Andy Collins

I'm waiting for Daniel to get back with costs and other details. This should have been done last year had I been well enough.

This was carried out for a friend of mine by Chipper-tech of Stowmarket. Using Ifor Williams panels, and a 3tonne 3 stage ram, its already put in several hours work since its completion, I was to post this earlier, but health issues put it back a bit. I'll pad it out with some more info later.

I might

IIRC I think Honey Bros supply shear pins for these.

Nice little setup, got any more pics, I'm bored and want something to look at

I have the Sentri VanVault, had it for about 4 or 5 years now, had to change one lock on it due to ingress of dirt into the mechanism. Otherwise it's as secure as any other you can get.

Ban all smoking in the workplace. The employer is responsible for the health and safety of his employees during the working day. Too much time is lost to filthy dirty smokers skiving anyway. oh yeah who'd guess I'm an ex smoker

See that's the power and beauty of forums such as Arbtalk, many of us would barely discuss a topic such as this sitting in a truck at lunchtime. Here we chew it over, agree and disagree, come to blows and come to a compromise and finally some sort of result is achieved. Not necessarily to others expectations, but at least raising our own. From this thread, Hama now owns a state of the art, top of the range 1st aid kit that he is happy with, and I have improved my training level, opened my eyes, and improved the standard of 1st aid equipment that I carry, that I am now more satisfied with. Others may look at this in time, and consider their own levels of improvements, or not, their own prerogative. and of course another winner should be Arb Aid, as Tony and I have thrashed this out, the topic gets brought to the fore every time we've posted. Win-win for everyone

You have me all wrong Tony, I'm not in a bad mood, I'm not down on this particular product, or any other. I am realistic however, and proactive, I have improved my training, I have a very much improved first aid kit with everything I need for serious onsite trauma, and it all cost (training and kit) less than the Arb Aid kit alone. I have no issues with that kit, if anyone wishes to spend that much on a kit that's their prerogative and if I was on the receiving end I'd be grateful. If I could afford to have a defib as well Id get one in a flash, but I just can't...simples. So to summarise, this thread has done me good, I have retrained, I have invested in a far better kit, and I have given the subject more thought in a few pages than I have in the past 15 or so years, so I think I've been very positive actually

RIP Rudi, sounds like the right decision though. Mine went to the vets today, senile dementia and possible brain tumour. At the moment it's barely affecting him, so the decision is to let it roll, but I will not let him suffer, make his last few days,months,years as pleasant as possible unless he deteriorates then I'm afraid that he'll have to go to sleep too. He's comfy enough in himself right now, but has suddenly aged while I was away. I'm almost envious of pets, humans have to suffer endless years of pain while we try to "save" them from painful illness. That's morally wrong IMO.

Total waste of time training to use something you don't have on site IMO, imagine the frustration, on site, chap collapses heart attack, and you are saying thank god I'm trained to resuscitate and use the defib, but I haven't got one! That's ok from mine it's a 16 mile round trip to the nearest supermarket, that's if they can find and will lend out their kit, and why should they? Another example, nearest airport is about 30 miles away! Ambulance? I was recovered on blues and twos by ambulance a couple of weeks ago, vehicle left Lowestoft which is 41 miles away to pick me up to take me to Bury St Edmunds (another 22mile) in the opposite direction, it was the nearest available ambulance. From call to me delivered to A and E 2.5hrs! We do need decent equipment, to keep us alive for as long as possible until help reaches us, and more importantly I firmly believe we need real training to cope with what can be horrific injuries in dramatic circumstances. Will many employers seriously lash out the money for this kind of training and equipment... We'll see!

if you want adequate training for all emergency 1st aid, why not become a community first responder, you get to carry defibs and everything else you need. As you are supported by your local Ambulance TRust, you have the back up you need, and best of all all this training and kit is free. Just a thought and a lot cheaper and more useful than a well packaged and presented box of bandages (no disrespect intended Arb Aid) http://www.communityfirstresponders.org.uk/

The defibs we were shown were almost idiot proof, they talk you through the process as you treat. And at around £800 per kit we could have one in each truck under the seat amongst the crisp packets, and old tuna tins. Hopefully this is one piece of kit that would never need using, then of course would be left in said truck to run flat, and would be useless at the time it were most needed. It's in our nature... We are not paramedics, doctors or nurses where such kit is tested each and every day, and probably used daily too. But it was suggested that employers would be negligent in their duty of care NOT to supply a team with one if it were needed. This was suggested by one of the top training providers in my area.I wonder how many of their fleet have either Arb Aid kits on board, or defibs though?!!!

On the latest 1st aid course I attended, I asked about these kits, and the course was specific to our industry, and the instructor was actually quite negative about them. He suggested that we should all carry a portable defib machine instead!! Now I can't see that happening amongst many companies, especially if you have several squads, and put a defib in each truck! Where exactly do we carry all this kit, essential as it's deemed? Trucks are already full to the brim with essential kit, tools to do the job, big arb aid kit boxes, files for all the paperwork for the days work risk assessments and method statements for each of the five sites you'll be visiting during the day, in at least triplicate for the different contractors who've passed the job down to you. Then there are the 3 man teams sandwich boxes, the washing facilities, the days water supply for a thirsty crew. It's getting silly. We have to save a life, or try and sustain that life until the ambulance gets there, and for a fraction of the money you can compile a very sensible and comprehensive 1st aid kit with everything you need for that task. There is no excuse for no training, and putting that into practise regularly perhaps on wet days, alongside aerial rescue scenarios, yeah right, how often will most companies waste time and money on that?!!

We have to take ours to the vet again tomorrow, he's 11 now, though during the day he's fine, at night he just whines, woofs and wanders about all the time till he collapses dog tired in the corner. He's a lovely old dog, been great with the kids all the way through and a brilliant guard dog. We have to have him checked for other ailments tomorrow, maybe it will give us an idea which way he has to go, or if he can be left a year or so. Trouble is, we need our sleep too, I'm trying to recover, my wife has enough on her plate looking after me at the moment without having to endure sleepless nights due to the deranged dog!

Sounds like an isometric stroke Stevie, my lab is going through the same problems at the moment, similar symptoms, apparently brought on by the stress of my going into hospital and not returning. His life was upturned by the loss of his pack leader, and quite simply he couldn't deal with it. Can be treated with a pill, though they can recur.

If I didn't already have one I'd be bidding on this, good price at the minute too. It does not compare with the 088s, it only revs out at 8500rpm flat out, but the torque is incredible, and with 24" it'll stop for nothing. My mates 090 cut length ways down a large nail in timber and apaRt from losing a couple of cutters you'd never know it had hit anything. Awesome saws, though not for the weak or faint hearted. Will realign the vertebrae in your spine, once it's shaken them out of line first, a real old skool saw, and this is the girlie AV model!! Nice price of chainsaw history.

Not at all, Dave, one of the most interesting threads that I've seen lately

What a fantastic collection of pics, love em

mike, you are fortunate in your location, probably one of the densest populations of tree surgeons in the country! And I don't mean they are thick!! BTS are a major employer around here, doing mainly line clearance for UKPN, as well as domestic and other work, and they will train you up as well. Aside from them there are many in the YP, and local press, who may be able to offer you a day or so until you are trained up. I'll pass your number onto a colleague of mine as he is sometimes shorthanded, and in wfact one of Otleys tutors helps him now and again on big jobs, so maybe useful to you. have passed on your details as we speak, though I can't promise anything, hope it helps.

Favourite all time saw, Stihl 090 just coz! Best saw to date, that ticks all the boxes all the time Husky 346, followed by the 357 in a close 2nd place, Favourite modern Stihl is the 066, a beautiful saw to use.

IIRC different timbers reacted differently to cannon fire, eg some would simply split along the grain whereas others would shatter into splinters thus increasing the casualty rate amongst the crew. I think, and maybe wrong, that Turkey Oak was introduced as a more suitable timber for cladding the ships for this reason. Or is it a myth?

I quit bak in June 2011 I think, can't really remember now the exact date, and would say It was quite easy. I convinced myself it was a dirty, filthy habit. And that I didn't want to smell of stale fags all the time. it seemed to have worked for me, I did take Champix for a period of time, but I believe it was mainly down to will power. I certainly don't get the urge or desire to smoke these days.

didn't know Tim was your Nan!! Though he is an old woman

A 346 is a most excellent choice sir