Tom D

The double V cut is technically the right cut to use on big laterals, but its a lot of cutting when you can just step cut and let it rip... so long as you aren't stropped in to it that is...

Climbing won't give you back problems, its ground work that does that.

It all depends on moisture content, wet wood will give 2.5-3 cube per ton, dry could be up to 4 cube per ton.

I think the area makes a big difference, I don't know of any full time subby climbers in scotland, there maybe one somewhere, but I have never come across one. I think you need to be in or near a massive urban conurbation like Manchester or london to make it work.

There are two important things to consider, for a real subby climber, you need to be good, the real deal, able to deal with any tree that your client presents you with. The other thing is you need to be in the right area. I think many parts of the uk just don't have the work and therefore the tree firms to justify the existence of a full time subby. One final point if you are a subby who does his own jobs there is always the risk you will get less work as your clients may see you as a threat to their business.

Kicking the heroin sure helped you pile on the pounds..

6' 12 stone, BMI 22.8..... Unfortunately some of that 12 stone is fat.. still I was 13 stone before paleo.. When I climbed every day I was just over 11 stone.. BMI's a very crude measurement as its simply a height weight formula...

Good post Adam. Sorry to hear about your troubles. Quite often the grass is greener. But the reality is often different. I did a wee bit of freelance climbing when I started out but it was always leading to having my own firm. How ever good you are as a subby there is a definite limit on your earnings whereas as a contractor you can keep expanding. That said the headaches of being a subby are nothing compared with running a few squads. So its horses for courses. Being a subby could be the best thing for you but it might not be. .....

You take a plate off, take some links out of the drive chain and move the pulley up... an hour's work maybe....

I put one on my first landy to power a hydraulic winch, it worked ok, but it was a lot of work to fit in terms of mounting tank, hydraulic control valve and PTO gear linkage... plus the pump was very close to one of tha chassis cross members, not sure where it would be on a puma....

What model of igland is it? on mine you can reposition the input shaft on the winch itself, its not too big a job...

45 sounds steep, might be better with a double cardan.Wide angle | gkn-walterscheid.de

I have always hated landscaping, once I have been on the same site for more than 3 days I start to get bored and pi55ed off with it. We still do the odd job though.. For us the busy season all year round these days, apart from feb and march which are mental, as all the LA's try and spend their budgets..

I VHS hydraulics used to do them, won't be cheap though, needs a tank and control valve etc..

I just bought a 3/4" drive Facom set for about £350, its good stuff.. The halfords professional range is ok but is massively let down by the papier mache boxes that they come in. No point having good tools if they are all rolling around in the back of the landy / lost in the woods.

Simon Lockwood. Don't have a number unfortunately...

No but I'm interested? There's one I'm my dads garden that is still going strong, there were two others that went 20+ years ago... Got to be genetics..

You misunderstand me. I'm not bending the truth. I always give a fair appraisal of the situation, and I take your point about reputation. I have probably only done 20 or so planning surveys, none of them have ever been refused or argued with, so I don't think I'm creating a rod for my own back. I still think my point is a valid one, and the comparison with the legal profession. As a professional you have to be able to keep your clients interest at heart and if you think that they are wrong it's your job to explain why and come up with alternatives. I see my job being to help them achieve their goals, so I have told people in the past if they are wasting their time, because the planners simply won't wear what they are asking. But I'm also there to fight their corner in the event of a dispute.

I think you are forgetting who you're working for. The T.O. is there to act in the interest of the trees, environment etc. You're there to act for the applicant, just like a planning consultant or architect. When I do 5837 surveys I do so with the best interests of the applicant in mind, I think it would be a breach of contract if I didn't. I'm not suggesting you do anything improper, merely write your report with the development in mind. If you think you're there to protect the trees you're wrong, thats not your job. You're there to get the client to see the development with the tees in mind, and make helpful suggestions, without forgetting who you are working for, remember the T.O. can always disagree with your report and that is fine, its not a failure. I did one last week, they wanted a lot of trees removed, I found that 6 of them needed removing anyway and the remainder were Cat C. There were two nice trees that I suggested they keep in order to screen the development and after liaising with the Architect we moved the buildings a couple of meters to accommodate the RPA's. So hopefully everyone's happy. I didn't even have to use my velcro Ganoderma, or the spray on Kretchmaria! If you go in all tree hugger you're not acting for your client, if you found yourself up in front of a magistrate you wouldn't want your lawyer to be acting in the interests of the state would you. Lawyers swear an oath to act in the best interests of their client however nasty he is.... If you can't stomach that then you shouldn't be doing these surveys, change sides and become a TO.

Full forestry tyres are expensive, but they are the best thing if you are in the woods. Second best would be the Klebers radials. As you say, don't go too wide.

It actually makes a lot of sense, you could have a nice toolbox on your tranny and a turntable chipper and never be overloaded, and your trailer will legally hold way more chip...

I want that Eddie! Awesome.

Turntable chipper mounted on the back with its own engine. Then tow a big tipping trailer. Vehicle engines aren't really optimised for donkey work.

I've been saying that for years. If we vote out we'll be back "in" the following day. The amount of trade that we do, in and out, will mean we may opt out of the political stuff but we'll be right in as a trading partner still. That said if we get a decent re-negotiation I'll vote in.

I have doen 50k on my Kumho kl71's they are good tyres too...