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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45460
Location: yes

Posted: Fri May 31, 19 12:46 am Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

A joint venture seems a good idea. With your knowledge and his energy it could be a good combination.

yep

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri May 31, 19 1:31 pm Post subject:

Yes we could do well, or argue, but a good argument often produces a better product! I will have a serious talk about it in the near future. It is too late to get up and running this year, but forward planning is essential if a joint venture is to take place. I have a crosscut saw, 2 rip saws and a reasonable router he has a rip saw and a big production bench.

This week has been hard work despite only being 4 days, but 2 days off now and a lot of kindling timber acquired over the week will give me a lot to do during the weekend. I think sometimes I do my best thinking when I am chopping wood, as my arm goes up and down almost like a robot, and have been doing it a long time with all fingers and thumbs still in tact, probably because I am touching wood all the time!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 19 7:08 am Post subject:
Sometimes good ideas do come when you are doing something repetitive. Just pay enough attention to keep all the fingers and thumbs.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 19 9:45 am Post subject:

One, two, three, four and a thumb, yes, the left hand is in tact! The right hand is in control of the chopper. I guess that would be different if I swapped hands!

This morning I have been to collect a crate whose previous job was to contain a farm mower, and is now going to help heat Llanfyllyn and district! Although some people come from the Midlands and buy my wood as it is available all the year round. I will chop unless the tree faller arrives. If he comes I will do the tiding up and hold the rope of the trees to come down.

If the chap who does the garden bits and I get our act together and we can get ourselves to do a joint venture with garden stuff we don't have to get premises, he is already working in some on a main
'A' road-those of his Father-in-Law who supplies me the with crates! I would keep the kindling going as it is a good thing and because I do it cheaply to be affordable for older folks who in many cases locally have low pensions-due mainly to poor pension advice. Indeed I have been lucky with money, as I have a job, but would have to watch the pennies if I retired-my 5 mornings a week double my available money, and the lads think I will give up soon-not yet!

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Jun 04, 19 1:35 pm Post subject:

After my dealings with life this morning at work, I think I will retire sooner rather than later. I think I may be losing the plot! My boss is good to me, but his boss wants me out. The problem is the top boy doesn't get away with it where I am concerned. It is a long story, but he owes me money and I think he thinks that getting me the job has paid for it. We were going into business, but it didn't happen, he got a lot of money out of me, and then went quiet for a period; this job appeared about 2 years later. but he has never mentioned the money he owes me or the tractors I mainly bought. I will keep you informed. My immediate boss is a good lad and sorts me out when I am in trouble. It's the next man up who owes me money-Â£5k at least.

To a better note-the trees at home are coming down by a professional tree surgeon. He makes it look easy! What I will be selling is a lot of logs this year ash, sycamore and oak. The faller is also taking the brash, he wants it all for charcoal which he and his girlfriend sell in large quantities and he says he will bring the machine and we can do the job for him! I have a lot of trees to be trimmed from the base of the branches as they are in the way of a safe descent for the tractor when it comes down the hill with a load of hay. You can imagine the dip in the branches in the summer when in full leaf and sap on a branch of about 2 feet in diameter at the trunk and around 25 feet long. It is a beautiful tree, but I want to live!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Wed Jun 05, 19 6:44 am Post subject:

I hope things sort themselves out at work and you get the money you are owed. See how things go for a bit, and just try to keep your mind on one job at a time. They probably would find that although you might be a bit slower than some, you are sure and they couldn't do without you.

Sounds as it the branches, if not the tree does need to come down, as the last thing you want is to come down the hill and hit it. As son says, a tractor with a loaded trailer doesn't stop of a sixpence, even on the flat. He had some idiot do a U-turn in front of his tractor with 40 tons of timber on the forwarder behind him when he was coming down a hill, and it would have been a case of a flat car if it hadn't pulled away fast enough. If the driver could hear his ears would have been on fire as knowing son, he cursed him well.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Jun 06, 19 1:36 pm Post subject:

Things can only get better at work! and getting it said here is good for me. I just don't like moaning too much, life is too short, as they say. I think I may go sooner than I thought-I was going to 80, but think 75 is the maximum and sooner if I can save a bit more!
On the tree front, the faller is probably working there now. I am leaving the stumps at around 8ft, in hope they will pollard which I can cope with and stop too many prying eyes. I will have to spray some of the places to become paths/barrow ways. The plan being to return the front garden to a vegetable patch, as it was for many years, with the rest dug over and weeds removed and even a vegetable grown in the rest of my life sometime! I am hoping to save the plum trees too, but doubt it. I wanted it to be organic but don't think I can wait that long, so I will have to succumb to the sprayer.
Raised beds are the way to go, with the plan being that I can sit down to weeding and so on. I have a lot of wood at my disposal-it just won't all go into kindling! A friend asked me why I chop wood-well every stick is someone who has upset me that day, or I didn't get round to chopping the day before!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Fri Jun 07, 19 6:33 am Post subject:

I would expect the sycamore at least to pollard, the ash should, but will depend on chalara, and the oak may. Sycamore seems to be very hard to kill, and ash under normal conditions is a coppice tree, so should pollard. In our experience, oak goes its own sweet way, so you may be lucky. Good luck with the vegetable gardening.

I still have some to plant out, but somehow a couple of hours down at the hospital makes me too tired to want to get on. Hoping to get them out soon. It is pouring with rain at the moment, so at least only the greenhouse plants to water.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Jun 07, 19 2:12 pm Post subject:

That is good news, that the sycamore will pollard-as it is the majority species of the trees. The ash is the next and oak only 2 about 15 feet high and not much of them. The real problem is that I allowed them to grow at the expense of sense and so the trees are tall and slim-remarkably like my first girlfriend, another story-and the ash is at least 50 feet high, but a very small girth. The reason is that there is so much in the hedgerow that all the trees there are fighting for space, and have grown upwards so none have a girth worth money when felled except for firewood. There are a few holly bushes which I will preserve where I can, and use as a winter cash crop' if they produce berries. I still have some of the old creosote, not a lot, but I hope to use it on the unwanted stumps-if it is allowed I am not wanting to contravene any laws. The sycamores are starting to sprout, even those that have been felled. In fact they all seem to be fighting to exist, I am hoping they do and make a good wind break onto the veg garden.

Another thing I may look into is to cover the back roof with solar panels. The sun shone on them all afternoon yesterday from before I got home 1 30pm till after I finished wood cutting around 6pm., when I went in. It is a south west facing roof and seems to get the heat of the day on it's face I guess it is around 40 ft. by15ft. I don't know anything about it except that I am told if I go for it to keep control of it. It appears that they will buy all the electricity off you at wholesale price and sell you your usage of electricity at commercial prices, they win and win! A week ago the roof was covered in tree foliage!

It is raining this afternoon, not welcome really as the weeds are getting bigger daily, wet and warm=weeds!

I had a shock today. My motor has been playing up on one wheel, front nearside, so I took it to my regular mechanic who changed it amid much bad language and hammering, about 2 to 3 weeks ago! It has now developed the same fault or so I thought, but it is on the nearside rear wheel. Next Tuesday it is going to a different garage to have this done. It will cost a few bob but there we are if it gets me going safely I shall be glad. But I know I can feel the grinding on the steering wheel which is why I feel it is the front-I will be pleased if it stops all this present grief of big bills and no result.

Not much else to be telling you except it is raining-why couldn't it hold off for a few days, till the trees are fallen and all sorted.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2506
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 19 2:09 pm Post subject:

To catch you up on what's been happening lately - last Tuesday was a press preview at the New York Botanical Garden. Absolutely perfect weather, traffic not terrible, and the event was fantastic: Brazilian Modern - The Living Art of Roberto Burle Marx

Saturday (yesterday) was a county-wide electronics disposal day. My copier insists on printing very faintly despite Himself spending hours on trying to convince it to do better, with no success. No one on FreeCycle wanted it. So off I went with it and a couple of other I-know-not-what-that Himself excavated from a closet.

At the event they handed out a sheet with information about the three upcoming hazardous waste disposal days - paint, motor oil, photographic chemicals, insecticide, more. Also a packet of what to do in emergencies - only drink safe water, food facts, emergency supply list, county animal response list (emergency evacuation for pets and farm animals), how to safely dispose of medications, teen vaping, and more.

Then off I went to a perennial extravaganza at an up market garden center/plant nursery across the river in Pennsylvania where a good friend that I see infrequently was speaking. He gave a very nice talk.

And tomorrow I take Amtrak on a 7 1/2 hour ride to Vermont where on Tuesday I will give a talk on Cottage Gardens Then and Now, return on Wednesday. I get paid, my travel expenses are reimbursed, and they will take me to see several gardens. Plus I will obviously get a lot of knitting (crocheting, actually) accomplished.

So now I need to go pack etc. Until I return, then.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45460
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 19 3:03 pm Post subject:

i like the disposal days , we dont have that here but it does make sense.
the closest i can think of is a few shops that sell batteries will have a bucket for used ones

having done hard core identification and disposal of things in cupboards the bulk stuff like old paint from domestic sources seems more of an issue than a few ounces of lead picrate crystallised across the woodwork ( unless you are next to it )

for instance i have some old , mixed chainsaw fuel. it aint going in the saw but i need to get rid of 1/4 gallon before i can refill the fuel /oil container.
in the uk doing that responsibly is difficult.

mix it with expanded polystyrene and spread it about for a burn off is a less than green or fluffy option

we have a huge issue with basic wastes at all scales, the more complicated stuff is ok ish for commercial, single issue stuff but low volume high variety is not addressed at all on any scale.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2506
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 19 3:54 pm Post subject:

dpack, on hazardous was disposal days they accept 10 gallons plus 80 pounds of "stuff" at no charge. Anything above that is $2 per gallon or pound. Paint is supposed to be combined like with like to make full gallons. Mercury is accepted - got rid of two old under-the-tongue thermometers once. Do not accept radioactive material - I think that means smoke detectors etc. And never have I been asked for driver's license / proof or residency. Of course, showing up with out-of-state license plates on your vehicle might be suspicious.

It's very well set up - drive in, get in line, several "stations" as you pull up and unload. For electronics they have big wheelbarrows that things are unloaded into. Hazardous waste they go somewhat over the top - tarps on the ground, people in hazmat suits etc.

Very popular events - yesterday was scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. People were there at 7:00 a.m. Setup and ready by 8:15 a.m. so that's when they opened up. I got there about 8:45 a.m. We moved right along and I was out not more than 15 or 20 minutes after getting into line. And lots of cars behind me.

derbyshiredowser

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 980
Location: derbyshire

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 19 4:39 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

for instance i have some old , mixed chainsaw fuel. it aint going in the saw but i need to get rid of 1/4 gallon before i can refill the fuel /oil container.
in the uk doing that responsibly is difficult.

I got rid of the same mix at the local fire station they were quite happy to take it to start the practice fires.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 19 6:46 am Post subject:

I think the fire brigade may be happy to take flammable liquids for practise fires; different sorts of thing too to give them an idea of how different chemicals work. Sounds a very good idea though Jam Lady. Liked the write up on the exhibition too. I assume all the tender things will be out before winter sets in as it finishes at the end of September.

Gregotyn, having solar panels is a good idea if there is no shadow on any part of the roof for long periods during the day. Alternatively, you could have solar hot water panels which could be used for hot water and some house heating, but they are least effective when you need them most in the winter.

Have been away for a few days, so have to see what is doing now we are back.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 19 3:02 pm Post subject:

I have a few bonfires at home of non hazardous, my hedge trimmings and the like, but don't have much in the way of hazardous waste that I can think of. If I buy chain saw oil and fuel, I use them; vehicle oils I never have anything to do with, that it is the maintenance department who do all that. Guess I am paying one way or another. I know someone who takes used oil and burns it in his central heating boiler.

The tree felling is taking precedence over everything else at present, apart from work, which I will from retire next spring. I have made my mind up to get out and get the place into shape before I can't do the work at home, then again I may not be able, physically, to complete the work I want to do. I have had a professional to cut the trees down which are now too big for a pair of 70yo boys-2 of the remaining ash trees are over 50 ft. high, but of no decent girth, as the trees I have are random grown and so all are too close together and have grown high to compete for sunshine-a rare commodity here. A local professional faller has been to help and does it by climbing and cutting lengths off as he comes down. Interesting to watch as he demolishes a tree in 3 ft sections and all by hanging from the tree he is cutting! He has the right gear and does this for a living. Whereas my friend of 71 climbs to the top of the ladder and cuts the top off and I pull like mad to get it down, hoping there is no kick back-he is the one touching wood", I am a long way off on the rope.

Motor now fixed and so I can drive like a maniac again-Â£150 odd pounds later-sounds expensive to me, but I don't know.

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