Ben_Mason_Arb

Visor plate works well, not stupid money. Also cutting in the GRCS to get a good solid mounting helps a lot. I like your idea of some spikes to replace the rubber feet, although with a good solid mount and the biggest chap on site cranking the strap up have rarely had movement.

Klou make a land rake that can be grabbed to pick up and use. I just think of how many landscaping rakes I could buy and hours I could pay the apprentice to rake up compared to the price of the rake for the Vermeer!!

What’s the device used to punch the lock off? An air compressed bolt gun?

I used to use these on trailers until I snapped a key in one the other week. A sharp blow with a sledge hammer and it came straight off. Not using them any more. Got the stronghold type now for a bit under a hundred quid seem fairly robust.

I sent our TR8 back to forst for a touch up they did a really good job came back looking like new. They powder coated it price was very reasonable. Maybe contact your chippers manufactures directly and get a quote to re powder coat?

Using the exact same at the moment was given some and prefer them to my Buckingham’s. I thought they were Distel? Really comfy. Mine have L and R imprinted on the inside of the pads, handy when you’re getting gear on in the morning and still got sleep in your eyes!

Files out like any other chain, although doesn’t have as much leeway when it starts to dull best kept sharp. If only the files were cheaper I would buy a roll of it. Has anyone tried other types of files that work with hexa chain??

Running Hexa chain on 3 saws at the moment, 46, 500 and 66. I like the way it cuts smoothly and sharpens easily. Only downside is the files I had a dodgy batch and snapped 2 in half out the package, made me cry at £10 each! Think I’ll go back to full chisel when these chains are done though purely because of the price of the files.

Sid and Ernie my two Springer Spastics, (no offence intended to humans) !

Anything will wear better than Arbortecs! Sip are good. Have a look on eBay for second hand stuff, quite often good deals to be had on used good condition ppe. Would recommend boots and trousers second hand if you can but spend on a new helmet.

If the remaining limb has the potential to harm or damage anything/anyone if it were to fail I would remove it. From the pictures it looks like the tear has gone a fair way into the main structure of the timber.

Should run better without spark arrester, exhaust gases escape better. Shouldn’t need to re tune, never run a Makita can’t comment on why the exhaust is heating up like that.

Iv got one on the Vermeer. For the money it is fine for the odd small to medium stump, have done large stumps but takes a while. We still hire a big Bandit if there’s a lot to get through. Takes a bit of getting used to but perfectly capable, not as quick as a dedicated machine but a quarter of the price. Customer service from Klou is always fantastic.

Really interesting thought thank you! There was one other Scots Pine adjacent to the four pictured that was in decline also. Ben

Went for a walk this morning here in East Sussex to look at some woodland we worked in last year. There were 4 fairly mature Scots pines in a small copse that have browned off and appeared dead standing. One looked like it was been attacked by boring insects? Another mature specimen was dead standing with all the foliage browned off, a few boring holes were visible and there was dark sap/seepage on main stem. Trees were all healthy this time last year. First time I have seen Scot’s Pine in this area dying off so quickly. Ben