benedmonds

I have never used a hi lift one, but often thought they would be useful as it would get big logs onto the truck..

Heartwood trees are also apparently getting into biomass

Several others have contacted me so I thought I would add there details to the thread.. That way other searching may find the thread.. Alex Trill | Sales and Procurement Consultant | Sylvagen Ltd | Unit1 | Old Winery | Lamberhurst Vineyard | Furnace Lane | Lamberhurst | TN3 8LA | United Kingdom Tel: 01892 280 290 | Email: [email protected]

We really need to sort out our log pile.. Several companies have promised, offering to take it and pay per load, or even take for free.. but and none have taken more than a few loads. Access is OK, stobarts regularly take chip from there at present.. It is also currently nice and dry.. I am no expert at estimating quantities but assuming you get 30 tons on an arctic there must be 300-500 tons Anyone any recommendations for best ( zero cost/profitable) way of dealing with it.. We are in the East Midlands.. Welmac could tub grind it Owl contract hire could chip it:

Last time we looked there was a big increase 2 or 3k. Including dropping new for old on the small plant.. I shopped around, several companies originally said they would not split the pl and plant but on pushing did. Found it much cheaper for plant with NFU and pl/el with trust.

Can you send me prices.. thanks

Nothing wrong with hours of mundane labour.. Stops them spending hours shooting each other on playstation..

I don't want to derail this thread.. I have been over it in another thread... and we will be in same position soon with 2 big chippers to replace. So interested in others views..

I know what to look for.. but finding 2 45cm dbh oak or chestnut trees with a 5 or 6m clear straight stem that have died or blown over, that we can get out with some root ball. Preferably from the university grounds. All with a limited budget, might be described as challenging.... We do however have 2 dead elms that fit the bill. So can make use of them. But if they need treating or mounting above the soil that should be doable...

Loads on Ebay

My lads are fund raising for a trip to Sumatra, they are doing all sorts of jobs to raise funds. Last winter they sold a few bags of kindling and they are stepping up production this year.. In an effort to ensure they still have fingers when they go on the trip I started googling devices for making kindling.. I saw some different designs made with axe heads and the like and came up with a design that used minimum fabrication using some old chipper blades.. I am quite pleased with the result and cost me £0.. At £7 a bag they only have to sell 340 odd bags each... Anyone any better methods that a 12 and 14 year old can do..?

I would be more then a little surprised if anyone has direct experience for the application we are working on.... I have a client who is going to cover a couple of trees in gold leaf and stick back in the ground upside down? The trees need to be, hardwoods, local, accessible, from a sustainable source, approx 45cm dbh with some rootball.. Amazingly we have found 2 dead elms on site that tick all the boxes.. I know DED killed elms are rock solid and will stand for decades if left to their own devices, but has anyone used dead elm as fence post or the like? what are its properties like once it is put in the ground?

Re the VAT rate You could claim on capital purchases over a certain value when we were in it a few years back.. and as inoff the red says you charge the standard rate but only pay the flat rate. It worked well for us for a few years.. Inoff the black also made some good points re company vehicles.. We had an old land cruiser that was fine when we were a partnership but when we moved to ltd the annual BIK costs were more than the vehicle was worth.. We converted it to a van as I believe commercial vehicles are/or were exempt, it might be that a pickup is classed as commercial or they might have changed that..

It was always a messy chipper. Used to leave a pile underneath as well.. The extension helped, just attached some folded sheet metal..

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?