap, and it will chew through stuff like this at speed. They're not really pro, more 'farmer' due to power to weight being a bit worse, but this wouldn't be a problem if you're not using it all day every day. Alternatively, the 036 and 034 are, in my opinion, underrated for this and often make a lot less money than they should (I've seen a scruffy but fully working 036 make under £60!). Both can be had within your budget. I am less anti-ebay than most, so long as you buy with your eyes open. I would buy 'cash on collection', and if it claims it's a runner, test it before handing over the cash. Any genuine seller should be happy with this. I would then plan on getting it to someone who can a do pressure, vacuum and compression test on it, and give it a service. Assuming all is good bar a few service parts you'll have something that shouldn't be as frustrating and temperamental as many other more modern saws seem to be. Alec

With the number you'll need, either you are going to have to give your saws a lot of abuse in the hopes of breaking them, or it will end up like the Fairy Liquid advert where the kid keeps hoping the bottle will run out... Alec

Brass screws aren't very strong, but you don't want steel ones in oak as they tend to stain black (although you might get away with not seeing it for indoor use as the stain won't spread far enough to be visible). The best bet is to drill your hole, then run a steel screw the same size down the hole to cut the thread in, then put your brass screw in, 'feeling' the thread, like you would when putting a nut on a bolt. A small dob of vaseline or similar on the screw also makes it much easier to get in, and out again if you need to. If the hinges are scratched but you don't want to risk taking them out, you could take the scratches out by working through the grades of sandpaper - fix it round the squared off end of a lolly stick using double-sided sticky tape, to make an emery board. You want to start coarse, around 120grit, and get down to 1200 grit, or even 2400 grit if you can find any. Then switch to metal polish on the end of a cotton bud - I use a car type paste polish like Autosol rather than Brasso, as the residue brushes off and doesn't stain the oak like the ammonia in Brasso does. Once clean, a quick coat of furniture wax and they will look better than new. Alec