Macpherson

Great video, thanks. By coincidence I also used melamine on my router sleds to make them fairly frictionless. I also think that the key to doing either of these processes, planing or routing, is a large flat surface.... after you've got that to screw/ clamp onto the rest is simple and it would be hard to go wrong, I use a 5 x 2m deck that's about 2 feet off the ground....a couple of rails fixed to this and then any sled you like to make, I've got a few different widths, very easy to make and cost nothing.....I can see a large handheld plane on my shopping list, cheers.

Yep, you just beat me to it. I remember as a school boy running a Bantam on methanol....It went like shit off the proverbial hot shovel. Running a low comp engine on high octane fuel may only be a waste whereas running a high comp engine on low octane fuel can definitely cause damage.

Very nice looking tool as said....you'd probably need the second biggest and at best part of a grand by the time you get it...not exactly cheap, but I suppose if you had a lot of work for it you could make it pay. My home made wooden router sled cost nothing and works well but is simple, rough and ready and no comparison to that set up... cheers.

I've no probs leaving the fuel in the tank with ethanol shield, saws outboards and various other stuff, I'm in no doubt that the fuel may be able to last for a while... but it doesn't stop it attracting H2O if conditions are damp... which is very annoying. I know it's a chainsaw forum......but many folk use petrol powered machines that are far more expensive and important than saws, the truth of the matter is, that the effect on saws or any other engine that get used regularly is minimal as the fuel goes through quick and it's gone, so your constantly adding fresh..... this is completely different to many other applications where you have any kind of petrol powered machine that you use occasionally, but then again ...just my take on the problem

I thought I 'd put a link to this short video on the subject of ethanol, it's funny how that in the USA this is an issue that's out there and has been for some time.... whereas here in UK perhaps a few folk on various small forums may be gradually catching on but there's virtually no mainstream general info in circulation and a very low level of general knowledge on the subject. Also when you google or look on ebay for " fuel tester for ethanol "....A simple graduated test tube... there's nothing at all available for sale in this country although in the USA it would seem that such a tool would be every mechanics toolbox ....'they' simply don't want the subject discussed here. When's the last time you heard a mechanic at your local garage diagnosing an ethanol related problem ? In fact most of the mechanics that I know are either unaware, glaze over when the subject's mentioned or just simply dismiss the idea.

Then I'll just take that as fact then ! Without wanting contradict you at all, it's interesting that when I google it now....your right......But a couple of years ago, when I did the same thing, all UK petrol was E10....and as I said, didn't know about the diesel. You can't believe a single thing your fed by any government or corporation. The only way to find out is to test it for yourself

I don't suppose it does anything to big engines though ? Who knows what the true global costs of these policies are and who's agenda it is in the first place. Didn't know it was in diesel as well now.....great !!

I have a mostly beach garden hedge and I wish that 20 years ago I hadn't been tempted to mix other stuff into it....Hawthorn, Holly, Swedish Whitebeam, Cotoneaster and a bit of Hornbeam...even the Beach isn't all the same. It looks fine and would probably be great as a large wild barrier that gets bashed once a year with a tractor but as a neatly trimmed garden hedge it's a pita as it all comes into leaf at different times and grows at different rates, so what I wanted to be low maintenance definitely isn't, ....lesson learned for me.

Used this for a number of years and believe that it does what it claims, cheers. Ethanol Shield Fuel Stabiliser 118ml WWW.TOOLSTATION.COM Triple antioxidant fuel stabiliser eliminates then prevents ethanol related problems, promoting easy engine starting. Protect machinery from the corrosive effects of ethanol...

Not wanting to contradict anyone but from an engineering point of view a helicoil [ properly fitted ] is a perfectly acceptable engineering repair although setting yourself up to do 1 thread repair wouldn't be practical due to the cost of the right tools. Typically about an hours labour on a job like yours if you can find someone you trust with the right kit, good luck.

Neat tool, I could see that being handy, cheers.

Once they've snapped in the hole they're not so easy out, good luck.

No, I doubt it'll make a significant difference but as the original has a few small issues I'll give it a go... I reckon that now i'm happy with the action all I've got to do is copy the plastic one, the nut will be slightly more tricky to copy exactly. As Stubby says, maybe more sustain.... I'm particularly hoping for more brightness and a bit more sustain in the ringing of open strings when needed. Nice bass, had a google.... there are so many different makers out there now it's hard to keep up to date with what's what, cheers.

Yep, had an APX900 for about 10 years, like you say it was good from the start but last year I decided to check it's settings....the neck and nut were bang on but I took a bit off the bridge saddle to get the action to 2 1/2 mm at the 12th on the 1st and 6th.....real improvement, specially when trying to get clear bass notes higher up the neck. Been using Ernie Ball earthwood 10 / 52's for some time and really like them. The next fix is going to be bone nut, saddle and pins but from what I can see the saddles offered online all seem to be a couple of mill short, so as is often the case I'll probably need to make it.....got a stags shin bone for the job, cheers.

Yeah, using the tct blade is effective and easy to control, as it's at the end of the strimmer it doesn't get too close to you so as long as your not in close company....fairly safe and great for thick scrub, don't know about health and safety though. Here's a guy testing a few things... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYOlZb2bmmU

One more for the Woodchuck

Hi, as far as I can tell from using it the stabiliser it protects engine parts from gumming and corrosion but doesn't seem to prevent water building up in tanks. I certainly come across more fuel associated damage than I used to but I'm no scientist so I can only learn by reading and experience, I'm afraid this is a classic case of internet confusion with one view contradicting the other depending on self interest. You can google the problem for endless confusion....but I suppose the good thing is that as far as saws are concerned, they hold very little fuel and it's used very quickly so the water problem is minimal... to me the main advantage of treating the fuel is to try to prevent or delay the degradation of pipes, hoses and seals etc which are the most usual reason for saw failure { as this is a chainsaw forum } but any petrol engine will be at risk and the bigger the tank, the more water. This wee vid explains,.. although it's slightly disturbing that although this is all over the US in this country the authorities prefer that " as is normal here ", we're kept in the dark....what as surprise. And by the way, I'm one of those that have made a lot of money out of the ethanol problem, cheers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbDAw4a6Ck0

It's simple....ethanol has an affinity for water...the atmosphere contains water....the tank breather lets air/moisture in as the fuel gets used.....the ethanol takes up the moisture and you've got water in your fuel ! There is zero doubt about this, so why the debate ?

Yeah, I think it,s all 10% now, I and a lot of folk I know are having big problems with water in fuel... particularly with boat engines, inboard and outboard. It's a total pita having to repeatedly drain tanks just to avoid breaking down at sea not to mention the danger, some states in the US it's as high as 85%. You can only really guess at the extent of the unseen damage being done not to mention the expense of extra repairs needed to maintain all petrol powered engines This is an interesting article on the subject but a bit out of date, cheers. https://www.frost.co.uk/protect-your-vehicle-against-ethanol

I've been using Ethanol shield for years now and am convinced that it does what it claims, I've not tried Ethomix but I would presume it does the same job. It's all very well to bang on about Aspen, but you'd have to be pretty wealthy to be able to use it in all petrol engine usage.....Yes chainsaws are fuel greedy, expensive to repair and a bit delicate but nowhere near as costly as boats, bikes, classic cars etc which imo definitely need protected from the damage that ethanol can do to many of their components.......I couldn't possibly afford to run my bikes on Aspen for instance, but I'm happy to be able to protect them with a fuel stabiliser, the list of materials that are corroded /damaged by the addition of ethanol to fuel is more extensive than most folk realise. Ethanol Shield Fuel Stabiliser 118ml WWW.TOOLSTATION.COM Triple antioxidant fuel stabiliser eliminates then prevents ethanol related problems, promoting easy engine starting. Protect machinery from the corrosive effects of ethanol...

Yeah, as I heard it put recently....most of the world has already freely given every piece of info about themselves, their friends and their lives on social media.... all that's missing is their dna, and that's where they get you to volunteer the last bits of the jigsaw to Ancestry and Medical check websites and " Bingo " they're able to complete the picture. If we were told to submit a dna sample there would be a riot but folk are easily persuaded submit it freely just to find out what ?...probably just any old pish.....but they got you.

Yeah, specially up here in the midges button flies are a mistake ?

I know from reading your threads that you're a very busy man so I appreciate that sharpening must be a grind for you ? The Stihl machine looks great but only a few quid cheaper than the automatic one....as an older guy I couldn't really justify the price but I get great results with the Granberg / diamond combination although I would imagine the HOS is probably quicker, cheers.

Think it might be quite expensive, this Logosol version is £730..... it is 12V.

Feeling slightly pissed off about this upgrade as I bought the MSA 200 only a few months ago and at the time I asked the Stihl dealer if there was an upgrade in the pipeline to which they replied, not to their knowledge ! I really like the saw I bought but would have waited for the new model.....agreed about the tool less mechanism....a clumsy person could easily damage it. Also the 3/8" full chisel chain will be better as I find there's so little clearance in the cut with the tiny 1/4" picco micro that it gets pinched very easily when limbing or blocking up fallen branches, the kerf is very slim, cheers.