Will

Having spent 23 years in the Royal Navy, I have lost a few good friends in the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Former Yugoslavia, Bosnia, the 1st and 2nd Gulf wars, Afghanistan, Somalia and a few other places that you won't of heard about. Maybe the 2 world wars are fading in our memories but as you read this post, our brave boys and girls of the armed forces are all over the world fighting for their lives, in wars that they don't really want to be involved in, so that we can live our lives in a safe (ish) and democratic country. Having been there, seen it, got the t shirt (and the medals), I for one will be Remembering on the 11th of the 11th.

Any suggestions for a good insurance company for chippers?

Do you mean for Certified Arborist? If so, you can buy the ISA Certified Arborist study guide (uk version) from the ISA website.

I've got the exact same thing, but I also had a bad back a while ago. A chiropracter has said the arm is related to the back and could be a trapped nerve from climbing. I've only been using saws for 2years and as I work on power lines, I use poles and silkys more than I do a saw. My symptoms came on instantly which is why they think it's a nerve or back related problem. As I write this thread my fingers are tingling. Saying that I'm not taking any chances and I've just got a new 357XPG (heated handles) to keep my mits warm. Go see a chiropracter, they don't just deal in bad backs.

While looking at a customers rotten tree which is growing on top of a stone wall, I fell down a hidden hole right up to my waist. The epicormic on the tree ripped the backside out of my hiflex trouser, ripped my underpants clean off and torn a nice slice across my ass. As you'd expect, the rest of my workmates couldn't help because they where creased up with laughter on the floor, watching me drag myself out of the hole with my tattered bloody arse on veiw to the whole street. On the lucky side, if the epicormic had been an inch longer, I would have been impailed through my anus and my mates would have needed a sharp Silky to get me free. Tonights shower was real fun!!!!

I'm a mug.........

Every second garden has one in, down here in south Cornwall, luckily they don't reach the hights of the continental palms. I'm working in the Isles of Scilly in 2 weeks so I will almost certainly come across a few palms planted under the LV power lines...happy days.

Thanks for all the replies guys. An Update: My boss has agreed to have us as self employed contractors and will give me as much HV and LV clearence as I want. We are still in discussions over rates for this, but its looking good so far. This is excellent for me, as now I have a huge safety net while the private work is built up. For those of you that have never worked on powerlines, its not the best tree work in the world, but the money is good and the work never runs out. So the aim now is to try and have one or two good private jobs each week and do power lines for the rest of the time. I've got some good leads from a few friends and farmers on where to store my equipment and wood etc, so many thanks for that idea, just hope the foot and mouth situation is cleared soon because that would be a nightmare.

It does seem a bit dodgy. The seller can't tell me who made it, where he bought it from or where he might get spares for it. Its also advertised in the truck and plant trader for £8500.

Thanks Mike, Do these pictures help...

It's about time they sorted it. Compared to some of the American chapters, our site was real poor. Excellent to see the online membership now, that's even ahead of the Arb Association, and they are starting to get the info for next years APF....just hope my trousers and boots last that long.

Anyone come across a Majour(Major) LS120D 8" chipper. What are they like and is there a makers website with all the spec?

Steve, Unfortunatly there arn't any decent companies down here. I intend to be the first, but thats a long way off yet. The other problem is people are still in the dark ages over wages. As Ed said, £59 is deemed a good wage down here, but the cost of living is the same or greater than the rest of the country, the average house price is over £200,000. So skilled men doing a potentially dangerous job deserve recognition. Look now you've got me going off on one.....

Hi Ed, Yes we work on utilities and private at the moment, but if and when I leave I'm hoping to sub from my old boss. Got a meeting tommorrow to thrash out some sort of deal and then I'm off to chat up some farmers. Might take my misses with me and doll her up a bit, it could help.:boobies:

Thanks for the response guys, I guess this is can be emotional subject if you are the guy about to loose his workforce. I fully agree with you on this, but the reasons why we are looking to work for ourselves, are many. I guess I may have seemed harsh on the boss, but how many of you, as oweners / bosses, come into work for 10 minutes, 4 times a week. Pay £59 per day to good lead climbers with 10 years experience. Have no equipment LOLER inspected. Have vehicles that aren't road worthy or safe. (last month the tow bar detached and the chipper over took the van). Knowingly allow untrained staff to work on 11000Volt powerlines, just because you know they are safe...... The list goes on. I fully respect all of your comments, and I'm feeling the same way about a 3 way patenership, hence my original post. I know that being self employed will be the hardest job I've taken on. I spent 22years in the navy, and I'm guessing that that was a breeze compared to what I'm about to do. I'm lucky, in that I have enougth money to set up on my own, years of management skills, all they equipment I'd need etc, but moving into the hard world of a self employed tree surgeon still holds its fear. So going back to my original post, The big thing I don't have yet, is a yard or land to store the wood / chippings. Do any of you rent from farmers / landoweners? It's an option I'm looking at but unsure on the legality or the costs. Or do you have any other suggestions?

My self and two of my workmates are about to start out on our own. We are fed up of working dam hard and not being rewarded for our efforts, while our boss makes all the profit, but hasn't picked up a chainsaw for 10 years. From your experience, what is one good piece of advice you'd give to someone about to start working for themselves?

Joined the Navy at 16, worked on aircraft all my life. 23 years later I got a bit bored, spent all my time in an office with 3 computers on my desk and had to look after pain in the ass civies all day. Did a month long Arb course and aquired all the basic tickets. Left the navy, got a job and now I love being a pain in the ass civie, up trees all day.

Last week we managed to drop a dead Turky Oak onto an 11kv line. We actually have the contract for the power lines in the area, but this was a private job. The tree split out at the bottom and went 90 degrees to its intended fall. The power guys took the piss all day, unfortunatly the line fed a Park home site, so you can imagine the 'Happy' old folk who couldn't make a cup of tea for 5 hours so instead spent the day venting their anger on us...

Got a pair of klima Airs three months ago, can't fault them for quality and comfort. Shame they cost a weeks wage.