Mat's BX Blog

[Dollywobbler]

Do they still let you dispose of engine oil Mat? That's not exactly household either. Stupid to turn away metal given that they can get paid for it!

[mat_fenwick]

I've not actually tried for a while - I use some on the underneath of cars to help slow rust, but I obviously can't use all of it so levels are building! They have the waste oil container there, and I've used it before but I suspect now I'm 'known' they would be reluctant to let me empty two 25 litre drums into it...

[Way2go]

but I suspect now I'm 'known' they would be reluctant to let me empty two 25 litre drums into it...

Perhaps you need to remind them under English Law that you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. ie it is not down to you to prove your innocence but for the law to prove you guilty!

Drawing a parallel, surely it is for them to prove that that you are a business user rather than you having to prove you're not. If they cannot, then they must accept your assertion that it's "household waste" that you are disposing of, for which is you're right as a ratepayer.

[Tinkley]

Local tip here is in Bordon about 5 miles away. Not too bad, takes oil for recycling (what do they do with LHM?), batteries, steel and iron and other metals in separate piles. I think it takes plasterboard but not in the landfill/hardcore containers, in their own gypsum only container. Tyres not accepted, but one of the other uses for them is in part of new road surfacing material after very fine chopping.

If your feeling generous you can always donate the metal 'waste' to the local pikeys who will get money for it!.

Slyfield is the Guildford tip (sorry recycling centre) and I've been a bit naughty because I have used it and I am not a Surrey resident!. Hell of a lot closer than Bsingstoke though. It will take asbestos/cement roofing sheets and bits of (in plastic bags) in a special hazard container which is cheaper than a few years ago when you were forced to have 'specialists' in to remove it....
The tip at Charlton near Shepperton is pretty good too but very busy.

[Thread Bear]

Asbestos, another nonsense. On the Solway the Gypos get much of this work and they chuck it off boats into the sea! Since Sellafield is 60 miles down the cost not much fish is taken in the area. So asbestosis gilled fish seem not to turn up. It does make the crabs hard to cook, though.
Elsewhere asbestos is double wrapped in weak plastic and then put in the ground, often under the landfill, to be forgotten about. So about as efficient as burying bubonic plague, which still kills the odd person who digs in the wrong place. I am uncertain which is the best method, but I know which is the cheaper!

Guilty till proven innocent? That went out with Mr B. Liar I am afraid.

[electrokid]

LHM will go with the engine oil - no problems. Asbestos at Guildford needs to be double wrapped in polythene or they won't take it - until a few years ago they used to weigh your car in and out then subtract the difference and give you a docket with your name and address on to prove you'd disposed of it properly: and there was a limit of 4 roofing sheets before you had to pay. I remember turning up with some asbestos in a rather tatty Granada estate - while it was on the weighbridge one of the office workers shouted out "we don't take cars"

I left a wheel and tyre at Guildford a couple of years ago but I don't know if they still take them.

[MULLEY]

LHM is a mineral oil, i've just poured it into the main oil collection tank at the recycling centre, no probs so far. Not sure about hydraflush though?

[mat_fenwick]

under English Law that you are presumed innocent until proven guilty

Not sure I would be wise talking about English law...there's still the feeling of an anti-English undercurrent around here in places!

And the bad luck continues: the weather and heavy logging traffic are taking their toll on the track, and I've holed the radiator on the Focus Some damage to the bumper too but it's mostly sprung back into shape. I would use the Discovery but the only place selling gas within 40 miles has had a problem with the pump for the last year or so which is seemingly not worth their while to get repaired...

[citsncycles]

I was helping a mate clear his garden in Clevedon a few years back, and when we went to the tip they tried to turn us away as we had to be a business as we were in a Land Rover - I asked them how many businesses they knew of with a 50 year old works vehicle and they reluctantly agreed to let us unload 'just this once'. The next trip we took his Dyane and despite their recognising us they waved us through without an issue.

My brother got into trouble over cardboard disposal at the shop. They wanted him to use the commercial collection service, which charges by the tonne (or part of), which would have cost about an extra £200 a month. when he explained that he was a small business without the space to store a tonne of cardboard before it got collected he was told to burn it!

[electrokid]

and I've holed the radiator on the Focus

So, dissappointing though it is, it will still need a new rad so it's probably still the best choice for the trip. Shame about the gas supply - is there a (legal ?) way of using gas bottles ? How far is the next nearest supplier ?

[Thread Bear]

They will be building cities out of that soon. Especially now Plasterboard is so dangerous!

So the next vehicle to appear in North Wales is the home defense system Scorpion commuter tank! I think you might find its an Alvis, quick shifty with a V5 and a smoke cannister, free motoring, easy parking, 70 mph. Damned handy in the goose/duck/grouse season.

[Thread Bear]

LPG - I was at a service station near Whitchurch, Shrops delivering an NSU RO80. The LPG wagon rolled up and recharged the LPG tank. It then went on to recharge the Domestic gas facility they had. I queried this with my host who told me that the two invoices carried differing tax amounts. There is no way of telling what tax rate the gas is paid at physically, unlike diesel/red/heavy heating oil. There are tools available to tap into the large cylinders and to draw off the LPG inside so you can use it in your vehicle. Technically this is illegal. My mate does it, as does Sid the Land Rover fenman who lives in a swamp. If you are off mains supplies then your half way there as you have a convincing reason to be using quite a lot of gas in your home.

[electrokid]

Scorpion commuter tank! I think you might find its an Alvis,

That brings back memories - I was very briefly an honorary member of Alvis Tennis Club. Briefly, because dad's involvement with Alvis wasn't long term - though it lasted much longer than my interest in tennis The tennis courts were right next to the 45 degree test ramp for Alvis's 6 wheel military vehicles.

There's a Macdonalds on the site now

[mat_fenwick]

Next nearest vehicle LPG supplier is 40 miles away, although there may be one a mere 25 miles away which is only open while I'm at work...

We have a few 47 kg bottles, and all you really need to transfer the contents is a liquid LPG pump. Or heat the gas bottle to hotter than the vehicle tank! Last time I bought one, which was a few years ago, it worked out about half the price but not sure what the differential is now. If you declared the duty, it would probably be similar though. And even on gas, it's still not exactly cheap to run at the equivalent of mid 20s mpg.

[Tim Leech]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!