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A lot depends on what your core work will be. If you’re regularly killing big rows of connies the bigger the better. Standard garden works any hydraulic chipper will make you smile after using a gravity fed.

Nothing really, the 160 replaced the 125. No back-up recoil start. I’ve had both from new, and the 160 always seemed to be a tad more efficient. I think TW uprated it to 6” rather than 5”, but that is busting it’s nuts at the very limit. The 230 is a genuine 6” beast and is probably twice as productive.

Not just the infeed, heavier flywheel, bigger knives, better crush power. Same kubota 1505 engine mind.

They aren’t Mick, for a reason. Cheaper than a 230 though. A lot of 150’s are a bit long in the tooth now.

The difference between the 150 and 230 is the infeed. What's the difference between the 125 and 160?

They’re not cheap though.

A second hand TW 160 will probably suit your needs pretty well.

👆 Checks out.

Not always, your comparing someone who's done powerline and street trees and it isn't the same , ive never known anyone to chuck a load on the floor unless its railways or powerline both attract the worse 'tree surgeons ' going and I use that term loosely

I’d be a liar if I said I’d never posted this before. But it’s relevant.

It really is a street tree 'factory job' vs everything else thing. A day that illustrates the difference perfectly. Domestic development site. Couple of climbers in, me and another. His tree was on the fenceline, very typical. He'd come from a street tree firm and was keen to start putting brash on the ground to show some progress. Probably PTSD from some former gangmaster. He rashers down the leader over our garden in record time. Then had to cut and chuck the other 90% of the tree from over next door's garden because he'd cut out the rigging point he needed at 08:15. He was having a nightmare on the wood. My tree was very similar. I didn't start a saw for an hour probably. Set up some lovely rigging and then lowered it all into the same spot a few feet inside the garden, no fighting the fence. I went down and had a coffee. He had his redbulls and cocaine sent up.

If your doing domestic work ,you can't always get tracked dumpers ,micro loader in on site , ive done most disciplines of tree work now , that although I enjoy what I do it doesn't mentally challenge me ,its boring .. I see myself as I get older driving machines ....we might go full tilt and where u once had foresters doing tree work with machines ,it will go back to being mechanised rather than shimmying up trees , That and also the weather getting stupid .. sadly you can earn more driving plant than climbing trees, when I was younger it was the other way around .

how can you give advice to someone about earning a living cutting trees if you've never done it?

But in this case, the OP has been working on a farm for the last 10 years, reckon that gives him a step up from a 30 year old accountant of course. Be giving different advice if the background was different.

I was at a wedding recently, where I was chatting to a guy from here (Arbtalk) mid 40s, top top climber. Loves the job, says he hates the thought of not being able to do it. He certainly got a good few years left.

It’s not about being resilient/motivated (though I guess that’s a sort of compliment so thanks) It’s about enjoying not starving to death and paying the rent/mortgage. Though I have enjoyed the work I do admit. Which is a factor.

Many climbers start their career with firms servicing contracts in large metropolitan areas. It’s a bit of a meat grinder but you get time in the harness to become competent and experienced. Then after a bit they tire of being a cog in a wheel and drift to self employment or lured to smaller firms with better work. They certainly don’t accept their fate at 30 at start cutting grass like it’s Logan’s Run or something.

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 .