highland dave

Todays job is clearing the last few clumps of plantation to reinstate a grouse moor. Method: 1. Cut fire break around plantation. 2. Light it. 3. Go back with mulcher to trash the remaining trunks to remove perches for crows etc.

We've cleared approx 800 acres this way in the last 3 years.

up the anti go big

If you're interested I've got this one which is fitted with extra heavy duty Omega head and munches material up to 100mm. Has a reach of 8m. Be careful reaching downhill on soft ground!!

You could try using a manure drag there are various makes available depending on length of arm to depth of pocket ratio. Probably best not to use one if you're in an inflatable.

I would leave areas of the understory untouched as they provide habitats for all sorts of wildlife. If you clear it all it may look neat and tidy but you'll lose the nightingales and whatever else likes scrubby thickets. Don't worry about lichens, they are a great indicator for clean air.

I am in Boat of Garten till Sunday, would love to come and see the job if your working .

Sorry, noone is on site until next monday - then we'll probably get 2 feet of snow!! We should be there until mid feb.

May be clutching at straws here but I'm looking for someone to drive a grader.The work is upgrading about 60km of forest roads in the cairngorms working alongside 360s, dumpers and mulchers and rollers etc. All very Tonka. Get in touch if interested.

Looks like riko want to add a bit for their trouble of reproducing a few photos. £3k does seem a bit steep though - that's nearly solicitor rates. Maybe there's great demand for these machines down in the Hampshire Alps!

The weather near me is a bit like this...

George Mclaren has one in his yard at the moment. 62hp Carraro. It's on his website on the used tractors page.

McLaren Tractors | Current Stock

Common consensus up here is that oil companies have been scrimping on the additive for the past few years - they'll tell you that winter & summer diesel is no different and that it's all treated these days. Maybe it is but my experience is that their treatment is only good for about 0 degrees.

I put Waxbreaker Gold in the bulk tank at about 1.5 times the recommended rate (1.5 litres / 1000 litres fuel) This works well enough although when it gets below about -15C it will start to cloud up but then it's best to sit by the fire and pretend to do paperwork when it's that chilly

Meindl boots are excellent. I've had a pair for about 17 yrs, had them resoled about 6 years ago. I use them for winter mountaineering, hillwalking, deer stalking etc. They are still 100% waterproof and amazingly comfortable. They are a good wide fit which is essential given that my feet are the ridiculously broad flotation variety.

Hi, Ive got an Igland 5601 3pl winch with approx 90m of cable. I'm thinking of selling it or chopping it in for a big double drum. If you're interested get in touch.

A very rough guestimate based on the info provided would be approx 0.75 cubic meters per tree.

I may be able to help, when, where etc. I'm possibly relocating south in the near future.

Below is email address for denis cimaf. They can take a while to respond, must be the french genes and the prospect of le dejeuner.

[email protected]

I also looked at Bird eye grinders to put on a 26 tonne hitachi but still prefer Ahwi & FAE. Ahwi have a rotor that can take either carbide hammers or fixed blades which I'm looking at for a 14 tonne machine.

Cimaf heads are good as long as you don't stuff them into the dirt / rocks too often. Seppi heads are utter rubbish. The steel used for the deflector flap is about the same quality as plasticine. The tooth mounting is a single bolt which breaks with monotonous regularity. The tooth will be fine - if you can find it -and you'll want to find it because they cost about £80.00 each. My advice is forget seppi mulchers and spend a bit more and get an Ahwi or an FAE.

I've used Welmac from Lincs. Not exactly south or west for you but well south for me.

Went out with the mulcher and started a construction site clearance at 9.00am, finished at 12.30pm and earned a nice 4 figure sum. No rain - until I'd finished, and a good days work. I'll do 3 days a week at this rate!!! On the down side I'm back on the peat bog / grouse moor on Monday mashing up lodgepole and dodging wet holes.

Excellent! I might weld a wheelbarrow onto the Griso and chug around the highlands. On second thoughts I'll weld a wheelbarrow onto a harley and improve its handling.

I use chikara for pathways etc. Don't let it get into watercourses / ponds. Oh and make sure you're sitting down when they tell you the price! It is good though and those tiny containers will cover a good area.

Hi, the basic answer is "Yes possibly". It really depends where you are, what the competition is, what your rates are ........ My experience is fastracs are good on the road and not so good on the rough stuff. I do quite a bit of this type of work with a Valtra/ Botex setup but don't attempt to compete with the tigercat/JD brigade. Get in touch if you want any advice - I may be able to help, or I may be no use at all !!

I've got a 2.0HDI Berlingo, can't fault it. I've done 100k in it, you can get twice as much in the back as you can get in a defender 90, it's faster, more comfortable (what isn't) and returns 45mpg consistently. I've got oversize snow tyres on it and it goes to wherever I need it to. They're good little vans and you can stay dry in them when it rains.

A pair of Guzzis that we're hoping to breed from. We left them alone in the garage hoping to hear the rumble of a baby V-twin but all they did was snigger at a set of whitworth spanners.

Moheda trailers from AT Osbourne are well worth a look and so are Mowi trailers from Fuelwood. they both come from the same parent company but have different cranes and probably different prices. Nokka also make drive trailers up to 15 tonnes, not sure if there is a dealer in the UK but Scantrax in Belgium sell them.

The site is way up near tongue - on the blank part of the map.