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Paul in the woods

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Everything posted by Paul in the woods

  1. Paul in the woods
    Many thanks for that, I've not heard of them before but have downloaded their guide and will give it a good read. My holdings are a tad smaller, roughly 15 acres.
  2. Paul in the woods
    I know, well deer poaching round here as we don't, yet, have wild boar. But where do I stand if a poacher hurts himself on a log pile whilst he's trying to conceal himself whilst poaching?
  3. Paul in the woods
    You may jest, but...
  4. Paul in the woods
    Thank you Gary. I assume we're not talking hiring a professional to carry out a hazard assessment as the woods are fairly remote? Rather, a bit of common sense, so if I notice anything that worries me I need to sort it but if I'm happy to walk through it then that wouldn't be negligent? Realistically I expect hardly any private woodland gets risked assessed unless work is done or it's close to people?
  5. Paul in the woods
    The "No Trespassers" sign is a bit OTT and I would hope it doesn't come to that. I could almost see the wild boar sign encouraging people in!
  6. Paul in the woods
    That's only up to a point though, isn't it? I'm not going to go round all my blackthorn trees and cut their spikes off just in case some one pricks themselves? More realistically I'm not going to remove all the dead wood from my mature oaks just in case it falls on someone who shouldn't be there? Having said that, that is part of the reason I'm thinking of the warning signs. Even though the wood is private, it has an obvious path through it and I've removed some dead wood from above it. But trees that out the way on a steep slope should I really cater for a muppet who decides to take a shot cut during a storm?
  7. Paul in the woods
    Why do I need signs at all if it's private woodland that no one has been given access to? I don't recall seeing many people use signs at all unless it's large scale forestry. To be blunt I'm more after a "Get 'orf my land" sign that can stay up for a few months so I don't have to complete all the works in a couple of days. At the moment for example I'm leaving some felled trees until the ground dries up. I don't think they're dangerous but I witnessed a rather stupid person the other day which has led me to reconsider just how daft people can be.
  8. Paul in the woods
    I have a couple of questions about using warning signs on small scale woodland operations. Basically I would like to keep people out of some private woodland not just while felling is going on but while any work is done for several weeks, e.g. extracting the logs, sorting the brash etc. So: 1) Do people actually take notice of signs such as "Warning Forestry Operations"? 2) Is there any problem in displaying such a sign? I.e. I gather if you display a sign "Beware of the Dog" it's an admission your dog is dangerous and may well get you into more trouble if your dog attacks someone. 3) Is there any other reasonable way to stop people wandering about when I'm not around?
  9. Paul in the woods
    That's not quite right. I discussed the issue with Oregon and it turns out a couple of the cutters were outside the tolerances they could come up with. On closer inspection I noticed the chain was made from two sections, i.e. it had two joins. One section all the cutters were even to the naked eye and the other section they were not. I think there may have been some sort of problem at the end of the chain roll but don't doubt now it was original Oregon chain (I wasn't aware chains are often made to order and boxes hand written when I posted). I will also add that I received two replacement chains from Neil so am happy with their service and both those chains looked perfect to me. I posted the chain back to Oregon but have not heard anything since. I did take a number of photos but didn't think it was worth posting them up.
  10. Paul in the woods
    I expect you can hold enough to split a log but if you apply for a explosive licence for shooting you can only use the powder for shooting/re-enactment. You could try phoning your local firearms licencing team, it would be fun to hear their response.
  11. Paul in the woods
    Thanks you both for the suggestions. I am prone to keeping branches and logs that look interesting and might have a use one day. I shall be a bit more organised and keep some of the straighter lengths for future projects and any bits that might be good for turning.
  12. Paul in the woods
    From the Telegraph: Ash dieback breakthrough as scientists learn to spot resistant trees - Telegraph And from Nature: Molecular markers for tolerance of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) to dieback disease identified using Associative Transcriptomics : Scientific Reports It'll be interesting to see what the advice will be to those responsible for ash trees, is it best to leave the existing ones or think about replanting with resistant trees?
  13. Paul in the woods
    Only 20 years! I think the only stuff I haven't got is good quality coppicable hazel in rotation. I've got 20 year old plants that have never been coppiced, old hedge bank trees, odd trees that I would guess are more than 50 years old and stools that were probably coppiced 50 year ago and are about 3' across at the base. I've also been advised to leave a few poles on the large old stools, or cut them over a couple of years. I'll cut a couple and see how I get on, watching out for hibernating critters as I gather there's a chance of animals in the stools?
  14. Paul in the woods
    I assume you mean below 216v? Thanks for the details, I am talking to them about a few other concerns so I'll mention it when I next speak to them. It still puts me off buying anything with a large electrical demand at the moment though. With your FM16, do you find it works well with a blade/wedge at each end of the splitter?
  15. Paul in the woods
    I'll try anything once. I'd love a small charcoal kiln but that'll have to wait. I'm happy to burn it provided there's not a better use. The slightly large poles can be used to make gate hurdles if they're straight enough and, apparently, morris staves. Funnily enough I was going to suggest milling as a bit of a joke, then when I had a good look round I discovered a few trees approx 20cm / 9" dbh - not huge but perhaps worth milling for curiosity if I ever need to fell them.
  16. Paul in the woods
    I have a thousand other uses for the tractor, not just log splitting otherwise I'd have sorted a petrol splitter out by now. Hiring a processor might be an option but, at the moment, I'm producing small amounts of logs each week which could be split and stacked rather than piling up for several months.
  17. Paul in the woods
    Electric is out as we live at the end of the power supply and the voltage fluctuates whenever we turn anything on! It would also be useful to use it where there's no electricity. Long term plan is to provide all our heating and cooking etc via wood burners so I'd like to process about 20m³ a year, possibly much more if chalara hits the large ash I have. Selling/haggling logs is a possibility v. long term. As I need a small tractor about the holding a PTO splitter seems logical and cheaper than a decent petrol splitter. I could wait until I have the finances for the tractor and PTO but I'd like to start building up the logs in my spare time and my OH would like to help. Plus I like the idea of getting something I can learn with so I get the most suitable PTO splitter for my needs.
  18. Paul in the woods
    I've used a fair bit of hazel for bean poles etc but they're not going to be that thick, rather what I'd call normal coppice size (less than 10 years old). I have made a few good walking sticks from shoots growing up from large limbs, part of the old limb makes a decent round handle. But I can't think what would have been done with stuff that's logs size, well over 40 years old, apart from logs. I suppose in the days when coppice was worked then it wouldn't have been left so long to grow too large. Has anyone turned it? A few pieces I've split have a very good grain.
  19. Paul in the woods
    I already have a good axe, several in fact, and the maul I have is also very good. However, as mentioned, it's not good for my arms. I don't want to invest in a petrol splitter if I'm going to get a PTO one eventually, hence looking at manual ones. I can cope with the slowness of a manual one although I'd rather have one that can take longer lengths.
  20. Paul in the woods
    I know most of you will laugh at such an idea but I would like to get a manual log slitter to start off splitting logs for domestic use. I currently use a maul but that's not great on the old joints. I eventually plan to get a tractor mounted splitter when I sort out a tractor. Now there's plenty around but I can't find any that look robust enough and able to cope with some of the logs I have. The price isn't a problem but I'd like something that'll last. The best I can find is the Forest Master Duocut Manual log splitter ( Manual Hydraulic Log Splitter 10 Ton Wood Cutter Axe ) Does anyone know of anything that can cope with larger logs and has more force?
  21. Paul in the woods
    I've cleaved a few thick stems but don't have a huge use for them. I do have some hedges to lay but being Devon hedgebanks will not need many stakes. How long does the hazel last in the ground? I a need for fencing takes but don't think hazel would last long?
  22. Paul in the woods
    That's what I thought. Perhaps it's for hammering into a log, the spike goes into the log/bench and the flat bit down from the chisel end is used to hammer the thing into the log/bench?
  23. Paul in the woods
    I keep reading hazel is too useful for firewood and I know well managed coppiced hazel has a myriad of uses but can anything useful be done with hazel stems that are 10+ cm DBH and often a bit misshapen? Apart from firewood or charcoal that is.
  24. Paul in the woods
    I think you're confusing my reply, more legal gun ownership in the UK does not mean more deaths. I also wouldn't be surprised to find out there's more illegal firearms in circulation but there are proportionally less deaths, harder to prove that one as I doubt anyone has any real clue as to the number of illegal guns in circulation.
  25. Paul in the woods
    I think you'll find legal gun ownership in the UK has risen over the last 20 years but gun crime involving legal firearm ownership has fallen, so not simples at all.

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