Back in the game after 15 years!

[jonnylovett]

So I quit arbing for a living back at the millennium, anyone remember that?

 

Since then I've been poncing around in local government making everyone's life a misery with health and safety gone mad and being in an office blah blah!

 

But last year my contract ended and fed up with the cuts, the stress, the lack of appreciation, the office politics, the toxic environment .... OK you get the picture, working for the council sucks... I started a little grounds maintenance biz. Having done a couple of small tree jobs I'm thinking of dusting off the old harness and bringing the 020AV out of retirement.

 

But... my god things have changed a bit, what are all these gadgets? You can't even buy green fleck multiplat anymore and then there's tickets tickets tickets, my old NPTC Blue Book doesn't seem to count for anything these days.

 

I feel like a grandad and I'm only 45. So I wondered if there's any moral support and even anyone from the Merrist Wood class of 89/90 to catch up with. I've still got the green t-shirt.

 

I recon my old knees have got another few years left in them.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I reckon I'm the guy who put career into career

Hard route but very interesting

And eventually little will phase you.....

 

Got to be better than being local government numpty

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

So I quit arbing for a living back at the millennium, anyone remember that?

 

Since then I've been poncing around in local government making everyone's life a misery with health and safety gone mad and being in an office blah blah!

 

But last year my contract ended and fed up with the cuts, the stress, the lack of appreciation, the office politics, the toxic environment .... OK you get the picture, working for the council sucks... I started a little grounds maintenance biz. Having done a couple of small tree jobs I'm thinking of dusting off the old harness and bringing the 020AV out of retirement.

 

But... my god things have changed a bit, what are all these gadgets? You can't even buy green fleck multiplat anymore and then there's tickets tickets tickets, my old NPTC Blue Book doesn't seem to count for anything these days.

 

I feel like a grandad and I'm only 45. So I wondered if there's any moral support and even anyone from the Merrist Wood class of 89/90 to catch up with. I've still got the green t-shirt.

 

I recon my old knees have got another few years left in them.

 

Good on ya! Merrist Wood trained counts for a LOT! Like everything, you'll find it more bureaucratic than the good old days but reckon on old wisdom out-shining modern bling...

[jonnylovett]

No comment, there might be a tree officer I need to keep sweet on here.. ;-)

[Stephen Blair]

While you had stopped climbing, I hadn't and do it the same way as you remember in 2000.

Spikes are better, alloy geckos are like slippers .

Harnesses are lighter and fit better, sequoia is comfy and light.

I've still got a rope I bought in 98 for big stuff and an orange 1 I bought a few years ago with a Prusik .

I've tried mechanical friction hitches, didn't like them, tried VT, didn't like that do stuck to what I know.

The best thing to have happened while you have been stuck inside is the invention of micro Chippers.

4", 250kg, wheely bin wide awesome little Chippers.

Get 1 of them, everyone has gone all Eco and want mulch and logs.

It's easier than ever , good luck

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[morten]

But... my god things have changed a bit, what are all these gadgets? You can't even buy green fleck multiplat anymore and then there's tickets tickets tickets, my old NPTC Blue Book doesn't seem to count for anything these days.

 

Welcome back to the industry!

 

I would say that one of the biggest changes in the industry is not the equipment, but the marketing. The internet means that a lot (majority) of private customers will find an arborist by googling something like "felling trees edinburgh" (the public doesn't know what an arborist is), rather than look up classified in local newspapers and yellow pages. Similarly, with everyone having an email address, quotations and invoices can be sent via email, and payment via internet banking.

 

So I would highly recommend that you get a simple website set up, and do some simple Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), so you will appear in appropriate search results. Website hosting and guides to SEO are available for free, although you might want someone to help you.

 

You might also consider using Google Adwords to display adds in Google in response to appropriate search terms, and geographic area. You only pay when potential customers click on your ad, and you can choose how much you want to pay, or even a daily budget.

 

Also, enable Google Analytics on your website, which will tell you all about who uses your website, where they live, what device they use (Phone, Tablet or PC), how many pages they read, and for how long, as well as how they got there (from links, searches or directly).

 

Have fun

[jonnylovett]

Welcome back to the industry!

 

I would say that one of the biggest changes in the industry is not the equipment, but the marketing. The internet means that a lot (majority) of private customers will find an arborist by googling something like "felling trees edinburgh" (the public doesn't know what an arborist is), rather than look up classified in local newspapers and yellow pages. Similarly, with everyone having an email address, quotations and invoices can be sent via email, and payment via internet banking.

 

So I would highly recommend that you get a simple website set up, and do some simple Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), so you will appear in appropriate search results. Website hosting and guides to SEO are available for free, although you might want someone to help you.

 

You might also consider using Google Adwords to display adds in Google in response to appropriate search terms, and geographic area. You only pay when potential customers click on your ad, and you can choose how much you want to pay, or even a daily budget.

 

Also, enable Google Analytics on your website, which will tell you all about who uses your website, where they live, what device they use (Phone, Tablet or PC), how many pages they read, and for how long, as well as how they got there (from links, searches or directly).

 

Have fun

 

Thanks for the info on internet, I have a site for my grounds maintenance business. Finding GM boring and grass cutting does not bring in the cash.

[jonnylovett]

While you had stopped climbing, I hadn't and do it the same way as you remember in 2000.

Spikes are better, alloy geckos are like slippers .

Harnesses are lighter and fit better, sequoia is comfy and light.

I've still got a rope I bought in 98 for big stuff and an orange 1 I bought a few years ago with a Prusik .

I've tried mechanical friction hitches, didn't like them, tried VT, didn't like that do stuck to what I know.

The best thing to have happened while you have been stuck inside is the invention of micro Chippers.

4", 250kg, wheely bin wide awesome little Chippers.

Get 1 of them, everyone has gone all Eco and want mulch and logs.

It's easier than ever , good luck

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

 

Good to know Stephen thanks, I'm not sure about the latest ropes with a prusik, can only seem to find kermantle type with a core and they're useless, or at least I remember them being so. I tried a few devices back in the day, I remember the clogg and some other gadgets but always thought them too risky as rope could pop out. I'm going to stick with the my old bowline & prusik combination with a waist strop for change over. Just need a new rope.

 

I have spotted Beau Jo micro chippers and they look good, not ready for that yet. Stuck in the tickets / insurance major cash outlay catch 22 at the moment so slowly slowly for the time being. I'll get there.

[Stephen Blair]

I wouldn't be concerned about tickets!

Insurance is peanuts now, pay it up every month DD.

Get the little chipper.

But get a greenmech cs100:)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[Mark Bolam]

The harsh reality is unless you want to do 40' garden trees ( which is where the money is, to be fair), you will need to look at more modern climbing systems, or you will simply take too long to be commercially competitive.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk