5thelement

The Duster is very common here so they should be easy to pick one up, don’t know anyone who owns one and puts it to work though. There is a Berlingo/Boxer van option here called a Dangel which is 4x4, used by just about everyone in farming/agriculture, Forestry England have a some of them over in Norfolk, although they are not generally imported, can’t understand why.

Could be worse.

I have no interest in a new Defender. Do you actually own or use a Duster or are you basing your opinion on a YouTube clip?

A Disco is way bigger than my 90 pick up and can’t turn in through my gate. wife has a new Dacia Jogger, it’s pretty well built and she is happy with it. The Duster 4x4 is very common here, engines are a bit in the small side though. I’d take a new Defender over two Dusters.

A mate in Finland has one with an Arb kit and a few other tweaks, tiny load space, a great to drive but not sure how well it would stop whilst towing though.

I have decided to move my Defender 90 pickup on, as I no longer do a great deal of Forestry or require a vehicle with full off road capability, the wife hates it and it isn’t practical as I can’t take the kids/family anywhere in it ( 2 seats). I am looking at getting something newer but have no real knowledge of this market or what the options are. I need a family friendly 4x4, not a pickup, to tow a sub 750kg Greenmech chipper into gardens, across lawns and through relatively dry and level paddocks/fields. Decent ground clearance and something that doesn’t sit on its arse when the chipper is attached or is gutless when towing. I don’t want anything as big as a Discovery as the missus might need to drive it, so probably looking at a short wheelbase like a Land Cruiser, Shogun, Pajero, X-Trail, Freelander 2, Subaru Forester or maybe something like a VW Touareg. Any suggestions on makes, models that you have positive experience of or models to avoid would be great. TIA

Whilst back in Blighty I am exploiting the consumables/cheap kit market, had some stuff from Chainsawbars delivered to the MIL house, always fantastic service. Then picked up these bargains off fleabay, Andrew Arbpro for £160 and a pair of Meindl Airstream for £180, I’ve never owned a pair of either, they may even see me through to retirement.

He was using a 10 year old stock image of a drug boat to back this action, a bit like the stock image of the same immigrant boat continuously arriving off Dover.

Eggs probably told him. 😂

It’s why they don’t plant females as street trees in the UK. I see them in France, the fruit squashed all over the pavements along with its distinctive stench of dog shit mixed with vomit.

I have been drenched 5 days out of the last seven, yesterday on the open Heathland was biblical. Last day at work today though before a few days with the family, dry with the chance of a blustery wind, I may even get the chance to spot the elusive Dartford Warbler today.

I quite like the look of this for small rigging jobs in confined areas, what do you reckon @AHPP 48K views · 145 reactions | EDER DaWinchi - tree rigging bollard +... WWW.FACEBOOK.COM EDER DaWinchi - tree rigging bollard + winch. 👌🌳 #rigging #rigger #rigginglife #riggingstage...

Back in Blighty for a LANTRA chainsaw recertification event, it will be good to catch up with a few old friends on a familiar Kent stomping ground, and it isn’t raining.

If I remember right, Stihl never had any intention of running the 500i for more than a short run in production terms. Maybe it cost more to produce than the standard set up, making the margins too narrow to spread the technology over that many models, it is very thirsty, maybe it doesn’t work well on smaller units? The 400.1 is a great saw without the fuel injection, do they need it?

You having some Mushy Tea and listening to Gong?

Heavy old stuff too, that fire pit design looks fantastic too.

Husqvarna are bringing out their first fuel injected saw shortly, I have one on order, 564xpg. As light as a 50cc with the power of a 70cc, had a blast on one recently, a fantastic mid range snedding machine.

There is a rigging course with spaces available on 24th November at Scott Fraser Training in Lamberhurst, Kent. Scott has a fantastic knowledge of rigging and can push you as far as you want to go. Those that can’t, are Irish drunks and their arb mates masquerading as trainers ( the ones you used and recommended on here previously), those than can, do, and do so at the highest level….or so the saying goes.

And don’t go down your usual route of getting training/tickets from Mickey Mouse drunken Irishmen, get a proper Instructor who knows stuff.

The boys school is on strike today so he joining me in the woods to collect some firewood. It’s about time I taught him how to cleave Sweetchestnut, so we will knock up a bit of post and rail whilst we are there, a lovely sunny morning.

I can’t pay for my hookers and coke with chip and pin either.

I am not talking about fantasy newspaper headlines and their bullshit predictions. I am talking about actual behaviour, banning your best friends from family BBQ’s because they didn’t have the jab, and such like. The Government cancelling Christmas with a few days notice, whilst partying behind closed doors, and people going along with it. I have lost all faith in people making a stand in the UK.

It is inevitable, if every prick roles over and accepts it like they did with Covid.

I seem to remember, not that long ago, an unbelievable amount of tax payers money being wasted on a Covid track and trace system that never worked. I have serious doubts that they could even manage this idea, even if everyone wanted it. If only there was a way to coherence people into having one, just like the Covid jabs, if only the was an ‘invasion’ of some sort that could be stopped, but allowed to continue, that might help push it over the line.