Dean Lofthouse

Just trying to save the customer money Tony, I now charge £120 for planning applications. I also don't want to be seen as going behind the TO's back. I find it easier to get on with them than not I remember once describing a previously topped ash with decay pockets at the topping site as dangerous. They came back saying it wasn't, I had to rephrase it as Hazardous. Like I say, there is nothing either side of dangerous

I never ask price

I used to employ a 27 stone guy as a groundy, he only weighed 19 stone when I'd finished with him. Equal opportunity and all that

Rang Paul at Saw and Tool today and he said he will phone technical and ask them what the differences are between them and let me know. I said don't bother letting me know just order me the best one for the job

I draw the line at bungee jumping from one

You should know better Dave. ALL TO's are very very very nice men

ah ah, I'm with you now. That was the back of a patio chair She was a stunner though

I was taught the same Nick. If you are standing to the left or right side of the rear handle, you can't be in line of the "bar" and "chain"

Looks like it needs to be bolted onto the front of a hells angels chopper nice though, think I'll buy one for the hell of it.

The pictures below are of a Sycamore about 60ft 10" DBH with cambium damage. The bark has been stripped for about 50% of the circumference and extends from the root collar up to about 12ft. The tree is protected, I wanted to take it down so I asked the TO to have a look and let me know his thoughts. He asked me why I thought the tree was dying. I said, the tree isn't actually dying and had a healthy full crown, you can see the cambium trying to heal round but I feel that the tree will only deteriorate from now on and better to take down while it is climbable than wait till it's not. He came back to me saying, that although the tree had extensive cambium damage he deemed it not "dangerous" and therefore I would have to put in an application. Are TO's hands tied, whereby they can only authorise "dangerous" trees to be taken down without an application, because there seems to be no "either side" of dangerous. I have had this many times where the TO only describes the tree as "dangerous" or "Not dangerous". Surely in this case there are very good reasons for the tree to come down and be replaced without having to go to the trouble of applying. As it stands now the client says he doesn't want to apply because he may be wasting his time and money, so now te tree will be left until it becomes "dangerous" and unclimbable and there are no trees near enough to use as anchors so it will be a mewp job. I think we need a new catagory, "will become dangerous"

I've done that, spent hours demonstrating and watching him, explaing tension, compression, kickback, chain tension etc etc etc. But how would I prove that. I could have spent weeks standing over him but proving it is a different matter. Without tickets we are all open to no win no fee'ers. So it's going to go down the route of sending people totally green into a chainsaw course, which is absolutely rediculous. I want my groundy to be chainsaw and climbing competent before he does his courses.

I take it the racoon had swelled up with gases was hard to pull out, either that or your man was a sissy

Not round here, we all get on and wave at each other. Bob can sometimes be a bit bitchy though Blummin ek , we even have a tree surgeons xmas do, I'm thinking of inviting bob this time. Last year we had about 14 inc partners

I find it very awkward and difficult to stand in line with the blade, natural work positioning dictates you standing to the left side if you are right handed and visa versa

Most of it is common sense and I have a degree with distinction in common sense so I may not have to read it.

Whats the point of having a groundy if you have to stand at the side of him watching him. "Supervision" should be an experienced operator with him on the job and at what stage would you call someone experienced. If he has been warned and educated about kickback then that should be enough.

Ordering one david

Looks pretty distinct to me, thought it would have been an obvious one to you fungal freeks

My overheads are big enough without nonsense licenses to pay for as well.

The "sticky out bit" bottom left was trimmed off also BTW

That really is beurocrasy at it's best. I make the decision it's ok, someone else it's not. I think it's time to emigrate

To say they were both TPO'd yes I'm hoping the TO think so too

What is it ??

Is that a Mosque in the background Peter ?

Drimys winterii, ugly looking thing isn't it? Bit like Laurel, will regrow no matter what you do to it.