Ty Korrigan

We've just had one job where the neighbour DEMANDED that we cut our clients conifer hedge lower as her husband had already cut their side (but remember not their hedge to cut) some 70cm lower so they had a lovely view of the dead dry interior of the hedge. We didn't as it was only a light trim and as a result had to endure 5 members of her family barracking us for an hour as we worked. Remarkable faces I recall, strong evidence of consanguinity and alcoholism there... Ty

Well, I can put 600euros a week some-ones way if they fancy making a life here in France. Mixed climbing/groundwork and you get fed. Trouble is, you'll need at least some basic French at least to start with and enough character to make your own life without banging on my door every night cos your lonely and the French tarts in the village are laughing at your mullet. Ty

Ah, I was going to post that too. I notice that there is significant tree loss in the North. Now that there are power stations that burn conifer wood chips I wonder what impact this will have on forestry. If there are more planted than harvested then all good, a sustainable short carbon cycle is achieved. Ty

I've been using this recently and all the guys have noticed how clean my gob cuts have become and how fresh my skin looks too. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO8K5lESAd0]Oil of Ulay 'mother & daughter' advert 1990 - YouTube[/ame] Ty

A quick scan in my diary reveals that in April I have 3k of grinding work booked. 3k of the back of a 27hp pedestrian machine that cost me 7k 3 years ago. It has paid for itself over and over. Ty

Aiden, For us a stump grinder is a serious revenue earner and an important add on sale to any felling work. As for pricing it, work out your costs, fuel, teefff, belts and machine life etc and arrive at a sum you add to your normal hourly rate THEN add your profit margin which is anything you can get in my opinion. Regards Ty

I've just lost a big fat Lawson to a fire wood hunter...ha ha ha! More power to his elbow I say if he can make that pay! All leaf and no wood on that one! The owner even called me to say sorry as he saw the truck pass and felt bad about it. I've bigger fish to fry and wouldn't miss the money believe me. Ty

The plastic tube blew twice at the entry nipple:confused1: Lucky I ordered 2 replacement kits! I does clearly state grease every 40 hours though but clearly in the weather we have had, feeding in wet material and being stored outside this was no where near enough recently. Ty

Probably, I'm verging on mania dealing with clients, storm damage and business issues. I had previously called G.M for spare parts and received them in 48hours overseas as I am. The dealer takes a week so even receive a part. I wish G.M ran courses on in depth chipper maintenance... Ty

All this wind and rain really makes me appreciate those long glorious summer days ahead. We are doing very well at the moment but the kit stinks to high heaven, the chippers off the road, the grinder needs bearings too and my body is aching from the cold and wet and I'm fed up of telling clients (who are not always understanding) that I'm having to move them to make room for emergency work:thumbdown: Still, looking on the bright side, we are booked up months ahead and look to be breaking 120k in this our second year as a company. The present may be grey but the future IS bright:thumbup1: Ty

Hello Pete, I do and they know it too! I had already called Peter Parts at G.M to verify that the bearing was in stock and would have thought the dealer would have done the obvious and called G.M France if they knew not the bearing serial number or asked me to order it. Instead they used their regular source of bearings who don't have it in stock and don't seem to be pressed to obtain one! The dealership are all round good eggs, it's not their fault they don't speak English but they have my number and know I speak to G.M regularly. Today at 14:00hrs and tomorrow we are on storm damage work at a local manoir. The brash can be stacked for later chipping. Make me want to buy a second chipper for our tractor... Also, I am going to grease this one bearing daily if raining and weekly otherwise to prevent this happening again. Ty

Fortunately having the chipper off the road will not lose us any work as we have a great variety of jobs to cherry pick from. The yard has some brash brought back and other jobs have the space for chipping on a return visit. We are now booked solid until early April and if certain other quotes come in possibly until May!

Tres smart mon ami! Get some decent signwriting on it, be the brand! We have work available if you are interested in any East of Rennes and towards Mayenne. Regards

I'm totally kicking myself:sneaky2: Quadchip needing a bearing, I put it into the dealership for them to sort out. It will be A WEEK! A CHUFFING WEEK! before we get it back. I could have got Pete at G.M to send one DHL 24hrs to France. The dealer has still not taken delivery of the bearing 4days after putting the machine in never mind actually fixing it! It's not the dealers fault, it's the fact there is another link in the supply chain who just are not up to speed. The dealer won't/can't call G.M because of the language issue and I am annoyed at myself for not thinking of this and getting them to ask ME to order the part. The dealer want's to make a mark-up on the part (Oh woopy doo) I understand but WE need the machine back on the road 'tout de suite' By the way, it's not the fault of the Quadchip the bearing went. The machine has been stored outside in heavy weather and although the bearing is greased every 40hrs that is obviously not enough and the interior fills with water. The pipe feeding the bearing had split at some point and the grease just was not getting to the bearing. By the time I had found the split pipe and replaced it, the bearing was already on it's way out. Service and technical backup from G.M is excellent, I just wish I had ordered the part myself...BLEH! Ty

Hello, Took the Stihl pole saw down off the roof today for a job and noted the primer bulb has gone a dirty yellow as though it's perishing. Now I am using Aspen in the disc cutter and hedge trimmers as they don't get too much of an airing for much of the year. Now I shall be changing the primer bulb and filling the pole saw with Aspen in future. I'd also like to run the 084 on it as it doesn't get much use but the cost...BLEH! Ty

Ah...back to that old chestnut. LANGUAGE. Simply, the chances of a Brit getting a job with a French company without a fairly fluent level of French are slim to none. Unemployment is high, reaching 33% in some rural areas amongst 18-30 year olds. Most Brits go down the self employed route as frankly they have few options in terms of employment but there again, you really will need to learn the language of the natives as Brits are few and far between whilst the French number in their hundreds of thousands within the same catchment zone. I can go weeks without an expat client then half a dozen come along at the same time. I really ought to look again at the statistics but I estimate an 80%+ French client base. As a forester, you'd be on or around the minimum wage of around 1200euros net per month As a self employed tree surgeon, you'd be on less than that for a long time until your established so allow at least 3 years living money. Feel free to contact me if you require any advice about working in France. Regards Ty

Here: Roger Hayward of Wiltshire was electrocuted while trying to clear a tree | Mail Online Ty

Will not the HSE web site carry the full report or at least some details of the incident? Ty

Hello, This 'may' be of some help and interest. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/international-arborist-forum/52669-working-france-advice-thread.html Regards Ty

HAH! I think Global are trying to beat Greenmech for the customer service award! I may have a dozen large flowering cherry stumps to grind out for the council and will have to do it from a platform of planks. That really was a tough stump there. Well done. Ty

WHAT? 24? The same family of crims or something? You've got to start asking yourself "Have I got MUG tattooed on my forehead?":001_tongue: Ty

We offer resistograph diagnostics and written tree reports. This is done by one of our team who is registered and insured in his own right for this. Ty

In the last case our client was a woman with a new born so I didn't think that coming Diva all over and making a fuss was the correct thing to do with a team of 4 standing by and the job worth 4k. Other clients have been 'cas sociaux' or people on benefits who wouldn't know a turd from a microwave meal. Aged or handicaped people who only have enough minerals left to open the back door to let their fat black lab out to crap twice a day. But the ones that really annoy me are the prissy precious middle class early retirees and French pseudo bourgeois who let their nasty poodles do it's business all over the lawn in and around the grandchildrens plastic garden play ground toys. At the end of the day, I like money too much so I'll just try to stop gagging and get on with it. Maybe the pots full of poo left under the balcony will help get the message through. Ty

Ha! The last bad Lawn Sausage infestation got troweled into empty plant pots. I spent 30min trying not to gag and heave up my b'fast only to find dozens I'd missed using the rigging rope...BLERK! If I had done the quote myself I'd have specified a good hour before hand for 'site prep' The client may always choose a less precious Arbre company to do the work and I wouldn't want to risk insulting a client and losing ANY work. Ty

It's hardly worth the cost in chains and time to cut them low. Hire yourself a wee grinder in. Ty