Steven P

Rail guns, we can use the energy of the sun to fire nuclear waste at it

Yup,. if it is steel that is more fixable.

I come at this from a slightly different angle at times.... though about a month into the lockdown with limited traffic the air quality was noticeably better... so why not reduce emissions just for that? Anyway, oil is going to run out in my lifetime (according to Google), not sure the Ukraine war was a good advert of securing our energy supplies from overseas, whatever we can generate ourselves is going to be a bonus. So I'd go for green energy as soon as we can, eke out the oil reserves till we can live without it. Small nuclear reactors will take about 10 years? from concept idea to commissioning I think for the medium term. Noting that the oil producing countries are generally controlled by the unhinged or regimes that are not stable. Extend the Israel-Gaza conflict and our oil supplies could be limited. Annoy Putin too much and his oil that gets to Europe in a round about way could be limited. Buy too much wood chip from the US and all it takes is a vengeful lunatic president and we could be in trouble, we are lucky that neither of their next presidential hopefuls are unhinged or going senile.

Cast iron? good luck.... (you might heat it locally enough to bend it but will need to heat the whole lot to ease the stresses afterwards) Might be easier to adjust the flue to fit? easier to bend, adjust and cut to shape, or make a collar to fit between the stove and flue. Firebricks are probably not off the shelf for 'rear warped Clearview brick', so perhaps get some mouldable refractory or fireclay, rolled 1" thick and pushed into place for the shape. Perhaps put some clingfilm or paper between the stove and clay so it doesn't stick

In my case the chimney runs through the loft, the heat transfer, chimney to loft space is above the insulation and this heat goes straight out. Insulate the rafters as well and some of this heat will be retained in the loft, the temperature difference house to loft will be less and the heat loss from the house will be less. So there is some merit to insulate the rafters (as well as the roof space).

I've looked at this for my loft, changing it from a cold loft to a warm loft (or not so cold loft - still keep the installed insulation). I am being put of because no one can really give me a decent answer for the moisture. The actual insulation installation should be an easy DIY job. As far as my thinking goes, don't insulate right up to the tiles, leave a decent air gap there with vents as required. My thinking also to leave a gap along the base of the insulation and at the top / ridge or a vent to allow some air movement between the insulation and the tiles. Before I bite the bullet and do that job I'd get a roofer in for advice (I'm in Scotland, roofs here tend to be tiles fastened to plywood sheets fastened to rafters so more wood that could rot) (other insulation jobs to sort first) My loft has more than the minimum required at the moment so was thinking to add maybe 75mm, supported on netting (the orange barrier netting, under the suspended floors is held up with that OK), stapled in place and the insulation placed on top. Loads of space for the spiders to live! Was thinking rockwool as you said about polystyrene, not sure I'd want that burning in the case of a house fire. I did a test once, sheep wool, rock wool, polystyrene and PIR, about the same of each into the fire. PIR and polystyrene loads of black smoke, fire as you'd expect, rockwool just sat there, melted a bit, sheeps wool burnt but no real nasty fumes. We used to get meat packages delivered - meat direct from the farm - and that was insulated with wool, which afterwards was a waste material.. and is now insulating the gable end of the house, it did make a difference I think but because it was filled up over time there was no sudden changes in temperature up there.

I'm sure you get the terms of reference here, there was a man on here a few month ago asking advice and was convinced that a set of motorcycle leathers and helmet, some step ladders and all would be good - wouldn't listen to the advice given - and then one day, no more posts (I am assuming he either hired someone in or managed to avoid an accident doing it himself). Anyway post a photo and see what the advice is

We get Canadian wild salmon in our Morrisons (wouldn't usually say which supermarket but I know you'd all ask "Waitrose?"). Ours fly that way, theirs fly this way. Left to their own devices and according to the Scottish Government map I just looked at wild Scottish Salmon swim over Iceland and to (Canadian) Newfoundland and then back.. so why bother flying them if they will swim there and back anyway....

Fish farms - as an example Salmon. They are fed pellet foods which if uneaten will sink to the sea bed, algae will use that creating blooms, starving the plankton in the area and then the oxygen levels drop. The waste from the fish do the same - so all you eventually get in the area is dead water and farmed salmon. The salmon attract parasites - lots of salmon in the area, lots of parasites which pass to the wild fish - attracted by the waste food - and spreads through the wild population... which can be controlled by releasing parasite killing stuff into the water... which then kills off other stuff. With meat farming the medicines are given out in a more controlled way. Farmed salmon are very fatty, no room to exercise, so they have the good fatty acids... but also the bad ones too (you can see the difference in the supermarket - farmed salmon has a layer of brown gunge / fat on it, wild salmon doesn't). Seaweed - been farmed for centuries - the Romans did it! (some see weeds are used. For example and I can't remember the names for the ingredient but ice cream has seaweed derived stuff to thicken it and make it creamier (and cheaper to make). However 'seaweed' you might buy at a Chinese is more likely to be salted dried cabbage or kale (and Wasabi is often horse radish). If you looked into everything the food industry did to all types of food you' probably get an allotment and lead 'The Good Life'.

Got to love Arbtalk, one minute a lively discussion about the merits of meat eating and the next "Snails? We must swap recipes"

I think a lot depends on how much it is leaning, the size and space around it what the best options would be - as above - a picture would help

Couldn't eat a whole one though.

Oh, and welcome to Arbtalk - they do get distracted easily..... My piece after loitering and reading the forum..... Every now and then a young lad (nearly always a lad) will ask for a job or a lead to get one. I'd say that single post is as far as 60% get. The next 30% will have a bit of a chat for a say and that is it, and the last 10% will read the advice and might act on it, joining in with the chat. Noting that on a pissy wet day you are going to stuck in a cab at lunch with exactly the same banter going on.... so get used to it. Not sure a new apprentice will need to bulk up and work out specifically for the job... but you aren't going to get so far if after 4 or 5 months the wiry 60 year old is still going while you take your 10th breather of the day....but... fitness will come on the job... but it does need a base to start from. Qualifications... they will come, no one will expect a 21 year old to be fully trained with their own kit - I'd be asking where they stole it from if they did! A reasonable boss will see that you need some work and attitude is more important than a folder full of tickets... but... if they are spending on your training they will need to get that money back.... I reckon you will be sort of paying for yourself after a year - the first year you are simply an expense, after 2 years you will begin to be profitable... so don't be surprised if you get told that.. however I'd also be suspicious of an interviewee who was looking for a new role after only a year into a career - so stick around in the first role to get some experience. Attitude is the right thing though. So you can look in the phone book for local tree surgeons and give them a shout, chase them, you could take a walk locally every now and then - chainsaws are hard to hide, get on your bike and find them.. and if they arn't stuck up a tree introduce yourself. I wouldn't knock the council either - some of them are out for themselves but I find the ones who have to think a bit are generally decent and will take their time. But like all jobs it comes to attitude, sounds like you are keen enough, so time to knock on some local doors?

... should .... I didn't install mine so put a guess in there - suspect the whole thing is more than 15kg but there will be a portion of that weight on the floor.. but that is only a small part of what is quite a heavy install

How close is this tree to failing? Is it imminent (next week) or longer term (next winter, or longer) ? which might explain the trusts action. If it is likely to fail in say 2 years time then they might be leaving it for now.

Payment... easy if the job goes to plan, quote is this, charge is the same. They had warning at quote stage what the cost was going to be and can have the cash / cheque / transfer all ready to go. Some customers - in all business - "can you just do that while you are here" - might be shift a pile of logs from a previous job, could be "take down that small bush" - or even "Spend another week and do that small forest" - adds time and cost to the job - and so needs an invoice amended or created, cannot give them the bill on the day. Other customers - again in all business - "can you leave out that part of the job" - perhaps "just do that one tree, not both", or "We can keep the logs, save you going to the tip" - something that makes the job quicker and easier - and again a new invoice needs raised. Happens to all companies and it is up to the owner what to do. I'd say domestic customers are more easy going, pay on the day. Companies... raise an invoice with them, submit it, wait till it filters to accounts, and then the next payment run, could easily be 2 weeks

Don't you love farce? My fault, I fear I thought that you'd want what I want Sorry, my dear But where are the clowns? Quick, send in the clowns Don't bother they're here

A quick look online suggests 160kg+ for the stove, I would guess 30kg for the hearth? Another 15kg for the weight on the floor for the flu? Non combustible material for the plinth and the tiles and surround - looking at 250kg+ maybe? Perhaps might be worth a quick check with someone

Is it worth it..... depends on your time, but if it will mean you pay less for fuel and wouldn't be doing much anyway then probably, or if you gave up say a gym membership to do that work out instead. Looks like commercially once dried you'd have to spend a fair bit to get the same quantity delivered.

Never split acacia but it looks very twisty - a tricky one

I can't imagine that being any good: "Hold on, nearly got it, yes got the weapon moving now." "Fecking screw driver attachment! Give me a moment" "OK and fire"

Looks like oak, or very similar, slow grown - lots of close growth rings = lots of energy. Splitting should be reasonably easy just now - still fresh, straight grain, and very few branches. I find the small branches are what slows me down the most. Something like that I'd be doing some splits one handed just because it will.

For the nuisance, how much of the tree are you wanting to prune? not sure if it will make a difference, but if you were taking off a small amount this might be different from removing the 3/4 that is over hanging your garden. Might be seen more favourably that you only pruned away the nuisance parts and not everything (even if you did take away more than absolutely necessary).

I reckon the same the same ay I would find out?

No joke but I remember paying 50p a pint in the 90s. It was an appetiser since it made the 75p a pint beer taste so much better.