countrryboy

I'm still on the wooden shafts but don't use them anything like as much as i used to.

I put double rings on them, slows the mushrooming down a bit.

Never had 1 break in the first tree infact usually get a fair while out of them, as long as u hit them squareish on and is better if the sledge head is bigger than the wedge (same idea as a fencing mel/mual) always meant to weld an oversized face on my sledge but never got round to it

Fire and big screw both good ideas always just drilled them out in past, never that bad to do.

Must admit i always use an old stilh thing and am quite paticular in that will only use my own petrol.

Over the years seen all sorts, pouring into combi can till it looked the right colour, or 1 boss's son used to pour it straight into saw tank and just guesed the ammount???? mazingly don't think he ever seized 1, think he put a capfull in (no matter size of cap or tank of saw)

Do u all use the standard 50:1 mix???

Speaking to a mate who is a good 2 stroke mechanic and he runs everything on 25:1 says far esier on engine. He done a lot of work woth a large hire compamy so all the stone/stihl saws were getting a lot of abuse.

He said it doesn't coke it up to much and althou u wil go throu more plugs cheaper than an engine.

Wot's ur opinion's?? I've never ever heard of anyone doing it before

The studies i read were focussed purely on hedge hogs as they tend to be a fairly good indicator species as not much else really predates them.

I never mentioned skylarks or anything else.

Surprised u can't find it as u seem to be mind readers

Can u not see that having 10-20+ animals all weighing 15-20ish kg all living in the same area and all have to eat to survive. That is a massive ammount of pressure on any ecosystem esp in a small area.Any bird/bee or hedgehog living near a set stands no chance of surviving

Until the alleged 'conservationist's' take there head out of the sand and realise that predators eat things and they don't really care if its rare or not.

Was a 'rogue' badger not just caught on spring watch raiding a phenolope's nest.

Unless they begin to realise this prety soon there will be no wildlife left in this country.

The RSPB do kill some animals on there reserves are they also only doing that to be hard?? Or because it is needed

Conservation in this country is screwed, no common sense and no encouragement for people to improve the habitat esp for rare protected species, to much big stick and not enough carrot.

I am having a similar problem with bats wanting 1500 quid plus vat to tell me no bats in my loft,(roofer is only twice that to strip and reslate the roof).

I was intending to make the surrounding ground a bit of a nature reserve putting up bat boxes volanterly, bloody sure i'm not sticking any up now.

If i ever need to do work on that tree need to get it inspected again, no chance.

The nature reserve i'm inolved wih was also looking at reintroducing great crested newts under licence, i've managed to get the commitee to vote against it, restricts all our work on reserve as well as the working forrest next door.

U'd have to be mad to actively encourage any protected species if u still want to work the land. Which is completely wrong

Apparently that 'research' was based upon an episode of Mock the Week rather than actual science (Of badgers, birds and bTB: why killing badgers won't save our skylarks - Badgergate).

 

Everything is anecdotal. I don't have the answers. I don't think a lot of people who think they do do either.

 

Meddling with ecosystems is incredibly complicated and targetting individual species is piddling in the wind.

 

Personally, I'm happy that the OP has been building artificial setts. It's good to see the interest out there. The alternative would either be no development (not going to happen) or just merk everything that gets in the way. This way, there is still the option to get the terriers and spades out at a later date, once actual real evidence rather than hunches comes to light.

 

Like matey above said, how we live is far more detrimental to all wildlife apart from urban foxes and pigeons, who love it.

So despite me not actually listing a study u can tell it is ancedotal?

Must admit can't find where i read them at moment but pretty sure was in both Shooting times and Songbird Survival members magazines.

U are right meddling with ecosystems is complicated but in the UK's very artifical ecosystem, but the fact u can target every other pedator quite lagally but leaving badgers IS piddling in the wind. It is very easy to blame modern farming, climate change ets but u only have to go to a very well run wild bird shoot to see farming and conservation working hand inhand. Keepers have been meddling with ecosystems fvery successfully for hundreds of years.

It really is not rocket science, u provide good habitat, feed and some protection from predators and u can turn the clock back decades in wild bird numbers

Wot is that famous saying there is 'lies damned lies and statistics' an awful lot of the scientific research in this country is seriously flawed and not worth the paper it is written on. Very often either who ever is paying for it or the scientist's preconcieved ideas tend to influeance the outcome and it often finds wt they wanted to find.

Must admit think the OP has done a good job building it, wether the badges ever actually use it is a different matter, they seem very keen to colonise old rabbit warrens, would not surprise me if it was never used.

Know of 2 artifical sett built for a motorway (never used) in 20 years and quite a lot off badger/otter tunnels laid under the motorway and don't think any have ever been used. (when ever i pass i always check for footprints) despite there being sets within 50m.

Back to broc and research even if research is acedotal surely it is still worth something? And thats a major problem in this country so many graduates look and treat proper country people as if there mud on there shoe.

If a farmer/keeper/country person who has lived in the same area for 20,30 or 50 years, his knowledge of the area is not worthless just because he does not have a piece of paper with leters on it after his name.

If these same things are being noticed countrywide then surely there must be something in them. Can't all be a conspiracy??

Ur dr/proff is quite right it is very hard to point the finger purely at 1 predator but the density and wieght of badgers means they must eat a lot of food to sustain them. With hedgehogs they seem to live quite happliy with foxes and no other animal really predates them, so yes the blame can be fairly laid squarey at broc's door.

If u look at any predator study esp some off the GWCT work esp Otterburn, Allerton and Sailsbury plain where not only have they poved the effect predators have on wildlife but also the effect of proper legal predator control can have. 1 rspb reserve has increased its breeding wader pop by 400% since it started a proper predator control program.

They should be shouting this from the rooftops as its a major success but u never hear a word as they don't want there members to know they are killing wildlife!

Are u really telling me that foxes, stoats weasals, corvids are all bad and cause harm to prey populations when numbers get to high, yet the badger doesn't despite being the heaviest and living in the highest densities??

Too many people esp academices/countryfile type think that predators either live on fresh air and promises and they and prey have this specific relationship theyhave elsewhere in prime untuched ecosystems, but in uK almost all predators are oportunist and will eat anything they can easily find and kill all they can to survive if that source gets scarce they switch to another, not starve to death, so they casn have a massive affect on some populations esp if easy to catch/stupid (esp if not evolved in there presence)

So wot about the widespread devestation badgers are doing to ground nesting birds, hedge hogs and bumble bee nests??

They was existing and new research coming out of the badger culling areas and other longer term study areas and have now proven a link to higher badger numbers= less hedgehogs. The hedgehog charities are scared to make a big deal out of it thou?? Seems the badger and the anti cull extremeist/terrorists associted with it are more important than hedgehogs which are rapidly declining

Anyone that actually works and lives in the country side can see the damage thse large animals cause.

In my opinion causing far more damage than foxes now, and a far more systematic hunter ie travels/hunts far more along straight lines hedges/fences the very place most conservation headlands are and where birds choose to nest.

I'm not 1 for exterminating any species BUT all species should be balanced, the sad fact is in todays countryside far to many top end predators (buzzards, red kites, badgers even pine martins in some areas) are raping the countryside, most prey species numbers are in free fall (waders, song birds or farmland birds).

These animals do not live on roadkill full time, did a 'ROGUE' badger not take a rare nest of eggs/birds on springwatch. ALL badgers will kill anything and everything they come across, takes a lot of protien to feed an animal of that size.

In almost every country in europe they shoot/hunt badgers and all there populations are far lower than the UK's

But you wouldn't be able to claim the RHI. You need someone to come out and access the property to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) I think that's how it all works anyway

Aye i know but wil the person not rate ur energy requirements higher if u have a poorly insulated house? So if better insulated need less KW to heat it = so less RHI payment

I'm sure they stick they're head up in loft but not a lot they can do for any behind wall insulation

I may be wrong here but i think callum was hinting at the oppisate.

ie the less insulation= more heat to heat it= bigger RHI payment.

So better of telling them whole house un/poorly insulated

Meant to add wots a lambda sensor? I thought i had done a bit of reading up on them but can't remember coming across that (unless i'm looking at the cheaper ones0

Try rowing it up and instead of baling get a farmer in with either a trailer chopper or self lift farage trailer esp if u can dump it somewhere.

They would not be long lifting a few acres ur talking hour if ur lucky.

Even rowed up and a tarp like above might be surprised how quick u do it, raking would be the hardest job so if rowed wil save u heaps of work.

All really interesting I always new it was a pain to get a mortgage as self employed. I am looking at getting on the ladder in the next 4 years. Anyone know what happens if you have been working in different countries? In and out of the EU ?

 

Reading this looks like I might have to wait a bit longer and have settled down first for a few years before buying a house...

Just like anything u have to watch wot u have declared in the past, my mate got caught out for 'x' ammount of years he had made so much then he told his accountant to stick it all throu for 2 years for his mortgage books.

Tax men don't like big sudden jumps in earnings, tends to attract attention.

He was full time shearing sheep and just traveled the world shearing following the seasons. Good money but bloody hard work

I'm just going throu a remortgage the now and fairly painless althou my last years books were down a bit due to a long holiday and weather yet this years are more than usually so he wants this years in to show that. Don't like any more than 10% difference i ws just bang on it

Cheers folks

Had aread throu that Vege report ans in theory they might be willilng to do odd jobs but i also know in practice they are under a bit of pressure to get m's done.

But in theory felling would probably be as quick if not quickier and save time in the long term

I'm fairlly familar with the safe working distances now after reading throu quite a few other threads and the links.

Basically i think i'm right in saying anything within 10m and u need a UA ticket and anything within 11m and 2 tree lengths has to be climbed.

In the past i have done a bit of cutting and climbing in the railways so not unfamilar with the 'X'm clearance u have to cut. And done a few extra jobs for private folk in return for making access easier

Just haven't got a clue how the electric job works

Alright and apologies for just coming on here to ask dumb questions.

U might have guessed but i've just bought a wee bit of woodland with a ruined house in it to do up as a project for myself.

The top end off the woodland is a pain as got a 11KV running through the middle as well as a couple of LV domestic supplies (and a BT line) coming off it.

In theory a lot of trees would come in as the 2 tree length rule, so restricts wot i'd like to do.

Not had the ground long and never onwing ground before just wondering wot the score is with the electric arb boys coming on?

Do they phone/notify u first before coming on?

Would like to meet the surveyor and possibly ask they to fell a few trees instead of climbing/sideing as well as taking the top of a very large red wood.

Will they fell trees for free if within a certain distance if not actually within there 5m? clearance zone?

Got 4 beech i would like down (not big all under 3ft butts), 3 are leaning away from the line so easy straight fells, the 4th is staighter and possibly would wedge, but in the situation would really need a winch to make sure. A couple have been climbed previously but probaly won't won't need climbed for next few year the way branches are growing away from the wirs now

If the power boys are not keen or don't have the equip are many tree surgeons/arbs electrically qualified? Had a look throu local yellow pages and no companies mention electrically work. From wot i hear it is an expensive ticket and only lasts a short time. The company who had all the electric arb work in this area is not local company

Also are the squads different that do the HV and LV lines?

The HV are fairly well clear but 1 of the LV lines is a real mess, quite a few trees growing very very near it or throu it and a couple of semi windblown/hung up trees leaning towards and very near the line (that line is 3 or 4 unisulated wires)

Yet the other LV lines that supply me and another to my neighbours are brand new ploes and new lookig ABC cable, they started to renew the other bad line but stoped after 1 pole (just where all the overgrown trees started)

Should i be phoning Scottish power? 1 off my neighbours said he phoned a few years ago but nothing was done (and he has a willow growing right throu the wires infront of his house)

Apologies again for all stupid questions just never really been involved in any electrical work.

When i first started drinking i can mind all the boys leaving there chainsaws at the back door of the pub. Esp a thurs Fri nite pub was full of chainsaws and gear and floor was quite literally covered in sawdust.

Them boys were on good money at the time hand cutting first thinnings and worked hard played hard.

Was a few fights in those days too but no one every used a saw in 1, althou do know a family who opened a front door and redesigned the living room furniture with 1.

And ocasionally later on after a few beers they would have 1 handed obsticle courses with the saws. Holding saw by back handle and steering it round raised stools and stuff, all ok as they stikk had there PPE on:thumbup1:

When i was working on the railways a few years ago (well prob 7 or 8) heard off a guy who lost his leg up to the knee in a tractor chipper.

He was up in the hopper pushing short sections in with his feet, the story i heard had 2 written warnings for it, never got the 3rd.

Our safety boy used to do the same too, althou after that he stopped.

Be a horrendous way to go thou

Cheers folks, i'll just knock them over as and when then, think most will be dead by end of this summer by the look of them. They've got a log burner anyway so will all go to a good use

Cheers everyone

That's a good idea with the chain for the boom as the chances are the digger i hire in will be older and probably not have hieght restrictors.

I will have a real proper look at the job, as up to know always planned it with getting the wires isolated would off been no big deal, so just have to think a safe way of doing it as is.

Cheers monkey business.

He does have his own digger and is pretty good in it but the lawn is fairly niice on top now, plus i'd say u will be dealing with a lot of soil.

Wot is it that kills them, the lack of air to roots or lack of water?

Last year was the first year they started dying but was unusually dry, could it be that over te few years been buried now used up all the water down at that level 6+ft down?

If he dug a small hole up hill from the root ball to sink a piece of pipe down to root level and then watered the trees would that help? Or would the ammount of water they need just be ridiculas

Alright folks.

Was just wondering if there is anything i can do to stop some Sycamore dying.

Its a relatively new barn conversion and they had to alter the ground level fairly drastically to put a new farm road in on a step slope, soil hieght could have been raised by 6-10 ft round the stems/butt.

Quite a few of the sycamore are already dead with most off the others not looking too healthy, leaves starting to have a black tinge round edges and begining to wilt.

I'm persuming its the raised soil around the stems as seemingly sycamore a fairly succeptabile to this thats killing them.

Is there anything i can do to attempt to save the rest of the trees?

Some ash growing along side seem to be thriving

Cheers

The type of wood will also make a massive difference, limbs of the same size/wieght etc in say Oak compared to willow or chestnut will behave totally different, with the latter 2 far more likely to snap off.

Really just experience or even if ur on the ground wotch the more experienced boys work and cut and dinae be scared to ask them questions.

Aye but i usually if on a big felling job leave them al up the hill, with my saw.

If i'm walking them in and out usually just put 2 high lifts in my lunch bag

Do u find u can always get a tree over with just a plastic wedge?

Seen plenty of times ur high lift is in to hilt and tree still trying to hang on

Wether u kept more detailed records of chipper/tractor hours/mileage to prove wot u were claiming for. But i would imagine it would make things more complicated for most people and open to abuse.

Probably the biggest problem if it was all 'white' is it would probably be more valueable to 'travelling' types and thieves as would be a far bigger market for it, so be worth more and be more getting nicked

Must admit i tend to use high lift or steel wedges and never take a plastic wedge out of the bag

It does like quite a tidy cut for a saw.

The only way i can think he would get a cut like that is if it kicked back with his arm forward or lost grip of right hand so saw has pivoted up and caught his arm.

Think i would of tightened my chain too before getting my photo taken for a national paper

U could set up a stealth camera, desgined for wildlife etc. Motion activated and most can work at night. Get them for about 100ish quid now.

Could use them for security on log piles etc if u suspect someone nicking stuff in the middle of nowhere.

I used to work for a lad done twic for running red, both times stopped at Mway services to fill up in car park with 5 gallon drums from the back of the van. Both times polis sitting watching him

He wasn't the sharpest tool in the box

The job i was on got embarassing as when the bowser tractor came round to fill the tractors out came the 5 gallon drums for his vans and on a few occasions filled the van straight out of the bowser. This was on the road side in full view of anyone drivingg by. Didn't even try and be sneaky about it.

Not just farmers who do it, infact probably met more plant operators running on cherry, they seemed a bit more clued up and had a tank in boot.

Do they still actually dip the tank?

Someone told me a while ago they go to the injectors now but i would imagine all sorts of warranty/legal issues doing that if car breaks down later on

Thats the thing could prob do the nearest bit it in half a day or even a couple of hours really, but they have never asked length of time, exact location or anything site specific yet, they just seem to refuse to do it in general.

I have mentioned removing the fuse and sheaths (althou not mentioned a 3rd party shutdown in those exact words) but all they want to do is the d & R

Like i have said the only option they are giving me is total disconnect reconect.

Transformer is just on the next pole, and to be fair some cables come off it in other direction (which may make it more complicated thinking about it, have to have a better look) but they have never even got that much detail yet for that to be a problem

The sheath would be ideal for me and they could leave it on as long (or short) as they want and just take it off if they were passing by when they had time