sharpening chains

[skyhuck]

We carry at least two spare chains for each saw in each truck and have 7 or 8 chains of each size in use at one time. I won't use a blunt chain. When it's blunt we can quickly change it. All the blunt chains go on a big hook and on an early finish or in the morning if we're farting around our groundie can sharpen them with the grinder.

 

 

I find this way of working all very strange, sharpening a chain takes minuets, I wouldn't dream of taking off a chain till its scrap:confused1:

[bob]

why do you all seem to put your groundies down and refere to them in derogatrive terms

If they cant sharpen or use saws its about time you all showed them and gave them a little training.

i always work with top guys that can do everything all right i may pay them a little more but its not me that pays them its the customer

most of my customers would rarher have a proffeshional job done by experienced team than 1 guy and his nupet who is not a groundie

A true groundie will be a very experienced guy that can help you and keep the job and site running smoothly and should be respected and paid accordingly and be part of the team:confused1::confused1:

[Dean Lofthouse]

why do you all seem to put your groundies down and refere to them in derogatrive terms

 

We've all been groundies ourselves Bob. I would be the first to take the Mick out of you if you were groundying for me and I'm sure you would return the favour

 

I get sick of explaining to every customer why I have to price as I do on takedowns, explaining why I need to have a fully qualified climber with me.

 

Most don't give a donkey's and are only interested in the price being cheap. The Domestic market is very difficult at times.

 

Not everyone has a flood of people with qualifications throwing themselves at you wanting jobs.

 

In most cases, you spned months training people up and getting them courses to find they are useless or bog off to another job or just find that Tree Surgery isn't for them. So when you do find someone you tend to hang onto them, but getting them qualified isn't an overnight thing. You have to wait months to find out whether they are going to stick around before you waste time and money on them

[skyhuck]

why do you all seem to put your groundies down and refere to them in derogatrive terms

If they cant sharpen or use saws its about time you all showed them and gave them a little training.

i always work with top guys that can do everything all right i may pay them a little more but its not me that pays them its the customer

most of my customers would rarher have a proffeshional job done by experienced team than 1 guy and his nupet who is not a groundie

A true groundie will be a very experienced guy that can help you and keep the job and site running smoothly and should be respected and paid accordingly and be part of the team:confused1::confused1:

 

 

I have not referred to my "groundie" or "laborer"(which ever you prefer) in a derogative manner, he is a top man.

 

You are the one who has used the term "numpet",

which I presume is a hybrid mix of "numpty" and "muppet"?

 

I think your situation is very different that of most small business owners, you are also employed so have a safety net of a sort.

 

I am the sole bread winner for a family of 6, I have my business set up in such a way that if for some reason my "assistant" left, he could be replaced by some one else's with the minimum of training, I am in noway saying for one minuet that a replacement would do the job as well as my current man,quite the opposite, as I have said in earlier posts, my current man is by far the best I have had, and I am not sure I would ever find another as good and I really hope he will stay for as long as possible.

[skyhuck]

In most cases, you spned months training people up and getting them courses to find they are useless or bog off to another job or just find that Tree Surgery isn't for them.

 

Very true Dean, or they set up on their own, having spent their time with you finding out how you work, what you charge,etc:sneaky2:,

I even had one guy who left and went round to some of my annual hedge cutting jobs saying I was to busy to do them and had asked him to do them:mad: fortunately my customer are very loyal and they rang me, I pointed out to my ex man that it was in his best interests to stay well away from MY customers, last I heard he was driving a taxi

[skyhuck]

Another advantage being the only person on site to use a saw, is that I don't need to mark up my saw's with their maximum usage time, and don't need to monitor each mans exposer to vibration, but I'm sure all off you guys are doing that.

[Andy Collins]

Wow 7 pages and 60 odd posts on chain sharpening, never would have though it could be such a hot topic!! What I'm finding interesting is the different ways people work to get the same end results. Whether you have a saw-less groundie, whether you change your chains rather than sharpen, or have the "perfect" groundie who does everything including cooking your breakfast while you finish the first tree, (oh yeah like THATS gonna happen!!) I dont blame the likes of Skyhuck for his approach, we see it all the time, trained staff get their tickets, then go off and poach clients, work for the local opposition, whatever. All many of us want to do is go out, earn a living, and support our families with the least amount of grief possible.

I have to agree, get the new lads to learn to sharpen the chains up, whether its when its too wet to work, or when you get done early, even if they cant run a saw surely its a useful skill to have.

[Andy Collins]

And if you read http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=47055&postcount=68 you'll see why Skyhuck doesnt need a groundie to use a saw every day!!

[Mr Ed]

He's the UK's very own Mike Poor...

[David oakman]

Working on mostly old oak i have to sharpen my chains through the day keeping sharp but on a wet day i do re-set them on a grinder and i finish off with a file extra sharpe that way.all my chains are used to nothing left unless some one left the metal park guards on and the tree grew round them.:cussing: