StuartM

I run one of the 12 ton Rock splitters, it's not perfect but it would be a step up from doing it by hand. One advantage for you could be the size / weight as it is light enough to get in the back of a pickup or van so you could bring it home rather than storing it at your yard. With one loading and one working the ram we can do a cube in about 45 minutes from arb waste, not lightning fast but we tend to split the nice stuff with an axe and sling the tough stuff in a pile for the splitter. A tip I got from one of the guys on here was to put it on a set of car ramps to lift it up to a more friendly height. Depends how much you are planning on doing as it could be a could be too small for your requirements.

Thanks that at least confirms the price I should be expecting to pay. The mower has now been replaced but makes a nice spare as it is set up to mulch whereas the new one collects so I'll have to see how much he wants to spend on it. I can't help thinking there must be another motor that fits but without having them all on a shelf to try I think my only option is to get a new one.

Does anyone know a good source for a new starter motor for a Mountfield WM 13.5 engine from a 1436m ride on? So far I've found one place selling them for around £150 and some on ebay that might be right for £50 but they seem harder to come by than I anticipated. The mounting and gear all seem salvageable but the motor is in a bad way, my guess is it broke up then jammed and repeated attempts to use it have toasted the wiring. Are the motors fairly standard and could I swap another one into the original top mount? Thanks Stuart

I've got one and my experience and usage matches with Charlesd. I've used better and it's got some downsides but for the money it seems pretty good and mines covered its cost and saved my back some aches. Downsides are the low working height which isn't great for your back but given that it doesn't have a table it does at least mean you don't have to lift the split logs far each time. The mounting for the valve annoys me each time I use it as it tends to unscrew from the cylinder if you don't push the handles exactly together it but it could be sorted with another short bit of hose /swivel and a bracket. We tend to use it with one operating and one loading and can get through a fair bit of rough stuff in a hour.

I had a trip over to Honey Brothers to have a look yesterday I ended up coming home with a few bits from the Husky range. After charging up the batteries I only had time for a quick test of the brush cutter but first impressions are good, plenty of power and nice and quiet. Got to wait until the weekend to give it a proper test along with the hedge trimmer but I'm happy so far. In the end I decided that for the jobs I do I can work round the run time limitations and if I really need to I can borrow my mates KM131.

Interesting to hear from someone with the Husky range as most seem to go for Stihl. The Stihl v Husky argument has been well covered on the chainsaw forum with winners and losers in both ranges but with the cordless kit you have to pick one manufacturer from the start rather than being able to pick the best tool. To be fair I guess the same with the petrol multitools. I think I'll have a trip out to see both ranges and decide it if I want to give them a go or take the tried and tested safe option while I wait for the technology to mature.

Hi Steve, Thinking about the 2 I've got to cut next they are a standard farm rough collection of thorn, brambles and a bit of rose 130m long and the second one is a 30m hawthorn hedge about a metre high on the garden side. I'd expect the garden one to be ok but the field one might need something heavier duty?

I was looking at getting a new decent quality petrol multitool but out of curiosity I started adding up cost of going down the battery route. Has anyone converted over yet and if so did you go Stihl or Husky? I'd be looking at a hedge cutter, long reach cutter and brush cutter to start with. The usage is split about 50/50 between domestic and pony paddocks so the lower noise would be good. Both manufactures cost in about the same and are available from my preferred suppliers but most people seem to have gone for the Stihl kit looking at the posts on here. The run time looks like a drawback on paper but is it actually one in practice? It looks like 2 of the 5Ah should keep up with everything but the brushcutter as recharging on site isn't an issue. I'm not dead set either way so some guidance from people that have used the kit would be great even if the consensus is to buy petrol kit for now. Stuart

I run Aspen in my saws because of its shelf life but really notice when I use my mates saw running 2 stroke. I'd rather pop home to pick one of mine up than breathe the fumes. One of the things I learned when talking to the Aspen guys earlier this year was that they do a version of diesel as well. It was a bit pricey but I was kicking myself for not getting some to try after spending a couple of hours on my little tractor breathing in the exhaust. I'm sure Axel can provide the details and there might be some arb applications that could stand the extra cost.

I run a 20" Oregon occasionally and it is ok but I'd want something with a few more cc's if I was using it all the time. I'm loving my Sugi 18" the new 95TXL chain though and it's replaced the 15" as my regular bar for firewood.

Big thanks to Gardenkit and Aspen for my fuel and of course Steve for organising. It arrived today just in time to stop me running out at home! I also learned they do a diesel version of Aspen in the process which was an added bonus. I'm sure I'll be cursing being to tight to order some next time I'm getting a face full of tractor fumes doing the field...

I've got one of the blue Bosch ones which does a decent enough job for the odd bit at home while keeping the neighbours happy. It's not in the same league as my 560 but it is quiet enough to use in the evening and copes ok with the size logs you are talking about.

A couple of months ago I decided that I need a project and that it was about time I learned how to weld. At the time I couldn't find a spring tine harrow for a price I wanted to pay so out came the old arc welder that cost me £20 last year from a retiring farmer. from a complete beginners point of view the useful stuff I learned is: -I can weld but that isn't nearly the same thing as being a welder. -practice on some nice thick scrap then practice a load more. -thick is easier to weld than thin (I was using 4mm box and 10mm plate) -an hour with someone that knows what they are doing will teach you more than you will ever get from the internet. I sort of knew the theory but my mate could see what I was doing wrong and could correct it. -I could weld with my old transformer based unit but the new inverter one I bought is way nicer to use. Same with rods, new and kept indoors work best. -for me an auto dimming helmet is a must as I have to see what I'm doing. -if you don't feel happy about a joint get someone experienced to do it. I got my mate to do a couple I knew had to be right and then did the rest. Stuart

Hi Rob, Parcel arrived yesterday so I fitted the new bar last night and gave it a go. I've not compared the two as I was too eager to try the new chain but with an 18" on my 560 it was going through oak like warm butter. Bit more kick to it than the BPX I've been running on a 15" bar but it felt faster cutting. I've got a days logging to do at the weekend so I'll give them all a proper test but so far I'm liking the new chain.

If you've got chickens already you probably already know all this but... If you've got the space how about some ducks too? Runner ducks are easy to keep and lay pretty well although to do turn the ground to mud given half a chance. £2 a half dozen for the eggs round me and no trouble selling them as they are great for baking with. Ex commercial hens can be picked up cheap and although they look scruffy to start with they soon come good and lay well. Good return on investment and comes with the added warm fuzzy feeling that you've made something's life better. We get the ex 'barn' ones that are just entering their first moult so have plenty of good years left. You won't get rich on farm gate egg sales but even my dozen old slackers cover their feed bill and have a bit left over. best of luck, Stuart