Woodworks

Yep just let them get on with it. Must be horrendous have the press and public scrutinising your every word.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44113494

Dont know what a 10.8v impact wrench is like but I am surprised what my 18v Dewalt impact driver doesn't move. Often need a spanner on nuts 13mm and up to free them but great for spinning stuff off with long threads or when they are sticky all the way. Very handy to have none the less.

Haha. Great minds and all that. I used some lengths of bungy for a while

Fuelwood do an AMR one that should fit that spec apart from single handed use. Here you go https://www.fuelwood.co.uk/Log-Splitters/Towable-Log-Splitters.aspx

If only large groups of cyclist were as considerate as that. IME they are not. One local club had probably 100 riders sprawled out over a mile or so of just two lane roads. Some clubs need some clear guidance and it would be great if the videos above were used for instruction for both parties. Maybe we should have public information films back on the TV

Very sad and hope they catch driver. It's a nightmare from either perspective. I used to cycle loads with a club but cycling is a victim of it's own success. The club rides used to 6-8 of us many years ago but went out with them recently and you get 40 riders turning out on a Sunday morning on roads that are busier than ever. Then they end up strung out over half a mile of country lanes and unsurprisingly drivers get stressed not being able to pass. I gave up riding with club for this reason alone. If I go out now it's off road or at quiet times. There are idiots on bikes and idiots in cars but only one loser if the two colide.

Need to replace the bar on our processor and wondering if a Sugi bar will work. The snag is it has to be used with a spacer (show in picture) to work. Would the profile be much the same?

OK so the fact I will let my retort get up to 700C towards the end of the burn could be why this chap found our charcoal so good. We simply make a more energy dense charcoal than most. "Retorts tend to self limit their temperature because the process goes back to endothermic above about 440C as the structure of the char matrix begins to change and most of the evolution of the hydrogen and oxygen containing species has finished so the exothermic reactions of the initial pyrolysis products splitting and cracking has finished." Any chance you could break this bit down for numpty's to understand? You say it will tend to self limit but it wants to sit up around 600C-650C for much of the burn without careful air control. The temps are taken in the firebox mid hight of the charge chamber.

A friend has the Timbery. He say it is pretty light but up to the job if used carefully. Can find out more if interested

Thanks Ian. Yes I cant see why it should be very different but I think my retort probably gets it hotter than some systems. Not clear if hotter makes it very different to use. £7.50 for 2kg is good going and that's what you get not retail price in a shop?

Not sure what the two stores charge but it's probably a bit more expensive there.

Out just past Yelverton. £5 for a 2kg bag or you can get it in the Lifton and Lidford farm shops. PM me if want to come and pick some up

Just got this Email after asking for feedback on our charcoal. "Essentially I’ve found that most standard retail charcoal, even Big Green Egg charcoal that claims to be the best with a price tag to match, is very woody and only partly combusted, which gives it an unpleasant burn, produces more flame for less heat, and eventually more ash. Your charcoal lights very easily and relights easily after being snuffed out. It burns very cleanly and gives a very controllable heat (particularly when I need it to be quite low and to burn for a long time), and a very high heat when required. I did three pork shoulders on Sunday, using less than a single bag, I lit the Egg at 10:00am, and eventually put it out at 9:00pm having held it at C110, and there was still more charcoal left at the end." I can live with that but is there much difference between retort charcoal and ring kiln charcoal?

brilliant

Yes I think it needs to be fairly large as you need to be converting 1.5 -2 cube of logs a day to consider it being profitable in my limited experience. Maybe we should promote native charcoal more but keep the price up. It is superior so why not charge more? Unless the price of logs goes through the floor I cant see how native charcoal can compete with cheap imported charcoal as the raw material simply has too much value regardless of efficiency. PS welcome to Arbtalk and by the way have you still got that mate who gets deals at Dixons?

The market seems variable based on location. I make a small amount each year in a home made retort but demand for native charcoal is very limited. Whereas I see others further east seem not to be able to keep up with demand. I put it down to the weather but only a guess. We charge trade £4 for 2kg and if was being all about the money I would not consider messing about with charcoal and stick to the logs. A cube of logs is a £100 and that same cube converted to charcoal makes just £140! If my retort could be run cooler the conversion rate would probably be a touch better but even so...... Retort wise I only know of 3 designs. The Pressvess ones which seem well thought through and solidly built with a good system for burning the gasses cleanly. The Exeter which seems popular but from what I have read has had problems with distortion. The fire box is unlined so if you run it hard and clean it seems bound to suffer. The Hookway which is by nature very clean using rocket stove technology but not productive enough for anyone looking to earn a crust. The one I made is halfway between the Hookway and the Exeter production wise but hopefully closer to Hookway money wise. Probably just going to selling plans and not finished retorts.

Well this little thing continues to work well. Just had a couple of woodland guys spend some of the day watching it in action and helping with improvements. One thing that would be great is an element of automation for temperature control. I have an idea using a bi metal springs but darned if I can see one in the UK. Can get a 1000 from Alibaba! Anyone know where I can some of these?

No it's all the hassle of getting it sorted and the time you are without the tractor. These compacts can be brilliant but like anything we tend to find their limits.

I was the same after the first time. Loader is supposed max of 500kg but it spent it's life with that or more on the front while being bumped about. Just splashed out on a dedicated loader to save these 1k incidents but suspect I would have been better off just fixing when it's broke

Easily done with these smaller tractors. Broken the sprockets on the front wheel once and recently broke the wheel nearly clean off on our compact. Both times cost the best part of a £1000 in parts.

One thing I most liked about the Gehl other than the substantial build quality is the fact it's now part of the Manitou group so backup should be a doddle.

That's what I want to hear. I dont mind 3 mins for the first run of the day but would like to start straight away once it's been run. It works fine from cold but dont want to balls it up through ignorance.

Just got a SH Gehl pivot steer. The manual states that it should be left running but not driven for 3 mins on start up. Not used to a hydraulic drive what harm comes from hopping on and driving straight away?

Might be of interest.