John Skinner

I know that the local (Highland/Moray) forestry has been shut down on most of its sites as far as selling wood, scavenging for wood and even in some cases cutting wood ... all because of health and safety issues after the storms. Just so many wind blown, hanging, unsafe trees and not enough people to clear this up. I had planned to take around 15-20C/M direct from them and had arranged this pending access. But even in the last few weeks i've been informed they are still at a stand still, with now a huge backlog (no pun intended) waiting. No one is going in, so no wood will be coming out in the near future.

Well just bought a box of 100 plugs. If it survives that ... hell ... it deserves to live 👍 Just trying to get this done so i can get started on my crimson king maple and cherry, both need a damn good cut back. Apparently there has been sun at the front of my house all along (i had no idea) it was blocked by the trees 🙄

It's just a very annoying Privet hedge. So no big stumps, just clusters of small ones on large old roots. It's along a drive/road in an L-shape. So they can pick those plastic bits up as they pass daily.

Sorry. My mistake. You were only trimming, not removing. I need to read more / write less 🙄

Looks just like the job i just did on my own back garden; 40ft long, 5ft thick and 9ft+ high. I did all the cutting and bagging myself, and it cost me near what you charged just to have it taken away. So ... yeah ... i think you under charged. * Just my non-pro opinion.

Above the ground level its just clusters of small cut-off stumps; 2-4" each. But below the ground level that opens up to a single much bigger block root. I'll stick one in each of the bigger stump heads, that should do it. One in each, then double up with any i have left over. They will be intended for much bigger tree stumps, so they will be over strength (or you'd like to think so) for something of this size.

Found some Eco Plug (GLYPHOSATE) tree, root, stump killer online. Seems like a good way to do this. No sachets or liquids sprinkle/spray/pour all over the shop. Just pop one into each stump and let it do its thing.

When i did my own hedge a few years back, i dug down about 9" and cut-off down to that point. I then covered the lot with 2 sheets of plastic and about 12" of stones. To this day i still have a mini hedge of the the one i tried to kill 🙄 When another neighbour tried to get rid of his hedge, he ended up with a huge hole, a heavy chain and a pickup to rip them out. They sure do get a grip after 50yrs 😱 I'll look online and see what i can get as a root/stump killer. I think that will be the way to go on these.

I've just taken down / am still taking down about 100ft of 50yr old privet hedge from a neighbours garden. There was no way the roots were coming out, so i've cut it off at just above ground level. I know from trying to get rid of my own a few years back, this stuff is hard to stop coming back. Hell ... mine came back through 2 sheets of plastic and about 12" of stones. So what's the best way (other than removing the roots) of killing this off? Is there a poison i can put onto the newly cut stumps to kill the roots ... or ??? * Anyone want around 30 cubic bags of Privet hedge? No, you say? But why? lol 🤔🤣

Seen this: After the 1st January 2022 it will become illegal to manufacture or sell a stove that isn't Ecodesign Ready. However, stoves already installed or already in the supply chain (manufactured before 1st January 2022) are exempt from this. This would imply that from the stove point of view, if working correctly, it should be ok. The issue would be whether the position was suitable (distance from consumables, solid hearth, heat shield, etc), if the flue was suitable, whether there was enough air intake, cold air flow (below/behind) the stove, heat/fire/carbon sensors in place etc

Have you checked with your local stove shop if you can even have a non-eco 2022 certified stove installed now? I don't think you can, but i could be wrong. It had to happen sooner or later It might be a case if you already have one installed you can keep it. But if it's a new installation it must be "Eco 2022" certified. Before you go to too much more trouble and expense, it might be worth checking this out. Even when it's a new certified stove you're fitting, there are serious amounts of things to check and hoops to jump through.

Thanks. I welcome all advice from those in the know. It's a learning process and while i never shy away from any excuse to buy tools (some i even use). I'm certainly not going to start bulk buying all kinds of choppy, slicey, cutty things 😂. I will probably splash out on a maul, but thats just logical (i think) to have something for those bigger jobs - if needed. Other than that - I'm done 👍 I have no issue with softwood (there's a joke there somewhere). I seem to have got a rep for not liking it somehow, just because i was told to stay away from conifer. But no ... If it burns and it's not going to bugger-up my new flue, then i'll gladly take it. Trust me, nothing i'd like more than to make some contacts with Arbs or anyone that could hit me up with some FREE or cheap wood. Even if its not going to produce anything atm, it's beneficial for further down the road when they ARE in a position to help. That was the whole point of starting the Nairn Tip Site listing. Sadly it's been as successful as my sex life atm. Lots of banter, lots of waiting, not much action and very little wood 🤣🤣 I know its a Marathon (Snickers) not a sprint, and i'm sure it'll all work out. In the mean time i'm learning as i go. Thanks again for the input 👍

I used a grenade at a friends house (that sounds weird and dangerous, lol) as he was using it to split his logs. It worked quite well on mid sized logs, splitting them into 2-3 bits. But you're right. I don't think it ever split in four. I bought mine on Ebay for a couple of pounds. If it's pants, it'll work as a paperweight in the tool shed.

You just described exactly what i plan to do. Lengths cut to logs with the chainsaw. Large logs cut to blocks with the maul or hammer/grenade wedge. Smaller logs split into kindling using the small hand axe or lump hammer and fixed wedge. Big to small, then stack. Weirdly i'm actually looking forward to the 'workout'. Now everyone remember that i just said that. So 2-3wks down the line when i'm bitching about my back killing me etc ... you can all laugh 🙄 Yes. I looked at the hydraulic splitters on Ebay; just out of curiosity. I think it was 8T vertical splitter for £149.99. Some of the larger mechanical ones i've seen online for American style homesteads/much larger operations looked really impressive. I'm just a guy with a wood stove in the kitchen. I think those are all way beyond my needs and/or budget; and always will be. Might stretch to buying a maul, that's about my limit 👍

Oh yeah, i totally get that it's all fresh cut wood. I just didn't particularly want conifer 👍

Agreed. Softwood for instant quick burning heat and hardwood for longer lasting burns. But in the instance of taking freshly cut conifer from an Arb that's just cleared a job and looking to dump it ... it would be fresh/green/wet wood i'd get. In the long-term, yes, i could dry and use - that's true. I'm just going by what the stove people advised 🙂👍

I have a brand new stove. Last thing i want to do is burn conifer in it. I don't want to ruin the flue ... well ... not until i've actually paid for it 😂🤣

Like i said ... most of them i've had for years. Only now are they potentially coming into use. Not sure i'm overthinking it, but I know what you mean 👍

Collection: Chainsaw (18" 65cc), a basic splitting axe, couple of mid size 1kg hand axes, a small kindling splitter axe, a 1.8kg grenade 4-way wedge (due in), a Titan Pro wedge (due in), various lump and sledge hammers. All of which, other than the wedges, have been gathered in over the years, but remain new. I have spoken to a few of the local companies and most are selling their wood by the cubic meter for more than i can buy for/would pay. But i'm still waiting to hear back from some. The point of the Tip Site listing was to take in any FREE/Discounted/Bartered wood as an extra, to fill out the new woodshed. The more i can take in FREE, the less i have to actually buy. I don't like disturbing the moths in my wallet 🤪 I can 'usually' buy discounted raw uncut wood in 3x, 6x, 12x M3 loads for self cutting/collection direct from the wood. But due to storm damage, wind blown trees, health and safety issues - that's all off atm. Waiting to hear back about that atm too.

Ah !! 🙄 Well in that case ... the £30 + VAT is far too cheap !! Joke 😄😆😂🤣

£30 + VAT seems perfectly reasonable 'IF' you are in an area where you're likely to get a wood supply, now or in the very near future. In fact its an outright bargain 👍 Slightly less so if, like me, you happen to be in an area with no current activity, few members, and apparently no tipping Arbs. In which case it would currently be a £30 + VAT waiting fee. * This is purely down to my location (Highlands) and not the fault of the site or its members. Just seems to be little or nothing going on up here 😞

Yes. I like the tyre idea for the splitting of the larger logs/multiple smaller logs. Will probably give that a go. I have some 235's and rear bike tyres that could be ideal for this. I'll also have to invest in a good maul to add to the axe collection. But first things first. I need to layout a trail of beer to attract some Arbs to my tip site 😉

I'll be using a vertical 'pallet made' saw horse with the 18" chainsaw to initially cut things down to logs. Will need to change to a larger bar/chain to get better/full clearance. As has been said ... I'll need to see what height splitting block works for me. It'll soon get sorted out, with a bit of trial and a lot of error. I'm told you want to have the axe/maul/hammer head striking the top of your log at the point the axe shaft is horizontal. In theory that should mean the centre of the axe/maul/hammer head is the impact point. Just ordered a Titan Pro wedge to help on the kindling front. That'll be securely mounted on a high block, inside one of those rubber buckets, to catch all the bits as they split off. Never used one, but looks good/simple. Who would have thought all this thought went into splitting wood for a fire. How did all those cavemen ever manage? 😉

Do you manually split your logs on a block, or do you work directly on the ground? I'm looking at a dual setup for the new woodshed: 1) A mid sized wide block for splitting larger logs with a maul or 4-way grenade splitter and hammer. 2) A taller narrower block for re-splitting into kindling at a more workable height; got to protect the old back. How do you cut yours, and what do you see as the advantages of cutting at that low/high height? .

Thanks guys. All good information given and all much appreciated. I will reach out to the local Arbs directly and see if that generates anything new. I am patient and know it might take some time; i'm here for the long haul. I also think it never hurts to just mention every now and again that you are still looking. It might not reach the right people at the time, but it might reach someone or make a contact for the future. Thanks again.