Andy Collins

I was sort of joking about doing the work for him, there is a challenge at stake here don't forget Clocks ticking Aspen

Ah the great British reserve.... It's a bit blowy, and a little damp. Where's me lunch? good to hear your ok.

Yeah cheers that was my thought from previous posts. I have another long days hedging today so It should be sorted after a few minutes. I wonder how AAOC are getting on with those numbers I gave them. I was tempted to go in and ask for it, create a demand, but hey why should I do all the work:biggrin:

PS I meant to say that the Fuji Robin spluttered and died if the throttle was released, not if it was being used.

Yes, Arbtalk saves relationships too....probably.

Steve has been on the go the last 3 days virtually non stop, I recall he said he had something like 3hrs sleep in as many days/nights to transfer all the files and data. He had warned that there may be some disruption over this time, and he freely admits it's not gone 100% smoothly. We appreciate everyone's patience at this time, and hopefully once everything is complete you will have an even better forum to play on. There may be blips, but that's the nature of the beast.

Well I've done my first full days hedgetrimming with Aspen. Initial thoughts...nothings different, one trimmer my old Fuji Robin, splutters and dies if the throttle is kept on, which is a bit of a bind, but slight adjustment tomorrow will take care of that. Other trimmers (Tanaka single side and Echo long reach) both carried on flawlessly. Now, interestingly, the only trimmer that smoked before was the Robin, the Echo and Tanaka never smoked as the fuel was always mixed by myself to 50:1. I must admit, I'm not sold on it...yet. I like the scented aroma of the fuel, but is it worth the extra expense? Oh, and I've never watched a fuel can empty with such sorrow before, I got through nearly £17 worth of fuel today

I don't think it's at bad, well not from the average man on the streets Point of view. It shows snippets of how it is, very small snippets at that. Comparing it to the US hit series Ax-men, well we Brits are a little more reserved, not really YEE-HAAAA like theyre portrayed. I should imagine it's difficult to make a programme that catches the best from woodland management, perhaps the scenery? Sitting by a fire ruminating the worlds problems? Seeing from the angle of someone getting away from it, it looks idyllic, the realism is that to turn a wood around to make a living from it will take more than a year, and a living.... Well if you're a hermit and happy to live in a bender and eat berries and roots you may call it living, I don't.

Agreed Tony, I'm not convinced by the statement that the risk of spreading is low if it is wood chipped, in saw logs etc, but there you go, better than I have studied this at length. I'm just sure that as we are working at the coalface we are in as good a position as anyone to have some kind of impact on the outcome, even if it just slows down the spread a little. As I said elsewhere, I couldn't believe at a major local plant sale this last weekend, they were flogging off their supplies of Ash saplings cheap to beat the ban, and they were legally doing nothing wrong, morally maybe. The plant passport scheme has Ben proven to have it's failings too, another half assed attempt at control.

You see, I have an issue with eating what is considered healthy food. Veg need boiling to a virtual mush, meat needs to be well cooked and very tender, pine nuts and such like need avoiding. I absorb probably 50% of the fluids I need, say 50% from a glass of waterr/mug of tea. I need at least twice as much salt on my food, maybe more, I have to be generous with the salt spoon. I need jelly babies, White breads, marsh mallows, coca cola, all the stuff which is generally deemed unhealthy, just to function "normally". So inevitably weight gain and the "wrong" types of food are consumed now. Shame really, I love good quality, properly cooked food, a m/rare steak and so on. Cest la vie

My thoughts, your sanity has returned....welcome back ax man personally I know nothing about the machines other than at the AA Show their stand was set up next to ours, and the machinery looked very well built, and finished. Sorry I can be of no more help than this.

Tonys point takes it around to the queriesi made in my thread about a code of conduct, a responsibility that we all have as professionals to endeavour to do the right things to curb the effects of this issue.

Sorry for being thick but how does fasting help to lose weight. In times of fasting the body realises that there is no food intake and slows down and stores reserves to fall back on. Surely it's better to eat little and often to speed up the process, than slow it down? Of course this is all irrelevant to me as I have a different system these days.

I'm starting to think that it's not going to be long before insured companies start charging a higher premium to houses with wood burners installed. Last winter locally to me there was a dramatic increase in chimney fires and house fires where a wood burner was installed. There is also an issue with the amount of heat generated in the upper section of the chimney, which never used to occur from an open fire. Old houses were not designed to have this excessive heat built up.

Hi and welcome to all the new members who've joined up recently, hope youu enjoy te forum. Don't be afraid to participate, most of the members are now house trained, shouldn't bite and don't pee on the carpets too often these days. Good to see a wide variety of folk on here

My thoughts precisely. See my thread on a code of conduct for arborists re this issue, more info in there.

I believe sections 4 and 6 cover the movement of firedogs, sawlogs, wood chip etc adequately, which is at least a guidance for Arb sector. Planting and movement of new plants is also adequately covered IMO. Thanks Paul for your time in digging ot the info , and Catweazel, and Charlie when you get something. At least going through it here we are reinforcing it in peoples minds, sourcing the relevant info from the right people who are best to advise. Thanks to you all for your help with that.

Our local fire service was busy yesterday, 3 chimney fires with wood burning stoves, I guess people are shutting them down when they go out, then opening the draught and roaring it up, setting alight to the creosote in the liner. Had many many chimney fire throuout last winter locally, majority were wood burner related.

I think this is important if it is possible to at least slow down the spread, or at least try. With what is the largest British forum dedicated to tree work, with instant access to 15,000 ish members, I find it hard to believe that they dont automatically send out the info to all forums. Are they so backward in technology? Yes I feel they have shut the stable door after the proverbial horse has done a runner, now they need to take effective proactive action in raising awareness fully, not just a 5second slot on local radio either. If indeed we have a duty of care as self proclaimed professionals, then surely we are the best to a) spread the word, raising awareness, b) take preventative measures to curb it's spread. How many emails have I received to date as a professional and a member of an associated trade representative on this matter.....None. Why have the AA, ISA, FC, FCA, RFS and every other concern not emailed each and every member? Because IMO they sat on their hands waiting for someone else to do something...eventually.

I went on to MaccyDs the other day for an emergency burger and fries and Coke, 1350 calories in one sitting!!!!! The burger was 850 cals on it's own!!! Dangerous food that. Luckily it's a rare occasion that I have that stuff so it's nt so bad. I do watch my intake quite closely, not necessarily calories all the time, and cut down the other week as Im just over 102kg, and I wished I hadn't, energy levels failed me and I nearly passed out from hunger. A back up bag of Jelly Babies sorted me til I got in

This is my whole point Charlie, should we as industry professionals take the lead on this, a voluntary code of conduct. Of course, no one can police this, but if at least the majority of professionals cooperate, it may curb the spread as far as we' re concerned. This could give ash a chance, not a big one, but just maybe..... Is there any harm to be done by trying?

Only report it we think it's infected? Might be a little late in that case surely. Surely a blanket policy across the board, prevention better than cure and all that? My impression was that Europe have known of this problem for quite some time, yet only now has action been taken. Given we're an island, this could have been acted on far sooner. E plant passport scheme has hardly done it's job for instance, and less scrupulous people still sell trees, including ash, without a plant passport anyway. Foe example, I went a local plant sale Saturday, plenty of imported Ash trees for sale there, even though they knew of the impending ban, they were shifting stock quickly before the ban was in place. The potential for further speeding of the fungi is already there. How do we know that ash already felled is not infected, and transported around the countryside as firewood? What action is being taken, or is it not necessary?

Well, with this latest health care issue for the Ash, the upsurge of this airborne fungal attack, is it prudent to only carry out emergency and essential works on ash trees, especially in the East Anglian region. Surely new open cuts will allow the fungal spores an entry point that will lead to the early demise of the trees? As industry professionals, should we have a code of conduct on this, a responsibility to do our part in reducing the risk of spreading the disease. There is much talk of the importation ban now, but what of movement of infected arisings? Moving timber and wood chip around the countryside will surely disperse spores more readily, indeed, blasting infected timber through a chipper could be deemed irresponsible, burning at source of potentially infected matter being a cleaner option. Should we take a lead on this, given the slow movements of the FC and the government?

I suppose one way you could find out how much it would cost to make a chipper is to build your own. I mean it can't be th hard, an engine, a drum with some sharp bits on it, and a discharge chute, how hard can it be? Having built your prototype, now get it patented, CE approved, then set up your production line. Now employ quality fabricators to build them up. Where you going to base your new business, UK? Labour costs will kill your business. Many have tried to do exactly the same thing, people with experience of the industry, few are still around. Once you've built your Market beating chipper, how are you going to price it? Dirt cheap, or on a par with your competitors? Why should you earn less than say Greenmech, you've made the investment, you should make the profit. Shaving costs, cutting quality, and quality control, the machine will last less time, be unreliable, and you will go out of business. Buy cheap, buy twice.

I said £175, which so far is a lot higher than anyone else, so I'd lose out to the others. I aim to replace hedge trimmers yearly, I am now considering using Aspen for all trimming work, which is phenomenally expensive, and the arisings still need clearing up. Then I'd consider the area, what appears to be a one man job probably requires a spare pair of eyes to keep an eye on tools etc. Suddenly the price has rocketed. Nice quick little job and some scrote runs off with half your kit, down some rat run of alley ways that most estates have. £175 is still my price, they can take it or leave it, most "little jobs" never fit in when it's convenient for you, they expect to be treated special and when it suits them.