Dan Maynard

Not just hindsight though, you needed a magic wand to stop them rusting away. My brother had a bright yellow MkII Escort, would be worth a fortune if the floors weren't falling out.

Bar needs to be .325 .050 so yes you need to change it too. Stihl have branded theirs the Light04, Oregon make Speedcut, Sugi and Husqvarna seem to call it quick cut. Seems like RobD doesn't have GB in narrow gauge, you could try it out on Oregon bar just over £30 and then get a Cannon bar if you want a real nice one I guess. Going for a bigger sprocket is straightforward to do, whether it makes you cut faster depends on saw size and bar length, it's like changing up a gear on a bike won't make you go faster uphill but if the going is easy and you are a max revs then it can make you faster. I'd doubt that a 550xp on 18" would be any faster, but say on a 13" it probably would. I have a spud ported 372 which I run bigger sprocket and 18" bar (haven't found the need to add a link to chain). Chain speed is good so it cuts really well. If I put 24" bar on though I'd drop back to the normal sprocket to stop it labouring in the cut.

And all the E-type Jags...

I tend to agree, the biggest risk after being hit on the head is probably you falling or being knocked off your ladder by a branch swing, sounds like none of your PPE is addressing that though. HSE have recently had a real go at tree surgeons because of too many falls from height in the industry.

I don't know how it holds up in forestry but Stihl reckon 20% faster cutting, which is surely a useful increase.

Oak can flush more leaves if they get battered/eaten too, had to look up name again - Lammas growth.

Are you sure you don't want .325 .050? Seems to be the modern way for faster cutting - I need to get a new bar for my 261 and thinking whether to change over.

Always said rugby's a dangerous game.

Round here a lot of people keep the wood, or a neighbour has it. For me it's usually after the price for the tree is on the table, I don't mind either way as I've always got plenty of wood so happy for it to go wherever. I've had people keep it and let it rot for years too, seems pointless but I guess they just couldn't bear to let all that valuable poplar be taken away.....

Generally I would say back to normal. Saw some people wearing masks and carefully wiping trolley handles at Tesco today, they looked out of place amongst the other shoppers but nobody made a fuss they were left to do as they saw fit. I guess that's the ideal really, as above you don't know people's situation.

If its water, the issue is that no matter how careful you are, transplanting causes a lot of damage to the thinnest parts of the root system. Capacity to take up water hasn't been challenged until the sun comes out and ground dries out, hence why they are in trouble now. You say twice a week but how much water? They will need gallons and gallons, I guess the only thing you can try is increase the quantity, you need to get the water to soak as deep into the ground as possible. Also mulch around the bases with woodchip, it will help retain it. Then if they don't survive rip them out in the autumn like Mick says.

To be fair this is a forum of tree surgeons, we are always going to say hire a professional. If you wanted the advice to tie another ladder to the top like Fred Dibnah then probably need more of a DIY forum.

I wouldn't buy a 13/75 though, hard to feed anything except straight poles and the outlet is down near your knees so unless you want the chip on the floor you have to shovel everything. Saying that if the only job is willow thinning to woodland paths you could be ok.

I've got some Englebert Strauss trousers with cordura patches, toughest trousers I've ever bought have lasted years of regular use.

Definitely must have done. Near the river Jed where someone added an "I" to the sign.

Seems like the stem diameter reduces a lot just above the gnarly bit, was there a branch removed there in the past? If so then something colonised from the open wound a while ago. We've a row in the churchyard which were topped more than 20 years ago, two have succumbed to something and put the whole thing in to decline.

Wish I'd known that was there, been to Jedburgh quite a few times as had a customer there but now they've closed the factory so I guess I will not be back.

Don't buy either of those Makita saws, they have been updated and the new brushless ones are better. Still 2 x 18v batteries, rear handle. https://www.fastfix.co.uk/makita-duc355p-twin-18v-brushless-chainsaw.html The Bosch shredder will drive you mad, you need something bigger. It seems you need to buy a longer ladder, handsaw, chainsaw, harness, rope, helmet with chinstrap, chipper, fuel for trips to the tip so you're going to be spending more than £1300 on gear to get anywhere, putting yourself in danger, and frankly it's a lot of work. There has to be a way to get the £1300 together, even ask the neighbours to chip in. This just isn't a DIY type job.

This has come up before, think @Big J was talking about Sprinter upgrades when towing log bullet. Can't think of the company name though.

Crikey, I am thinking about some better loppers too but that's a bit steep for me. I'm going to cut 65mm with a chainsaw so no real need to spend that much.

Didn't rain here but never warmed up, so lit fire this evening.

You need RobD at chainsawbars, he imports them, I know he's been saying there are supply issues for ages. I wouldn't have thought it's so important on 20" anyway.

I bet she can drive a tractor!

I wouldn't even use any screws. Just ratchet strap it together. Make sure small bridges to span the trench and prop it with these in 6ft sections. Build a 6ft wall in that section, then prop and dig the next 6ft section Yeah fair enough, done in sections not too much weight on each part.