Thesnarlingbadger

Good stuff, seems all too familiar. Yet my body recoils at the though of lines and more than a couple of pints on a school night now. Never drunk driven though unless the next day counts (it doesn't I've checked on the GOV website).

cheers Monkey Business, just been looking at the John Adams stuff and it pretty helpful especially so I can get a rough idea of costs, its coming in at around 2.5k at the moment. which I can live with. Thanks for the link

Hi Gary Yes from what I’ve heard you have to phone up and ask but they are meant to be pretty good with advice etc. I think they do everything from what people have said on previous threads but have yet to find out, there brochures seem to have loads of bits all suited to different angles etc so I would assume they have straight planks. That is a nice back but I would want to avoid over complicating things with angles on my build, I’m planning on having 1 drop off angle at the back so I can avoid to many cuts. Time is money as they say and I’m going to try and wrap the whole build up over a few days.

Nice one. Thank you. I have a steal base in at the moment but the holes are getting bigger and we seem to be leaving little trails of wood chip everywhere now ?. I do like the steel bed as its hard as nails but it might be easier token everything as ally or mostly. I am going to the yard in a sec as I want to measure up properly and check the flooring box steel for rust, if there is no rust in it I will likely just use the frame I have, chop it down to size, give it a like of paint and start slotting in ally sections. jobs a good'un. I will speak to service metals tomorrow and get a price for everything and keep everyone posted. I won't get around to it for a few weeks but if I have everything lined up for me it should take a weekend and a couple of evenings to knock out (fingers crossed). I'll probably end up finding out why these companies charge 10K.

Thats great and thanks for the picks. I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm doing I just don't know about the finer details of it all. I am assuming the channel will bolt on to the box section and then the planks just slot in down the channel between the two up rights of box section. Then I gets a few decent (up to spec rivets will hold the planks in and minimise any rattling about. Between the ally channel and the box section I'll put silicon or as Peatff said PU adhesive. Then I guess its just capping off along the tops. Right thats the sides and head board covered (note I'll pop a sheet of ally cheque sheeting along the headboard as extra protection). So Ally flooring. I've looked in to it and see how it basically fits into itself but can't find any information about how to fit it to the box section. I would assume I need a few support beams of smaller box section along the floor and then some more ally channel around the owner edges to fix it all to. Or am I way off? Any advice welcome and thank you for your input so far (all very helpful). It's a challenge but I alway like forcing myself to lean new things. Cheers

Would gala not corrode the ally then? I'm happy to spend a bit of cash on this project. so am more than happy to get the framework galvanised. Is there much involved in the process?

Nice one I'll give them a try. To be honest I was quite looking forward to doing it myself as I enjoy a challenge but If I can get it done by someone else to save me time (which I seem to have less and less of) then I will. However still looking for tips and surgeons from people on this as I am still keen to do it myself.

Hi all, My box steel ally-composite back on my transit that I built roughly 4 years ago is starting to look a bit shagged and it’s getting to replacement time. I built the back on a bit of a budget back then an it’s served me well but would now like to rip the whole lot off and redo everything with ally planks but it’s turning into a bit of a minefield. I’ve had a few quotes of some coach builders and they are saying between 7-10k. I could buy a truck with money already on for that so I think best to do it myself. I’m pretty handy when it comes to welding steel but would be at a loss welding ally. So I just want to get some ideas on how to go about things. I was thinking box steal framework and then ally planks slotted in. But I know I’m likely to get corrosion this way so is there another way around it? I’d rather use ally box for the frame but would worry that the welding side of things would let me down here. Any suggestions? I know service metals are pretty good and I’m planning to call them on Tuesday and have a word. What have you guys done? Has anyone got any pictures of how they have done their own ally backs? I’m aware it’s not going to be straight forward but if it saves me 5k and adds to my knowledge then it’s worth doing right. Any thoughts or suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance [emoji106]

Looks like a bloody nightmare and sounds like a PITA customer. It it were me (not that I’ve seen it). I would get a rope over the top of the split steam and winch it back away from the shed with a little cut on the back of it. And let it tear down under the winch. You would need a 3.2 tonne winch at the least. I would also say that you will do your best to avoid dame game to the shed but either you take it down in a controlled manner ;as controlled as can be or you let the bloody thing flatten their shed. As above a new shed is possible the cheapest option without machinery.

Great stuff thanks for the replies people. To be honest I make enough from the stump grinding to pay for the teeth and soon upped my hourly rate when I realised it was going to be costly. I will try and get round to sharpening them but I never seem to get them as sharp as I would get a chain on a saw sharp and instead of them going through a few stumps when new the resharpens ones seem to dull off a lot quicker, more then likely my half-assed sharpening. Stump grinding has always been a pet hate of mine but is a necessary evil for running a business and I am aware of the fact that I have won more jobs because of it. I just need to remember to keep some headphones in the truck when I go out doing it to listen to a podcast or some music helping the day along a little. I've only got a 360 as I never wanted to get anything too big as I know I would end out doing it more and non of the lads want to go out with the grinder so its plonker here who does it all. I may have to start sending others out once in a while to save my sanity. Thanks for the tips and advise I think I'll stick to the multitip teeth as they do chew through stumps really well when new and maybe set aside a bit of time to sharpen the ones I can and see if I can get a bit of drink money for the ones that have to be scrapped. Maybelateron that is a lovely looking bit of kit you have knocked up

They are around £15 a tooth (just under I think) but you save a bit with a bulk buy still around £550 pls vat for 50 teeth [emoji22]. Just looking for ways to make a bit of money back so it’s not so damaging on the old wallet.

Hi all, I have pretty much come to an end of 100 odd multitip teeth. Now I have got a diamond disk attachment that I used to sharpen a few when the last batch ran out but to be honest I have enough on my plate with out spending days sharpening 100 tears up and not getting them as sharp as new. I just wondered if anyone on hear sells their old teeth on or is it worth sharpening them? I’ve just ordered another 50 from multitip as I have a few grinding jobs on over the next few weeks and at down to my last 4. Any suggestions or advice welcome. Cheers people

Hi Mate, Sorry I missed this post of yours. Mine is still playing funny buggers but I've pinned it down to something in the electrical box. As I switched over the solenoids so it would start in forwards as opposed to reverse the system through it was in reverse and didn't have the anti-stress on hence the cutting out. But I have since swapped them back and the anti-stress is fine, chews through big stuff no issue. I have had solenoids off and checked the pins, which are fine. Replaced a cable but still had the issue sometimes. now if it happens I'm opened up the electrical box while the machine is running wiggling everything about for a bit until it works. Not ideal but it'll get me by for now. I don't really have time to get it in to redwood as I'm flat out but might look in to the cost of a new electrical box (but I'm assuming I will not like the price of one of those (They look like a sparkys wet dream)). Have you managed to find the issue on yours? Fingers crossed for you mate.

Hi Matty, thanks for this. To be honest it’s mainly going to be used for getting in to sites which we have cleared with a timber trailer. A little bit of woodland work although this may change if I start looking in to this side of work a bit more. I would look at getting a grain trailer for the larger chipping jobs and look into using it for a larger PTO chipper at some point. This is because I’ve thought about a tracked chipper and to be honest a tracked chipper isn’t as useful to me as a tractor would be. The business is starting to head into site clearance type work and I just feel a tractor, timber trailer, grain trailer and a PTO chipper are going to be a lot more useful for this type of work. I’m slightly swayed because I’d love a tractor but have given it plenty of thought and think it’s a good way forward. It’s not going to happen just yet but within the next year I’d say. Thanks again

She’s a beaut.

Nice one thank you. Doubt I’ll be buying new as my pockets aren’t that deep. Looking for something in the 2012-2016 range and with 100-150 HP good ground clearance and a couple of spools for different attachments. Hoping I can find something for around or below 30k. It’s not going to be an immediate buy just something in the next year and only if I have the work come in for it. Looking at some other kit that I need for the time being.

Cheers Gary. It’s kinda what I was hoping to hear. I don’t want anything incredible. Just something to fit a timber trailer to with good ground clearance will do me just fine. I would rather a machine will as little computer based electrics as possible as if something goes wrong in the middle of a job I would like a half decent chance of fixing it myself. Thanks again [emoji106]

Being a nice person helps also. I would happily pay a good wage for someone who is nice, easy to get on with and mucks in as opposed to a shit hot climber who acts like he knows better than everyone else. I have absolutely no time for ‘know it alls’ no matter how good a climber they are.

Hi Gary, How do you get on with the Valtra? Been looking at either a fendit or a Valtra but fendits tend to be a little over budget. Any issues to look out for?

That’s great thank you. I know there is good fuel getting through because I checked that. The belts we alright as well. I’m thinking the issue might be more due to the fact the forward and reverse electrics have been switched so the system thinks the rollers are in reverse so it’s not activating the sensor for the flywheel and and the anti-stress. I’m based in Bristol. Appreciate the input. I’m going to get to the yard tomorrow and set the multi-metre up and go through the electrics. Cheers

Hi all. Had a bit of a arse of a week with the chipper. On Tuesday the rollers on the ST6 stopped going forwards (only reverse), then if I pressed the stop button they wouldn't go at all. Now I've switched the solenoids over and then the electrics and have the issue down to a faulty wire (or at least I believe so). So for now I've switched the forward and reverse wires over for now and ordered a new wire. Let's not get in to the health and safety side of things here It's to get by for now and the lads using the chipper aren't idiots. Anyway, the anti-stress has started playing up and if you put anything bigger than 4" in to the machine it just bogs down and cuts out. I'm just wondering if this might be linked to the solenoids/wiring or if this is a different issue all together. Does anyone know exactly the process behind the anti-stress system on an ST6 I', assuming there is a sensor next to the flywheel but I can't seem to find anything. I'm hoping its not another problem on top of another one but guessing it might be. Also just to add to this does anyone sharpen there on chipper blades? I've got a decent wet stone but wouldn't be able to do the full length of the blade without setting up some sort of jig or I was thinking maybe of using a belt sander as I'd get more of a straight edge as opposed to the curve you would get with a wheel (leaving it with a weaker tip). Any input on any of these questions would be great. Thanks in advance people.

Thanks for all the advice people I’m taking it all in. I’m sorry for the delay getting back to you I’ve been running around like a mad man trying to get too many jobs done before the announcement earlier. Once we are out of this crap situation we are in I’ll look in to it further. Just out of curiosity how long are people getting out of there Goodrich tyres if they are run on the road. I generally have a couple of us in the cab saws and kit in the back and a chipper or trailer being towed if we are working though generally the chipper will be on the back of the tipper. And the trailer will be on the hilux. If I can get a year or 2 out of decent off road tyres I may just switch. Thanks again people your wisdom is always appreciated.

Hi guys, I’ve been looking at getting a set of off road tyres on the wheels so I can just swap them over if needs be but I was just wondering what people’s recommendations were. I’ve got a 69 plate Hilux and when I asked at Toyota they started asking if I wanted bigger wheels and to be honest I hadn’t even thought about it, what difference does it make? I use it mainly for towing the chipper in to fields and through woodland. It’s coped relatively well with road tyres on so far but I have been a little reserved as I don’t want to be to plonker getting stuck in a field with road tyres on. I’m just look for advice as to what would be the best tyres/wheel combination to get that covers most off road situations in the uk. I’m not to bothered about spending money on them as I have made a decision to get another towed chipper as opposed to a track one so I’ll be saving a few grand here and figured I could spend the savings on some off road tyres to get me in to some of those places that I would have struggled getting to before. Let me know your thoughts and thanks in advance. Cheers

The neighbours are not a fan of the tree but then what neighbours are. Think they like it even les now. I’ve reduced the limb with the split on it right back to the fist few growth points and have proposed a 20% reduction for the rest of the crown. Should keep the tree relatively safe.