Rob D

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is it going to make that much difference to the tree that it looks 'tidy' after that sort of a reduction? Growth looks quite thick up there anyway as if from an old pollard or lop job.... Really hard to get those looking natural anyway as there are no nice reduction points on the newer growth. If they're happy, the customer is happy and they've paid you then all is well - it's nice to be able to do exactly what we feel is right for a tree etc etc and we can always give an opinion but after that just get on with the job IMO.

Nice one Khriss they're a really handy cut for super heavy lateral branches - in fact the only cut that would work on some of these. Some of the 'boxes' left were huge. But notice being the honest soul I am I never took the credit for them! Good on you for coming up with the idea.

I'm going to the FR Jones show in Kent at the end of August and need a few good size bits of wood to demonstrate the mills on. Can anyone help? In return for dropping them off I'll get them all milled/stickered up ready for drying for free as well as a good deal on a mill if you still haven't got one. And I will make a bench for you on site! Prefer hardwood to soft if possible. Doesn't matter if there's holes and defects in it - all adds to the character. Maybe 2 x 3ft ish diameter 6 foot long and 1x 2ft ish diameter 6 foot long. The show is at Kingswood Training Services, Wagoners, Back Lane, Shipbourne, Kent, TN11 9PP The timber needs to be dropped off 24th August (mon) morning to 27th August (thurs) midday. Much appreciated, Rob

He's made of tough stuff that little guy! Just to have survived all of that although now he is just an 8' stump I'm hoping he can come back again albeit just a shadow of his former self!

Second part here! There's another Monterey that had to be felled behind the first - will the brave little Rowan tree survive another direct hit! You'll have to watch to find out. Also it is Martin's (seen in forklift) first day. Final part in a few days. I do a 'box cut' on one of the big lateral limbs. A mate who's a tree surgeon in Cornwall showed me it. It's good when a limb growing out sideways has so much weight that a normal hinge won't work. You undercut about a third (or less - before saw gets stuck), two side cuts in line with undercut (almost like sapwood cuts but 20%) then top cut again in line with the side cuts (leaving a box of un cut wood). The branch closes on undercut then pops off horozontally. Sometimes you can do the top cut and wait 30 secs hearing the wood crackling and then the branch pops off. In this vid mine aren't that well done but still did the job. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR99R9egfy4&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Monterey Pine Job Martins First Day[/ame]

That bit about "Mark stood looking at hedge for 30 seconds" is just un real ! I've tried to find out who makes those "Neighbours, holidays, etc from hell" programmes because they should do it from the other angle "Customers from hell!" I only ever had it once where it was for an old customer who had a hotel. I did a dirty ivy and bramble clear type job. Followed up with 2 phone calls to find he had been sent to prison for fraud. The other hotel owner - who was there when I did the work - said yes of course he would pay. Didn't hear anything so chased for a while then did the small claims form bit. He put "since Mr Dyer was employed the company that owned the hotel went into liquidation,".... He'd just started a new company and taken the hotel on in his own name! It's not so much the fact of the £100 (cause that's all I charged) it was the dirt and crap I had to shovel into the back of the truck and the thorn scratches etc. that gets to you. There's nothing you can do. Of course you want blood and payback but it's not worth the risk for a £100.... You just have to let it slide. After all thinking about it logically revenge will not get your money back but it could cost you a whole lot more.... That said we could start our own tree surgery vigilante group. Say 50 members. Some one has a problem like this so a name is pulled out of a hat and that person puts on his balaclava!! Nothing to link you to the crime then... well apart from this post

Make up a price on the map and quadruple it! You shouldn't get caught out and won't take you long! Developers are the worst and you always end up chasing your money..

No worrys

If you split the rings they'll dry so so much faster! And they'll split so much easier as well. Also a good idea is to put your split logs onto pallets so they're not in touch with the ground. I know you don't want to double handle but logs in rings will take years to dry. If you made a bit more of a tent with the plastic it would be better - let the air circulate a bit. Just a few ideas anyway!

I sell the Granberg precision grinders which I think are the best thing since sliced bread... but I'm biased I suppose. As an arbtalk member will be £44-00 + vat and the rest. The grinding stones are a fiver a packet and you get 3. The main reason I like em are: They're cheap 12 Volt Portable Don't heat the tooth too much Very accurate and gets all the teeth the same I use it for all saws with a 20" bar upwards and it's a ruddy boon for larger saws. I can get the tooth sharper with this than with a hand file. Will be doing a video soon on it...

Great work all round there!

I've got a pretty good little camcorder and am taking more vids.... My problem at the moment is that I leave too much in I think. But I'm going to keep a copy of your hints and tips above looks really good. And also my groundies girlfriend sister I think is a director at channel 5... if anything comes up I'll mention your name.

Cheers that would be great. And also just a rough idea of how much each bit costs. Rob

The chipping of Monterey pine with a 6" chipper should be banned! The bloody pine cones keep getting stuck with the rollers.... but done now!

Many thanks all. It was in Sway John - the old Montereys bring back a few memories I bet!. I've got part 2 and 3 to come which has also got some good bits. Unfortunetly that Rowan is not out of the woods yet! I'll be posting in a couple of days. Yes Mark there is a bit of milling action in at the end - although Monterey is the sappiest wood I think I've ever sawn!

There there... never mind... you go tell your mummy and daddy what a nasty wasty man he is and they will make it all better. Not really appropriate but only just discovered the new smilees!!!!

First video posted so be gentle as there is also part 2 and then part 3 to come! Have added some titles for a bit of comedy and have also left both good and bad in to give a good overview. Enjoy! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne5V5y999mc]YouTube - Monterey Pine Job Part 1[/ame]

I think the briquette press sounds good. I reckon I can get the chip mulch really dry in the polytunnels next door and then bag the briquettes and keep them dry again in them good old polytunnels. So how's the best person to see about one of these and of course how much are they for a moderate sized set up? Thanks, Rob

You have to live near some decent breaks to get good waves and be ready to go when it's good. There are excellent days to be had in this country but they are sadly very infrequent. There is just nothing worse... nothing at all worse than hearing "you should have been here yesterday..."

Good to hear you're back into action. Maybe ease yourself into climbing gently... 2 months times it'll be like you were never away from it !

Having lunch at home and as I seem to be doing more and more... wasting time I mean information gathering on Arbtalk. My girlfriend hates me 'foruming' .... she feels left out and ignored but then I pointed out that she felt that before I found Arbtalk

Have got a girlfriend from the Catlins (yes there are women down there!) and so have been over to New Zealand a couple of times. You certainly must have felled some big Macra Carpa! There were everywhere I looked down on the South Island! They could really do with planting up with a bit more variety down there as the climate would be perfect for oak, beech, ash, etc. I'm trying to get my girlfriends family to plant up some of their farm but they're not keen at the mo! Down here it's mainly oak, leyland, eucalyptus, monterey pine and beech.

Good to know you've got an Alaskan! You'll never look back! I made a contact the other day that may well make it possible for us to do something on the walnut Pete (even if you say wanted to sell half and keep half).... but because of the transport let me chase it up first. But could you e-mail me some pics of the logs you have to [email protected]? As for milling the timber I've done loads for the last 3 years and now have 2 old freezer bodies and a polytunnel drying wood. As above paint the ends a couple of days before you mill (a couple of coats if you can). Then when you mill the ends are all nice and sealed and it's less messy than doing it later. I use PVA glue mixed with a little water as it's water based and there's no smell and it's cheap from B and Q. I tend to mill to 2" with a chainsaw. Less than that and you generate too much sawdust. More than that and it is a long time you'll be drying for. Mill on a cool overcast day if you have the choice. In the middle of a hot summers day the sunlight will start causing small tears to open in the wood in a matter of hours. You want to have stickers ready (small pieces of wood 1/2" by 1/2" or say 1" by 1/2") so that you can stack the wood and air can circulate in between. Make sure these are dry softwood - using poor stickers can stain the wood and leave marks which will decrease the value by almost half if you're not careful. Also have a look at this page from my website alaskan mill I home of the portable chainsaw mill and you should find it helpful.

Can u be a bit more specific on how you would get paid e.g is it just the call out itself you get paid for or do you get paid for actually being on call itself? Do you want to know an hourly rate and if so is the first hour more expensive (if a 1 hour job and you have to get up at 3a.m then you'd want at least £150-00 for that first hour)...? If you need to further hire a MEWP can you just add this on? Also how do you cover holidays etc. I am down in Lymington south of Hampshire and would be interested... but would not have a clue what to charge. If you have a rough idea of what you want to pay and the breakdown can you e-mail [email protected] or PM me. Cheers, Rob

I've been kilning wood for the last couple of years and still find I'm learning things. The most crucial as said above is to end paint the slabs to help prevent spliting. Also keep out of direct sunlight. You can use an old freezer body with dehumidifier as a kiln and you can do 2" oak in 8 weeks if all goes well. But try and dry too fast and you'll get a whole load of defects.