David Cropper

Sorry mate, but I have a healthy respect for any explosives, whatever their age.

If only it was possible Stuart.

Is there any subject that you aren't an opinionated pillock about? Why are you sure that 70 year old shells aren't dangerous? I've just realised that I've fallen into your trap. You just want people to react to your silly statements. That's me being polite.

They were both pretty much the same, although one had more muck on it, I wasn't going to start inspecting them too hard. When I carried them down the garden, there was a sudden exodus by the customers and the neighbours.

That's normal Stuart, so I would assume that . Didn't stick my fingers in to feel, I might be daft but I ain't that daft.

Have you never visited the Tank Museum at Bovington Marc, it's not that far from you.

We had a bomb scare Christmas Eve in town, bomb squad have to come from La Rochelle which is almost two hours away. My neighbour told me that there is only two bases in France. How many teams operate from each base , no idea but I assume quite a few. There's still a lot of ordnance floating about France.

Tried so many times, followed previous advice on other threads buy still won't work.

I joined my regiment as an armoured car gunner, on Saladins, so it all came back to me. That seemed like 90 years ago! Our shells were 76mm not 75mm.

I didn't wait for the bomb team, they're two hours away. Apparently there is only two teams throughout the whole of France which I find a bit disconcerting in these troubled times.

I've put them onto my Facebook page, David Cropper Stump Grinding Services if you want a look.

Thanks, not as glad as I was!

Yes, but I can never post them on my tablet only on the pc which is knackered. They were in really good condition seeing as they were in the ground 70 odd years.

Customer asked me today after grinding out a big yew stump, if I could grind some lilac by a wall. Took it steady as this area of vineyards has lots of stone in the ground. Took the tops off just below the surface, went a bit deeper then hit was I thought was a metal pipe. Reversed the grinder to inspect, to find the "pipe" was a 75mm German tank shell from WW2. Saw the rifling bands and immediately clicked. The client asked what it was, then galloped off. Had another look at the ground and found another. They weren't fused but probably still had the explosive in the casing. Found out that when the Germans withdrew they destroyed the nearby ammo depot. Contacted the Gendarmerie who then got onto the bomb disposal team. The client's son had a metal detector which we run over the top of the disturbed earth, indicating something else down there. Took the first two to the bottom of the garden to wait the disposal team. The grinder teeth really battered the first one's casing which gave me pause for thought!

You sir, are a gent. Your number is on speed dial, just in case the one I've ordered from Vermeer doesn't come up to standard.

I hope so, I've just ordered one, should arrive next week.

Have to second that. I rang the service department last week. Talked me through what I thought was a problem with my SC30TX grinder. Nothing but praise for Vermeer UK. I now get all my spares from them rather from than here.

In about 1979, the old hospital in Bovington Camp, Dorset, was knocked down, it had been built during WW1 and it was constructed mainly of wood. It was where Lawrence of Arabia was taken after his motorbike crash. The resident rats moved into the Garrison Hall, another wooden building, just the other side of a small wood. The front bit was for functions and the back part had been given to the Garrison gamekeeper for a storage area and where he had his large incubators. I had an Army quarter just facing the hall and one evening he invited me in to see his set up. He told me to switch on my torch when we entered and see what happened. It was the stuff of nightmares, thousands of eyes reflecting off the beam. Rats everywhere . We then started getting them in the houses. Luckily I had a jack Russell who was mustard on rats, every day was his birthday in that hall. One squaddie 's wife woke up one night with one on her pillow. The rats either died after a mass poisoning or moved on. Horrible buggers.

Today I paid for x16 yellow jacket teeth here in France, €285.45 inclusive of vat and €30 for the carriage from Vermeer France. They work out at €12.99 per tooth plus vat. They have gone up by about €50 since last year. I contacted Vermeer UK today, what a difference! £7.21 plus vat, £10 carriage to a UK address, if I bought 2 sets of teeth I got 20% discount totalling £233.87 for x32 teeth, half the price of the French ones. I contacted a company who bring British goods over and they quoted £7 to bring it to a pick up point 5kms from my house. Very helpful staff , the teeth will be in the post tomorrow. When I think how much I've paid for teeth in the last 20 months since buying the grinder, I could weep.

My tongue is firmly in my cheek. You are the first person who ever believed anything I've said.

I think here in France that you get fined for NOT smoking in a wagon. You need full breathing apparatus if you ride alongside a French workman, like being in a London peasouper in the old days .

Did have one , thought it was excellent until my wife wrote it off avoiding a dog. Only had it 2 months but really liked it. Well built with an automatic box, very quick off the mark and good to drive. Just a pity the wife walloped it into a wall.

I've had the same problem twice with two stump grinders with the 25hp Kohler. First was a Predator 450 then my Vermeer sc30tx. I changed the throttle cable which solved it.

Maximum refs on my Vermerr sc30tx is 3700, that's the Koehler 27hp. I spoke to the engineer at Vermeer UK and he says to run the engine between 3200 and 3600 without load. I stick to about 3400, anything over drinks fuel like a sailor on shore leave.