FORESTRYJOURNAL.CO.UK MAY 20 18 63for something to go wrong and in this case,
after detecting electricity on the earth, it took
me about ten minutes to trace the fault. The
fault turned out to be a defective starter box,
which I was able to fix for £60 even though
the electrical factors sold me one without a
stop. This is my point; that by keeping things
simple the problem was quickly identified,
fixed with little cost and the mill continued to
run. After all, it’s what makes the money and
or snow-drifts. So, for the last couple of
Sundays I’ve been out on the motorbike. This
has coincided with other bikers keen to blow
off the winter cobwebs... many with ambition
but lacking in ability! I’ve had to dodge
riders drifting out on corners whilst coming
towards me and whilst I waited patiently
behind a slow car approaching a tight bend,
a rider decided to go for it and then bottled
it, cutting right in front of me and almost
knocking me off. Hopefully, they’ll improve
as the cobs go! For me, it’s back to the push
bike and the disused railway lines.
It goes without saying that my job involves
a great deal of noise, dust and the stresses
and strains of running a sawmill. As a result,
it’s important to me that at the weekends I’m
able to find some peaceful sanctuary. As
I’ve indicated, this is usually in the form of
cycling and so it was with some trepidation
that I recently agreed to use this precious
time to take my daughter to the big city to
upgrade her phone. I had to attend as her
phone, historically, is in my name. I’m not
sure how all this works as my £12 PAYG coal-
fired model costs roughly £25 per year to run
and hers costs £70 per month!
After persuading me the visit would be
brief and simple it ended up taking four
hours. The mood deepened as technological
problem after technological problem ensued.
The security scanner wouldn’t work, then the
shop’s computer went on the blink and then
the salesman couldn’t programme the new
phone. On and on it went. I sat there quietly,
raging inside and struggling hard not to pick
up the sales assistant and the phone and
throw the whole damn procedure out of the
window. If I wasn’t a technophobe then, I am
now!
It was just then that I remembered the saw
guide which works off electro hydraulics.
The system wasn’t functioning properly and
it kept jumping past its correct measurement.
I replaced it with a manual valve and it
now works perfectly... so much for modern
technology!pays the bills!
With the warmer weather finally arriving
(I think), most customers paying their bills
and the mill running well, I can begin to
think about trying to enjoy life a little more.
I tried to keep the cycling going through the
winter but as most of my routes are along
disused railway lines, along quiet country
lanes and over MOD land my progress
became obstructed by either mud, potholesFar left: My best tool ever – given to me by a friend, so it was
free too!
Left: A quick repair which has worked perfectly!
Above: Sold without a stop – unbelievable!