benedmonds

I use Rob at actioncad. He is on here and has produced some how to videos. It would be nice to do it myself but I have never made the time to learn.. when you take into the account the training time and software costs it is cheaper /easier at least in the short term just to contract it to someone who knows what they are doing . But if you find a simple affordable tablet based system then let us know..

We have a TW250 and the Vermeer BC230 xl We demoed the TW 350 and Bandit 90xp The vermeer has been OK, pretty comparable to the TW250 a little less grunt.. the single axle makes it better for towing and doesn't have the silly low profile tyres the TW250 does. The 350 was much more expensive than the Vermeer IIRC. The Bandit feels BIG and looks it behind a 3.5tonner.. The reputation is very good, built to last and most likely to hold its value if that is important, also think less likely to become obsolete as I don't think the design has changed much.... THat is the issue with the 250s, you will struggle for parts.. Vermeer service has not been brilliant, parts can be expensive and there can be delays.. We have also been having issues with Bandits service on our stump grinders so that has made me reconsider using their chippers.. If going for a bandit I would probably consider a bigger machine... If I was going for TW I would consider a smaller one.. The smaller TW's are way better then they were.. the 230 is was better then the 150 if the TW280 is as good in comparison to the 190 it should be a good machine and it is a big step up in cost to the TW350..

Not sure I would call it lucky.. But it could have been worse..

I have exactly the same in my garden. The interesting thing to me is the tree was only about 3m tall and in poor condition. It was felled last year, the suckers are 10-15 m from the tree and vigorous as anything..

I often use street view for pics of trees which I attach to job sheets (and even quoting) and find the historic pics interesting.. These show the decline of a cedar had started at least 7 years ago..

I bet the cost benefit of protecting nests from tree works compared to controlling squirrels, crows or cats has never been done.. I have spent a few nice afternoons on building sites being paid to bird watch.. many jobs get postponed or rushed to be done before "nesting season" and I can't imagine the netting they do on hedges to stop birds is cheap.. or works for that matter... If we used the cash spent on protecting nests of common birds for controlling grey squirrel populations I bet we would get far greater outcome. Obviously rare birds need to be protected, but do pigeons?

As skyhuck commented re cats, it is madness.. There are around 10 million cats in the UK, nearly all of them will be, causing abandonment of nests and disturbing (eating) nesting birds. Our cat is bringing back all sorts for her kittens to play with.

Just playing devils advocate here, but how can you be sure it is not in use..? You have just said that an active nest is defined as from the moment the first twig is laid.. Most birds don't reuse nests, but an empty nest in spring could be last years, or just waiting for eggs..?

I am not saying don't do it... But.. Be aware, productivity drops when the boss is not on site, and the more teams you run the more time you have to spend off site, quoting and doing all the other stuff. Stuff also breaks more and more stuff is broken when the boss is not onsite, so you spend time off site fixing stuff and dealing with problems.. If your not careful you end up never being onsite and unable to do the work you got into the industry for... Well that's what happened to me..

Really puts me off the US machines.. The cost of parts, the availability, vermeer is similar...

I don't know the make of the remote. Our sparky says that water has been getting in.. This was why he silicon sealed it last time.. It looks like water may have still been getting past the switches.. We had replaced some (purchased from global) but these may not have have have been water resistant, or may not have had washers fitted...?? Our sparky can replace with "military grade" ones (£300) but we still don't know if there is a problem with the receiver as he doesn't deal with that bit?

The saga with our remote continues.. Global couldn't fix it and recommended we send it to the US (quoted £300-£400). We thought this would be the end of it so reluctantly agreed.. It got to the US and their "technicians" could not open the box as it was "glued shut.." They sent it back without even looking at it.. I am so annoyed... We have now passed it back to our dog groomer/sparky and he opened the box in 20 seconds.... What are global/bandit playing at. Either they are completely incompetent, or just can't be bothered.. We have yet to be sent the bill for sending it on a holiday to the US where they did not even look at it.. I am losing faith in bandit and it certainly makes me very wary of buying any more products from them... Which is a shame as the products are great but if they can't sort a basic problem.

I don't believe there is a required method, so an email to the TO could satisfy if you are on good terms. But as treeation says you can just do it via the planning portal and that's how I do 90% of mine...

Can we use one with our 2450?

Just hope the radio control doesn't break.. Ours had to be shipped to the US and they didn't even manage to get past the silicon sealant..☹️.

My post to Dan at gardenscape may have come across a bit harsher than intended.. I had just come in from driving 40 mins away to look at at job that would take one of my teams of 3 men a day. The client had been quoted £300. The point I was trying to make is that if you win EVERY quote you must be on the low side. IMO better to push up your rates, yes you may lose a few jobs but the ones you win are going to be worth more. There are too many people in this industry who undervalue the work.

Having lots of big kit should NOT make you more expensive... Kit is there to make your life easier, quicker, (safer) and cheaper.... I would not expect 1 man with a 4 inch chipper to be on the same rate as a mog and 12 inch chipper. That is 2 different setups for 2 different types of work.. You could do big jobs with small kit, but you are likely to be to expensive, then the big guys.. Same as you can do small jobs with big kit, but you are likely to be more expensive, then the little guys.. My point was that if you are always cheapest then put you could rates up and earn more for doing less.... Maybe devaluing the industry was inflammatory terminology..

Obviously he can price how he likes.. But we all do better if we all priced higher.. The market is set by what people are willing to pay for tree work. If you are always the cheapest it goes to reason many people are willing to pay more.. Why would want to work for less.? A big issue imo with the industry is many people (myself included at times) either do not realise the true costs to running a business or do it as a hobby or lifestyle choice and are willing to work for a low wage..

Stop under pricing and devaluing tree work... Raise your prices to the going market rate, earn more money and do less work.... it's not a hobby.

The title of the thread was have you made financial savings.... Nothing like comparing it to selling a car.... unless there was an alternative such as: "have you made financial saving since owning a bicycle.." People bang on about "free" wood. Everything has a value, if your heating your drafty old house with tons of "free" timber that you could be selling then you should consider the financial implications.. In my case I can see it pretty obviously as I rarely cut or split the wood myself.. When I take a bag I can easily see the costs. I could use it or sell it. For sure people enjoy doing it for themselves and if I didn't have access to free split wood I would still do it. But when you look at the costs to most domestic users, including installation, the cost of a saw, log splitters fuel etc. Rarely will it be financially beneficial. A friend of mine earns over £150K a year, gets up at 4.45 every morning to commute to London from loughborough, but still spends days cutting and splitting his own logs, with a saw, ppe and splitter purchased for the purpose.. He is extremely time poor and financially it can't make sense but he must enjoy doing it..

What do they weigh? Has anyone ever converted one into small crane/chip truck? They are not massive, surely the footprint would be similar to a mog..?

I have a basically unlimited supply of firewood as we have tons of the stuff, but I still can't see me making financial savings after the £4 or £5k it cost to fit and install.. If you consider that I could be selling the logs at £80 a bag rather then burning them.. It makes even less financial sense.. Even though I don't spend the cash it is still costing me £300 or £400 a year to in logs...... I still wouldn't be without it..

http://www.jbtoolhire.co.uk/plant-hire.html

This ruling may change their mind.. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-44697972 Although not sure what they are going to do... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-43882916

I don't think our antistress ever worked, not for long.. Pretty sure someone on here told me a way of resetting it. It would work for a while then not.. I have a vague memory that there way a pin that you pulled out that stopped the hopper lifting up..