Muddy42
-
Posts
1,062 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Classifieds
Tip Site Directory
Blogs
Articles
News
Arborist Reviews
Arbtalk Knot Guide
Gallery
Store
Freelancers directory
Everything posted by Muddy42
-
We've been having a fire every night. We'll put it on earlier and earlier in the day until the biomass heating goes on in October and then slacken off until it gets really cold. Lightening the fire also allows me to confirm that I've swept the flue properly, its a big old house and the flue has a bend in it that makes the job pretty challenging and hard work. I've had three sessions so far (bottom and top with increasingly sized brushes) and I'm still not 100% satisfied.
-
As above I've not found anything that will survive a few rounds of max strength glyphosate. Even then my repeat applications could just be because of impatience to see results, missing some plants originally, rain etc. Leave the stump and stems quite long and use a dye with the glyphosate so you know which suckers have been treated.
-
Thank you decisions decisions. I currently have an ageing full sized Manitou, which is f-ing brilliant as a loader, but the repairs are starting to get expensive. Clearly it won't run a flail. I was hoping to replace it with something new and smaller (25-50hp) that could also run a flail. Maybe it would be unrealistic to have a one size-fits all.
-
Fungal Box blight. Never seen a moth or a caterpillar. It doesn't kill the bushes but manifests itself as dying foliage. Long term, I know the only solution is to grub out the plants and use a different plant, but so far I have kept it in check by feeding, fertilizing, various fungacides and hand pruning out dead or thick areas. hedgecutting in dry spells is essential. Leaf blowing just doesn't work in the tight spaces and could spread the infection.
-
Thanks. Have you ever stacked grain sacks in two layers with it? I put pallets in the middle to provide more stability.
-
I've ever weighed one, maybe a sack is 300kg? Avant say they can lift 800kg, but I'm concerned that the height and reach looks pants. I'm used to a full sized Manitou that can lift 3000kg nearly 7 meters. Thanks, I will look at Mulitone.
-
I appreciate I am picking up a very old thread here. I am consider a medium sized loader, its main requirements will be: 1) stack grain sacks of logs, two high one on top of the other. 2) have enough pump power to drive a front mounted grass cutting flail for large areas of 'twice a year' rough grass cutting. I am currently considering an Avant 500 or 700, because we have a local dealer that will offer a 5 year guarantee. Are there any alternatives I should consider or feedback I should receive regarding the tasks above? Thanks in advance.
-
OK thanks for the feedback, maybe I'll borrow one. Its just the alternatives to a vacuum aren't great. I've tried blowing and it just sends the clippings into the flower beds or all over the gravel. I have been collecting the clippings with ground sheets, but its seriously slow. Yes, I will always be cutting these box hedges in prolonged dry spells to help with the various dreaded box blight.
-
Any feedback on the smaller blowers where the fan can be reversed so they vacuum into a bag? I cut a few low level ornamental hedges - one side gravel one side flower bed, where the cleaning up is awkward and I thought this might be a good idea.
-
On the flip side, it makes me cringe to see people levering on the spikes to crosscut faster and make up for a dull chain. The strain and heat must be horrendous. Its almost as bad as applying the chain brake shortly after full throttle for no reason other than you've finished cutting.
-
I'd strongly encourage you to make do with your current stove, especially if you have plenty of wood and are happy with the current output. I'm sure a decent metal worker would be able to get the bend out with careful use of a press and heat or copy it. Modern stoves need to comply with efficiency and air quality regs which are fine in theory but in older properties there can be issues with poor draft. Regarding the central heating aspect, my understanding is that modern stoves can only get their high efficiency standard by permanently running hot. Sending a loop of colder return heating water would do the opposite and cool the stove down so that's not allowed!
-
If you sell and rebuy, you'll get shafted twice! Its different with new kit or with finance attached, but for the ancient machinery I own, already heavily depreciated, values are stable or going up if anything. If its kept dry, secure and well oiled it'll be fine (I've heard of people spraying on a mix of sump oil and diesel to keep away the rust).
-
I like Evri, mainly because we are all on first name terms with the local driver and he is very helpful - always leaves packages, leaves with neighbors, accepts collections will track packages for you. You can even phone him to find out when he'll deliver/collect during the day.
-
HSS etc, publish their hire agreements online, might be worth a look? As above I would be very cautious about damage and who pays for it. You need to be sure the operators will be liberal with the grease gun and hydraulic fluids. Also please think about why your friends have come to you - if they can't hire these machines in the wider market it could be because the machines get so much abuse that the hire charges will never stack up!
-
The Helicoil seems to have worked in the blind hole. I'm one tank of fuel in and it hasn't vibrated off yet. I started off with the 5.2mm drill and 5.2mm tapered tap that came with the kit. I was very careful to not go too deep with either. I cleaned out the hole with a cotton bud and carb cleaner. I then made a very heath Robinson straight tap from a 5mm bolt with a slit down the middle to remove the swarf. I then levered the slit out to try and get it to 5.2mm. I'm not sure it was a perfect fit but it did remove some more aluminum from the base of the hole. Finally I removed two coils from the Helicoil and ground the bolt to get a good fit, knowing the assembly tab wasn't going to be removed, fitted with locktite and good to go. I'll try and never remove it.
-
I find another use for these big saws is blocking up big knotty logs that wont split or are too heavy to lift.
-
Not being funny, you could find someone to shoot the deer for free and get a freezer full of venison as part of the deal? In South Oxfordshire it'll be fallow deer and maybe roe deer. You never shoot all the fallow deer, but they soon get the message and browsing is reduced if you shoot a few. Is the field safe to shoot in? Are there safe backstops or the ability to put up a high seat and not to many neighbors around that would complain. Not that many people notice a moderated rifle shot at 5am in the morning.
-
Yes understood, I think a flat fee per sale is reasonable. Presumably you have forecast that for an average period of sales £4.95 + VAT per sale will cover all of the postage costs - small items may actually be less and large items more, but on average the business isn't absorbing postgae costs.
-
You say that, but ebay can only offer that convenience because they are massive (so can average out global delivery charges), are well funded and treat their sellers, suppliers and delivery companies pretty badly. As you say, this approach is convenient and customers like it so smaller traders try to do the same. However ultimately this means the trader either absorbs some delivery costs or effectively one group of customers is subsidizing another. People delivering to London subsidizing those delivering to Orkney, those buying one chainsaw file paying for those buying an 8ft chainsaw bar.
-
Helicoil first. I've ordered an M5 kit which I know comes with a 5.2mm drill bit (presumably to allow for the width of the helicoil) and a tap. The tap looks slightly tapered but I'd do some measuring beforehand. Hmnn different pitch, I'll have to check that too.
-
Fair enough. I don't think you can run an online sales business, where the business absorbs some of the postage costs. Ultimately this distorts the margin and provides an incentive to put up prices which ultimately makes comparison difficult as a consumer. Sometimes groups go even further and the exact postage is calculated based on a postcode and the size of the items in the basket.
-
UK rules on filling cans with diesel at petrol station
Muddy42 replied to Squaredy's topic in Large equipment
I'd keep going until they leak! -
To the OP. I can't remember if the 500i comes with these as standard but consider replacement spikes that come the roller type chain catcher that fits into the spikes. These are less prone to clogging.
-
Thanks. I'm taking a bit of time over this. I've got the handle and pull cord mechanism off the saw and clamped it to a board under the drill press. I've been testing for level and square with a smaller 4mm drill bit before I actually cut metal. l'll use tape as a depth stop. I have a broken tapered tap that I'll try and make into a straight tap. fingers crossed.
-
I used to just remove them aswell before the nine inch grinder chop! However I also use the 088 for blocking up or crosscutting big logs and got very aware that I had a saw with the power of a motorbike and no chain catcher (its attached to the spikes). They are a bit of a faff to take on and off and I’d only lose something in time. Post op, the chain catcher is always there and the spikes dont interfere with milling.
