TGB

What happened to the days, when sending a waif up a chimney was both business & child care? I know, I know... there were more large chimneys around then.

I just leave the cans open for a couple of days to make sure there's no residue left, then take the labels off and put them to be recycled.

That ought to have been 'list'.

Just had a look at Skyland's website and it's here: http://www.skylandequipment.com/husqvarna-technical-arborist-helmet at £79.45.

Ah, now that's interesting. I just entered "husqvarna technical helmet" in a general search and 'Skyland' were near the head of the lust but now there's no sign of them.

Not saying the MS181 won't get you through a pile of logs and some small trees. But if it's going to be used for more than the occasional bit firewood, plus some small felling. Then the saw is not going to last very long. Know someone with a MS171 with a 12" bar, it struggles on firewood greater than 100mm. But she got the offer of free training so went for her CS30/31 with the saw. That must have been a long day. Especially when she failed the assessment on a safety point. However, she was given the choice of continuing on, just to see how she would've done. If it hadn't been for that point, it would've been a pass. The 171 continues to be underpowered for all but the smallest of tasks and suffers from recurring reliability issues, including carb problems and chain loosening. The thing has high vibs. and shakes like a leaf in a gale. I also know someone who has a MS170, who reckons the 171 isn't a patch on the 170. But I'd not like to use it for long periods, given the quoted vibration levels. Then there's the fellow with a MS211, which is a much more capable saw. Showing little problem in felling small hardwoods or de-limbing & cutting firewood from said trees. Mind the chain will have something to do with the difference in cutting between the 171 with PMM3 and 211 PM3. So if you can stretch to it, get the MS211 or a Husky 435, (though the Husky is both more £s and heavier for slightly less power).

Skyland have them for a tad under £80inc. and 'World of Power' have them for just under £62inc. I'm sure there's more but that gives a guide.

Aspen dealers: http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/dealers/dealer-locator/

Does Arbtalk's fungi app require a live internet connection to work or will it work with the iPod Touch?

Ditto. By the way, what do you call a small tree? Are we talking 6" dia. or 12" dia., or a little bigger maybe?

What is it going to be used for most of the time?

See here: http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/boletus-edulis.php

Yep. That's the puppy. Sorry about the incorrect terminology. (Before someone moans to themselves, I do know the difference between a choke and a throttle. Just having a senior moment, must be the heat.)

I like Oregon; I've also tried Stihl semi synthetic. I'd say there's not much difference while cutting or quantity used overall or the price. But on a cold day, the Stihl comes out of the can a little quicker. Oh, and when it comes to cleaning, there seems to be less sawdust filled gunge and is easier to clean with Oregon. So Stihl on really cold days, if only to speed up refuelling times but Oregon at every other time.

I tend to find with the 545, (which is a similar build) needs to be choked if stopped for around 10mins. or more, even on a hot day. If it's not starting and you tried all else, might as well try the choke or a half-choke at least.

Can't help with a particular saw. But 20" on a 50cc saw is pushing it, 16"-18" would be more realistic. But if you're not going to be using it much, I suppose you can put up with sluggish cut.

Get a Husqvarna or Stihl branded lid. Never had a problem with either, though I prefer the Husqvarna lids.

I don't see age as being a barrier to mechanical know-how. Some people know the dangerous end of a hammer others the dangerous end of a pen. For the under twenties among us, forget that thing old folk call a pen and the ancient call a pencil. And just use the virtual keypad.

Start for the south coast yesterday at 22°C. Most of the way way 22-24°C except through Warminster at 25°C. I often wonder how accurately the car measures outside temperature. Today is hot and sunny, forecasting a high of 24°C. But worryingly no precipitation. Perhaps the two pallets of breeze blocks I have to barrow this afternoon, will turn my mind from precipitation to perspiration, brought on by sacrificing my self - and probably a good portion of skin from the lower arm.

I use dto work for a large org. which had branded uniforms which were a particular easily recognisable colour, (forest green, except where hi-vis was required) across the board but individually suited to the main tasks people were doing. At some point in time, some office prat bigwig decided it would be more cost effective, if all the various uniforms became one colour, one style and bought from one place. After a poll to see which colour, it became two colours, (navy blue and pale blue. Some things got better but most got worse, unless you were a posterior chair polishing guru, (Chair Polisher or CP). The fleeces got warmer but as a trade-off, they were so fleecy, they wore out faster soaked up water & soiled faster than a sponge, whereas the old ones shed water and thus were ease to keep presentable in the field. Trousers went from being good, rugged outdoor clobber with plenty of useable pockets, to having two small pockets, which you couldn't keep car keys in. But hey, they were stylish. Just the sort of thing a CP likes to swank around meetings in. It was also suggested by the office prat bigwig, that safety boots/shoes were necessary but didn't look good, so could their wearer only don them when moving heavy things, then swap back to "... good polished shoes for the rest of the day." Out came the pitchforks; I honestly thought 'the' CP would get lynched before the week's end. I wondered whether lynching was considered as requiring safety boots/shoes during the actual hoisting. Waterproof head gear became knitted wooly hat. Just the sort of thing to keep you comfortable in rain, hail & snow. Especially if you happen to be a CP looking out at the window at the inclement weather. Gloves became a thing of the past, as wearing them would make it difficult to type or use the laser pointer. Coats went from being short, zipped closure with poppers or velco with a detachable hood. To long, almost to the knee, zipped and in some cases buttoned, fixed hood with draw-cords. Just the sort of design nightmare you need, while slogging up a mountain with tools to repair a wall or in the woods doing emergency work in windblown stands or fencing off an eroded footpath across a water-logged field. But when it came to the T-shirts, the hemp rope, faggots & barrels of oil were brought out for the CP. They went from being smooth cotton crewe necked, to the coarsest, heavy canvas like polo shirts with abnormally high colours. I presumed, in case one wished to keep one's ears shielded from the shouts of the baying horde. You'd have been more comfortable wearing a suit if sandpaper. They rubbed & chafed, especially when damp, especially in the back of the neck and under the arms. And seemingly only came in two sizes; ine was a slim shirt length, which restricted the breathing; the other, big enough to get a good lungful of air but so long you were in fear if tripping over the hem. As with so many purchasing agreements in large companies/organisations, the bigwig CP had documented proof, that she had searched high & low for the best price on the best clothing available and had no fiscal connection with the single designated clothing supplier. No, no connection to speak of. She just happened to be happily married to its found, owner and company director. I disliked polo shirts before, I now hate them with a vengeance! Be smart by all means but be comfortable & safe first.

Is there supposed to be a spacing washer which is missing. So that when the clutch cover is clamped, the bar and drive sprocket become misaligned. I'm probably spouting nonsense but it's a thought.

How much are you thinking of?

Fenegan, (a liquid mixture for travel sickness). The smell was awful and the taste was worse. To this day, I don't know which made me vomit more, the travelling or the mixture which was suppose to prevent it. The aroma of vaporised teeth as they were drilled. Novocain, it also has a distinctive taste. Leather in my father's cars; liked the cars but have never liked the smell of leather. It makes me nauseous. Tantalised timber - it was years later that I found out why all old castles & abbeys smelled the same. Sulphur, as sulphuric acid vapour either escaped or was pumped from the annealing plant. Coal smoke. 3in1 oil - if you had a bicycle and fixed it yourself, you knew the smell. Slag heaps and coal seams burning deep underground.

Never been there, which by accounts, is a crime against sensibility. Worked alongside two forestry students a while back. Very interesting people, knowledgable, thoughtful, happy, kind, well paid, confident and both barking mad; but in a good way. They wanted to be where there was hard work to be done, yet also had a thirst for the new, providing it didn't detract from traditional, (wholesome if you will) values. They went at things with humour and seriousness in equal measure. Confidently independent in their ability for lone working and always giving a helping hand where needed and without having to be asked. They worked to an exacting standard, because that's the way they'd been brought up and how they were tutored. Talking with them, gained me the knowledge, that a Danish employer would expect high productivity, to a high standard but not at the expense of the health of the worker or general community. If you cut in one of their national parks, it's mandatory to use Aspen. But it's available at the pump at less than half the UK price. Stihl is a favourite or at least was. They'd get their machinery cheaper from Germany but their PPE cheaper from the UK. The main forestry uni based in Copenhagen, may have their students sponsored by industry. For instance, these two turned up in saw trousers, jackets & gloves given to them by Pfanner, Meindl had given them Airstreams, wooly hats by Stihl; even their base layers had been industry supplied and all on a 'wear it out and we'll replace it' basis. They were being taught to an industry leading standard. Being supplied with industry leading names, both in clothing, right up to the newest harvesters, etc. They knew high things would be expected of them in return and were prepared to work hard to be the best they could be. I gathered this was not an unusual ethos. Considering their population density and the natural resources, they knew they could live the good life, if they all, (the Danes as a whole) worked together. These http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Denmark taxation figures are out of date but give an idea of what to expect.

Ah, thank you. The link shows on my iPod but doesn't connect to anything. I'll try this link though and see how I get on. That one worked and now entered.