Kev Stephenson

Had saturday out on a walk around just outside Kendal last weekend and ended up with a duck and a pheasant. Only 4 birds shot in the torential rain. Then called inh a favour and got to go goose shooting early Sunday morning on the river Lune. Bagged my first ever left/right on grey geese and also took a wigeon and a couple of mallard. Hope to be out tomorrow beating on the shoot Dean captains but that depends on how much ale I put away tonight in the local.

What about when you are not in council employ?

I have applied for the exemption on my yard but am I applying for the right thing. 1. Most of my chip is mixed in with cow slurry and spread on the land as compost. Is this classed as 'disposing of' or 'reusing'? Only reusing is covered in the examples. 2. The example given on the EA site describes a landscaper chipping on site which is exempt. I very rarely do chip in my yard but bring in chipped waste. How do the EA see this? 3. The transporting license should be covered under the exemption listed above by Yorkshireman (arisings from forestry work or other virgin timer work). If you need to keep a carbon copy book as detailed in a post above which the customer must sign how would you go about transporting multiple loads in a day if the customer is not in to sign the form? Yet again the idea is presentable, the execusion is a balls up. You could be falling into more traps trying to comply than by just ignoring it. Kev

Bill through the door (or in the post if I didn't have time to print it beforehand). It is very unusual for the customer to be in when I am there. It does mean that the majority of payments are by cheque though.

Did the national 3 peaks about 8 years ago, a group of us managed it in about 23 hours from opening the minibus door at the bottom of Snowdon to being back in the van at the bottom of Nevis. We used the tourist routes up Snowdon and Nevis and climbed over Scarfell and down the other side so the bus could go around to save us a bit of time. Good fun but hard work. The worst bit I think was when we were about an hour from the top of Nevis (the last one) and we were passed by some old boy who looked like he was going to be late to collect his pension. Good luck with it if you do go. Kev

Happy birthday. Whats the view like from the top of the hill?

Which office?

I wasn't at Kendal claaling but my brother in law was with the clowns and street entertainers. You could here the music at my in laws place which is between barrows green and endmoor. I will speak to Callum this evening and pass on the message from both of you. Thanks for this Kev

Just been for a weekend at the outlaws in Kendal and a friend up there is looking for some work experience in tree surgery. He (Callum) is 17 years old and from a farming background so is certainly not scared of hard work and is very able to turn his hand to most things. I will vouch he has his head screwed on and will work hard and not cause any problems He is currently studying for his 'A' levels before hopefully attending somewhere like myerscough to complete a vocational course in forestry/tree surgery. He is therefore available for the duration of August (back to college early September) and is looking for anything from a couple of days to a few weeks experience of real world tree work. He does not yet have a driving license but only lives a couple of minutes from the main train line so would be able to travel as far south as Lancaster if necessary or get dropped of anywhere more local (within 15 miles of Kendal say). If anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated, please contact me or reply here in the first instance, I will pass your details to Callum and he will ring you for a discussion. Any payment would be if you deem it well earned. Thanks i advance Kev

firefly signing in. I remember sitting in my mothers car on the drive (couldn't go anywhere as I was only 14) with the mag-mount on the roof talking to allsorts of wierdo's. It used to be the best way of keeping in touch with school mates before mobile phones were openly available. If I remember rightly I swapped the entire setup for a petrol powered radio controlled car.

Hiab is made by Atlas, other than that I have no real details. It was there when I bought it. It has a 2 stage extension the first being hydraulic the other being manual and 360 degree swivel (hydraulic). Lifting capacity is 0.36T fully extended (approx 3m / 2 ft off the back of the truck), 0.66T at approx 2m (manual section in, hydraulic section fully out) and 0.99T fully retracted. As far as weight it adds to the vehicle I am unsure hence why there are some posts on this thread listing weights of the vehicles with and without various add-ons. However the Atlas website lists the newer version of the Hiab I have as being 180kg dry and without stabilising legs.

Dean, Weighed it off tonight at work. All my saws, fuel cans, climbing bags, spare wheel, etc at bulk head end. Full tank of juice and me + 1 in it. Front axle 1340kg Whole truck 2640kg Plated weights are (1) 1580kg and (2) 2200kg How does that compare to yours or anyone elses 130 or even a non 4x4 3.5t truck? Kev

I still don't think you have got enough lights on her Matt. I am sure there is a space somewhere for more.

Is there really anything wrong with working part time to pay for gear and establish a business before packing in the salaried work? Numerous people (including those in this thread) have said they started part time or while working in another job? Who on here didn't? Should I have packed in the salaried job and started full time the next day with no gear, no chipper, etc to be more professional? I personally did my basic tickets 2 months after picking up my first saw (after taking advise to get used to the saw first), have always been insured and have worked solely to pay for equipment up to now(otherwise the tax man would take most of it). I am now in a position where I can forsee no large purchases in the near future so money taken on jobs can pay the mortgage and not finance or repairs to old kit. Is it not true that a large number of new businesses go under because they are trying to service finance commitments as well as paying a wage, surely by buying all the kit before I NEED the income I will be in a better financial position to survive as full time self employed.

It's easy with the regular custom yourself and Mr Mctree put my way. I might even have to give up the tree work now I have found a community so receptive to my other work

The crane might come off yet, I have only owned the landy for a couple of weeks so still weighing up the options. The landy wasn't bought for the crane, it just happens to be there. However, I have been approached by a few people both tree related and otherwise asking about the crane and hire of vehicle plus driver so it might prove to be an earner if times are a bit lean this year. Lets see what the next few months bring. Kev

That is a hell of an anorak you own Matt. Yes it is ex Severn trent water and was bought by me for the low milage (41k) rather than the crane. I will have to get it to a weigh bridge to confirm it is legal but would be shocked if it isn't.

Didn't see you but yes I was on your 'manor'. :wave: Ball ache of a job though, conifer hedge reduction to 20ft along the bottom of a nice steep garden with poor access for lugging brash.

They were pinning back a tarp at the hiab end to stop chip getting in to the hiab controls and mounting point, 2nd bulk head to be fabbed this week when I get a spare couple of hours. It's a work in progress at the minute, working well but tweeks needed

Got my 130 on the road now. Not yet tipper converted but that will happen in the near future using a slightly shorter bed (modifying the current one) so I can leave the hiab on. Needs a chip box roof or tarp and some new tyres but loving it so far.

Dean, Thanks for today, I know I was only able to stop for an hour or so but it was good to meet a few new people and put names to other faces. I hope people enjoyed the climbing and the food went down well. Hopefully I will be able to come for the full day at the next one. Kev

Add me as well please Steve

Yes that is the one I have bought.

I just bought one last week from the same bloke Dean's (and Matt's?) is from http://www.gsdrake.co.uk or something like that. Don't expect a friendly reception, he is possibly the most miserable bloke in existance but he is honest (refused to sell me one as he said 'it is a shitter, you live too local to buy that'). As of last week he had 3 left, all ex electric companies, all P plate 300TDi, all with more than 150,000 miles on. I bought a 40,000 mile TD5 flat bed ex water co. He is very well priced - Nene overland bought the original one I was looking at (N plate 68,000 miles £6.5k no VAT) and it is now on their website unchanged at £10k. Pictures of mine will be up in the next few days when side boards etc are fitted. As for running one, I have come from a 52 plate Navara which is pure luxury compared the the defender but it is a tool not a motorway cruiser and it does what it says on the tin.