benedmonds

After speaking with several tw dealers, the detuning is not as simple as some suggest. As Pete from greenmech mentioned there is a bigger pulley, different software and anti tamperware seals that if broken will void warrantee. One suggested it would cost £1,500 in parts..

Would not recommend leaving saws in van. The robbing folk will cut the hinges/doors etc off to get them out.

What is with the trash talk and abuse that's happening on arbtalk recently.. If I want to read people being rude about each other I will go to Facebook.. Can we agree not feed the trolls or even just banish them.. I am fond of the ignore user function, so I can self edit out various individuals who I think have little to add but several threads have gone really bad of late.

Be warned running a business with a business partner can be VERY challenging. Don't get me wrong there are many advantages, I have been in business with one for 17 years and it can work. But it can be very hard if you don't have the same goals, drive or work ethic and you both have to be able to let a lot go.

Different manufacturers seem to concentrate on different areas/size chippers. It's rare to see anyone using a 6-8 inch American chipper and the Europeans look to have abandoned the 10-12inch market. We are not that brand loyal. We have a vermeer bc1000 and 230 Xl, a greenmech 1823, tw 230 plus the two big old tw 250s that we are looking to sell. We have had a tw 190 and quikchip 222 in the past and our grinders are currently both bandits.. Although we have had a Vermeer and greenmech grinders.. All have done be the job.

One petrol machine in a fleet of 5 diesel machines is going to end in tears.. I have no direct experience, but Forst's reputation for machines falling apart after a couple of years scares me, we like to keep machines for a long time.

We have pontificated long enough with our two old TW250's.. We regularly go from "lets get rid," to "but its useful to have a backup" and back again. Currently on the get rid spectrum.. The running one still runs, it has a few more hours on the clock, but not many, it has been used as a back up machine for the last year. The deadone is still dead.. Anyone interested in making an offer for the pair? Call Steve 0778 691 6103 Looking for around £8,000 plus VAT for the pair. Might swap for a tidy sub 750 machine..

I do recall there being previous discussion re tuning them back up, I had a search and there was debate as to if it was a simple or ethical fix. Has anyone actually done it to a TW 230?

I am a big believer in buying used/nearly new and that would be my first option for everything, apart from a sub 750 chipper. I might be wrong but I just feel they are too easy to abuse..

Looking for another sub 750 chipper. What are the options.. It has to be diesel as having one petrol machine in a fleet of diesels is asking for trouble.. Our 37hp TW 230 is great and I would get another but the current diesel option is only 24hp and specs say it chips 1 ton an hour less than our current machine. That would suck big time. The horror stories of the forst makes me very nervous about going with them. Anything comparable with the 37hp tw we have..

On a bad day when two climbers call in sick, leaving me with loads of groundies or you turn up on site to find the team on a crane job without any sharp saws.. I think I would have preferred to take the small efficient route.

It is HUGELY stressful when you have employees and the diary is not rammed.. And just stressful when you are rammed and can't find enough employees...

I appreciate the comment, but I am not sure I have the best business advice. I did write a post on my phone but for some reason it did not upload. Probably due to the fact I was rushing around as I don't have enough hours in the day.. I am fairly sure expanding does NOT make sense (in the short term) and I think the Skyhuck model of investing in the best kit and keeping small is the most trouble free way of working. Sometimes I regret not taking this approach. I could have some really nice kit, running really well, being loved and cared for.. The other extreme is going all in and going BIG. A firm local to me has done this and certainly outwardly looks to be doing well. To do this you have to be prepared to take on HUGE debt and get lots of big contracts. I am not sure I could cope with the debt and stress. We went the middle road and if I am honest I am not sure it is best financially or for work life balance. Don't get me wrong we do OK but there can be a lot of stress. As soon as you get off the tools the productivity drops and the breakages increase. You have to spend less time out doing what you got into tree work for and more time fixing things, quoting and doing office stuff. The buck stops with you, so you also have to deal with more customers and complaints... When jobs run over it is your problem, if a machine breaks, a group of angry locals stop works you still have a guys that expect paying. Dealing with staff and their problems can be extremely draining and frustrating, they don't have the drive or commitment the business most just want to get whatever they can out of you. I didn't want to be on the tools forever and this was always a rough sort of exit plan, if anything the getting off the tools has happened sooned that I wanted but it is easier to find a tree worker than someone who has to do what I do. The end goal is to get to a size (without getting into silly debt) where we I can employ decent people to do a lot of the running of the business and I can take a modest salary and just do the bits I want to do. I am unfortunately still not there.. The trouble is once you spend a few years going down this route it is difficult to turn back.

Beech tree looks to have had soil levels changed and the bark/cambium is now flaking off. I am guessing the tree was growing on a slope and the ground has been leveled as the other side is ok with normal looking root flare and no damage. First pic from 2019 second 2021. Would you pull back the soil? Or is the damage done now and just let the tree get on with it? The rest of the tree is in good health.

Round here £650 plus vat a day for a 3 man team is upper end. Many charge a lot less. I am frequently told this when people turn down my quotes.

My electrician, put one of those sockets up in the loft. He did tell me why but I can't remember the reason.

What do folk do when protestors prevent works going on, who pays for it? Delays caused to me have been rare and I have always had to take the hit, which I think is wrong. We recently felled three trees and received a lot of abuse at one point had a group standing in the work area, stopping work. Well I have another 6 trees to remove in a similar area and there are alot of folk who don't want it to happen. I can see their point but a wall needs to be replaced and the trees have to go. It is so easy to post stuff onto facebook and the locals come rushing out with their pitchforks. Anyone who has been at the end of online attacks will know how unpleasant it gets with comments from armchair arborists saying "it looks fine to me.." and posting pictures of healthy stems but not the massive cavities.. I am thinking of insisting on a disruption clause, as if I have a big team with crane etc onsite it gets costly pretty quickly if someone is stood holding up the works. Presumably this is normal operating procedure on HS2 sites. Please don't post, "just drop it on them, they will soon move" type answers. Save that for the Arbtalk Facebook Pages..

Using an ARB approved company makes it easier for many clients. It out sources the due diligence. The client can be happy the company has everything in place, so they don't need to ask to see all the backroom stuff that should be going on.

Becoming ARB approved is challenging and not cheap. The assessments are truly mauling, someone spends all day pulling every little thing you do apart and finding every little fault, it is something I dread. It doesn't necessarily make you a better tree surgery company, but it does make sure you keep upto date with all the back room stuff that is easy to neglect. You might not think all that is necessary but if anything goes pear shaped ticking all the boxes and working to best practice will help. We do get some calls from the AA web site, and some clients insist on being approved, which is good. I will always tell prospective clients if they are getting multiple quotes to go to the AA site. If I was an owner operator company where I was on-siteall the time, I wouldn't bother. But as an employer responsible for others it is an audit to ensure you are doing what is required. And you get some stickers..

We have a 230xl. It's been a good machine.

Jeremy Barrell has done it. https://www.barrelltreecare.co.uk/assets/Uploads/SGN-10-Structures-V3.pdf

Bumping this thread. Does anyone have relevant opinions as not used either before. I am NOT considering tracked. Considering 2 7.5 ton machines: ASCENDANT A22-17TJ TRUCK MOUNTED PLATFORM ON IVECO 75E Or MULTITEL MX270 ON MITSUBISHI 7.5T COMPACT TRUCK Ascendant Pros - straight boom, simple, UK made, hydraulic controls, 17m outreach, more robust, big basket, its yellow. Cons- 22m, the Iveco is a bigger truck Multitel Pros - 27m, twin boom so can go up and over, the mitsubishi more compact Cons- italian, electric controls, 13.3m outreach

Canopy Tree Services is a progressive tree company offering high quality works to domestic and commercial clients throughout the East Midlands. We also carry out specialist works involving Cranes, Hiabs, and MEWPS. We have a real emphasis on training and educating our employees and are constantly looking to improve our skills and knowledge. We are currently looking for experienced arborists to join our growing team job details below: Working hours 07:45 - 16:30. Overtime and weekend work available. 20 days paid holiday plus public holidays. Government pension scheme. Full PPE, relevant equipment, and company uniform provided. Ongoing training as required.

I have one council that sends out Site Notices to me and expects me to erect them. Do I legally have to do this? The particular council is on the edge of our work area so it is inconvenient.