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Sean. Reading your latest was such a roller coaster of emotion. Hope the docs see the need and give you an early release from the brace - even if only a day earlier will give a feeling of achievement and beating their timetables. Stay upright in the chair and watch out for the others. My bro uses a large elastic velcro strap to keep legs under control in car. Wishing you well. Shaun

Helmet or not isn't going to save you if your bending over picking the last log off the ground as the next one strikes! Only good observation, knowledge and communications will prevent accidents. Very saddened to hear of a good man lost. R.I.P. Shaun

Hi Treeswinger. I changed from general grabber at2 tyres to cooper stt 235-85-16 on my LR defender 2 months ago. Very noticeable difference in handling. - I think the sidewalls are softer or have less plies which leads to more flexing. This is seen as an increase in body roll and more wandering on road. Wet road driving seems as safe as any other leading mud terrain tyre- you have to give em all a bit more respect. Fuel economy has also dropped a little . However when pulling my IW trailer loaded with sawmill and equipment across wet grass, muddy hillside fields the difference is extraordinary. I used to put snow chains on or wait for clients to pull me in and out again, haven't had any problems off road since. If you need to haul off road these tyres would do well. If you need more extreme traction there are better suited tyres but at expense of road use. As yet its too early to say how well the coopers last.

Hiya. As answer to original post, back in the days of the 90s ,I and rest of the motley crew were taught by Steve Birkett to start filing all 3/8 chain with 7/32 files then when down to 1/2 top plate length change to 13/64 files. Always had great performance cutting wise but we were generally too lazy to put the extra files in the tool box, or to be bothered changing guides and handles! 404 chain always 7/32 and 3/8 picco/lp always 5/32 Never forgotten the education though. Shaun

Hi sean, shaun from ireland who doesn't know you again. Regarding what future holds, challenges are there in all forms just depends on the mindset as to how you meet them. - not intending to say it will be easy in any way. Have a google of darren conroy - my brother. His spine was snapped thirty years ago in a road accident, in a time when there were few techno advances. Anyway look at him for first paraplegic in space. He did the space training flights, goes all round the world especially the carribean and Oz big game fishing. Helped to design the wheely boat for lake fishing, did open uni degree to become a psychology lecturer at our old school, drives everywhere alone, has an adapted quad bike for absolute nuts fun........ the opportunities just keep coming. Keep smiling and laughing with jasper and the wife. - they'll show you the way. And keep the progress coming to us, youve a great way of describing it. Shaun

Sean, hiya. I'm another fella in the industry who doesn't know you, but reading this thread wish I did. For you to write down what your now experiencing is nothing short of truly inspirational. Tears came on your description of what you saw/felt during physio. - that sort of stuff is what helps to remind us ALL the dangers of our job we too easily take for granted, believing it will happen to someone else. Thankfully after a couple of what I (and the medics )considered bad falls / f##k ups I've seen the light ,accepted my age ,and moved to milling as a job. But I still know I am and always will be an arborist ! Your story lets me know I will always be a part of one of the craziest , balls out and go for it, caring group of guys and gals anyone could ever wish to be a part of. No matter how tough it may seem, keep up with your recovery, see it all as challenges. -if you can't get round it go over it.( I was a matador operator !!!) Best wishes. Shaun

Hopefully these pics come across - never posted pics before. Large butts I've just finished out here in west cork, Ireland. Cypress macrocarpa brought down in storms last year. The chainsaw is a 066 with 36" bar. The butts shown were 16' and 18' lengths moved/ rolled with a 3 tonne high lift jack and a 2 tonne tirfor winch to hold it back from rolling away on a slight side slope !! The mill is a lucas 10-30. Timber produced ranged from 8"x8" x 8' fence straining posts to predominantly 8x2, but some 10x2. Absolutely lovely wood to mill, and a great contract -3 weeks of timbers ,all of major size. But what a mountain of sawdust !

Reread my own post actually lads been milling for ages , just new to millimg . - does that sound like any sort of excuse to cover stupidity?

Doh didnt think of the simple one !!!

Relatively new to millimg so please forgive - whats K D timber? I've tried various guesses but nothing logical or sensible!

Just re read this and I'm wonderring about the standing boards on end business. What happens if you don't and how do you keep the boards flat and stable?

I have a rattling husq 266 sg. Heavy saw these days but just can't be without the heated handles. Any it rattles all the time especially on tick over. The cause is an aftermarket fuel filter made of metal rather than plastic rattling against inside of fuel tank, - took me ages to find the noise but not concerned now I know what it is. Will sort it next time I service. Could be a similar issue wirh yours. With engine stopped shake and roll the unit in all angles and positions to see if ya can track it down.

Hi harry. Sorry to be negative to you but hauling timber of any weight, uphill out of a tricky site is not the place to be experimenting and learning the job. Winching really can be the extreme hazard operation requiring reading of loads ,weights, hang up points, and anchor capabilities. My strong advice is to take advantage of any of the experienced guys on this forum and learn from them. It will put you in a good position for the next jobs.

Yeah sure its possible but much prefer the idea of flames and bangs. Far more fun than sneaky silent stuff. Seriously though had a lot of success with the 2 wire tunnel traps, the curved metal types. Let them weather buried in ground for a couple of weeks then observe carefully which runs are new and V. Carefully place them in a working tunnel. Use a thin rod to find the tunnel to avoid too much disturbance . Then neatly open up tunnel with a small spade, clear out all fallen soil,set and place your trap and cover with sod of turf lightly so as not to stop trap tripping. Stick the rod back in ground next to trap so ya can find it again !!

Hi Peat. I've been looking at units like this for a while now, for my Ifor Wms trailer. Seen various types some short kingpost models, many hydraulic lift only with an extra strengthening brace on top ,but never seen one with winch and hydraulics. Do you have a link for this one or maybe I'll just put my own winch on a strengthened simple hydraulic one. I'm thinking of putting 2 post mounting sockets in/under the floor to load from front or middle without a fitting obstructing the bed. Looks like a good simple solution to me for low weight but awkward shapes.

Aren't the old ones just the prettiest looking mogs around. Great to see it still able to do a days work and still be looked after.

If ya've got up there only cut off backward limbs leave all the others for forward mass (aiding gravity again). Then as ypur in the tree already keep going up to set the winch line. Every foot of leverage up there preserves the hinge timber more. Just looks like youve got the most miserable climb of your life. Perhaps you could send some other poor muppet up there. As you may be able to tell I don't climb willingly.

Line launcher or Chris sheppards answer then. Good luck and enjoy!!

If you can get rope high the amount of pull required is reduced but digger still in zone of flying debris snapped branches etc. If you can get rope high enough for the digger to pull use a winch and get digger out of fell zone!

Dont have digger trying to reach high up tree ,it will be unbalanced and trying to track underneath itself. Its acting as an aid to gravity a bit like the wedges restoring the tree to a more upright position. Accurate cutting is the key. And once you've got movement keep it going. Dont stop or reposition keep pressure on till she's freefalling or hinge will snap

Sorry couldn't see lean in photo. But with well placed wedges, very accurate gob and backcut plus digger to aid and influence movement in the right direction as long as not severely unbalanced in wrong direction should go. Never been a fan of connecting anything other than a winch to pull. Predicting a fell is relatively straightforward. Predicting a bounce or roll less so. A good healthy blow of wind behind the tree with that much ivy would be a benefit. Failing that looks like a job for the line launcher

If its a clear fell area why not use digger to tear off ivy at felling gob area ? Do your cuts then push/slew with digger at its mid height to avoid off balancing digger, or am I missing something?

Does anyone know what the "witch wood" is? - Got a few old crones in the area I could do with keeping away. Will it also keep away the light-fingerred bogeyman?

Much appreciated. Have made a few copies of thisto keep in the land rover. Always being asked to make fenceposts out of unsuitable stuff. Never been able to back up my advice before. Thanks Shaun

Nice table of durability Ukulian. Really useful to have a definitive comparison when talking to clients. Is there an equivalent for hardwoods?