Kev Stephenson

How about one of the van safe boxes, you know the ones that people fit to the bulk head of tippers for tool storage. Would that be big enough?

I started the same way (Navara not Hilux though) and initially bought a 4" arboreater. Great piece of kit but since going to the 6" petrol Entec I haven't looked back. Shovelling the chip is a pain in the ass but it only takes 15 minutes to empty. Just bought a 130 land rover so after 2 years of it, no more shovelling for me

Missus and Abbie doing well. We will be up for a beer session before the summer, just need to find the time. Still holding onto the last threads of hope that I will be made redundant and leave with a payout rather than just leaving with my finger in the air. They say I'm too good to be released, when did that happen? Might try an 18 on the 460 for a few jobs and run the 230 with a 14 (currently running a 16) to see if that gives me what I want. Kev

I bought a 460 off you last summer to run the 25" and may well get an 18" for that. Hoping to get new vehicle this week (just accepted a bid on my Navara) so might be running a bit short for a new saw as well (need roof repairs after the high winds etc.) I have got a couple of weeks yet however so lets see if all my customers pay up. Kev

Thanks for this and all the other comments. Looks like a 260 then. As previously stated husky are off the menu due to lack of dealer service locally.

No local husky dealers hence the reason for me looking at stihls only

Only looking at buying with an 18 as I already have a 15 that will fit. Not interested in the 361 as too heavy, too expensive and I have a 460 for the bigger bars and logging up. I was looking initially at the 260 as it appears to be the mainstay of general tree work (or am I wrong here). I want a saw I can use all day to replace my 230 (underpowered), hence looking at the 260 but the discussion with the dealer got me thinking hence asking here. I assume from the replies so far no one has used a 280i are they just too new? Kev

Looking for a new daily use saw. Been to the stihl dealers today intent on buying a 260 with 18" bar but the dealer was trying to sell me the new MS280i. Ended up leaving with neither. Pros for the 280i Stihl's latest technology Intelligent engine supposed to give more power if the revs drop so in theory cuts quicker Extra 5cc / 0.2kw Cons for the 280i Heavier by 0.5kg New technology - is it reliable? Listed in the new catalogue under Landscaping not forestry - is there a reason for this? Both are exactly the same price. Does anyone have any experience of the 2 saws side by side? I know the 260 is the bread and butter of the arb world but is the 280i worth a try? Any comments appreciated, don't want to waste my cash. Kev

Price that was actually put in was £600 for the trees and £150 for the stumps (price from a stump company by phone). Job spec was get it on the ground and into pieces the customer could manage to chop/split for firewood and if time allowed chip what was possible in one day removing nothing from site. It was specified to the customer the price was for one days work. I may have been a bit under in my pricing but it appears we are all pricing to a different spec.

Customer didn't know or wasn't willing to tell and I went to view the job withouit knowing the work had been done. As I said, I did make a call or 2 to find out who had done the work and found out via Pete. Pete then spoke to Bob (who actually did the cutting) and someone else who's job it was but contracted Bob in. The last thing I would want to do is stand on anyones toes, hence me withdrawing my quote and talking about loyalty. Too much work for me and my groundie and on the big more complicated jobs I would rather bring in a more experienced climber than another groundie to increase the size of the team.

It appears that I was the one who went in as the cheapest quote but at the time I was unaware who it was that had done the 'emergency' work. I was a couple of hundred below Bob's price not the half the customer is stating. It also appears the spec of the job changed for each person the customer had a quote from, when I asked what he wanted he said all the brash removing so he could burn it where it fell and the logs leaving in lengths that were movable, he would sort out logging/splitting where necessary. There was to be no moving of logs literally just put the saw through and leave them where they fall. It transpires he had asked previous companies for a full clean up or logging to firewood, hence a higher price as more cutting required. Because of this change in spec and hence uncertainty on the customers part (and the fact I couldn't get an extra body quick enough) I have contacted the customer and backed out saying I can't get there until next week and that tree needs doing now(I told him at the time I would have to ring and confirm availability once I had spoken to my climber (Sir McTree in this case)). He has now asked for a quote stating a price in excess of the other 2 he has had for insurance purposes. Hopefully if Bob still wants this job it is now his. If I was the customer it would have been Bob's job anyway as he did the emergency work. Where did loyalty go?

Camping sounds good I wonder if Ed will be there to 'mark' the police trailer?

Similar to the thread that ran last year, what shows are happening, when are they and who is going? AA's Cirencester show 13/14 June Great Yorkshire Show 8-10 July APF Capel Manor

They rang me last week saying they had 28 calls in a month wanting 'a tree surgeon from Huddersfield' and the reason they had the calls was they were number 1 on the yahoo/google/MSN hit lists. I asked him to check on the three mentioned search engines and he then apologised for blatently lying as I am listed as number 1 not him. There must be some way of getting the company to remove the crap they have posted, when was the last time you used a hammer and chisel for the gob cut?

PMSL at that, I can just imagine the choice words that must have been used and the thoughts when you know you have to get another shock before acheiving anything.

Tried that, they didn't bite. If the customer doesn't want it by definition it is waste

That one is specifically listed as an exception to the rule

If the customer doesn't want it, it is waste. It doesn't matter what you decide to do with it. Dean, how will you get around it? You can't exactly write your own receipt for waste.

Just spoken to an advisor at the EA and had the following explanation given as to why I need a license and a gardener doesn't. A gardener that has a contract to cut grass and sort the garden makes the decision regarding what is to be removed from the garden as waste, he therefore is the waste generator and waste owner. A tree surgeon that has a one off job to remove a tree is removing a tree that has been deemed as waste by the customer, therefore this is the customers waste that the tree surgeon is removing and hence he is transporting a someone elses waste. What the EA person could not differentiate between is the home owner that is employing the gardener is still saying the old flowers/shrubs/grass is waste and needs removing and this is no different from the same customer deciding the tree is waste and needs removing. Surely when the gardener takes on the contract the customer asks him to do X,Y,Z in the same way the customer asks the tree surgeon to remove the tree. They ended up agreeing with me in principle and I am awaiting a phone call from someone higher up to clarify the matter. By all accounts they have had hundreds of phone calls from gardeners/tree surgeons asking for clarification that they seem to be unable to give. The worry i have is if I get this carriers licence will the EA then start at me with 'you have a carriers licence so admit to generating waste, where are your disposal receipts?'. I tip on a farm or give the chip and logs away so can't provide a paper trail for each and every kilo of chip and this is what they are ultimately looking for. Where will it all end?

My interpreatation of that is Mrs Biggins garden is not agricultural therefore that exeption does not apply but "Most businesses that only carry their own waste i.e. waste that they have produced in the course of their business do not need to register. The exception to this is any business that produces and carries building or demolition waste." We are not carrying building or demolition waste so do we need a license? Does a plumber need a license to get rid of an old boiler?

My chip is the same, goes to the farm and is used to fill gate hole ruts or spread on the land. The logs are also given to the farmer as payment for use of his land. I am however being hassled by the EA, they sent me a pack asking me to apply for a waste carriers licence, they have now sent a reminder stating they will be looking specifically for people who haven't yet replied to the original request for maney. If I get the license will they then start to hassle me for where I put the chip/logs?

Now that really does look like a job for Mr McTree, he can't look any worse than in the picture Ed took of him

Mark_j Try e-bay, there were some on there the last time I looked. It might give you a point of contact if nothing more. Kev

Navara. More power for a start. BTW 70k miles 52 plate one going to be available shortly, I am going to a landrover tipper.

User instructions. Mine didn't even come in a bag/box!!