If you want to try a cheapie one out , ill plug it into my mask if you want- i just became the company welder for no extra money and I couldnt give a **** if my mask blows up.
Also, is it the one that needs a filter? These masks are very short in length, much shorter than a normal mask, so you could get a nasty UV burn on your neck if not covered up . And the cable of the supplied OEM charger is very very thin, I cam easily see it being broken i n use in a busy workshop.
The charger has a little red light which goes green when battery is fully charged, havent noticed anything else special about it.

I ride a Ridgeback Expedition, ticks all of your boxes, and have taken it on some pretty rough, steep tracks.
I’d buy it again if it ever died.

Im looking to replace a Moon meteor 250 which has finally died after 8 years or so. Before that I had Hope lights which , again, died after a fair length of time. I ‘ve had what I would call expensive lights , and whilst the performance was good for the times, Im sure equal performance can be had for much cheaper these days, with the way technology improves.
I use them maybe 3 or 4 times a week, commuting about 12 miles every round trip. I live in Wales so waterproofness would need to be good, especially as we head into autumn.
I have also considered a dynamo hub as my main bike is a boring old mans tourer but I love it.

Surprised nobodys mentioned Elvana yet, musically very very good and hilarious too.

Seen Tragedy a few times, metal covers of BeeGee and other bands of that era’s songs. Brilliant fun.

Might it possibly be a dried up mulberry or similar? Any sign of there having been any flesh on the friot at all?

For my chisels and plane blades i use a diamond impregnated ( not coated) piece of ground tool steel . Cant remember the manufacturer, but its a great bit of kit to flatten the backs. Finish off by stropping on a bit of old welding apron with some smurfpoo rubbed into it, gives a razor sharp mirror finish.
For kitchen knives i used to use waterstones until they dished out irreversibly (they were cheapie jobs off ebay but did the job). Nowadays i use ceramic splash and go whetstones, stay flatter longer with a similar removal rate as the softer waterstones. Again, stropped with blue smurfpoo to a mirror finish.
Whole process takes less than 5 mins for a touch up, bit longer to get rid of chips or bad rolls.

Backyard Babies.
Went to see them when they toured with the Wildhearts (RIP) a few years back. Wasnt expecting much but was seriously impressed by how much effort they put in to entertain a crowd who overwhelmingly weren’t there to see them.
Checked out their back catalogue on Youtube when I got back home that night, was very impressed.

How big are the diameters you are cutting? A chainsaw seems overkill for less than 12″ . I cut a load of windfallen oak , ash and beech up to about 14″ diameter with a bahco extra sturdy handsaw, takes next to no time, and very quiet too, stops nosy **** coming up and asking if you have permission to do that, etc. I’d love one of those Silky Katana things as tney look perfect for the job, but they cost more than a chainsaw.

You know the old saying about how firewood warms you 3 times? Well yeah, a lot of that, so maybe give it a miss til October this year if you go down that route.

Im Welsh too you beaut, its a joke.

No idea about the bikes aspect, but Halifax are very oor wjen it comes to paying out, IME. I’d avoid like the plague cos they wouldnt even pay out to cover a leak and pretty much accused us of carryong out an insurance job.

@alwillis, which area are you working in? There could be somethong right on your metaphorical doorstep.
Also Dinas Mountain (Baglan Mountain) might be something youre interested in. You can check a few of these out on Youtube.

Not quite the same, but my mother and fathers handwriting and signature were almost identical.
Edit: thinking about it,they were both Welsh, hope they werent related.

Not trail centres, and not 20km blasts, but there is in that area, Briton Ferry woods, Drummau mountain near Bryncoch, Gnoll woods and Moss House woods and you could make a loop out of these minimising road use by using canal paths and public footpaths .
Not brilliant but better than heading out West and getting stuck in all the traffic heading to the beaches.
Also, not sure if its still a thing and I’ve not been there, but there used to be runs on Kilvey in Swansea and Rheola near Resolven.

Dogs home is exavtly what I was thinking. Already had a quick look, but feels terribly disloyal t o my little mate whos only just left.

Not such a happy outcome for my old boy Roary, who was put to sleep at 9am this morning. Have been watching him deteriorate ove r the last year or so, hobbling painfully on 3 arthritic legs, but the spark of life in him was still strong. Last night, whilst I was working nights, apparently he howled the house down in pain and chewed through two doors . No amount of calming him could work, so a trip to the vet at 9am. A n examination showed terrible arthritis, and a large mass in his abdomen. We knew what had to happen.
Honestly, it took about 5 seconds once the i njection was administered for his old heart to stop, vet said he was waiting to go. He didnt suffer at all. The only suffering he had was the couple of weeks I selfishly put it off.
RIP Roary J, little header that you were.

Have you just cut them down or have you dragged the stumps out as well? I’d be wanting to improve the soil after having Leylandii on it. When I got rid of mine, the soil was terribly thin and weak afterwards.
I think a nice mixed hawthorn hedge, using a mix of normal hawthorn and Midland hawthorn would be nice. I have a nice mature Midland hawthorn tree in my garden and the pink flowers in May are stunning. Wildlife loves it too. Birds flock to it in autumn for the haws, squirrels love it, and an owl or sparrowhawk murdered a pigeon in mine last week, found bits of it under the tree.
Purple beech does look stunning though, but has a tendency to grow big, I think.
You could run something like honeysuckle or clematis through it if you wanted, for some exra flowers

Ych a fi , ticks!
Got a cool bullet hole looking wound in my leg where I had a tumour removed about 25 years ago. When the y biopsied it, they told me they found one of those in the moddle of it. True or not, I have no idea.
Thanks for the replies so far. Definitely gonna book that break asap then.

Billy Strings – Dust in a Baggie

Amiens Polka – The Dreadnoughts
Japanese Prisoner of Love. – The Darkness
Vernix – Wildhearts
How I Survived The Punk Rock Wars – Hey!Hello!

For thermonuclear levels of warmth whilst stationary , i recommend a Buffalo special 6 or similar, it was too warm to wear in anything except winter weather for the first 15 years of its life, until the pile thinned out a bit from use. Expensive, but cheaper than gas and leccy this winter….

Assuming no pacemakers, etc, a neodymium magnet cunningly incorporated into the design might do the trick? Also provides a safety breakaway should the necklace get snagged in anything.

Yes! I had a pair the year before last I think, and they are completely un!arked still. Great clarity on he lenses, the polarising works, amd cos theyre not oakleys I dont feel worried about leaving them in the car with the windows ctacked open in this weather.
Oh, and I’ve got a pumpkin head too, they fit just fine.

My daughter bought me a King C. Gillette one a few years ago, as mentioned the handles a bit slippy with soap on it but it does the job just fine.

I have found Feather blades to be the best on average, i think you get duff blades from time to time no matter who makes them.
Am currently avoiding most other blades at the moment as they seem to be made in Russia, and with the whole Ukraine thing I’m giving them the swerve for now.

Oh, and the stub ends of Wrights Coal Tar soap in the bowl works fine. Getting the beard hot and wet makes more differencevthan soap brand, in my experience.

Anyone else tried flipping the blade over pnce ot starts to go dull? Im convinced it works for a while, bit havent heard of others doing it.

Its been over 25 years since I did this regularly, so i could well be talking rubbish here, bit we used to use telemecanique timer modules ,which clipped on to relays, the theory being that the relatively low current relay of the control circuit would be used to act as a switch to control the switching of the high current contactors which were wired into the motor power circuit. We used them to control the switching between star and delta modes whilst starting up big motors.
I have no idea if these are even available any more, and I dont know if the timers would have the amount of delay youre after, but its domething to look into.

Everything fits with the right size hammer.

Just **** ****t it.

Theyre nothing special , theyve got 2lb of shite stuffed up their guts ,same as the rest of us. Usually when talking about snobby folk.

@squirrelking,
Interestingly, my mother was of Scottish extraction, I wonder if this is why she would write the update on paper. Her brother usually took care of all her official business for her, he was some type of professional with experience in this , but this update would have been written after he died.

Ok, so does a signed paper documenting last wishes , what to do with remains, and updates to her finsncial wishes count as a will of sorts?
The update involves paying my brother and I a percentage of the value of my sisters house from her share of the estate,reflecting the amount my mother gave her to buy her house.
This clause is not mentioned in the 2006 will which I have custody of, but is mentioned in the 2011 wishes which my mother signed.
This is what my sister has, the 2011 document.
There would be zero chance that any of us siblings would not realise that my mother intended this clause to be as legally binding as her 2006 will, which a splicitor held for her. My mother would tell us repeatedly that, all the advantages and preferrential treatment my sister got from her in life would be reflected and redressed to my brother and I in her will.
My mother would expect all 3 of us to behave honourably and probably would never have foreseen any of this happening.

The 2010 will is woth my sister, surprise surprise. She took all the paperwork in the aftetmath of my mothers passing.
Sus as ****, no?

Many thanks to all who have contributed so far, the input is much appreciated.
Wheras before I was happy to let her get on with it in her own time, the complete avoidance of giving any kind of definitive answer to the questions I’m asking, skirting issues and lack of transparency means I’m done with the pleasantries now and will be looking to get this matter settled by an independent solicitor.
I’m glad I’m not the only one for whom alarm bells are ringing. I now want the estate gone over with a fine tooth comb, there are other details in this matter that already mean she is under suspicion.
The will is dated 2006, but I have seen my mothers last will and testament dated 2010 or 2011 which made certain stipulations which would disadvantage her share of the estate. It involves money given to my sister by my mother to use in a house purchase, (something which was not done for me or my brother afaik ), which my mother wanted paying back to both my brother and I after her death, from my sisters side of the estate.
Which will has precedence, the 2006 will held by a solicitor which I now have posession of, or the 2011 will and testament ? Both have been signed and dated by my mother.
The only answer I’ve got back off her is that she doesnt know where the V5 is, so should it be untraceable , I will be contacting DVLA and getting it sorted in my name.

Well I have suggested to her that if she is struggling with it , to hand the task over to myself or my brother, or both, but she wont so I have little sympathy here, help is there if she wants it but stubbonly refuses to even answer us. It seems everything has to revolve around her and her needs. I have access to a solicitor who could expediate matters for not much cost, but she maintains radio silence . My patience wore out long ago, she says she has accesed all the accounts,etc, but wont tell us how m uch is in them. I would like to know as I have had a horrific 15 years financially and would like to start making plans on enjoying life again. My brother feels the same way, according to his partner.
There is apparently an executors account which she set up in order to hold the proceeds of the estate, but currently only she has access to it as she set it up and has not distributed the info. Seems dodgy, no?
There is other stuff involved too which makes it a lot more suspicious to me, but for now I only want to know where I stand on the car issue. The proceeds of the car would be deposited in the executors accpunt out in the open for everyone to see, but I dont get the same respect back off her, so I haveno desire to pander to her whims any more. It wasnt just her who lost a mother.
Im feeling more and more that appointing a solicitor is the way to go here.

@nixie,
Exactly my thoughts re the house. I think she either wants work done chargeable to the estate because the hit is being taken by my brother and me as well, or else the little jobs which need doing drive the price of the house down should she decide to buy it. Hate to think that about family, but like I said I am a pessimist and seeing her reluctance to fill us all in on the full value of bank accounts, investments, etc, despite being prodded several times , and her reluctance to fill in probate forms, I think someting is fishy here, hence my eagerness to get cracking and sort stuff out.

Thanks all for help so far. So, if assets are depreciating, such as the car, I can legally act in the best interests of the estate by selling it without her permission then? Does the execution of the will to get maximum proceeds out of the estate supercede any legal challenge she might or might not launch at a later date?

Also, she kicks off big time if I suggest working on the house, she wants a company to come in and do it. I kept my mothers house going when my father died, but suddenly it isnt good enough, it needs to be done by a firm and charged to the estate. A third of which is mine, and I disagree. My brother though can do no wrong in this.
I have a suspicion she intends to buy the house for herself, but on her timescale. Nothing said, but its a feeling I , and others , get. I,obviously, want this sorted ASAP as I have the rest of my life to get on with.

If she was upfront and open about being emotionally tied to stuff I would have more sympathy, but she is just ignoring all communications that dont suit her, using the house as her own personal memory museum and storeroom , and I need this car off the drive and some money in the executors account as I have plans, and my brother is keen to get cracking too. None of us siblings are close to each other, well as far as I know, and having to deal with her obstructing things is making the situation much more difficult.
For example, all communications regarding amounts in my mothers bank accounts, etc , have been ignored, but she is obsessing over things like bags of my fathers shirts. My father died in the 90s. Also old Christmas cards, etc.
She, as far as I can tell, has no intention of selling the house and is actively avoiding filling in the probate form,making excuse after excuse why she cant make it that day. My wife even carries a spare probate form in her bag , as a few times she has “forgotten” the form when we have arranged to meet to fill it in.

Because she is either in denial about our mothers death, is out of her depth regarding dealing with closing the estate down, or some other reason I dont know about , such as “feelings”, “memories”, or just not being bothered becauae she is financially secure. When I try to broach the subject she dismisses it out of hand and goes into silent mode, ignoring all communications. Its getting on my tits, tbh, its gone on long enough now and things need to start mving along.

“I’d rather shit in my hands and clap” than do whats being suggested.

The phrase ” like a wiches tit ” . Have heard it used to describe something as askew, cold, dry, and useless. Not heard a definitive use of the phrase as yet.

As attractive as a cold cup of sick.

And my neighbours grandfather used to describe his unwanted kittens as “off to join the navy in the morning”, when in actual fact he was drowning them in a bucket, the ****.

” got a smile like a fence fire” about someone with beown stumpy teeth.

I have a Ridgeback Expedition in L got it online from Blazing Saddles bikes. I absolutely love that bike, so comfy. Only thing is , its cable brakes not hydro but theyre ample for the bike plus 15stone .
Did lpok at that Devathlon before I bpught the Ridgeback, but it was oit of stock permanently for months.

Went on a mystery tour dowm Cornish unmarked roads, its something i like to do. Anyway, end up on a road somewhete near St. Brewards,barely big enough for the car I was in. Hedge walls must have been 15′ high either side. Car comes round a blind corner amd meets us head on, private plate. The car was from the next street over from me, 240 miles away.
No idea whst I was doing there , let alone them as well.

Im with cougar on this, i think you need to have a word with them, tell em how you feel. Real mates would be embarassed to have put you in that position. It should be an easy convo between people who value each other.

Do the people who only pay for what they ate ever buy their mates a drink whilst out? I fancied one I thought you might too? We all have ups n downs in life, currently Im looking at a sizeable (to me) inheritance coming my way, but I’ve been on my arse for 15 years. I value my true friends company and friendship way more than a few quid on a bill, but the thing here is that I am 100% sure theyd do it for me, and have done before. If he’s a true friend, let it go, you never know whats around the corner.
But to be clear, i would have expected the scene to be £30 voucher off the top line, the balance split 3 ways, all decided beforehand so anyone not amenable to this situation can choose to accept or decline these terms. Seems a bit devious to drag you off your intended course cos it suits him better. Id be viewing this person in a different light after this. No one likes to feel theyre being taken for a mug, and a true mate shouldnt put you in that position. Money is the worst thing to argue over because its so black n white.

Also, if as mentioned above, the voucher was for poor food /service , why the hell would you drag two of your mates back to the same dump for round 2 of more shit food/service? Seems highly disrespectful to your friends to me. If he needed a free meal that bad he should have just gone on his own .