Andy Collins

It's better than any advert, it stands out, it's memorable, it's quirky, Dean you're onto a winner there! even if you just park it up at the supermarket

I've nothing against any body art, it's purely individual, but if it leads to infections, blow outs or whatever, and that affects your ability to work, is that a good thing? In the past, I've worked for clients who have felt intimidated by pierced/tatted colleagues. No one should feel intimidated by anyone working on their premises, so maybe keep them discreet?

Just an aside, but relevant to one of the posts here, IMO, all people should have there own sickness and personal accident cover, employee or contractor. Who is going to pay you if and when you are sick or injured? Don't forget, personal accident cover will protect you if you have any accident, in or out of work, surely it's unfair to expect an employer to pay you for hurting yourself playing rugby, football or more extreme sports?

Keep it. You'll rue the day you sell it. Short term gain, long term pain. as said wee chippers always have their place.

I think it was White Noise who said about covering up his old military tats that he had done while serving. IMO, these are a part of your own life story, and maybe should be incorporated into an updated tat, not covered. I was talking to this elderly ex-forces guy (in his 80's) and each tat had a story behind it, where it was done, why he was sent to that area, even the hand-done with bone needle one while he fought with the Chindits. To have covered these later on would have erased 20odd years of service. I think tats are about being an individual, and part of that individuality is having your own life story portrayed in ink. Will, I like the theory of having heavy ink and piercings to be different, yet you all become the same just a thought.

How can anyone ask for ID off any person, when it is not a legal requirement to carry it? even a serving police officer can only ask for proof of ID, he cannot insist upon it, and it is not an offence to NOT have proof of ID. a person living NFA, with no bank account, no service bills, no passport, no driving licence, basically has no formal ID, how can he prove who he is? Until we have a requirement in law to carry ID, and be required to produce it, many other laws will continue to be broken.

I got all 3 from a local hardware store, I guess B&Q or similar will have them. The alarm runs of a 9v battery. A determined thief will be able to cut or maybe break them, but an opportunist may well be deterred. If it gives you that extra couple of seconds then it's money well spent IMO.

Why do you not use your expansive range of skills to help others who do not have your wealth of knowledge, rather than belittle them at every opportunity? This is a discussion forum where people come to discuss...and learn things, not to be spoken down to. If you wish to continue in this manner, please find another forum to frequent.

What was the wooden ring for?

Listening to a couple of old boys rambling on the other day ab the kind of requests the got from customers during their line of works, it made me wonder... Have you been asked and done unusual or completely different to the normal "day job"? for example, a friend of mine was contracted to cut down a 200ft radio mast , sectionally dismantle with a disc cutter instead of a chainsaw. Not really so different after all, but unusual all the same.

I do rate them, if someone cuts the cable, the alarm goes off, warning you. It's not unbeatable, but reduces the chance of a snatch and grab crime, esp onsite. I have three of various quality, ranging from £15-£20, and to date since using them nothing has left site that was alarmed. I wouldn't recommend any particular brand, anything is better than nothing and has to suit your pocket too. So I takes a few seconds extra to lock stuff down, but that's better than turning around and kits gone missing.

I agree Michael, but we are on about more than just negativity here, things that put advertisers off advertising! or members off posting and participating. We welcome good and thoughtful debate, on all topics, where relevent

If any member finds anything offensive, rude, homophobic racist or anything else that they think is unreasonable or unacceptable for this forum, please use the report function to either myself or one of the other moderators. We cannot possibly hope to read every post every day, but with members help we can at least try to keep things on the straight and narrow. This isn't just our forum, Its everyone's and we don't want anyone to feel it isn't the place for them. And thank you to those members who have helped in the past.

I'm pretty certain the machine doesn't exist, as usual.

Totally agree, especially with the first and second parts, third bit, hmmm After my workshop got turned over, I realised I'd been watched for weeks, certain vehicles had been pulling over and using the phone, opposite. These vehicles didn't show up again after. So I recorded other vehicles that stopped, notably a. Merc estate car and a white panel van. I took reg nos and checked them on autotrader website. They didn't exist, on there anyway, so I passed details to the police turned out they were both on false plates, unlicensed drivers with no insurance, so I guess they were up to no good. I apologised to the cop who came out in case he thought I was being paranoid, he assured me that both vehicles were undoubtedly about to be used for further crimes. Cable alarms, I use them everywhere I work, only takes seconds and means you can actually take your eyes off your kit. Prevention is so much easier than risking the loss. Talking to a chap the other day, he was moaning his card got cloned at a local supermarket cash machine, and blamed the supermarket, the fact that it was common knowledge about the cloning, signs warned of the crime, and he still used his card in that machine because he need the money out didn't cross his mind to actually take responsibility for his own actions too. I despair.

Being on this site should be: fun, relaxing, unthreatening, educational, topical and not least of all interesting. I've been moderating this forum since the beginning, and I've never found it tedious....until now. It's become tiresome, the same few doing the same stuff on a different day. All any of us want is the forum to run smoothly with as little effort as possible, as Steve said we run companies or are out working ourselves, the last thing I want to do is run a crèche in my evenings. If you don't wish to stick to a few rules, or just want to come here to stir the crap day after day, just go somewhere else, we just don't need it.

I like the JetBoil,out of practicality. It heat water fast, it heats food fast, and the cylinders are available at any hardware store, so most of the time I'd give it top marks. But I love the Kelly kettle too, it's a Man Thing, scavenging for fuel, lighting fuel, PROPER FIRE, then boiling up your water in around 5 mins. So in my real world, it's the JetBoil, in my relaxed chilled out world it's the Kelly. I have both and the Jet wins most of the time.

Yes, but they are free to work elsewhere.

Iirc I think the ruling came into being following the London riots, to limit how much the rioters could use for arson?

But you're self employed......????

Like many others on this thread, I've been observing people far closer lately. 2 landscapers have been on my site today, not in my employ, but I'm responsible overall for the site on behalf of my client, in particular to "keep an eye" on other trades. These two guys were the epitome of laziness. Mooching about, poking in and out of outhouses, doing just about everything other than what they're employed to do. I went and had a quiet word with the charge hand, pointing out that they are actually paid to some work while they're there. He replied that it IS Friday, and no one expects anything to be started on a Friday!! I have a sneaky feeling there may be some different landscapers there on Monday. Age wise, these guys were mid-30, and early 20s. So no ageism from me. I'm nearly 50, have been cutting, splitting and stacking logs for two days, probably have more strength and stamina than both of those put together. And I don't have strength or stamina these days!!

I think there is a problem with a lot of people these days. Not just in tree work but in general. There isn't respect, there isn't the expectation to "pull your finger out" and get the job done. There is more of a lethargic apathy to everything in general. People turn up for work as if it's the bosses privilege that they even bothered. I guess, in a way, that Horatio is just asking for someone, anyone, to actually turn up and show some enthusiasm for the job for a change, instead of thinking they're doing him a favour. A mate of mine rang the other day, a lad who used to help us out daily came back after a couple of years out, on the basis of how well he used to work. To say he is disappointed with the lad is an understatement. He now slouches about, disinterested, staring at his feet while he mooches through the day, very frustrating to see what was a potentially good worker slip downhill. Ok, so maybe the wording in some of Horatios posts comes across a little wrong, but read between the lines, see his frustration, when you find a good worker, keep him, cos there are a lot of bad uns out there, young or old. And name calling, because you disagree.... Come on, discuss properly!

Now you mention it, I'm not sure

Can't recall which of us was the first member. Pete McTree is #3, I'm #6. Can't remember first thread, but I think it may have been something like "Does it work?" Or similar.

I get satisfaction from doing a good job. I don't know what else I'd do if I quit anyway, so might as well enjoy the day.