aesmith

Just been working on something just like that, everything gunked up behind the clutch with vegetable oil residue. Is white spirit the correct way, after the thick has been scraped out? I don't want to damage anything like oil pipe or crank seals.

I found a supplier offering this two in one guide for £26.00 in blue (made by Pferd), and currently with a 20% off promotion. I might splash out.

Isn't that supposed to be the whole point, that it takes down the depth gauges at the same time? However since we're discussing it, does this gadget take standard files, or do they have to be special one? I was also going to ask if it can be used for different sizes but I see that's already been mentioned. I'm not sure I'd want to splash out on two and at the moment I need to cover both 3/8" low pro and .325.

Those look like handles for normal metalworking files, intended to stay permanently attached.

The caveman handle has some appeal, we have plenty of Willow due to be cut shortly. However I once gave myself a nasty gash when the handle came off a file and I jabbed my wrist into the tang.

Hi, I have a cheapo kit for 3/8" low profile chain, but now I need to be able to sharpen 0.325 as well. What sort of file holder do you guys recommend, and is there any merit in some of the fancy file handles with a sort of collet to tighten up on the file? I would like something that makes it easy to change the file. Thanks, Tony S

Just as the vaguest reference point, does anyone know the import duty which would apply now to firewood imports from outside the EU? We're talking about import/export between UK and EU stopping, but isn't it more likely that it will continue with at worst some sorts of tariffs or limits. I can't see why the UK would put in place a ban on import, or the EU a ban on export.

If you take the response that I received from Stihl as gospel the "bad batch" ran from introduction until mid 2016. It wasn't clear whether the part number they quote is specific to the "fixed" clutch. What the actually said was "A steel drum was introduced mid 2016 and is included in rim sprocket kit, part number 1141 007 1002 (.325 Pitch 7 Tooth). The fitment of this, together with a new needle bearing, part number 9512 933 2260 to a machine with a serviceable crankshaft will resolve the issue." Steel drum? Were the original drums not steel?

Shame the poll is exclusive so no way for people who use more than one method to vote. In our case most of our firewood comes from our own trees, but this summer I bought a couple of cubes of softwood from a local supplier just as a top up. Great stuff by the way, lovely and dry and only £42/cube collected.

More seriously what is the underlying reason that our own home firewood industry is having trouble competing with imports? It seems wrong that firewood can be kiln dried in Latvia, shipped all the way over here and still be competitive.

My favourite is the guy who voted leave because he didn't like the Eurovision Song Contest.

Where have you heard this? Aside from your own campaigning here I haven't seen any actual indication that anyone sees a problem. Stoves don't even warrant a mention in fire statistics, being lumped in with "space heating appliances". Insurance companies are not interested as discussed previously. Even when we were renting our Landlord Insurance showed no interest, although they made some conditions about electrics which you wouldn't see in normal household policy. No other services are subject to mandatory annual inspection, not gas, electricity, oil fired heating. So where is the suggestion that stoves are to be singled out coming from? Even the arguments in this thread are contradictory. Mandatory professional installation - but you've both mentioned seeing dangerous installs by HETAS qualified outfits. Mandatory inspection - the example at the start of this thread was a stove which HAD been inspected. Ironically if it goes this way it may well result in less business for HETAS and for people like yourself. Suppose stoves are branded dangerous devices that need expensive profession attention, mandatory annual inspections, certificates and all the other stuff you're suggesting. How many potential customers will be lost as they'll choose to keep their open fire or use gas or oil fired appliances instead?

I've found that Ash keeps a long time if left as logs complete with bark, and it doesn't seem to deteriorate. The inside has a sort of sharp fermented smell as if it had pickled itself.

Thanks. I can't make sense of that particular supplier who doesn't seem to list standard sizes. Looking at others I found what I suspected, there's no saving in buying a sheet big enough for one set, but worthwhile if I want to make two sets. I also need to check our other stove (Esse 100), maybe a sheet big enough to make a set for each stove would be economical.

Not in a million years. If the insurers want to know they should ask in the quotation/proposal, or have some sort of exclusion or assumption. The days of "utmost good faith" are gone as regards consumer insurance, if they don't ask then they don't have a leg to stand on in trying to avoid a claim. Same with proof of maintenance. Do we now think that stoves are by definition dangerous and the onus is on the householder to prove otherwise? I don't think so, I think the insurers would have to prove negligence and point to some term in the contract that supported exclusion on that basis. Negligence alone wouldn't do it, otherwise motor insurers would never pay out if their driver was at fault.

Are there real benefits over say Motomix, or is it more a matter of wanting to support the innovator rather than the copycat?

Regarding insurance and also comments about house sale, I don't think there's any widespread belief that there is an issue. I had a quick look at the survey from when we bought our house in 2011 and the only advisory comment was "The wood burning stoves are assumed to function satisfactorily." Similarly when we sold the other place (2016), pretty much the same comment "The wood burning stove is assumed to function satisfactorily." and no questions asked by either surveyor or the buyer's solicitors about paperwork or test for the stove or flue, or recommendation for further inspection.

So what about existing installations, maybe old and maybe inefficient and maybe not as safe as it should be. Putting more obstacles in everyone's way will most likely mean that more of these older installations continue in use if it's too much trouble getting a replacement fitted. I think it's a pretty big leap of faith to say that the accident quoted in this post was caused by the original installer.

Can I ask where you guys get your vermiculite board? Just a quick check suggested it wouldn't be a big saving over buying ready made bricks, unless maybe getting a really big sheet. But if I only need a set of bricks every 10 years or so that doesn't make much sense.

It should be taxed at a lower rate than road fuel, I think Aspen have being trying to fight that one.

Without belittling the tragedy, it seems that the stove was known to be dangerous but continued in use nonetheless. Do we know whether there was a particular fault with the stove itself or it's installation, as opposed to just wear and age? Looking at that particular case I'd like to know what steps the landlord had taken. In the wider view, what proportion of house fires are caused by wood stoves? The stats that I found on a quick check don't distinguish so would be included with "space heating appliances" for example in this report .. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/738432/detailed-analysis-fires-attended-fire-rescue-england-1718-hosb1718.pdf

That's pretty much it. My understanding is that the whole thing is backed or maybe even kicked off by a couple of large kiln dried producers and importers. However a couple of things occur to me that I don't think have been mentioned. Firstly pretty much all serious firewood suppliers already seem to say that their products are 20% MC or lower. So isn't there a contradiction if everyone is now saying that a legal requirement for 20% or less can only be met by kiln drying? Secondly and speaking mainly as an end user but with some retail experience, there's a real problem with some of the stuff being sold in bags or nets where the customer should be able to assume it's ready to use. We had a sample net from one supplier that was pretty wet. Even worse some stuff my Father bought from a local country superstore type outfit, that stuff would have needed months to dry properly.

I started using Aspen but it's too expensive at the nearest place, over £20+VAT. Motomix is £19.00 (inc VAT) from a different dealer. He doesn't stock Aspen, but I suppose if everyone who asks for Aspen ends up buying Motomix then they've no particular incentive. They're a Stihl dealer, are they obliged to stock Motomix?

Wouldn't that be DPS?

I think I'm going to start looking out for an honest Husky 346 or 550. Pretty sure either would be enough for me, although there's still that 365 Special on offer locally.