Andy Collins

Good luck Gary, its a tough time to start out, as everyone who has recently completed courses is in the market. Sure you'll do well tho

I aint criticising the way anyone has to work, we've all been in the same situation, but its only fair to at least know how we stand in law. If you take all reasonable care to ensure that you dont blatantly throw a nest full of young to the ground in full view of the public, then cheerfully push it thru the chipper, you should be ok. Common sense HAS to prevail, unfortunately some are not blessed with that. I think, until Defra deem it convenient to return my calls, I shall keep a copy of that licence in my bag, to calm the do-gooders, and carry on as before. There is so much legislation out there nowadays, if we follow every single bit, we'd never leave the yard!!

Got to say stick with one of the Big Four, Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawasaki. Personally, I find my 350 Fourtrax Honda does everything I need. Go for a newer model with switchable four wheel drive, to save the front tyres. My brother deals with Hondas, but goes on the demo days with other makes, and finds the Chinese ones are very rudimentary, and crudely made. The Polaris makes dont seem too bad, tho he feels they lack the torque of the Hondas.

Generally I think the service back up of any the Big 4 will be better than the lesser makes too. Contact Keith at Fieldens (http://www.fieldens.co.uk/site_tools/article_10.asp) for further info. Tell him Andy recommended you. They do occassionaly get 2nd hand models on trade in, so worth a punt. Hope this is useful

Well thanks for your input anyway Dagmar, at least I've been able to delve a little deeper into a topic I knew relatively little about, and maybe help some others to choose/review the way they deal with what is fast becoming a tricky subject.

And your reasoning? its easy to poo-poo a topic but its good to hear your view-point too

from what i've been told its a waste of time and money

so are you saying its not worth investing in the training of your staff, to be a more efficient team?

I thought some nice 5spoke allys would set it off a treat....... pimp my ride!!

On another point about whether or not you can spend time looking for nests etc. How long do you spend sitting around the site drinking cups of tea/having a fag/ Mars bar/whatever before you get up a tree. It doesnt take long to look up the tree for hazards, ie wasps nests, so why is it so inconvenient to look for a birds nest. These issues aint going away just cos its a bit inconvenient, we've got adjust as Joe Public becomes more and more aware.

And what if the tree is dangerous (e.g. heaved over a highway)?

Thats the point of WLF100088, of which at this time the minions of Defra still havent had the courtesy to reply to my calls, damn officialdom

And as for waiting to see if they're feeding young or whatever, its up to you, you'll have plenty of time waiting if you end up in a cell.

Ok, talking in my local saw shop today, discussed the point Marc has brought up. Tuning a saw by ear is not always reliable, how keen is your hearing, can you differentiate 1000rpm either way, 500? Use a tacho to set em up. Using exhaust emmision is not to reliable as modern oils are so well refined, they just dont produce enough smoke, and if they are, have you found/created another problem? Again, use a tacho to set up. Modern 2-strokes are finely tuned pieces of kit with very little tolerance for the home mechanic to play with, and as they are what we rely on to earn our bread and butter...... well you decide.

As far as the deposits on the piston etc, they are most certainly carbon.

As far as oily liquid running from the exhaust, well its unburnt oil residue, not that I can say mine do that.

Take your kit to the people who know how to set it up properly.

Now I'm thinking that maybe you could print this off and wave it in the face of said bunny huggers, if that is your way. I am trying to contact Defra to clarify all the above points at this time.

And here it is WLF100088, for your perusal: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/forms/cons_man/wlf100088.pdf

Lol, think he used to do some tree work, and live in a house somewhere? Now he just bums around, prolly just sleeping rough in the back of his van, scratching a living stripping paint off windows, grubbing about in skips and dustbins for scraps of food.

Here ya go Tim, when you scrounge enough to get into the internet cafe: http://www.walsallwonderland.co.uk/trampeat.htm

A van for tree work?? I think Blue may disagree with you on this one Lee, lol

Big A I never said my 200t smokes, I did say that I like to see a little smoke to know my saw isn't running to lean, although I know its not the best indicator.

Sorry Marc, I wasnt reading you quite right, but I have never used the output of smoke to gauge the tuning of my saws. Several years ago, all saws ran very smokily, the mix ratios were as strong as 16:1, 32:1, 40:1. Its only with the advent of the new "super" 2-stroke oils that we run 50:1. Having not used the HP oil, I have nothing to add at this point.

I re-iterate, schedule 1 Wildlife and Countryside Act:

Sections 1 to 8 relate to protection of birds. Section 1 prohibits the intentional killing, injuring or taking of any wild bird and the taking, damaging or destroying of the nest (whilst being built or in use) or eggs. It prohibits possession of wild birds (dead or alive) or their eggs. There are additional penalties for offences relating to birds on Schedule 1 and, in addition, it is an offence to disturb Schedule 1 birds at nest or the dependent young of Schedule 1 birds.

Pigeons, strange tho it may seem, are in fact wild birds, and as such are covered by this law. Ignorance is no defence, and if it is likely that birds are nesting, then it is vital that you carry out an environmental impact report before carrying out work. I Know this is a bit of a bind in this high pressure business environment, but can you afford the negative publicity, and fines, that your negligence may bring?

For all of us "brash dragging donkeys" out there, keep an eye out for the parent birds too, the man in the tree/hedge may not see them flying about, oh and chipping birds is the same as killing them (see Schedule 1)

ALL nesting birds ARE protected!! http://www.the-tree.org.uk/EnchantedForest/nestingbirds.htm DONT FALL FOWL OF THE LAW!

try this too: http://ushotstuff.com/wg/SquabSmp.htm

so is a pepper mill!!

Soft boil, coupla mins, hard about 3mins. The young birds are a delicacy too, so as not to waste them by chipping them. Seriously, pigeons are a serious health risk, the faeces around the nest carry all sorts of bacteria, and its best not to inhale the dust around a nest. I, therefore, have no qualms about removing them, discreetly of course.

Tedious day, crown clean and remove ivy from the yew, and remove ivy from the ash, but hey.... its work and its pays the bills. So you can all share in my tedium:turtle:

I dont think there'll be a crash per se, but the economy is certainly taking a down turn. With the steady increase rate on mortgages, that will certainly tighten the amount of money available for luxuries. Foodstuffs are also increasing in cost, as is fuel, so the main requirements in life are all going up in price, while the average earnings, pensions etc arent increasing in line with these costs.

Hi there Bowline

IMO you'll find yourself working a damn sight harder for yourself, than you did for any co. The day doesnt stop when you put the saws in the shed at the end of the day. IF you are going into partnership with one or more people, think very very hard about it. Many partnerships are doomed to failure from the get-go. Saying that, what have you got to lose?

As I think I've posted elsewhere, I have now gone to a 4stroke Honda trimmer, as the fumes are a pain in the backside when working on thick hedge trims. As far as the fumes/smoke from your 200t, Ive never had much of a problem with that, from any saw. Are you sure your mix ratios are correct, as a starter, b4 you start twiddling screws and making adjustments.