Puffingbilly413

Afternoon all, Was doing a minor crown lift on a pair of Scots Pine this afternoon and spotted a few different fungi within the drip line, possibly on the roots. Two that I've not seen and couldn't spot obviously in the guides are attached. They weren't there a few weeks ago when I went to quote, so they're fairly young, although some have been nibbled at. Sorry the second pair of images isn't great but that was the best of what was left. Any thoughts? Particularly keen to know if there are any likely decay issues. I'm guessing not as they dont appear within the main guides, but you never know. Cheers, Ed

Comparing the photos to images of colletia cruciata, I think that's the one. Thanks for the replies.

Evening All, A friend send me these pics of a tree in another friend's garden. I've no idea. Any thoughts? Cheers, Ed.

Can't fault your grammar, perhaps your spelling though. Sorry...couldn't resist. Anyway, an interesting thread and comments, so thanks.

Paul, Your article seems to suggets a lack of clarity when it comes to analysing accident statistics on the part of the HSE: ' There is no SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) code for accidents specifically in arboriculture, and despite prolonged lobbying from the AA and other sector representatives, the HSE claims it is unable to introduce this because the codes are tied to international standards. This means that while it is relatively easy to keep records of fatal accidents within the sector, it is much harder to maintain reliable data for the details of injuries. However, in 2018, HSE analysed RIDDOR reports for the period April 2017–March 2018 by searching for key words. Although heavily caveated as not being a comprehensive record, the findings were published in an open paper (AFAG 33/02) which was presented at the November 2018 AFAG meeting. According to the analysis, there were 117 recorded RIDDOR-reportable incidents in arboriculture during that period. Of these, 23 were falls from height, of which one was fatal, 6 resulted in fractured vertebrae, 3 multiple fractures, 5 lower limb fractures and fracture to ankle, ribs and wrist.' If the HSE cannot demonstrate that using a single anchor has been the cause of incidents, which from your article would appear to be the case, then how can these stats be used to change working practice? Were climbers at fault themselves; were people even climbing or just falling off wobbly ladders; were they not tied in when moving around the tree etc etc. Ed

Jules, Many thanks for the response - that's useful info. If it were a case of these packages not costing that much then a few niggles would be ok. but at the prices they're asking you would hope things would be more straightforward. I don't have previous autocad experience as you do, so I guess I'd be getting pretty frustrated pretty quickly. I'll have a look at QCAD - not seen that one before. Cheers, Ed.

Jules, An old post I realise, but are you still getting on ok with PT mapper (assume you have the pro?) and do you pay the extra for the support element they offer? I like the look of their packages but have yet to try them other than in their free trial version. It's for 5837 work mainly I would be interested in it for (albeit not exclusively). Cheers, Ed.

I've used this site before for my 372 and 268. Seems to have most saws. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/835150/Husqvarna-362xp.html

Interesting to see that the Proceeds of Crime Act was used as his house had gone up in value apparently as a result of the increased light.

I've shared it on Facebook, Mark. Unlikely it will head up Fife way but you never know, someone might see it and have some info. I've quite a few muckers in Kent. Hope you get it back. Bastards.

Mytting was on about burning large quantities of pine re having to sweep the flues more often. I guess this would be true for any wood with a very high resin content. But in reality, apart from the colder parts of the UK perhaps, I don't reckon on people needing to sweeop their chimneys more than once a year. Maybe twice if you burn a huge amount (of any wood). But people will see what comes out of the flue when it's swept and be able to gauge what is often enough for their burning habits.

Aye but not all the book is about the wood - stoves, saws, stacking etc take up a huge part too. The book loves birch (as do I, it's burning in my stove right now) but also discusses softwood as a fuel source (as kindling, 'kitchen wood' and also as a main fuel). Indeed the dude who builds the big arty ring piles does so ordinarily out of pine or spruce, because that's what he can get (he's in Norway). I suppose all I'm saying is that there is nothing wrong with burning softwood. It works, and in certain circumstances can even be advantageous. But you'll have to load the stove more often and split more wood.

True - drying mostly just covers 'wood' as there is no difference in the process is there. Pine and spruce drying is referred to, albeit briefly, on p47. He also mentions combining softwoods with hardwoods in the fire to help prolong burn times on p48. People's enjoyment of theg crackle of conifer woods in their stoves is covered on p49. He even cites an example of pine being used as a main heating source on p50. On p56 he states it is better 'to have a mixed stack of hardwoods and softwoods that can be used according to the outside temperature' ie softwoods can be burned more intensely without making a building overly hot. You said 'nothing' whereas actually there is some info there.

Andy - I was really just pointing out that your comment ' I’ve been through the book extensively, there is simply nothing there promoting the burning or drying of softwood' doesn't wash. There are many references to the drying of wood in general and to the burning of softwood in particular. Pine, of course, is just one example of softwood - Mytting also covers spruce.

Yep. P60 - Mentions it as kindling, smaller wood to keep kitchen stoves burning more controllably and as a source of cheaper firewood due to the demand for birch pushing its prices up. P61 - refers to small pines making good firewood. There's also discussion of older softwood examples having higher densities and making for a good source of firewood. All of these discussions cover the need for softwood to be well dried. So pretty much as Mark B said really.

Pages 60 & 61, specifically.

True enough. What I was driving at was that there's little point (in my view) of expending energy on kiln drying logs if they are not going to be stored in conditions that will keep them at that level of moisture content. Unless these conditions can be provided by the end user (or the internediate seller) then the only person that benefits is the original supplier in that they can turn around wood quickly without necessarily needing to hold larger stocks on site to meet demand. Also - and I know a moisture meter is not mega-accurate but my air dried logs here in rainy Fife are showing around 10% some of them currently. Dried and stored outside but generally speaking open to the wind but no so much the rain. But I can leave them there to dry for as long as I need (I think 2 years for what I'm burning at home now), which is not a luxury all have I suppose.

Yep - was in Lidl (or possibly Aldi - can't remember as we've got both) today and noticed their bags of kiln dried logs in the entrance way. In plastic bags and loads of condensation on the inside. No way they are going to be 'kiln' dry. Plus they work out about £450 a tonne if you add it up...

Definitely interested - have sent you a PM. Cheers.

I've been using the Archer ripping chain on .325 from chainsaw bars. The speed seems ok as does the finish but as that all I've used since I bought my mill a few months back I don't have anything else to compare it to. I should add that as I'll most likely make cutting or serving boards out of what I mill then they will always go through the planer, so maybe I'm not so fussed about a super smooth finish from the off. It is noticebaly cheaper than the Granberg chain either way. On a related note, I do hand file my crosscut chains but have read that you need to be much more precise with the angles and uniformity of teeth for ripping. Do people hand file still or use a guide for their ripping chains?

By way of an update, the LPA has been back in touch stating that they have no issues with the proposed works. My email with accurate photos and (very) stripped down reprt on tree condition and location vis-a-vis buildings proved helpful in the absence of the originally promised report (nowt to do with me...!). Hopefully this will all work well in future in that the council will (might) appreciate our goodwill and we can still get the current job done well. Thanks again all for the advice - Gary and Edward in particular. Cheers, Ed

I think you were typing as I was! Yes - tread carefully I will indeed. Thanks again.

Hi Edward, Yes - I told them it was too vague and that the TO would inevitably request clarification. Ordinarily in my experience with this LPA, that would have happened before 6 weeks has passed. As I've said above, staff absence meant this didn't happen. I sought clarification from the TO as to whether they has any issues with the standard of the original notification (I hadn't realised the TO was off and no-one had looked at it at all at this stage). I did go back yesterday and took some photos and submitted a brief email re the condition of the trees (lapsed, outgrown beech hedge with historic pruning and breakout wounds now decaying - K deusta on 2 and changes in soil levels following earlier building works; 2-3m from the house & extension). I'm just waiting for the council to come back to us. Reading back up the thread - apologies to Gary; I should have given more detail on the background!

And the client can get another contractor tomorrow to do the job. Nothing changes that.