Dean Lofthouse

I know the feeling Andy. One thing that really gets to me is most people will find they wont be covered. There will be some get out on the insurance companies side. I had two problems with the MEWP. I got paid out for the machine £10k less than I had insured it for, because they said they could only pay the balance owing on finance and they wouldn't pay out for VAT I had paid up front or payments made. I then got told my public liability insurance didn't want to know after I told them my passenger in the MEWP was badly injured and was suing me for compo. The reason ??? Because at the time the MEWP went over I wasn't doing tree work, I was operating it while my passenger did some pointing on a gable end. When I took out the PL insurance they asked me what I did and I said tree surgery. I have always tried to be honest in life, but I have found out at vast expense that being honest will cost you dearly. So the next time, god forbid, I have to claim on insurance, I will tell them what they want to hear. I should have told them we were removing a self seeded tree in the rainwater guttering . Not telling little white lies could cost you dearly. I have always thought it would be a good idea to have a web site where people could post reveiws of company performances, where companies would be accountable and where cowboy companies could be exposed. The concept would be too difficult to manage as you would get one company trying to stitch another rival company up.

Oh, just peg off. I used to use pegs quite a lot when I could, because I hated spikes. Got more used to wearing the spikes now although it is a great relief to take them off when you come out of the tree. They're not too good when you have a waterbed though, ran out of patches to fix the punctures so ended up getting a Tempur matress instead.

It was either one or the other. ..and the other won, we've got to have something decent to go to the APF in, seen as how the bikes have to go. Anyone want to buy an 06 CB1300S and a 53 CB600S

You can't rely on people maintaining their trailers, I have seen some right sheds on the road which were quite obviously a danger to the public. Sometimes you have to force people into doing things and at least testing trailers will force them to at least give them a yearly overhauL.

I used to have one of them till a certain Huddersfield Tree surgeon visited me, saw it and claimed it. Tried it on a peice of rope and found I had to fair go at it to cut and rope had to be under tension. After sharpening it was much better, they don't come very sharp from new.

Silky gomtaro

Blooming ek lumberjack, you must be phsycic, I was only looking at it doing that today and wondering how it can be. I thought for it to do that it must be plumbed with the flow going through one motor to the other, when the first stops the second has no flow. It started peeing it down so I never investigated further. Still haven't had chance to ring the supplier to arrange to take the chipper in for feedwheel mods, work is hectic at the moment, haven't got time to break wind!

I remember at the AA show, I was stood behind a lad who had just had a splice done and was being served by Nod. He asked Nod for a cert for the splice. Which I thought was a little strange. Anyway, Nod refused and said he wouldn't be able to get a cert off anyone for a splice. Whys and wherefores I don't know, if the splice is done correctly thats all that matters, you can't test load every splice to see what they fail at.

Try doing 800ft of it, about 20ft wide average and trim both sides, 30ft high! I know how you will be feeling Treewizard, I am hoping they will ask someone else to do it next time

I would have thought the Loler inspectors job is not to decide whther or not the splice is done correctly or guess what tonnage ot may fail at, it is his job to inspect for defects, bumps, hollows, cut and abrasions etc etc. If the splice looks ok with no obvious defects then his job is done

Just wondering if they were smallish trees whether just cutting thru from the back and laying them (like hedge laying) or barber chairing them. would leave more of the cambium layer intact???

You need something to do in your lunch breaks Mike, try sharpening your saws or doing daily maintenance. ...or maybe just check the oil level on the Mog? ....anything.

I'd say it was hit and miss and species dependant. I wouldn't rely on the hinge holding. I'd attach a sling and winch cable, to be sure, to be sure, jim bob

Apparently they still do Tectyl but theres loads of different types. The stuff we used was really thick waxy dark brown stuff, but we are going back to 1982 no need to treat the rust, just clean off the mud or flakey stuff with an airline and apply, used to run into the seams and joints then set to a tacky finish similar to waxoil.

I've had one where I have applied for planning to remove one smallish branch. You know, the 3 copies this, 3 copies that pain in the butt, 2 hours minimum, planning. Customer phoned me yesterday pleased as punch, wind has blown a branch off the tree and it just so happens to be the branch in question. Good job I now charge for planning otherwise I would have been really annoyed. Went down and took photos to cover me.

Waxoiled the landy chassis some time ago and rust spots are showing through all over, it doesn't seem to bite into the metal. When I was mechanicing we used to use a product called Tectyl, we thinned it with old engine oil and sprayed it on with a parafin gun. It used to bite into the metal, never wore off and protect like a good un. I'm wanting to protect both my motors with something decent, does anyone know of any other product similar to Tectyl which are good for keeping the metal work rust free under extreme conditions? Not bothered about cost as long as it does the job and also if anyone is local to me where they do rustproofing if I haven't time?

Report it! You go into business as a landscaper you should know the basics. Ie, you don't cut through roots Report him then maybe he may go into something he knows about instead of ripping people off pretending he does,

Thats what I like about you Peter, you tell it how it is

Actually your right Steve, our lass has just informed me we are no longer in the AA. I'll ring the Jahovas hall of witnesses tomorrow, they'll let me in

Neither, Home start and breakdown cover!

Exactly! Do we need to be in an organisation? Actually, I must admit, I am in the AA, sorry to let the side down chaps. Been a member for years now.

I have a steel carabina fisherman'd onto the lowering rope and that does take a pounding, although I imagine that if the breaking strain was over a ton for climbing line, it's going to be very high for lowering rope.

That's how it happens for all other trades, for example Decorators. Someone comes out at regular intervals to check the work is being done correctly and to spec and payment isn't authorised until satisfied

What I saw you do at the get together Peter was when you were out on the end of the branch walk, you took the end of your climbing line, took it round a stub and let yourself back in by letting the tail end of your rope slide thru your hand. When I tried it I did it with the lockjack. Only I didn't let the slack run through. I just took the tail of my rope put it round a branch and took up the slack till it was pulling on my lockjack. I then walked back down the branch, one hand holding the climbing line and the other holding the tail of my line which went round the branch from my lockjack to my right hand. As you walk back. you don't let the slack thru your left hand, just keep a firm hold of the tail which then automatically takes up the slack on your main line as you walk back. Works a treat

Be nice if one could be organised midlands area, with on site camping. Fun climb saturday, pee up and barbie sat eve and hangover sun morning No that would be fun