spandit
-
Posts
1,235 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Classifieds
Tip Site Directory
Blogs
Articles
News
Arborist Reviews
Arbtalk Knot Guide
Gallery
Store
Calendar
Freelancers directory
Everything posted by spandit
-
I don't know if I'd go as far as saying I hate brambles (and apologies if I've already stated this earlier on!) but I'm sure I've seen them growing under dense cover in fir plantations and by the time my little trees become that established so that they have a proper canopy, goodness knows how thick the brambles will have become. In some places they are about 15mm thick and are growing way up into other trees, making it quite hazardous when moving amongst them. I do know they are important for wildlife, which is why I started this post in the first place
-
The willow looks like an osier viminalis hybrid - I think some of the cuttings I gave you were similar. We get amazing growth from it every year
-
That's why I posted this in the first place! Plenty more brambles for them to play in/eat (however, I have never heard of muntjac in this area)
-
I love how these threads turn into a pissing contest very quickly! Impressive looking piece of kit. Happy for you to bring it over but again not very economical for you!
-
Funnily enough I did have a load at my first house (which I still own) but I doubt they're still there as I haven't lived there since 2007 The Rayburn is pretty thick steel but I suppose if I'm lining it with fire bricks then it shouldn't need the sand
-
It is a shame but I don't think my payment terms would be very attractive
-
They're spreading over bits I haven't planted and tend to arch over the paths I do cut. I'm not spraying them so they'll be back, I've no doubt. For the smaller shrubs they do tend to shade in the summer and they must use nutrients that would otherwise be available to the trees
-
Excuse the pun but not only am I physically torn (next time I'll wear my heavy canvas smock to stop me looking like I've been self harming unless there are other suggestions - I was wearing welding gauntlets but they're not as long as one might like) but also mentally. The "before" looked like this (nice to see the path I cut last year isn't overgrown): and after a couple of hours of bashing with the brush mower, like this: Now, I don't want my new woodland to be impassable so the brambles have to be controlled but now I've exposed a lot of naturally seeded young trees to predation so should I have left the brambles in situ as a nurse crop? The mower is a DRPower brush and field mower. Not the best for brambles (as someone pointed out when I bought it) but for cutting long grass it's superlative. Might try again with the trimmer head but they still tend to get wrapped around the axles, this is what came off one axle afterwards:
-
Tried building one inside an old oil fired Rayburn - worked OK (wanted to burn thin willow twigs, a bit like the stick stove from BMWF Stick Stoves) but the flue inside kept cracking and with the design of the stove it was difficult to get a gravity feed for decent length stuff If it were possible to buy cheap firebricks like it seems to be in the USA, then I'd try again as my workshop is blooming cold. I'm also a bit unsure as to whether to try filling the boiler with something like sand or vermiculite as realistically I'm never going to connect it to a hot water system. Might even cut through the face of the boiler and turn it into a conventional wood burner
-
Might be coming from inside the tube (it's an alder which is doing quite well as you can see from the tube splitting - only planted 3 years ago). Looks like too much to be cuckoo spit
-
Circumzenithal arc https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumzenithal_arc
-
Crab apples are also good for pectin if you're going to be making jam
-
Your land is not that steep, don't get too paranoid but avoid sharp turns on a sideslope. Be prepared to jump off if it starts going over
-
No medlar? We've also planted a Chinese dogwood and some seaberry - all edible and the dogwood at least is fairly unusual. Not had any fruit from them yet but it's early days as they went in very small
-
Me too! Are you planting in tubes? Seriously, if deer are that much of a problem, you shouldn't have a problem getting someone in to manage them. I don't know whereabouts in the country you are but I can cover the SE, have DSC1 and insurance
-
Newbie with boggy unmanaged mostly broadleaf woodland...
spandit replied to Hobby_Woodsman's topic in General chat
The TPO may just be there to prevent clear felling and building. Once you draught a suitable management plan you may well get the go-ahead from the council. Radically altering the drainage may cause existing trees to die if they've had no need to put down deep roots. Clarify what you really want the woodland to be - too much interference will be detrimental to wildlife that tends to establish itself in what's available. Trying to force the landscape into something it's not is likely to result in failure or vast expense. Anyway, pictures please & good luck! -
It's from Iceland (the supermarket, not the country)
-
In addition to the apple and cherry logs I'm burning today, my wife unveiled this as a surprise: It was jolly good! Merry Christmas everybody!
-
That's great. I'll pass your details along
-
Cool, I'll let him know. It would be nice to have some locally sourced materials used in the construction. Anyone in Sussex with an Alaskan?
-
A friend of mine is planning on building some hobbit houses in his field and after a large oak came down a few months ago, he's keen to use some of the timber: He's mindful that access is a bit difficult although carrying an Alaskan down there wouldn't be too hard. However, the bit on the left, whilst being about 20" in diameter and fairly straight, it has some big knots in it. Is it possible (or worthwhile) to cut the smaller bits (about 10" diameter) into curved beams freehand or should I lend him a drawknife to just remove the bark?
-
You misunderstand - let the drunken guests use the Sharpie and go over the ink afterwards with pyro pen, once sober!
-
You could burn over the writing with a pyro pen. If going with the Sharpie idea, do a test block first in case the varnish top coat dissolves the ink
-
A friend of mine renovated a huge felling axe head, calling it "Goliath". He lovingly crafted a beautiful oak haft for it. It snapped on the first blow Hickory seems to be the standard for many handles unless you're looking for something grown in the UK. I'd have thought yew would be tough enough - it is used for bows. My froe handle is made from eucalyptus but it's not that long
-
Quite so! I bought it second hand as was after a cheap little trailer to modify (hence the poles which will hold a builders bag open or keep huge amounts of brash in place). I think it must have once held mobile lights or something as it's really rugged, all steel, with brakes & handbrake. It has a long drawbar too so easy to reverse.
