Cordata

Can someone ban him already^

Thanks everyone, good to know species & that I can cut it back 👌

I have a tree/(large shrub?) I would like to reduce quite a lot but I don't know what it is, and if it takes hard pruning well.

There are no growth points to take to past the outer crown - if I cut it in the inner woody sections without any foliage (as you could with a laurel for example and it would come back fine), is this suitable for this plant?

Advice and an ID would be appreciated.

10 minutes ago, Steven P said:

 

Not a fan of lifeless new build identikit pig-ugly houses, for the garden though I'd also factor in that it might not all be soil under the turf - left over bricks, cement, all sorts, usually a thin top soil - from round here that all gets scrapped off the plot first thing, and the slop suggests to me heavy machinery driven all over the garden to create that.. so perhaps factor in a little extra digging time and perhaps something for compacted poor soil.

 

Yeah me neither, no character at all like the old stone houses nearby.

The client was pretty chilled out, he even mentioned the builders probably put loads of crap in the soil so it could be a case of changing plans after we started digging and problems arise

4 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Hornbeam thrives in the clay of the Weald.

I for whatever reason didn't know that characteristic of hornbeam, liking moisture.

From a few google searches it could be the perfect thing to plant, maybe even digging a trench and mixing some compost in with the naturally occurring clay in case it is devoid of nutrients.

Because all the websites I'm reading say it's moisture tolerant and does well in clay, maybe I don't need to create a raised area of soil as @Stere says?

38 minutes ago, Stere said:

Id say choose  hornbeam instead & your plan may create a sump for water, & make a berm to plant into

 

How to Plant based on Soil Drainage | Sierra Azul

SIERRAAZUL.COM

 

 

Looks like a new build might be turf layed over subsoil & topsoil missing or some other messed up  things.

Thanks, that is very true about just creating a place for the water to pool in, I'm just not sure what the best thing to do is.

I like the idea for a raised section & what that website says, I will ask the question and see what they say.   

Hornbeam is similar to beech that would be good, I think it's quite a lot slower growing though. I've suggested 1.75-2m trees, and they want the hedge to grow up past the fence for privacy, so the time taken to grow might make them want something else

Hi all,

I have been asked to look at a job where the customer wants a beech hedge planted along one side of their garden. The whole area consists of heavy clay soil and there's evident waterlogging, ground squishy everywhere.

The neighbour directly over the fence where the hedge is to be planted, has put in a French drain, to collect the water and take it away.  

I've attached an image showing the site and direction of water flow. My question is: how best to prepare the ground for the beech hedge going in? 

I am considering a metre-wide trench, the existing clay soil completely removed, and refilled with 50:50 soil/compost. Maybe even digging lower than required for the trees (50cm?) and putting a small layer of rocks/gravel in the bottom to alleviate potential drainage issues. I don't know if I should consider additional drainage methods, as the water flows towards where we want to plant, is it possible to take TOO much water away?

Forest research says - "Beech can grow on mineral soils of poor to medium nutrient status including calcareous ones, but does not tolerate compacted, waterlogged or very dry soils". So waterlogged (as it is currently) is bad, but I don't want to overdo drainage so there is no moisture available, if that's even possible.  

Anyone with experience of this situation able to offer advice? Thanks

9 hours ago, GarethM said:

What's the year, if it's old the drive shaft can wear causing it to turn elliptically on the clutch cup/bearing.

 

If you remove the clutch cup and chain does it start easily?.

I replaced the air filter, fuel filter, and spark plug and it seems to have fixed it, but thanks for the suggestion I'll look out for that in the future

10 hours ago, Bob_z_l said:

Pretty sure others will make better comment but have you done the reset? 

Then on mine I changed the fuel solenoid for the updated (white?) version. 

 

I got a service kit with new air filter, fuel filter, and spark plug and when fitted this seemed to solve the problem.

I did pick up a fuel solenoid as well since you mentioned it, and some googling & youtube videos tell me that it's good preventative maintenance to replace this every so often, so I'll get round to replacing it when I have more time

Looking at this article on how to replace - 

How To Change A Solenoid Valve On Your Machine | STIHL Blog

BLOG.STIHL.CO.UK

---

Solenoid valves can wear due to dirt in the fuel tank on your petrol machine. Check out our quick guide to changing the solenoid valve here.

- it says to 'coat the solenoid valve below the collar with press fluid'

Did you do this, and if so what is and where can I find press fluid?

Thanks

20 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

Fuel filters are a couple of quid, find a YouTube vid on getting the old one out easily. Wash the air filter, change the plug. These things solve most starting problems to be honest.

Thanks, I got a service kit with a new spark plug, air filter, and fuel filter, fitted them all and it started easily

It's about 4 years old and I've never replaced any of these through semi-regular use so think this sorted it out

21 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

Mine is a little different in that the fuel tank is a jerry can sat in the front of the machine. It has a couple of joints in the line, the bottom hose which dips into the tank had hardened and so not making a great seal. It would let air in when the fuel level was low so hard to start, one day split completely.

 

The short term (on site) answer was lift the jerry can up with a log. To prime I held the open end of tube up and poured petrol in using the cap off a water bottle, doing that you could see petrol collecting in the fuel filter. New tube now , been absolutely fine since. The joints don't need to be super tight, mine have cable ties or spring clips. Just twist the tube and see if it's gripped on the spigot, it's not like these tubes are resisting a load of pressure trying to push them apart.

 

My feeling with all this though is that struggling to prime stops the engine from starting up. Once it's running there is plenty of impulse so the pump gets going and priming is not the issue. Why connect on a new filter and short bit of hose, dip it in a small can of petrol and you'll isolate anything that could be an issue tank side?

 

Air filter is really quick to check though, should do that regularly.

That makes sense and I agree that once the engine is going, it should prime ok as fuel is being sucked in, but there is a possible blockage or something between the tank and the engine I should troubleshoot, which would explain why the bulb remains low.

Another commenter mentioned water in the filter.. is this something you think will be causing the issue? And it will just dump out when I disconnect the filter?

A new filter with a small hose in a can of petrol makes sense for testing this out, I'll look into trying this and report back

23 minutes ago, Will C said:

If it’s a fairly new machine I guess you have the operators manual? If so it should have a section on basic maintenance and servicing, have look at that, you might find another filter hiding somewhere.
 

it won’t taste nice but if you take a pipe off the feed side of the filter and blow down it you should get bubbles in the tank. If you can’t blow through it something is blocked.

I need to sit down and properly look at the manual, I could very well be missing something obvious

That idea makes sense for testing for blockages..

Probably sound stupid, but I have never disconnected one of those fittings in the fuel line system holding the hoses on.

Just as simple as loosening it off to disconnect, and then when I put it back on do I really need to crank down on the screw to tighten it? Or it just needs to be firmly torqued?

18 minutes ago, spuddog0507 said:

Is there not a fuel cut off tap/leaver on the tank ? if not just rem=new the inline filter, 

all fuel contains a percentage of water and on hot days it seperates and builds up in the fuel tank, i just had a dumper pack up and the fuel filter was full of water, emptied it out and off we go again,,

I've attached a photo showing the connector coming out the tank, and the inline filter

That's interesting about the filter filling up with water, like the filter I have here is designed to let petrol through, but not let water through?

I am probably being stupid, but I guess I'd have to disconnect the top fitting on the filter first, turn it upside down so water there doesn't slide back into the tank when I disconnect the bottom fitting, then I can dump it out?

Do I then need to prime the fuel lines before turning the engine back on?

16 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

That's basically the same engine as my chipper, also have an inline filter like that which always has a bubble in it. Fuel is sucked in by a pump under the air filter that's driven by a vacuum impulse line.

 

It is true that if the pipe gets completely empty it can struggle to suck in to get started, but once it's running I've never had a problem with it getting enough fuel.

 

Make sure the fuel tank is nice and full, that means less suction needed. My first check would be air filter though, you haven't mentioned checking that. Check the oil level, if it's low will kill the ignition. Also change the plugs, couple of quid to eliminate that possible problem.

Thanks for the practical tips - 

I've never cleared out the air filter on this yet which could very well be stalling the engine, I'll blow it out tomorrow. Also will check oil.

See how you say if the pipe gets empty it can struggle to get started.. it there a way to prime the line with fuel?

Quick google said (albeit for a car engine) a way to prime the fuel line was to turn the engine over without the spark plug connected a few times and it would fill with fuel.. Possible solution?

I don't know if I popped the cover holding all the belts and tried turning the shaft if it would be hard to turn?

40 minutes ago, Will C said:

Does it have a electric lift pump in or close to the tank? If so this may have a filter built into it. 

I looked as best I can following the fuel line, and it doesn't seem like there is a pump feeding fuel in from the tank, I think the engine does all the pumping

The only thing I can see between the fuel tank and the engine when following the fuel line, is the transparent bulb filter in the pictures

38 minutes ago, spuddog0507 said:

thats just a common in line filter just put a new one on, but before you put the fuel line on the in feed side check that there is a good flow of fuel,, if not check fuel tap on tank as it could be partly blocked,,

To be honest I don't really know what I'm doing,

Check fuel tap on tank, checking for a good flow of fuel - how would I do that?

Also you said it looks like there might be water in the bulb, that doesn't sound good.. what reason makes you think that?

Circled in yellow the fuel filter which seems to be low, and also a photo of what it looks like.

I guess it's transparent so you can visually tell when it's clogged up and needs changed, but it's a pretty new machine, I don't think it's clogged up..

I have a timberwolf 160PH chipper, and on a job the other day the engine cut out.

When I switched it back on, it was kind of 'barely' running, like the engine wanted to cut out and didn't quite have the guts to keep going.

There's a clear bulb thing going into the engine which the manual says is the fuel filter - before this issue started happening, I could see the bulb was always pretty full of fuel, and now it's very low down, like there isn't much fuel getting to the engine.

When it first cut out I was up a tree and the subcontractor I was working with who is pretty inexperienced at using machines (like knowing to put the choke on when an engine is cold to get it going etc) was struggling to start it, I think they had the key turned for ages and I could hear the starter motor going for a pretty long time without the chipper starting.. Is this a potential reason for depleting the fuel in the system somehow?

Just racking my brains as to what it might be, advice on troubleshooting this would be appreciated

I have a stihl 261 with m-tronic.

Over the past few jobs it's taken quite a few pulls to start, and once it's fired up and running it seems fine, but starting it up even when it's warmed up and it doesn't need the choke can take many many pulls of the starter cord.

Sometimes it won't start at all when pulling the cord, and (strangely) when it's left for a few minutes after failing to start it and I try to start it, it starts pretty easily.  

Is there a common reason for this? I'm wondering if it's fuel related, maybe the fuel filter needs cleaned or changed? No other ideas are jumping out, advice would be much appreciated

I've seen a young oak plantation in central Scotland which had a mix of English oak and sessile oak, and the bark was like this

I think young oak trees (maybe under certain conditions?) have that kind of bark, and as they mature it changes

Maybe a bit like how sycamore has smooth (sort of beech-like) bark on young trees, and when it's mature it has a flaky scale type bark

2 hours ago, spudulike said:

I reckon that once the drill bites, the screw remains will unscrew as you drill as the screw remains will be under no tension.

2.5 - 3mm drill up it with an easy out in reserve. Relatively easy job.

You can sharpen drills very effectively if you have a bench grinder and know the basic angles of a drill head.

So I didn't read this thread until now, having already tried the carbide bit this afternoon

It did exactly what you said here, and to my surprise the bolt almost instantly flew out the threaded hole - no need for bolt extractor at all!

16 hours ago, woody paul said:

Never had much luck with stud extractors were you drill a hole. Tack weld a washer then weld nut to washer then just undo it. 

I do like this idea.. I guess I'd have to use a washer with a super small hole in the middle so I only tack the bolt and don't damage anything surrounding it.

Been and got the bolt extractor already so I'll try this for now

It might be a dud cobalt drill bit, not sharpened at the end properly perhaps? I got it for a couple quid at the shop.

I don't have a pillar drill unfortunately, just a steady hold on a cordless drill..

Borrowed a carbide bit from someone which google says is far harder than high speed steel or cobalt, so it should be able to do the job!

I have a bolt which sheared off in my long reach Stihl hedgecutter head attachment.

I have a bolt extractor to remove the sheared off bolt, but when I tried drilling through, a cobalt drill bit has done almost nothing to the bolt..

Any advice on  which type of drill bit to get, and what material these Stihl bolts are made of?

Thanks

Hi,

I want to set belt tension on my chipper and have never done this before.

I've watched a few videos on youtube on using a belt tensioning gauge tool, and I see they have O-rings and are rated for a certain force.. for example on amazon I found a tool which says it is 10lbs (~4.5 kg).

My manual has instructions showing how to go about tensioning, shown in the attached pic. I get the deflection should be set to 2mm as shown in the manual.

However there is a force range stated in the manual for a new belt (3.75 - 4.01 kg) and a used belt (3.21 - 3.47 kg).

So to get a deflection of 2mm, over the lifetime of the belt I need to apply a varying force to set that.. so can you get tools which let you set the force you apply?