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If Ive gleaned it correctly you started at a similar age to the OP, about 30?, you've progressed from climbing as an employee to climbing for yourself in your own firm. Have now done about 30 years climbing and have earned enough for a decent retirement. But just because you did it, doesnt mean others would be so resilient and motivated!

Can't tell you mechanical details but I've been a freelance climber for over a decade so have worked for a lot of different people. Those with Forsts always had a story about the chipper being away for something.

I agree 230 are great but wouldn't want to buy a bag of trouble if you haven't budget for a decent one. I'd seriously look at the 125 / 160, a friend has one and there not much disadvantage in real world chipping to a 150 - the feed is very similar. Much newer chipper for your money, much lighter and easier to move round.

I think the grain of truth is that this statement comes from someone doing London street trees, which is basically a race around the trees following the previous cuts on piece work. This suits young climbers, I've met people who went down to the smoke to do this and then came back. It's not what I want to be doing - I'd rather be in domestic arb working for people who appreciate me taking time and care to do a good job. There's no advantage in being 22 here, more of it's down to thinking fast, moving slow like Alex says. All about efficiency, and then thinking steps ahead will win over youth every time. Also turn up every day you say you're going to, with sharp saws and working kit. Also my point about hard graft, use a loader. Don't need to bust a gut humping heavy wood around any more.

Being good looking, funny and conducting myself with a reassuring ease with all strata of society, I've never had to graft very hard at anything. I did have a bad back before I started though.

But we're you doing something hard graft before? Doubt it to still be any good

You can join the masons at any age.

Bull shit all you want , your welcome to your opinion But how long does it take you u to be a decent climber? Isn't over night . The guy who said to me that 16-30 be climbing and then 30-65 you'll be contracts maintenance .. and the is an article on them recently ,must be doing something right to have street tree contracts .

That's bollocks too. I could start climbing at forty and outcompete kids within a year or two because I'm clever and lazy so will find the easiest way to do something.

I actually wasn't thinking of you, Mick but if the structural cummerbund fits...

Not on about people like you, the muppets that change a career then have got no chance .

You see it all over, as we age we are fitter better than similar aged 20 years ago - might have been the rule then and that has carried over despite the evidence. Regardless, 'best years are gone' - but that never means throw onto the scrap heap, pointless - even if they are past, I'd be putting in a fair bet that most of us on here (and we are predominantly grumpy older men), we could still put in a fair shift when we need to.

Timberwolf 125 and 190 are both good too. 125 light to move around. 190 will make you look at the job a different way coming from a gravity feed.

Don’t think I don’t know who you’re referencing here!

North Korean scam operator? Bot?

agreed, you need that sort of money for a decent one

Makita DUC254 (but put 1/4 pitch chain) or Echo 2500T are the lightest. Personally I have the 254, it's great for this type of stuff.

the TW230 im only seeing them around 12K .. which is more than we had budgeted for ..

I was more forestry than arb and retires 8 years ago but did use small chippers on arb jobs; Forst have an aggressive feed but poor reliability reputation, 150s were my favorite, never got to use 230.

oh.. I know the paint flakes off a fair bit, can you tell me more .. thanks ..

The 150s are crazy money for such an old chipper. Forst can be a lottery, cheap for a reason. 230s are superb.

Forsts are shit. 150s are good. 230s are great.

this is what I thought, the ST6 was much inline with the Tw230 .. which is why I was thinking a Tw150 at 8k is on the higher side ..

The Timberwold 230's have been out a few years now, im sure there must be something out there within the 8k budget? Its a whole different animal to the old 150

Hi all ... Im new to posting in the forum, tho have gained a lot of useful info in the past from here.. was hoping to get a little advice on some chippers from some more seasoned guys .. I run a small part time tree business, only modest but the time has come that we need to upgrade from our old faithful gravity fed chipper, we have put this off for a while now.. looking at buying second hand, our budget is around 8K, we have seen some nice looking fully refurbished TW150's and we have seen a few Forst ST6 for much the same price.. both look like they would do what we need, I'm guessing the ST6 is better and much newer, but would a fully refurbished TW150 be a better buy? that a STW with around 1000 hours on it.. ? any thoughts and experience on these would be great and much appreciated ..