Daniël Bos

Common misconception:" If two vehicles collude head on each driving at 50mph, its the equivalent of driving into a wall at 100mph" Actually, in a head on collision of two vehicles at the same speed (provided both vehicles are of equal mass) the deceleration is the same as if those vehicles were crashing into a stationary immovable object.

But that assumes the Stihl policy was a reaction to market forces in support of failing businesses. Call me a cynic but I somehow doubt the benevolent intentions of Stihl as a company.

I have an ms210 carb on mine. Fits fine but the throttle linkage needs bending a bit for it to reach wot. It'll also need the two extra holes drilling obviously... Its a big improvement both in its adjustability and it'll have a bit more go.

Is this not roughly what the big giant balls of Stihl have decided to do? An online portal sort of shop where you can buy online from your local dealer at rrp.... The small issue us that it goes against free market rules and kills competition between dealers. Competition that keeps products available at a good price, and keeps the market healthy.

Can you parcel it up and post it? Or if not, tell use where it is?

I'm not sure how my shopping habits relate to cross Europe price differences? I don't shop at either if those BTW, all my shopping is at the local shops and very occasionally the coop. I'm doing that because I appreciate the service. If what I want isn't available I'll order it on the web rather than drive elsewhere. If there was either an Aldi or Lidl close by I would probably use them as they have an excellent record of customer service. Anyway, my point was not to disagree with you but to point you to the fact that you chose a crap example. Belle is owned by Altrad who do most their business in Germany. German vat is less, the importer may have bought when the exchange rate was more favourable to them, screwfix take a bigger profit, there's quite a list to explain the difference. I often buy stuff abroad, as it is sometimes cheaper. I have a turbine from Germany, a Dutch trailer and countless Dutch hand tools. All my saws are bought in Britain though as it's much cheaper....

Your example, not mine... But apart from the fact that the exchange rate doesn't quite work like that (you'll pay about £250 less). Germany's vat equivalent is less I think (19%?) Screwfix is just not very cheap. Good service and fast delivery, never any issues with warranty claims and normally a direct new-for-old swap.

We invite people for an interview, when they arrive I'll be busy doing some menial task (moving a few barrows of logs, shovelling some chip, that sort of thing) and tell them I'll be with them as soon as I've finished. My wife will phone me just then, I tell the prospective I have to take that call and I'll be back in a minute. This is when they can choose to progress to the actual interview... If when I return 2 minutes later, the task I was doing has not been finished the interview is cancelled. It sorts out the "can-do's" from the "it's-not-fair I-dunno-how's" right quick and without hassle.

I have an apprentice currently, he's severely dyspraxic, and has quite severe aspergers syndrome. I've set hem the task of cutting me 30 framing pegs, a job that would take me 2 hours or so, on a comfy outdoor chair with a pint. He's been doing that for three days now and has made 20 or so that could be usable. I think he's still learning from it though, as am I. What I'm trying to say is that you have to think why you have an apprentice rather than an employee. What do you want out of the deal and what do you think you are offering them?

Bad comparison there! That's like saying things are much cheaper here than in Japan because a Landcruiser costs more than a Defender.... The same dumper as the one screwfix sell is this: Minidumper BMD300 von Belle + gratis Arbeitsjacke in in Berge | eBay

I'm off to do my first clipping of the year tomorrow but I reckon you're going to have a riot with the animal welfare crowd if you'll be clipping with a chipper:confused1::001_tt2:

I've not heard or read that anywhere:confused1: I reckon your instructor might have got the wrong end of the stick? (though I've not a clue what stick..) It's galvanised steel, but not just two strong beams but a space-frame type affair, as it's on 14" wheels etc, there is quite some depth to the chassis.

The above trailer cost me.....not very much as my dad gave it to me. This was after I asked him to buy one for me like this one. (My family live in the Netherlands where these are a lot more common). He bought it for €1500 which by the time you add the ferry etc is £1500. 5m x 2.15 bed, ally sides, 3500kgs mam, 790kgs empty, 3x 1800kg axles. The loading is real easy: The strap attaches to the trailer on the side away from the log, goes over the trailer bed, under the log, over the top of the log and then back over the trailer to the tractor/Landy/winch/team of Oxen/slaves etc. It means that there is force on the trailer opposite to the force on the log which means the trailer will not move however big the log is you're pulling up against it. The pulling force required is much less than that required to lift the log but varies with the angle of ramps, diameter of the log (bigger is relatively easier) and height of the pulling attachment (higher is easier, up to the level of the trailer bed plus the dia of the log) Turntable trailers are perfectly legal. Bateson are talking "not that much sense"? In Germany, land of the Euro-conformists and rule-obeying orderlies they're for sale and popular, same in Belgium and the Netherlands. (not sure on other EU countries as I don't get out much.) You cannot currently build any trailer over 750kgs yourself without having it officially inspected or some such bull (since last year sometime) , and it will only pass if you use parts that have been specifically approved for a trailer exactly as you're building, down to lights, reflectors etc. Apparently "universal" trailer parts are a big no, whether they're rated adequately or not:confused1: I believe these rules apply for modifications as well, which means that putting different lights on a newly bought trailer for example is only allowed if they have been approved for use on that trailer... Maybe the UK market is too small due to an uninformed customer base? Just to be sure I made sure mine was built before all this came to play (think the first step into the abyss was 2008?)

Some more pics of big logs going on with no lifting gear.

The above trailer is 5m, and built with three 1800kg axles, so It's very hard to overload a single axle. Because the rear axles are so far back, I can safely load a beam of up to 9m as long as it's uniform in size. (5m trailer, 1-1.5m overhang at the front, 2-3m at the back gives a balanced load). If you'd put the above log on a "normal" 5m trailer it would lift the towing vehicle clean off the ground. Other advantages are: -No nose weight, which makes it much easier on the towing vehicle. -No transferring of trailer movement to the vehicle results in no bouncing rocking or snaking, again much, much easier on the vehicle and much safer to tow. -Much more comfortable to to because of the above -More manoeuvrable, yes it takes some practice but it can get to places you couldn't get a fixed trailer of the same dimensions. -It doesn't cut the corners as much, yet I can turn around in a much smaller space as the "dolly" bit will turn right back which means I can reverse with the trailer at a smaller than 90°. A fixed trailer wouldn't get near these angles before the drawbar touches the towing vehicle. -Really cool and fairly unique hence less knickable I hope... It's one of these things that unless you try one for a month or so, you'll never get just how much more useful it can be. A bit like the step from an ms250 to a 346xp, similar size on paper, big price hike but boy is it worth it! As far as winching goes: It's no good for lifting bags. For getting logs on a trailer however it's as good as a crane (not as quick but much stronger, I've lifted logs of well over legal weights onto that trailer with some fence posts and straps, logs that would be well out of reach of the lifting abilities of a small hiab). I don't see how it's messy? In the pic above the landy was just towing it on, not winching (it has no winch) this is why I suggested a petrol powered (chainsaw powered or similar) winch.

Why 4, I never use more than 3 unless milling very thin planks over 15ft long?

I still say turntable trailer. This was a 7m log, tad over 3ft at the base (I shifted it back a little before I strapped it on...). Loaded with just me and the landy. Why do you want the hiab? If it is for logs, a portable petrol winch and knowing how to parbuckle would serve you well.

Jones have some.

I did just that, bought the 880+47" duromatic and a 46"Sugi. The Stihl bar went straight onto eBay and sold quickly for a bit more than the Sugi bar cost.

Transparent resin. If you leave it open it'll fill with crap and go scummy, a nice clear resin will stay clear, clean and shiny. Best of both worlds.

Works for me, though the link title...?

As Germany is in the EU, you should not need to pay the vat if you are vat registered. The seller (if a company charging the German equivalent of vat) should send you an invoice, clearly stating the pre vat amount and on that same invoice include your name address and vat number. They then do not have to charge you the vat. This is an eu wide policy to make business easier as otherwise you'd have to try and claim the vat back of the German tax man... I buy and sell a bit of stuff between here and the Netherlands, where the same rules apply. p.s. if it's anywhere in the Northwest of Germany, let me know and I may be able to collect it for you.

All good suggestions, thanks. I've found one that seems to fit in my old sailing kit, but it has no markings at all for weight rating or such, it could be 140 years old though... I've found one in a surplus store that's specced to take a 25mm rope but its only rated to 2t? The 4x4 snatch blocks seem strong and cheap but I'd like to see how they'd do with the big rope as most seem to be made for wire rope of less than half the dia of my rope. A thinner rope may well be much easier and not as expensive as I thought. I do like to overspec things though, and my 25mm rope has a MBS of over 15ton where most thinner ropes (was like looking at 12/14mm) are up to 6t I think? So I'd prefer to use the big rope if I can.

Why? I've got a turntable trailer. It would be no different to tow if it ad half a ton of crane right in the front of the trailer. Still at least 4.5m of bed left after that, with the rear axles taking the weight of the load. No nose weight to worry about=much easier on the vehicle. I never snakes (though it might if I put loads of more than 8m length on) I find that with enough practise its easier to maneuver and I can get it in places that would be impossible with a fixed drawbar.

Turntable trailer, problem solved!