The Stig

Many thanks all for the replies. Had a preliminary chat with the guy today and wood for work for the first thinning is ok with everyone, just waiting for a date to 'go down to the woods' to see exactly what's there. Apparently it's listed as a commercial woodland.

OK, new ground for me. A woodland owner is looking to get some thinning work done. It's a mix of broadleaf. As I understand it there is an FC rate of £1K per hectare to thin and extract which he would have to pay if access is good, less any value in the timber (firewood in this case). I also understand that people buy standing hardwood ie they have to pay to cut and extract. In this case the access is poor and it wood be a case of borrowing a tractor and buying a winch to extract up a very steep hill to a point where it can be loaded. The trees are a mix of hardwood and vary up to 4' DBH. So who should be paying who and at what rate? I want the timber for processing into logs for resale but if I have to buy it I'd be better off buying in delivered roundwood. Thanks in advance.

Hi Guys, As an agent you have a TPO lifted to fell a tree but it is granted on the condition that stump is ground out and replanting takes place in the next planting season. Quote is broken up into felling, stump grinding and replanting. Customer stops you at felling stage and says, here's your money, we'll pull the stump out and replant ourselves. Customer then removes stump but does not replant. Who is liable for not replanting and what are the possible consequences? TIA The Stig.

VT on pulley saver, point noted. Yes, most definately if you scroll down to this one Ocean polyester 8mm 80cm eye2eye Prussic for Tree Surgery Arborist Climbing | eBay Many thanks guys, looks like OP then.

Thanks guys, I'll probably have a go at the Silverstreak and knot it in that case - i'm watching the pennies and the OP eye to eye is £33

Morning all, Could someone please save me messing about with countless makes of friction rope for vt/klemheist use on Yale XTC Plus (side strop and mainline). I've tried a search but nothing readily came up. I know Marlow Boa works well on Marlow Gecko, but didn't work for me on Tachyon. Do i assume that a Yale friction rope will work best on the XTC? Many thanks in advance and all the best for 2013!

The current Mrs. Stig is responsible for two of mine and one of her own. Still needs a bloody medal though!

I know it sounds a bit 'Michael Jackson mask' ish, but i hope you'll appreciate that i can't post photos until Stein do a toy size helmet:001_tt2: Seriously, thanks guys. Just fed him again and after six daughters a boy will take some getting used to!

Well it's finally happened. After 17 years of trying, 6 daughters and 2 wives - The Stig finally has a son :thumbup::thumbup: Stig Jnr weighed in last night at 8lbs 8oz and all are home well. Can't wait to take him to the workshop and yard and say to him "One day my son all this will be yours" and all the other things dads say and do. I've got someone to hand down all the tools and knowledge to, above all else the family name. I guess i'm the proudest dad on earth:biggrin:

Right, sobered up now. Check the number of sidewall plies are the same or greater and that the max load is great enough for what you want, there should be seperate figures for single and double tyre set ups. Just looked them up and - Speed Index: V: this tyre is approved for speeds up to 240 km/h !! Sidewall with outline white letter styling (most sizes) £69 each - £286 for four inc vat and p&p, couple of beers for the local garage to fit them. Kumho KL78 Tyres - Cheap Kumho KL78 Tyres Online | Blackcircles.com

Rim width should be stamped on the wheel, usually a figure in inches followed by the letter J. Speedo only matters when the law point their hairdryer at you or you pass a camera...

Cheers fella, could you proof read that for me only i've had a pint of Cobra, a bottle of red and an Irish coffee and i'm crap at maths anyway

Depends on the rim width. If you can your speedo will be all to cock anyway as the rolling radius will be vastly different. The second figure in the tyre dimension is the profile of the tyre as a percentage of it's width. ie. 185/70 is 129.5mm 'thick' compared with 205/80 is 164mm 'thick' ie. the overall diameter of the tyre is (129.5 x 2) +16" = 535.9mm as opposed to (164 x 2) + 16" = 734.4mm Then work out the rolling radius and therefore speedo correction etc.etc. Hope this helps - probably not though !

Blank it off, plenty of kits available on fleabay.

Guys, thanks for all your replies - it's now clear as mud:lol: Given the choice between the Zubat and Gomtaro i'm going to go for the Natanoko Or the Tsurugi Back to the drawing board:sneaky2:

Wasn't aware of the 'nice we roller thingy' but am liking the sound of it. Also, Arb bling, midlife crisis bling, any sort of bling, Jesus - i never thought i would see the day that i used the word bling, let alone like it:001_tongue:

Fair comment, suppose i was being a bit pedantic. At the end of the day i guess it's not what you've got but how you use it. I know it's not a huge investment, but in these times..........

Hi Guys, Looking for a new Silky (other makes are available) and can't decide between the Zubat and Gomtaro. Gomtaro i have used and will give a straight cut therefore hinge control. Zubat looks to give more cutting power due to curved blade and slightly better access in between close branches. Will the curve of the Zubat blade really show on hinge cuts (exacerbated by the opposed curved gob)? I could ask dealers and get all the usual sales blurb, but would rather consult the masses of Arbtalk and get a wider feel of what real life users think. Or does it just come down to the fact that the Zubat has a bit of shiny on the scabbard? All replies will be greatfully recieved. Kind regards, The Stig.

I have a 58 Plate Aventura and it is undeniably the biggest piece of shite i've ever had the misfortune of owning - i only bought it as a tax dodge. I was told all the post 56 problems had been sorted but they weren't. From new it smoked so bad under normal driving conditions that i could lose an artic behind me in the smoke, but under free acceleration test on the dealer's mot machine it was clean as a whistle. 2.5k oil pressure switch went (dealer insisted rac tow job), 3.5k ignition barrel went, by this time the finish had flaked on the cab top/ side step carriers/ diesel cap lock. By 15k the entire drive train had disintegrated (main centre bearing/ half shafts/ wheel bearings etc.) and the vehicle hadn't even been worked....Steering wheel finish all rubbed off. All speakers replaced twice. 19k horn stopped working - wires corroded so badly they would pass 12v but not enough current to make a sound. Tyres had worn out by now. Average about town 25mpg, 28 on motorway so chipped with the same company i've used with brilliant results on my car and it smoked to the point of going into limp mode before leaving first gear. 25k, chassis heavily corroded to an alarming state. 30k, clutch disintegrated after first 500 miles of work (towing), took with it the Dual Mass Flywheel. I'm told DMF are not to be used for heavy loads or towing, so why put one in a supposedly commercial vehicle? (Nissan now supply all new Navs with SMF). Replaced it myself with a single mass conversion and clutch kit - much happier as back to a proper feeling clutch that works. 36k just failed second mot on weeping shocks and blowing exhaust flexi joint - 4 years old........ Just look at the paint and it's scratched - there's no quality to it in any department. Load carrying - put it's rated load on and you're on the bump stops and bending the chassis. All these vehicles are good for is lowering your tax bill and carrying a surfboard , my old Disco would pull it backwards up a hill (200tdi towed better than 300) Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh <<RANT OVER>> No, not as yet i'm afraid , sorry couldn't help........

I thought it looked more like a VT setup too. Definately want a go on this, but i can't see it being cheap:wink:

Alaskan Mill ??

My HP scanner software allows me to save as editable text using OCR, i can then delete bits and type in text. Agreed though, it doesn't take forever to get to grips with Excel. Just make sure when emailing invoices to send a 'finalised' version so it can't be altered by the customer. Regards

I used to use Word until i was shown what can be done with Excel i.e. merging cells to get big letterheads in etc. I like it because it does all the VAT and totalling up for me automatically. I'm no pc nerd by any stretch but it didn't take long for one to show me:biggrin: The alternative is paying for user friendly software. I guess the easier you want it to be the more expensive it is? Regards, The Stig.

Over 3.5T and you're into assisted brakes which means that you'll have the joy of plating (MOT) every year to factor in. My LM166 is 3.5T 16' bed and has been grossly overloaded for the last 11 years and still going strong. They're tough. Last week was 0.5T all in with 4.5T of concrete blocks and the trailer with sides and 8' ramps is 0.8T, so just under 6T. The problem comes when towing heavy long loads. 3T of 6.4m (21') steel snaked at anything over 40mph, whereas i've had much bigger loads behave. Won't say what the biggest load was as it was ridiculous, this is not a willy waving contest, and i would like to keep my Operators License:blushing: Regards, The Stig.

Hi Guys, Recently relieved of Stihl 025 14", Husky 357XP 18", 550XP 15", 385XP 28", Stihl FS85T Kombi with adj. hedge trimmer and strimmer attachments. Also various other items of plant totalling about £10K - half of it uninsured 385 had a broken throttle lock and 025 had a crack in the air filter housing. Been told it's all sold, so someone's bought it and not through Fleabay or Gumtree. If they have the balls to come back, my vice is waiting for their fingers....... Best regards, The Stig.