Marc

Just because we have bigger kit doesn't mean we can be more expensive than someone with smaller kit, the opposite in fact we are the same price and sometimes cheaper, only difference is we can do it quicker and more of the bigger jobs in a week/month. A recent job we didn't get a look in on pricing took a local contracter one week to complete, we would of been half the price and had it completed in two days. You don't double your price you double your workload and all the headache that comes with it. We have another contractor near us who has mega kit, we can't touch him on price or productivity we are simply not efficient enough.

We can't put a PUH on the L38's so limited to 13ton center axle trailer. At least with the newer Unimogs you have that option so either 13ton center axle or 18ton Ag trailer 13 ton on the trailer axles and 5 ton on the hitch I guess. Regarding the overloading it's a fair point to consider, our Isuzu as far as I can make out is a 5.5ton vehicle plated to 3.5ton in the UK which kind of makes it pointless as the legal payload with 2 guys and gear is 700kg on a short wheel base because of plated weight, it's not like the vehicle is not built to take more. We looked at other builds on the Isuzu similar to what some of the larger companies run but when we discovered they actually had no payload... makes you wonder if the employers at these companies know they are provided with vehicles that have to carry capacity. These are large concerns that we all compete against. But we have been here before and done the whole overloaded thing to death, we can only bury our heads in the sand for so long. I am currently battling it out with our Unimog supplier regarding the tow bars provided which were a total joke the frightening thing is if it's Ag you can get away with murder quite literally.

This is one of our Unimogs, the long term goal is to go operators license and taco running on white. That way there can be no grey area, we are moving to 10 week safety checks. Unimogs are okay, I would not say they rock. But many jobs this year we have got them places a normal truck wouldn't go, and with a 6 ton payload it's a reasonable whack of chip. We also maintain them ourselves and believe me we are constantly fixing them. We have looked at the new ones which have much greater capacities all round with 18ton instead of 13 ton tow capacity. And configurable up to 16 ton gross vehicle. They are just mighty expensive new and hard to find in the spec we want second hand.

What Unimog have you got? What's the axle loads and towing capability? Our Unimogs are easy to overload. We are replacing 2 with a tractor as we tow a BotexXL trailer which is 16ton gross beyond what any of our square cans can tow. We then have the largest square cans you can get 1850-2450L38's these are extended chassis so greater overhang past rear axle than previous L38 we ran, the chip boxs hold 18cube rammed to the gunnels that's 6ton, they weigh 6 ton dry with max gross of 12/13ton that's 6 ton front axle and depending on build spec 6/7 ton rear axle. We have taken them over the weigh bridge a few times with various chip loads and yet to exceed 12ton. Max tow on the L38's is 13T with the rockinger/ringfeeder hitch max nose weight of 1 ton (twin axle trailer 6t per axle 1 ton nose =13ton). We had to alter the long rear tow plate to accept a G150 stud pattern for the coupling as the standard pattern of G135 is not longer considered fit for a trailer of 13 ton. Basically what I am getting at here is many believe that Unimogs are where it's at because they can get away with murder. At the end of the day disregarding the whole red diesel thing you have to set-up a Unimog correctly because if the poo hit the fan and you exceeded axle weights, which are clearly plated along with towing capacity....

I work for a company Mike, but it's not your usual set-up, also I often type on my mobile and never proof read what I said, when I re-read what I have wrote even I am confused. Every company is unique in the way it operates, I am left to my devices to operate how I see fit in all aspects from tendering for contracts, tree condition surveys, compliance, buying kit, maintaining kit, employment and logistics. Leaving the MD who has operated the company for 35 years to do what he wants. The policy is trust, simple as that.

Ha yes, I rather be brutally honest with people if you want to be good at this job you have to start at the bottom, even if you did that fast track course and have all your climbing tickets - prepare them for the worst if they still smile at the prospect and get stuck in you've got real talent. We are also uniques because we don't employ groundies everyone is a climber or will be and all are very good climbers, it's an expensive team/s to run but personally wouldn't have it any other way.

Actual training are you mad! The training industry won't know what hit them if you did that. I got a stonking deal on my triple - digger, dumping, forks tickets.

You will need plenty of Zen when it comes to throwlining. I use Zing It it's the only line I am comfortable with, but I hate buying a new one as it takes months of throwing to truly bed it in, hence I keep 3 throwline kits on the go. You can speed up the bedding in process by hanging it over night with added weights to help stretch it out, even soaking it in warm water can help if it's a waxy line. Paying it off the reel is important to start with, you need to unroll it like toilet roll if you just coil it off it will hockle. Then it's just patience, personally I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I'd learn to hand throw leaving the big shot for special occasions like firing conkers at squirrels.

It proves dedication in my eyes, and everyone has to understand the monotony that can be involved in tree work and the importance of every role. A lot can be learnt from being a groundie, good rope management, rigging, site prep and planning and observing. If you have got it you will watch learn ask the right question and get your opertunity. Not many companies can afford to put inexperienced climbers straight into the tree, it takes time and investment to train a climber dedication is everything even with the dull stuff. The hardest part is finding a good company to work for that show you good healthy work practices.

If your green it makes no odds to us. You'll drag brash for a year, pull takes or dig mulch circles, if your the karate kid you will get it. Just my opinion.

£1200 remove the lot to ground level and start again. That Copper Beech is not worth the hassle, it's also not a Beech.....

A quiet week this week for us. Chipper overheating, suspect Rad blocked but looks clear to workshop for investigation weeks before a big job. Cutter head bearings gone on Carlton. Tipping gear weak on Unimog suspect pump dying. Fan belt on Unimog toast- in our parts stock so simple fix Oil leak from somewhere getting worse, fuel leak somewhere getting worse. Cabstar won't charge battery new alternator. Idler hearing gone on 2.3 ton Takeuchi digger. Engine gone on water bowser fed up of fixing it new one ordered. Fuel leaking into sump of pressure washer. Leak from axle of another Unimog portal hub seal gone potentially. CTIS gone on another Unimog air lines full of crude, disconnected for now, along with air leak probably related to gunk in air lines. If only all weeks were this quiet on the maintenance front.

So many ways to approach a problem, personally I don't think your approach was wrong just a bit of bad luck it hard to tell but maybe it's not pinched and jammed with saw dust because the saw was to small to clear the bore as I've seen that happen before. I'd go with Matty and Spruce, you've cut through a lot of the fibres so finish the back cut, just cut fast. I should add probably what you did do wrong is have no contingency to sort yourself out.

We use SDL and Luigi both are very good.

That's my thoughts as well, brand awareness does help, although when looking at a new chipper word of mouth is king.

I should add it's word of mouth of general consensus - basically if a lot of people are using them they must be good or have good support. I'm probably an odd one I never look at price as time and again I have found it you skimp on something you will probably regret. Once I am certain on the product I want I then try to get the best deal I can but price is never a first priority the right kit is! The Jenson I think is a good product and would always consider one, we recently sold our pto Jenson.

I instantly don't trust you, or your product now

A sewn/spliced eye is not 40% of the cost, I prefer a spliced eye myself due to its lack of bulk and ease of use. We climb on static rope to EN1891 (semi-static) standard so imagine the rope your using could be fit for purpose. Arb ropes are generally designed to be thicker in diameter harder wearing more supple and offer better knotabilty.

None of them, I never pay attention to marketing campaigns.

My comments are based purely on using them in the tree, and not on commercial timber trying to explain how when you make your cuts below can create the situation of catching your saw is difficult I guess - cutting the fibres below as you put you back cut in and the timber goes over it can lift and catch your saw in the cut as your back cut goes by them a bit like an outboard step cut. The logic makes perfect sense to me and it's something we teach all the new guys or less experienced to do but so many seem taught to put below to stop the fibres splitting and catching on their lanyard, when in reality cutting the fibres above will still stop it tearing down. Chances of it happening are low, but there is one guy who did himself a proper injury from getting his saw trapped in the kerf of falling timber, not helped by the fact he used his wife core flip line as a chainsaw lanyard... I also lent my top handle to a young lad who topped out a small Oak again sapwood cuts below as taught saw caught in kerf bent my bar, chain and stretched the springs, also seen on some videos lately big tops being knocked out where you can see the saw being lifted as the timber goes over and the climber frantically trying to get the saw out of the cut. None of these issues will happen if you keep your back cut sensibly below all previous cuts and I see no significant disadvantage to doing this whilst on spikes up a tree with a good arguement for lowering risk.

Weather the cuts are above or below it will prevent tearing, and i doubt it would weaken the cut enough to effect fall direction in the tree. Why wouldn't you put them above? Below you are increasing the chance of creating a step to catch the saw, above you will not and achieve the desired effect.

True is more implied than stated as why would local authority refuse. But agree to little info to go on.

Wow constructive comments. How did the extension get through planning if so close to a TPO'd tree? How is Trimming/lopping it going to improve the tree? Most trimming/lopping is detrimental to trees and not really classed as good care but hey it pays the bills. You can't just say tree is close to house needs felling, trimming, lopping you have to present an arguement for why to the LA can still refuse if they do not think the specification is justified so make sure it's a robust so they cannot refuse that's the hard part sometimes. Sounds like there is no issue, and the concern is more a perceived one than an actual one. Good luck

I've knocked a few chunks out and it seems to me putting your ears below is potentially riskier because as it goes over it can make small step cuts that can catch your saw in the kerf. There also seems to be no disadvantage to putting the ears in above, sap wood cuts are sap wood cuts, the main point is to reduce hold preventing tearing of bark and reduce potential to split whilst on spikes, placing the sapwood cuts above achieves the same result with zero risk of potential steps particularly in leaning timber. It the same as out board cuts as a final cut, it was implied to me that this is to allow the timber to land flat, again the risk and I know plenty who have got their saw stuck in the kerf of falling timber, one climber even broke his leg recently after the saw got stuck in the kerf of falling timber and pulled him off his spikes. Anything to minimise the saw getting stuck in the kerf is a good thing.

Ears, wings whatever you call them I always put mine above the gob/backcut in the tree and can never understand why it's the other way round.