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Andy Collins

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Everything posted by Andy Collins

  1. Andy Collins
    No sorry, i was too busy to take any pics the 1st day. There was severe dieback in the crown, due to Meripilus at the base, and in a very advanced state. In the pics of the butt end of the log, the decay in the timber is very visible, and the lower we cut the more became apparent.
  2. Andy Collins
    No, today she was wearing a skimpy little 3foot number, I originally took it as a back up saw, but used it and let the other groundie use my 66 to ring up.
  3. Andy Collins
    Something to with an 088 with a 4foot bar severing its base?
  4. Andy Collins
    A rare action shot of me not cooking something to eat, and indeed actually lowering myself to log up, so menial
  5. Andy Collins
    Copper Beech dismantle and fell, an arsenal of saws, just another day at the office. Gents in the pics, Matt (climber) and Guy, (assisting with grounding)
  6. Andy Collins
    I dont think that length of breaks is something thats ever came up at work, in 15 or so years. If we're on a take down, there will be a point where it is more suitabe to stop, grab some food and drink, and crack on. If we're felling we tend to take half an hour to 3/4hr break. All very loose, weather dependent, job dependent, mood dependent? I dont think there is law covering this for s/e labour, just be fair to yourself and those working with you.
  7. Andy Collins
    Left home today 7.30am, had dinner about 6.30pm, then just came in after a couple of hours preparation and maintenance ready for tomorrow, about 7.45pm. Typical working day, is around 8ish hours, give or take. Paperwork and maintenance adds on to that time.
  8. Andy Collins
    I would say chainsaw tickets will trump chipper tickets all the way, but if thats all you can afford then the chipper ticket is still a plus. Its very competitive out there at the moment, so try not to be disheartened by the knock-backs. Good luck
  9. Andy Collins
    We got a roll of really strong clear tape with ours, just in case it gets any splits. Best to fix them as soon as they appear so they dont "run"
  10. Andy Collins
    Aha, good thinking. I'm thinking of modifying mine a bit, when I have the time and the inclination. Looks good anyway. PS If 'd taken the trouble to read your 1st post it would have saved time.....d'oh!
  11. Andy Collins
    Loking good CW, have you angled the arch back slightly behind the axle? I find that when lifting the butts up they hit the axle and need a bit of assistance into the bed if the arch is "square" over the axle
  12. Andy Collins
    I grew up cutting and splitting logs and kindling, probably from about 5 or 6. Used to have a woodshed made of flint and pantiled roof, no lights just a dim torch in the corner to "see" what I was doing. Still have all my fingers and thumbs, so it cant have been that dangerous. I taught my kids to use billhooks and axes at a fairly early age too, but i was soft and wouldnt let them use them in the dark, it teaches them respect for sharp tools.
  13. Andy Collins
    I think the "Fish Fight" is a great cause, I wonder if the foreign ships that use our waters follow the quota regulations as rigidly as we do. I've been fishing a mile off the coast with a rod, and had 2 lumbering great Spanish trawlers either side of me dragging their nets behind. Yet you hardly see a british trawler. We arent just talking of a few fish here being discarded, but 100's of tons of fish, dead. These fish cant breed and replenish the stocks, its pure waste. If caught, they should be used and sold. As Hugh said the other day, if proportionately the same quantity of lambs were dumped roadside, imagine the outcry!
  14. Andy Collins
    Can you tell us more about the dummy launcher? Like how is the bag held in position until firing? Or do you modify the dummy and fix a line to it?
  15. Andy Collins
    My kit is dried in the boiler room, none of this nonsense that it isnt coming in the house. it goes with the job, the job keeps a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. Bet most of you moisturise too:biggrin:
  16. Andy Collins
    I carry my 2 fuel cans in a Tesco shopping crate, along with assorted wedges and a other bits and bobs. everything stays together, the fuel cans dont tip over and leak fuel, or get pierced by saw dogs and the like.
  17. Andy Collins
    Ok, update time. Just stripped off the cover, checked it over, fired it up and it ran lovely, stopped/started everytime on request. Replaced top cover, splutter and died. Take off top cover, wiggle HT with engine running....fine. Replace cover again... nothing. Repeat above a couple of times with same results. Hmmm. Then I spot it. The Problem. Where the little black earth lead comes off the coil to return to the switchgear, its rubbed against metal and shorted out. With the cover off of course this wasnt happening, but press the cover down and it effectively acts as a on/off switch. Temporary solution, wiggle wire away from metalwork, wrap in insulation tape, replace cover.... test..... WOO-HOO Thanks for help
  18. Andy Collins
    Whoops Sorry FS was so excited forgot to look who they were from! Thanks Fletcher Stewarts for my stunning array of throw-lining equipment, just need t win a Big Shot now so I can start losing the bags
  19. Andy Collins
    Thanks, hopefully i'll have more patience tomorrow, nothing worse than trying to get on with a job and something goes all unreliable on you. With 500metres of hedging, top and both sides my tolerance level was wearing a little thin:001_rolleyes:.
  20. Andy Collins
    I think the ignition module has failed, it has compression, fuel is getting through, changed spark plug, checked carb is working ok and so on. Yesterday it became erratic would cut out for no apparent reason, put it down, pick it up, pull it over and it would fire up again for a while, then die. Repeat over and over, then at the end of the day it ran fine for nearly a tankfull, then cut out again, only this time it wouldnt re-start. left it last nght, tired it again this morning and it wasnt interested in firing at all. Repeated all the basic checks, and gave up. Not firing at all. With all the plastics in place its tricky to get a decent earth where you can see the spark on the plug, if it is sparking at all that is. Any tips on things to check so I will know if the ignition module is definitely at fault, is there a way to test it directly?
  21. Andy Collins
    Thanks FR Jones for the splendid array of Stein throwbags and stuff, arrived today Top gear:thumbup:
  22. Andy Collins
    I think they call it "dogging" round these parts
  23. Andy Collins
    I've always claimed for cleaning costs, one of my legitimate ones as my friend at HMRC pointed out. I think he was just being picky about the polos and the Rizlas tbh.
  24. Andy Collins
    Well I had a picture of a Judge sitting there donning the black cap before sentencing you to hang till you are dead for this heinous crime
  25. Andy Collins
    I can think of one job a few years back we lost, job was quoted at 6500, climbers, groundies,cranes, big mog chipper, bulker to take chip away and two way lane closure. A faller went in at 4am,(to avoid delaying traffic) felled the trees, cut em to length, burned the brash on site for 400. Who was right and who was wrong price-wise? Our company didnt get the job (lost 6500) he won the job and was up 400 for one days work. Sometimes there's more than one way to skin a cat and earn a living. I think we get so wrapped in "our way is the only way" that we dont see any other way, and it can cost us work.

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