How's your day?

[IAN FINN 808]

High octane aviation is best phil.

[philmayfield 6,141]

Years ago the airfield manager at Tollerton used to put aviation fuel in his Rover. Perk of the job perhaps? That was 100 octane, low lead. 100LL. It was a premium price if you had to pay for it.

[DJ360 6,730]

18 hours ago, philmayfield said:

I’ve just been to get a Sheen flame gun for weed removal. They’ve been made in Bulwell since 1952. It looks a formidable bit of kit. I’ve just assembled it and I’ll  get some paraffin to fuel it up in the morning. I’m going to have some fun with this, it looks dangerous!

 

A lad who lived in our street in the 1960s worked at the factory and had one of those.. He wasn't a gardener.. just a vandal.

[philmayfield 6,141]

I’ve still got to acquire the paraffin and a long pronged gas lighter. Don’t want to singe my eyebrows. The lighting ceremony draweth nigh!

[Mot the hopeful 18]

Tried a cheapo gas fuelled burner last summer. Succeeded in making neighbourhood smell like the East End during the Blitz, but still ended up digging the blasted weeds out.

Paraffin ones sound a better bet...can you buy them online ? This Sheen brand is a new one on me.

 

[philmayfield 6,141]

Sheen appear to be the only paraffin powered ones available. They’ve been made in Bulwell since 1952. The gas fuelled ones are alright for small weeds between slabs but the Sheen gives a serious blast of flame. They can be bought online. Mower Magic at Hykeham near Lincoln seem to be the cheapest. I picked mine up from there but delivery is FOC unless you live on a remote Scottish island.

[Beekay 5,152]

My owd dad had one of those on his allotment garden, back in the early 60s. My older brother, Keith had a go with to clear a patch of weeds to impress dad. Only trouble was, he set fire to dad's own built shed.

[letsavagoo 963]

4 hours ago, philmayfield said:

Sheen appear to be the only paraffin powered ones available.

Paraffin is rather expensive now. I had a shock when I bought some from the Handy Centre recently. Vodka might be a cheaper option. 

[philmayfield 6,141]

The Handy Centre hadn’t got any. They told me ‘they’d stopped making it!’ There’s plenty at Homebase and B&Q so I’ll get some tomorrow. The excitement mounts! It’s more expensive than petrol but less volatile. If I’d got more patience I’d dig the bloody weeds out!

[DJ360 6,730]

Paraffin and Kerosine are interchangeable terms. In the UK paraffin is maybe seen as a cleaner more refined version of  kerosene. In other countries kerosene is the term. And the fuel for jet aircraft is kerosene, so I doubt there's a real shortage

[philmayfield 6,141]

He was probably referring to Esso Blue - dum, dum, dum!

[PeverilPeril 3,284]

Following a wonderful week of trout fishing in the highlands I decided to do a bit of coarse fishing yesterday. Tench were my quarry. I arrived at the syndicate venue in Willington at 8am, signed in and as I drove to the fishing spot there was a hell of a racket from under the bonnet. Thought I may have run over some debris or rocks hidden by the long grass and carried on around the lake but the power steering failed and steam hissed from under the bonnet. fan belt!! - well a bit more than a fan belt as it turned out. No way a pair of tights would solve this  The problem was that I was inside a  70 acre site with security fencing all around and 2m vehicle height restriction gates. Quite a way from a main road too. No way a breakdown vehicle could reach me even if they could find me!

part 2 later 

[DJ360 6,730]

[IAN FINN 808]

One of the joys of going on holiday if its not the weather its something else.

[DJ360 6,730]

My Day?

Excellent so far. Got up, couple of posts here over coffee. Cut the front grass and brought mower round the back but decided to wait till tomorrow to cut back grass.  Instead, planted up the only four runner bean seedlings which have germinated so far, then potted on my Cucumber seedlings.

Time for a well earned doze on my sun lounger and a bit of music... Headphones obviously.. not a PA set up like the antisocial bar stewards over the back.

[MargieH 7,600]

@PeverilPeril I hope you got rescued - what a disappointment for you …. I presume you didn’t get any fishing done?

[IAN FINN 808]

Not like the good old days DJ i remember all the music and dancing on the Trent Embankment and the girls with their Dancette record players.

[DJ360 6,730]

Ian, I've been doing a lot of reminiscing during my late afternoon reverie ... Couple of songs to post later....

[letsavagoo 963]

On 6/7/2023 at 5:43 PM, philmayfield said:

I’ve just been to get a Sheen flame gun for weed removal. They’ve been made in Bulwell since 1952. It looks a formidable bit of kit. I’ve just assembled it and I’ll  get some paraffin to fuel it up in the morning. I’m going to have some fun with this, it looks dangerous!

You’ve got something to answer for Mr Mayfield. Today I was out and about to see my grandson unveil a school project. On the way I drove past a house having a sort of garage sale and even at 30 mph I spied a Sheen weed burner on the drive. I’d would have not given it a thought were it not for the mention here. So after a brief barter £30 changed hands and a very respectable burner complete with tool kit is in now in my garage. I had one years ago and almost destroyed the house I was living at in Hucknall in 1976, the driest hottest summer. Not my brightest idea.  I don’t recall what happened to it. I have a cobble stone drive with grass and weeds constantly growing between them so this should help. 

[philmayfield 6,141]

Perhaps we could form a local association and have flame throwing competitions and pyrotechnics. I’m always up for dangerous hobbies. I’m well stocked with paraffin now!

[letsavagoo 963]

Excellent idea. Perhaps we could have a burner meet at the pub much like classic car owners and bikers do. I’m waiting for a piece of aluminium to arrive in the mail and can hopefully call soon to try and sort the tent piece out on the lathe.

[Oztalgian 3,298]

On 6/10/2023 at 5:14 AM, letsavagoo said:

I don’t recall what happened to it. I have a cobble stone drive with grass and weeds constantly growing between them so this should help. 

Can't use a blow torch in the summer when we have a "total fire ban", can't use angle grinders or welders outside either.

I have a long paved driveway down the side of the house and I use a "once-a-year" path weeder spray which contains Glyphosate, Oxyfluofen and Diflufenican works really well and does keep the weeds away for a long period. Before anyone arcs up our health bodies have defined the product a non-toxic.

Boiling water is also an effective eco friendly weed killer.

[philmayfield 6,141]

All of you who were complaining about the cold weather at the beginning of last week. I bet it’s too hot to do anything outside now isn’t it? 

[MRS B 522]

I love hot weather. We spent all yesterday afternoon at the allotment lifting our onions and garlic from the poly and planting tomatoes in their place. Bit steamy in there but we are lucky that we have a shady spot on the plot where we can recuperate and have a brew. Now got another job tidying up the onions and garlic to hang and dry. I won’t be buying any for some time that’s for sure.

[philmayfield 6,141]

I was hoping to go out and blast weeds with my new toy but I’d probably collapse from the heat. It’s good that I went to Milestone Brewery yesterday to replenish my beer stock. All my current outdoor jobs require considerable effort. My indoor job was to try and remove my wife’s wedding ring from her swollen finger but my three foot bolt croppers were not delicate enough. Looks like the mini saw on the multi tool and lots of blood!