ACUF

It was good to see some crooks at work. I don't care how long the old fart has "been at it" -doing poor quality work, so he has no ground to stand on. I can't get over how much I see ladders go up the tree over there. -Paves the way for less experienced to access the crown.. -with rental gear, such as those fall arrest not being used properly. Poor handling of the saw, what else can we see here... no safety equipment, eye, head, ear, chaps. There is no defense for this rubbish. I have no tolerance for this kind of operation. In fact, I am working with our municipality to create a way to penalize poor tree care practices like this. These kind of jerks are competing with the good ones out there. Anyway, he would have removed the entire tree if he was allowed to, or if the customer would have said ok. I bet the outcome was a topped out tree... just leave it to those old timers... they will top out anything, because its all they know. It angers me to see this kind of practice if you want to even call it that. ACUF

KRIYA YOGA in the A.M. Started practicing this spring and have never felt better! It is a discipline that, like all things, gets easier with repetition. Kriya Yoga International - Home Page ACUF

Mine is Kriya yoga. ACUF

I agree, the morphology is more indicative of Kretzmaria (Ustulina) deusta. I haven't encountered in inspections until this Beech, which will subsequently be slated for removal. I saw the first spot, and it is very hard to notice at a glance, then the other areas are even more pronounced / advanced. I was called out to help manage an overgrown site, cable a beech, and remove some dead conifers. The homeowner even contacted another firm in the area for a cable quote, and the fungus went completely unnoticed to them. So this poor guy would have dropped a cable system into his tree, then in the next wind storm, the whole tree would get thrown onto the house. Thank you for the speedy feedback. This experience urges me to delve into fungi identification much more deeply. This site and its members are an invaluable resource to our industry. Sincerely, ACUF

Hi Everyone, Inspecting a large American Beech with three stems, a lean towards the house, and the discovery of what appears to be Xylaria polymorpha at the base, quite extensive. Apparently common on dead Beech, and this one is a bit chlorotic, and has had many environmental stresses, including droughts, etc. Or is this Hypoxylon canker? Any ideas? Thank you, ACUF

I have been asked to manage a small (>1acre) property that nestles up to a forest preserve. The project started off being a little loose ended, and with the agreement we had, the customer demanded I take 150 cash up front in "good faith", before anything was formally discussed or proposed. This is something I never do. He also said "money is not an object", "don't worry about the paperwork, just get started", "I trust your judgement, etc" So, against better judgment and my normal standards of practice, I began flagging valuable secondary trees, and tagging undesirable ones and even clearing some honey suckle before I realized we hadn't really drawn up any real terms. I knew I had to put my proposal/specifications together before anything else was done. He had asked for my hours for the surveying days, and the beginnings of the thinning process so I had even more of a reason to sit down and begin the proposal process. I usually don't reduce my affairs to an hourly wage, and bid entire projects for one final price, but I went ahead and created my current hourly rates along with the project proposal and the current invoice. Well, he didn't like my prices, and there in lies the problem. It's obviously best to have all of the terms clear, in writing before anything starts.... And this is a perfect example of how these problems snowball. Anything done.. even as simple as marking, is at risk without clear terms.. It was my time and knowledge that I was risking. I will now invoice this project so I am getting paid every week, for an agreed upon hourly rate on the ground. Proposals for large removals, climbing , or technical applications, etc. will be invoiced seperately. I will be cabling a Beech for example, for a set price as a whole project. All the terms can be designed they way you and the customer want them, so take advantage of communicating the desired outcomes, both parties perspectives, and will most likely find the agreement somewhere in between. ACUF

Hayuchi 21' by Silky. Also have the 21' ARS turbo cut w/ adaptable corona loppers for smaller stuff, both invaluable tools, sharp as can be. ACUF

All arb related qualifications will be helpful wherever you chose to work.(quote) -This is true. I have been looking for a reason to explore some of Europe, and this sounds like a good one. Thank you for all of the great feedback. Also, are there any of you out there running a Unimog in your arboricultural operation that lives close to the college? My friend took a visit recently, and I may consider one as well. ACUF

Great, Bartlett is well respected. Good to hear the qualifications will be recognized, I can contact the college too on that, or ISA. Whats the area like where the arboriculture / forestry courses take place? I.e demographics, etc.

Glad to hear. Thank you. We were thinking it a better idea to be educated where this industry began. Would the certs be the same, in general? Like the ISA, etc? -and would they be honored here in the un- united states?

-Here's the actual program: Advanced Course Search - Royal Forestry Society Certificate in Arboriculture

Hi Everyone, Wanted to get some feedback on Myerscough College arboriculture courses. I have a friend over here wanting to do a years stay there and study the program. Thank you, -ACUF

A right serious machine, crisp n clean. With the Inspirational European Theme.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQoWmldL7As]YouTube - The Arborist[/ame]

Looks nice. how far does it stick out from the bumper, including the linkage? is there a reverser in the chipper or external? -Or is it designed to work on the front of a mog? Inspirational!!

Any progress on mounting the chipper up front? I just asked A. Price if I should incorporate a slip clutch in the drive somewhere, and he suggested a shear pin instead. He says the slip clutches sometimes seize if they are never loaded, etc. -ACUF

Hi, Will there be any available transcripts or audio/video recordings available? I would love to sit in on this one. Would someone consider taping it for me? It would be less expensive than flying over, and I'm so busy!! -ACUF-

Well, Alex got back with me on my dilemma in choosing how to mount my chipper. He suggested I put my reverser on the chipper, instead of at the unimogs pto. Then, bypass the output coming from the front, and take the arm off completely, and run a shaft from the transfer case, directly to the chipper/reverser. He also just suggested fabricating a "DIN" plate that will mount to the schmidt plate. The coolest thing was the illustration he scribbled. Check it out, and thanks Alex, and Arbtalk members! Now I have something new to work on!! -ACUF FarmifrtmtU900ACP.PDF

-No I haven't been able to use it yet. I had read the chip size would be best suited for wood fuel production. I hope it will handle the light brush I put to it. I hadn't heard it would struggle with smaller cuttings, etc. Worth considering your experience, and even continue looking for a replacement. It was either this or the BX62, Wallenstein, without hydraulic feeds.

If I decide to chip over the cab, I would either need cut holes in the rear of the drum, to allow air to be pulled in, or use a fan. For now, I plan to just blow chips into a container, and leave for the homeowner to use where the choose, and no messy piles to leave them with.

Per this thread, here's the Schmidt plate:

Good deal, I will keep you all posted on my progress, and thanks again. ps. I emailed AC Price and hope to hear back from them soon. I will post what they tell me as well. Cheers, -ACUF

Thanks for all of the feedback, As I said, I have the schmidt plate, which is the design that came on the U900, then the U1200, etc have the other one you have posted, which I understand has basically the same purpose, i.e. it can take the orange quick hitch thats shown on my U900. My question was, that it looks as if I could remove the ram and lifting platform, and afix my chipper to the orange framework alone.. no rams, or moving parts, just a static fitment. (see the previous pictures) I will take this up with A.C.Price folks as well. I also considered creating a mounting plate that attaches to the orange quick hitch frame for mounting the reverser. So: 1. I take the lifting mechanisms off quick hitch, and leave the frame to hang/and bolt onto the schmidt plate. 2. design a bracket in line with the pto from the mog, that allows the reverser to bolt to, in line, 100%, etc. 3. once the orange plate is hanging on the schmidt plate, and bolted in place, and the reverser mount has been afixed, with the reverser in place, ready to send the pto rotation the opposite way.. 4. I attach the chipper off of the orange plate somehow, secure, static, etc.. and attach the pto shaft to the chipper shaft. -or, I suppose it may need connecting while fitting it all together, because once its snug, I won't have much wiggle room to put the connecting pto arm in place. 5. Go chip. Heres a couple pics of this quick hitch plate hanging off the schmidt plate on my previous U900. As stated earlier, the top link on this plate is about the same distance from the pto on the mog as the top link on the chipper is to its pto shaft, so, im thinking this will be the connecting point at least for the top link. I still need to figure out how to mount the chipper correctly, but this is where I'm leaning now. Thanks again!! -ACUF

OK, I just went out and got some pictures and measurements. I wonder if I just remover the ram, and lower lift arm/platform will I be able to just use the plate to static mount? And, were these plates made to handle a static 3 point implement? It measures pretty closely to where I need the reverser, and where the chippers pto shaft meet, assuming I match the top link of the chipper with the top link of the plate, where the ram is currently attached. This would really make life much easier if this all works out. I didn't realize how far this chipper unit extends. It's about 6' from the 3 point links, which is stupid long... and its about the same length with the chute folded up for transport mode. -but, its about 2' less wide when folded up for transport. I may even try to offset the mounting, to compensate for the widths, but may not be necessary. Here are some pics: This changes everything!! and even gives me a new hydraulic circuit to use for my hydraulic winch, which may come in handy up front, but will also add all the extra weight we just cut out.. so, we'll see.. Now, with the responses.. Thanks!! -ACUF