tree monkey

Sunday at 17:51

2 minutes ago, Russ T said:

Yes, I suspect you are right. I initially thought it was the stove firebricks angled to reduce the firebox size. I was clearly talking out of my bottom again.

If we suspect enough does it become a fact rather than a suspicion?

Sunday at 17:43

14 minutes ago, Russ T said:

Ah, ok. I suspect they are an add on to reduce the firebox size in a similar way to a coal cage.

I thought they were to moderate the heat at the extremities of the season. Thermal mass of coal in a cage lasting longer than spread out coal and all that.

I suppose it depends on the size of your boat at how well insulated it is. I certainly wouldn't reduce the firebox size on ours. However, we have a 70ft boat with big windows and it's not the best insulation.

You'll have to wait until winter and see what works for you. I bet those inserts are removable, though have no experience of using them

I suspect those are coal inserts designed for the stove

6 minutes ago, Gybe Ho said:

Ok. Sounds like using both in the stove concurrently would be odd. I am looking forward to the first cold snap when I can fire up the stove and have the real off grid towpath experience.

Has anyone used eco firelighters instead of the petrochemical wax bricks that stink? I am mindful of @LadyG's towpath confrontation with a local resident who complained she was infusing his house with the aroma of firelighters.

If you mean something like these

https://www.logsdirect.co.uk/wood-wool-eco-firelighters?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22276531806&gbraid=0AAAAADtKd7Xxt75k-swCvZW5EMb-MrezO&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyIPDBhDBARIsAHJyyVi-sZJ-Ldfp2e5EKIibUqu6FeempCVegY0pO8r_Hv3ks5J0qzTzmjMaAlUsEALw_wcB

They work fine

Sunday at 13:03

5 hours ago, smiler said:

Question, how do use your multifuel stoves in the colder months?

Only coal (or smokeless) 24 hours/day?

Wood during the day, coal at night?

Only wood?

Mixture of coal and logs?

Other options?

Do they smoke much using decent, dry logs, or is that a no-no in built up areas?

Where do you store hot ashes while they cool down? I believe hot ashes still emit CO?

My parents used to have big multifuel stoves (in their house) and anything and everything used to get burnt - paper, cardboard, plastic, wood, coal, coke etc, but the nearest neighbours were a mile away. Ashes went outside in a steel bucket until cool enough for the dustbin.

I burnt almost exclusively properly seasoned timber for about 10 years and kept in all winter, it smoked when refilling but generally fairly light smoke, but that was in a reasonably rural area where a decent number of houses had stoves, ash was cleared every couple of days, allowed to cool outside and dumped I the bin.

I then moved to burning smokeless, kept in 24hrs, very little smoke, mainly on refilling, ash emptied every day allowed to cool outside and dumped in the bin.

It's by far best to burn either and not mix, because both require different approaches, wood is best on a bed of ash, whilst coal is better kept relatively ash free, but plenty do mix the fuel and make it work, as I have as well

I will say decent timber is expensive, bulky and not as easy to store as coal, when burning wood i always had a mooring where I could store a lot of timber and process it, plus of course I never paid for it or as a minimum it was a couple of pints for a mate

June 25

1 hour ago, TunnelTiger said:

Yes! I don't get this fascination with power tools for every little job. A good hand saw is cheaper, lighter and almost certainly quicker if you consider time spent setting up and putting away nd maintenance/sharpening. Also a lot safer.

I agree with all of that...

But the smell of 2 stroke.

The scream of a well sharpened saw

The smell of the sawdust

And the satisfaction of seeing a massive pile of processed timber

Yup I do agree, a lot of the time a decent hand tool is the best option but I do love a chainsaw

June 19

2 hours ago, 5239 said:

Something I’ve wondered about is getting a cordless chain saw,

I’d be interested to know how anyone gets on with them,

for cutting smaller stuff of course,

I've got a makita with twin18v battery's running a 13inch bar, it's a bit of alright but I've not really pushed it and I only really pick it up for light work and now I've got a makita reciprocating saw that's my first choice most of the time (which sort of shows what I was using the chainsaw for I suppose)

Like magnetman says keep the chain sharp and they are surprisingly good, but still not a direct replacement for 2 stroke.

32 minutes ago, Antonio13 said:

Actually, I was wondering about that as well. Sometimes when you're trying to do something good, you end up doing something you probably shouldn’t. Still, it’s very painful to see how some vegetation ruin the canals bank. Where I’m moored now, there’s a young growing tree that’s actually breaking apart the canal bank slats.

Anyway, thanks for pointing it out, and for sharing your experience with the tool.

Legalities aside, it's worth noting simply cutting a small sapling down is unlikely to actually kill it, it will most likely regrow, not saying its not worth the effort, it will slow down damage but only temporarily

1 hour ago, Antonio13 said:

Hi 5239 and blackrose,

I’m thinking about one of the smaller ones (around 8 inches). I’ve got plenty of electricity from the solar panels during summer, so the idea is to take advantage of that and get things ready for winter.

I think I know the type of saw you are on about, I have no direct experience but it will be very limited in what it can do and unless you are limited by some sort of physical issues I would suggest a pruning saw for examole

https://silkysaws.com/silky-pocketboy-130-folding-saw/

Wickedly sharp quiet and no battery needed

May 27

9 minutes ago, BCN Challenge said:

The full results were:

1. Rebellion - 350 points (350.25)

2. Tatty Lucy - 350 (350.02)

3. Thistle - 348

4. Goosander - 323

5. Rivets 5000 - 316

6. Misty Blue - 305

7. Firefly - 303

8. Atlas & Malus - 300

9. Scimitar - 293

10. India No .1 - 281

11. Maxwell - 278

12. Song of the Waterways - 266 (265.94)

13. Pennylock - 266 (265.55)

14. Telford - 250

15. Scorpio - 249

16. The Odyssey - 242

17. Larus - 228

18. Vulpes - 216

19. Getana - 213

20. Branta - 205

21. Ferrous - 183

22. Corolla - 179

23. Starling - 178

24. Hudson -160

25. Tamar No. 2 - 153

26. Dotterel - 115

Congratulations to Rebellion and to everyone who took part and well done to you for getting the results so quickly

How did you decide between Rebellion and tatty Lucy did you have some sort of penalty shoot out

May 25

1 hour ago, smudgepuss said:

Morning everyone. It's early...

It maybe but today is beer day

May 23

2 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Have a great time everyone, I am being whisked away somewhere I have no clue of, but have been told to take smart clothes, so I cant see it being Birmingham!!

Unlikely to be Blackpool then I imagine

May 23

Good luck everyone, let's hope the weather holds or becomes so epic it becomes legendary.

Remember photos for those of us unable to attend,

May 22

My Sister lived for a few years over the road from the horse and jockey, we are talking 40 odd years ago, she claimed they used to visit the jockey to watch the local ladies of the night fighting, over what I never asked but much entertainment was enjoyed

May 22

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

And when lit keep the knob pressed down for a few seconds to allow the flame failure to get hot.

An important point to be fair

May 22

1 hour ago, DPG said:

Good afternoon,

We just bought a Renaissance 30 and it is equiped with a Vanette stove and Vanette GG700 Oven/grill.

The stove works fine, but we are struggling to get the oven to work.. Does anyone know how to do this.
We cant find it anywhere in the web, and the previous owner has vanished into thin air at the moment.

Hope someone has the answer because we would really want to use it.

Thank you so much.!!

Kind regards

What isn't working? normally you just turn the correct knob, press it down and hold and present a flame to the burner at the back of the oven

May 22

18 hours ago, 5239 said:

Pubs of Ellesmere Port are not for the faint hearted,

good curry house out on that Main Street too

the basins and museum are recommended 👍

As a port boy born and bred I agree, problem is the area around the docks up to the Westminster bridge is without argument the roughest bit of town, although the bit beyond the bridge isn't exactly great either

I honestly couldn't think of a pub I would recommend within walking distance of the basin, don't get me wrong I am sure a good night could be had but it would be a particular type of good night that should end up with you waking up with kebab grease on your face and memories that you would tell your grandchildren, hopefully!

May 18

2 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

Actually, I'm rather looking forward to finding what the result is next year, if that doesn't sound too weird.

Not to me, but will you do the traditional, grab a handful of the resulting compost, give it a squeeze and a sniff and mutter 'lovely bit of stuff that'?

May 15

Just now, TheBiscuits said:

I think it was a cue for that photo of Kath Fincher!

She insists she wasn't miserable at all, just wet ...

I was thinking of exactly that photo, it's a classic

May 15

10 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Wouldn't be the same if there isn't a bit of rain over the challenge weekend.

?

Forecast I can see is showing cracking the flags with not a dribble of rain anywhere

May 11

1 hour ago, agg221 said:

One rather specialist skill that would make a lot of impact if still within guidelines is the use of eco-plugs on saplings on the towpath side. @tree monkey may be the only person on CWDF who can comment on current policy here, but I am well aware of the potential impact and the necessary training (which I happen to have, including the watercourse element). The reason it springs to mind is that the equipment is minimal and easily carried on a boat, but the impact of not having to repeatedly address sapling regrowth would be a major cost saving. I can imagine that once contractors have cleared a length (which they are supposed to do) then a SQUEP volunteer could fairly easily address this, if policy allows.

Grand idea but I suspect it's a none starter, certification and insurance of some sort would be required, plus the plugs are relatively expensive.

Not forgetting the public image of roundup nowadays, the hippies would be out in force.

May 10

14 hours ago, cuthound said:

No. As far as I know it is still lurking in Stockton Top Marina (formally Blue Lias Marina).

That's where it made it's escape, it will have made it's way to Minworth because that's their breeding ground.

Just like the tame valley is a mattress breeding ground

May 9

13 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

MrSmelly, Tim, is fine and dandy. Enjoying his camper van breaks. I won’t say anything health wise as it’s not my position to do so. But he’s okay.

Good, thank you for the update

May 7

Just now, LadyG said:

CAT IS HOME

tx to all concerned.

He had made his way back to the place where the idiot let him out of his basket, I don't know where has been all day.

Hungry, so not indoors.

I am so glad, it was obvious you were fretting, you must be so relieved

May 2

1 hour ago, 5239 said:

I remember the days when I signed on at a given time once a fortnight.

Then two days later I’d get me giro through the post and take it to Post Office.
And the readies then went in the pub,

Signing on was in alphabetical order.

And they got your paper files from the filing cabinet,

Housing Benefit was a different department and another cheque in the post.

phone calls were made from public phone boxes,

visiting the dole office meant a bus ride and if they’d stopped your money you walked

If the gits decided they were gonna stop your dole then housing benefit stopped too,

and it could take 6 weeks to sort it,

but then you got extra big giro and extra big housing benefit cheque to make up,

you had to have an understanding landlord and good mates to sub you out

I had to have a chat with my Dad and strongly suggest to not wear his muddy gardening boots when signing on

May 2

1 hour ago, Mrs Bearwood Boster said:

It could be if you bend them too far...😳

Wouldn't dream of it :lol:

I all honesty I think rule breaking is extremely rare, what's the point

1 hour ago, Mrs Bearwood Boster said:

It could be if you bend them too far...😳

Wouldn't dream of it :lol:

I all honesty I think rule breaking is extremely rare, what's the point

May 2

8 minutes ago, brianthesnail96 said:

That's actually a very good point...

But bending isn't breaking

May 2

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

It's another Ponzi scheme, just like the 'housing ladder'.

We need ever more children, to grow up and look after the burgeoning population of old gits.

Honestly I am aware of this, it's just the original comment completely ignored the long term tax take and productive life of those 'state supported' children.

Much of that support is education and health both of which society benefits from long term, mind you I'm looking forward to claiming my increased pension because I didn't have any children so all that unspent support will be coming back in spades

May 2

9 minutes ago, LadyG said:

But children cost the UK economy about £10k per annum for about twenty years, and there are fewer of them year on year, so even if they work from age 17 to 67 , (more likely 22 to 62), and contribute say 5% in tax towards pensions, there s not enough to support their own parent generation.

I said nothing about any of that, all I said is children grow up into tax payers

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