urbanchick Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Those of you who have lovely bark chipping areas for your eglu, PLEASE would you give me some advice on fixing the log roll around it? I have pulled up some shrubs to make room for my new cube (due July 5th! ). As a result I need to edge the area with log roll, in order to level it out and have it flat for the cube. I have bought the log roll but I have no instructions and can find nothing on the internet about how to fix it! Common sense tells me I need to dig a little trough and then bang it in with a mallet. But is it that simple? If you have done it or know how to do it, could you please tell me how and any pitfalls I need to avoid....? If you want to view the painful process, I have some photos of the work in progress, see link below. Password is chicken (BTW if anyone is concerned, yes I have left enough room for the cube door to open and I have also given myself enough room to slide along the garage to collect the eggs!) I would be very grateful for anyone's help. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black RockStar Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Those of you who have lovely bark chipping areas for your eglu, PLEASE would you give me some advice on fixing the log roll around it? I have pulled up some shrubs to make room for my new cube (due July 5th! ). As a result I need to edge the area with log roll, in order to level it out and have it flat for the cube. I have bought the log roll but I have no instructions and can find nothing on the internet about how to fix it! Common sense tells me I need to dig a little trough and then bang it in with a mallet. But is it that simple? If you have done it or know how to do it, could you please tell me how and any pitfalls I need to avoid....? If you want to view the painful process, I have some photos of the work in progress, see link below. Password is chicken (BTW if anyone is concerned, yes I have left enough room for the cube door to open and I have also given myself enough room to slide along the garage to collect the eggs!) I would be very grateful for anyone's help. Thanks. Hello Redchick, For that reason I bought the 1m straight sections from B&Q. These are rigid and have a spike at each end to hold them firm in the ground. You can cut them to the required length and reposition the spike to the "new" end. I then bolted the joints and corners together with metal brackets to make it really rigid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 you buy metal stakes - most DIY places sell them, but like you I had to hunt for instructions and search around! They are semi-circular metal stakes, with one end made into a point - look in the garden section for them. Quite cheap, I think they were about six for £4 or something, mine are about 18" long but they come in different sizes. You bang these into the ground with a mallet, and then screw the log-roll to them (they have screw-holes in) to support it. I have to say that my DIY skills are minimal, and I struggled to get mine straight! get some help if you can. I also had a couple of those straight pieces but they were more expensive. or you can dig a trench - http://www.thompsonsofcrewshill.com/fitlogroll.htm - take a look here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Hi Redchick, nice looking location for your cube, it does take up a fair amount of space! I used log roll and I'm afraid to say I just whacked it and whacked it with a mallet until it stuck in the grass! That said it's already falling over in places - mostly where 1 yr old has trodden on it, so will shortly be looking for the metal spikes! Good luck with your cube, not long now! What colour did you go for? Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanchick Posted June 23, 2007 Author Share Posted June 23, 2007 Thanks for all your advice. I dug a trench (hard work!) and have whacked it in about a third under the surface and hopefully that is enough. I didn't get the metal stakes, so I hope it stays put. My cube is purple, and I am getting 3 chooks; a pepperpot and 2 gingernuts. Yippee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dippy Egg Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 We (well my OH really) just used a spade and sledgehammer. He kind of dug a trough, stood the log roll in, protected the top of the log roll with an old piece of wood and gave it a massive whack! He had to back-fill a bit with soil. We have lawn on one side and bark on the other. This has withstood over a year of being abused by a garden full of children and a dog. The log roll is basic stuff about 12" high and fastened on 2 metal wires. It was hard work but simple. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I dug a little trench and banged the log in and I have had no problem. The only place I have used spikes is on a slope and it just holds it nice and firm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I have bought the log roll but I have no instructions and can find nothing on the internet about how to fix it! Common sense tells me I need to dig a little trough and then bang it in with a mallet. But is it that simple? It was for me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...