Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/122153
news&views Let's Torque Firearms Vanderfield more than doubles its branch network Unprecedented growth has seen Australian agricultural machinery dealership group Vanderfield Pty Ltd move into Central Queensland. Vanderfield recently announced that it has acquired Centracks Machinery in Emerald, Mackay, Rockhampton, Biloela and Bundaberg. The company intends to broaden its service offering to all current and new customers through the increased scale afforded by this acquisition. The areas serviced by these new stores represent key sugar, horticulture, cotton and grain-growing regions. "The expansion is part of our company's continued commitment to our customers and to establishing new partnerships," says Bruce Vandersee, Vanderfield's managing director. "We see it as an important part of strengthening our availability, accessibility and reliability in terms of our service to them and it will also open up new opportunities and possibilities for us and expose us to a more diverse range of customers. There's never been a better time to be in the ag industry and the Central Queensland region is one of the best." Everybody knows the importance of torque control when it comes to the wheel nuts on our cars or the critical joints on a piece of machinery, but how many of us who enjoy shooting and hunting for a hobby apply the same logic to our firearms? Attaching the action to the stock or the entire scope assembly are vital joints that require precise torque to manufacturers' specifications to guarantee the accuracy and repeatability of our equipment. For years professional shooters have been aware of this and regularly release the tension in their 'actions' when not in use to maintain ultimate accuracy. Radical Torque Solutions has now released a Shooters Kit specifically designed to address this issue for hobby shooters and professionals alike. www.radicaltorque.com.au Floods, fires and fences With the massive damage caused by natural disasters throughout Australia's eastern states this year, restoring fences is just one aspect of the lengthy recovery for farmers. Waratah's fencing expert, Neville Prince, is encouraging farmers to take the time to plan properly to minimise effort and the longterm cost of the work: "While there is often an urgent need to restore boundary fences in particular, there is little point rushing to get new fencing before assessing the damage and determining whether to repair or replace. It's a false economy to repair a bad fence or install one that won't last." Waratah's simple tips for farmers to consider when reviewing the situation after a flood or fire include: •Rather than automatically replacing fences where they were, consider the placement of gates, laneways and watering points. It may be an opportunity to restructure your farm and make it more productive. •Review the damage to fencing materials and determine whether to repair or replace. • Clean up before you start rebuilding. Take old wire and posts to the tip for the council to recycle, and grade the new fence line. • Consider using steel rather than timber or concrete posts. Steel posts are faster to install – which is important when trying to get boundary fences back up quickly – and do not require heavy machinery. For free information, hints, tips and videos, visit www.onesteelwaratah.com.au. 49