Peasgood

Sounds like a reasonable starting point. Best of luck.

About time I put some pics up, mostly because I haven't seen one like it on here (unless I missed it). I have an Oxdale and can't fault it tbh but I wanted a horizontal splitter. This was so I could split and push the logs onto my adapted bale elevator. This meant it had to push through the blade rather than the blade being on the ram. It also needed a table of sorts. I was in the process of planning how to build one and came across this one on the internet. Surprising how many times you can look at log splitters and still come across something you hadn't seen before. Pretty much exactly what I was after so I bought one. Very good splitter and it does do what I want it to. Well thought out design but I do have to say it wasn't finished off too well. Biggest complaint is that the handles were too short and the guard over them too close to the valve. Obviously never checked before it was sent out as it just couldn't possibly work as it was. Big hammer sorted it but you shouldn't have to do that on a new machine. Top link pin hole is too big and the Cat 2 pin they supplied slips right through. Couple of other minor issues too. All in all not major faults, just stupid things that wouldn't take much getting right. Would I recommend one? Well I have no regrets. Made by Hand Engineering in Ireland.

It is a big house. All very nice until you have to heat it! Especially as it was built before they invented insulation. Plenty of logs, none of them dry Hadn't reckoned on the winter dragging on for so long.

I have two lit today, might light the third yet!

Banks can, and do, freeze partnership accounts upon the death of one of the partners, they then insist you open a new and separate account. Reason being that unless you have a written partnership agreement stating otherwise the partnership is now dissolved. (as per section 33 of the partnership act as Welshman says) Presumably your sister in law can't access that money anyway. Inform the bank but make sure you withdraw any money for immediate use, if they do freeze the account you may find yourselves strapped for cash. As said, your s-i-l should know full well what she is/isn't entitled to but she will be pretty distraught at the moment (as I am sure you are too). Can I also add that the fact he had no life insurance is not your responsibility. That was his business not yours, your s-i-l was just as able to make that arrangement too. Don't let feelings of guilt on that matter cloud your judgement. I expect that sounds harsh but as I said, I have gone through the very same thing not many months ago. There was no life insurance there either, he too had a wife and young kids, his wife too was in a professional job and just as able to make arrangements for life insurance but didn't. My thoughts really are very much with you and yours. It's a struggle but crass as it sounds, time really is a good healer. Take care.

Well I can't help pointing out that nearly every single shoot on the tree is like the one I posted a pic of Very basic and simplified advice is take off all vertical shoots and any that do not radiate away from the main trunk. A general rule is the more you cut off the more it will grow. Finding the balance is the art. Looks a nice tree, enjoy it for what it is.

First of all I must say I am really sorry to hear of your loss. I too lost a business partner and family member late last year so I know how you feel. From what you have told us it sounds like you were in a partnership but without a written agreement. If this was the case then there are laws/rules that automatically kick in. One is the automatic dissolution of the partnership. I'm no expert ( especially as we were fortunate to have a very detailed agreement) but you can very easily use google to look up partnership law. I would say you owe her nothing more than the value of any jointly owned assets. Ie. a shared van, saws, chipper etc. I can't see how she could possibly be entitled to any wage or share of profits whatsoever. If you feel obliged to help her out financially that is up to you but I would be extremely cautious of setting any agreement into writing. Good luck, I hope you get through it. As above, take professional and impartial advice. You will have to pay but it is money very well spent.

But it wouldn't be strong upright growth for long, the weight of the crop brings them down just right, and I don't just mean while the crop is on them. Besides all that, the OP should have flowers by now.

Ah well, here's a pic of what mine do. Above the red line is last years growth, pic taken this afternoon.

I have 2.5 acres of Bramley that I planted nearly 40 years ago. None of them do that. Another thing with Bramley, the best thing to do with them when they are growing skywards is to just leave them. The weight of fruit will fetch them down in a year or two. Worst thing you can do is prune those shoots back, this just strengthens them so they won't ever come down. Mine are all on MM106 and all pruned in such a way that we never pick off ladders. (gives an idea of height)

An apple tree makes new growth year one, fruit buds develop year two, flowers year three. My Bramley's are just about to come into full flower this week

The "bloke down the pub" is in serious doodoo then. He gives me all sorts of daft advice.

That reservoir must have been built on a fair old slope. The bottom is full up and the top is pretty empty. There is a sailing club there, I have a sneaking suspicion they won't be overly pleased to see you unfortunately.

I would be interested to hear how you get on.

My son has just picked up some second hand springs for his Navara. Apparently they came off a Nav that had a Luton body on the back. These springs did pretty much what you are asking for I guess, carrying more weight that is just over the rear axle. As far as I know the difference is just two extra "helper" leaves on the bottom. Sounds like they are available off the shelf, if not there are still people out there that can make springs as a one off. I had some made to my spec some years ago, just looked up "auto spring manufacturers" in yellow pages. Good luck

What the hell are you going to put on it? Mines outside with 2ton+ of wood on it and you can't tell its overweight. One thing I have noticed on mine is the silly little bump stops for the rear axle. I have no idea what weight you would have to put on it to get them anywhere near the axle. They are purely ornamental as far as I can tell. On my old cabstar (the twin headlight version) there were big chunky rubber bumpstops. Once you got her sitting on them you could put as much as you liked on, it made no difference. If I were going to try to make mine uprated that is where I would be looking to change things. Mines a LWB and I don't think I ever saw another one like it, so maybe the bumpstops on mine are different. As for changing springs, I have only ever replaced broken ones never uprated them.

Nice one

These little beggars bite me (anthocorids) They are very good predators to have in your crops, devils to have in your clothes!. I hate being bitten by anything, especially Horse flies.

If it has only "begun building a nest" I would take the "nest" out and carry on. The bird will just go and find a new place to build.

Click on their name next to their post. Pm option should come up

My understanding is that B.t is pretty much a there and then thing. It disappears harmlessly very quickly with no residual effect. (have to admit I am not 100% on that) Decis I do know about. It is very persistent after application and still has insecticidal properties upto 6 weeks later. For example, after a Decis application you must wait 6 weeks before introducing predatory mites into a fruit crop. Dimilin isn't so bad IMO. (unless you are a caterpillar) and is quite specific to caterpillars rather than a more general insecticide. It wouldn't kill aphids for example. I still say B.t is very much lower than one rung than Decis and Dimilin would be quite a bit below Decis on the ladder.

I think parakeets are on the General license. That means you can legally shoot them already.

I can't claim to be an expert in these matters but I think you must have a few rungs missing if B.t is only one rung down from pyrethroids. What are the alternative options then? It is probably too late but my personal opinion is it is worth a try but get on with it. I am probably not the best person to ask, I sprayed a much bigger area of mature trees today with chlorpyrifos.

Bacillus thuringiensis is a harmless thing to be using anyway. Well, I guess if you are a caterpillar you wouldn't agree but environmentally speaking it's as good as it gets. I do think someone is trying to dramatise things. To me it sounds a very sensible way to control what could well become a serious problem, hopefully before it is too late for a change.

25 acres isn't large scale though is it. Most rape fields you see will be bigger than that and will be sprayed with stuff far worse than B.thuringiensis. I agree it is drastic measures but it sounds very much like it is for the greater good. The arguments against it sound to be emotive rather than scientific.