Peasgood

Can't think why it would be complicated to sweep an unlined chimney, they were all unlined until relatively recently. Get a recommended sweep in if you don't want to do it yourself, otherwise just undo the stove pipe, lift it up and drag the stove out of the way. There's likely to be soot on top of the baffle plate inside the stove and possibly fallen bricks on the register plate. None of that is hard to deal with either diy or paying a sweep.

I measured the tree lying down behind my tractor with a tape, it was 82'.

This particular hedge was cut off at about 4’ when it was well over 60’ tall, it’s actually in my garden This is the one I am working on. The low bit was cut off maybe 10 years ago Same hedge, different view Different hedge, also cut off at 3-4’ when well over 60’ tall One I cut off yesterday at about 9’. You can rate my hinge at the same time. . These were cut off about 7 years ago and allowed to grow up again. The wood from these is what I am currently heating my house on 3’ high stump within the above hedge, they are all like this.

Diameter varies a lot but I will guess at 18-20" on these. I will take some measurements and pics tomorrow. Pot luck on how trashed they get but they do come right, again I will take some pics of ones that have been done in the past to show what they turn into. On this occasion it is me on the saw. No, not a nice place to be and I have said all along I am not particularly brave and certainly not a have a go hero. ps. didn't think you were being a twat and glad of any advice offered on here by you and everyone else. That's mostly why I am here.

Actually makes a good hedge believe it or not. They can get a bit wide if not side trimmed regular but still a tidy enough hedge, same as any leylandii hedge. We had miles of them and I am talking from experience, sometimes you get a stretch that dies but 99% of the time they thrive. The only difference this time is it is me cutting them. I have 400 metres to do, I don't want to buy or plant that many new trees.

In that case I can use the telescopic handle off my Stihl turbocut. An absolute godsend for non climbers like myself, amazing what trees you can dismantle with one of them. That should get my rope high enough to pull. You are correct but you also assume there's a suitable accessible branch, the trees I want to use it on don't have such branches so much better to grip the pole. Nice winch and I like how smooth it is. Can tell it is well polished from use. I'm just tying off to a tractor and pulling. Thank you for all of the answers, they are all food for thought and helpful. What I am cutting down is a row of leylandii that are 90'+ tall. They are grown as a hedgerow so are mostly single stems. The catch is I want them cut off at approx 8' high so I retain the hedge and the privacy it provides. Not really a great challenge for a young, fit, experienced and brave person, unfortunately I don't really possess those qualities apart from being just about fit enough. I have done half a dozen of them today while it was still, all went well and not as challenging as I had anticipated. Pulled one, pushed one and the others just straight felled. The pushed one was short and skinny, not something I would do with the big ones.

Yes, I have done that bit. I already have hand tongues that are possibly a bit small and skidding tongs which would be way too heavy. There are quite a range of sizes out there and I think the larger Husqvarna hand tongues are about the right size but not sure the arms are long enough for a spring to work. Suck it and see I guess. I think cobbling together is probably the way to go, not easy to figure out how strong they are from internet ads though. As well as the link you posted I have seen some designed to lift cameras up to heights, whether they are strong enough I don't know until I try I guess. I've seen ads for various size aluminium poles that will slot together but no ads for the locking connectors unfortunately. Might sound daft to some of you guys but there is no way I could climb up there as I am completely hopeless with heights no matter how I try.

Thank you. I best get tinkering.They look useful for some jobs I have in mind.

Finnish Lumberjack on Youtube. I take it nobody has even heard of these things.

Has anybody seen/used felling tongs as in this video? Anybody know where to get some and the pole or is it a case of modifying some timber tongs from Chris Forestry for example? From 50 seconds in the vid

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I don't want to jinx my luck nor dismiss others advice but I have never had any long term storage regime. Sometimes the tools run out of petrol sometimes they are left with fuel in. 2 stroke or 4 stroke gets left in cans or fuel tanks for months before getting used. I have never had a problem with any chainsaw, strimmer, or anything with a 4 stroke engine with fuel left in it for months on end as a result. Doesn't matter if it is an expensive Husky/Stihl or a cheap Chinese Loncin. They all start when asked and run fine. My Stihl strimmer can go nearly 12 months without use but it will still start and run on the fuel in the tank if it hasn't leaked or evaporated. The fuel in my can was probably mixed 3 months ago or more but it will run whatever I put it in. Not claiming it is best practice by any means but I can only think of one instance when fuel "went off" and that was probably many years old rather than months.

That's all very well but then the missus can't light it. (I'm sure your response to that would be well meaning but it would be a waste of breath, believe me I have tried)

Scaffolding Protection Foam

I have one inside my shed, it will keep the frost off but takes all day to raise the temp a few degrees. Works well enough, a bit noisy but not massive output if the shed is of any size.

Rotten Ash has a very strong and distinct smell of horse piss. First time I noticed this I was looking around to see where the horse was. I don't suppose everyone would know what horse piss smells like. (it's the same as rotten Ash btw)

Could be poplar, it still burns well once dried though despite what any ancient poems suggest. Wet ash doesn't burn like the poem suggests either and won't warm a kings feet.

Peru, that's where the asparagus in Sainsburys this morning was from.

This

I have leylandii and apple in abundance. Both are very good on the fire but have quite different characteristics. Leylandii light extremely easy, burns hot if a little quick but leaves very little ash. Apple burns slower but less hot and copious amounts of ash to clear out of the fire. If I had to choose just one it would be leylandii.

I hope it is and love your optimism. Not so convinced myself but will find out when I cut my way in.

I was going to saw some wood today with my pto sawbench but couldn't find it. Eventually realised the last place I left it was where a load of trees have since fallen down. Not sure if that is Karma or not but I am pretty sure it will be completely fecked. I don't know because I can't even see it or the 3 ton trailer that I did know was under there. These are a row of 90' tall leylandii that have uprooted and laid flat in the storm a week or so back. It may have survived but I very much doubt it given the trunks are flat to the floor. So, I am going to have to buy a new one which is a shame as I really liked this one. I made this one myself but have lost all enthusiasm of fabricating stuff. Any recommendations? Mine was 13" cut and would like to stay at or near to that. Pto driven.

Very impressed with the handle if homemade.

This is good stuff for waterproofing, restoring and preserving. You won't get a shine though.

Th ones in the pic didn't snap, they just blew over completely and lifted the root plate. I do have one that is either just as big or bigger that has snapped out into the field where I keep my geese and have had many over the years. They mostly snap out as a result of not being single leaders and the union where they fork becoming a weak point. Once they snap out the weak point is still there and the other fork is very likely to snap out at some point. Very often when there is a strong wind from the opposite direction. If you cut the top off you will create multiple leaders all of which are prone to snapping. Plant another leyland if you like them that much, there's a good chance it won't snap in your lifetime/ownership.