Ty Korrigan

We shall call this a 'Huckism' A rash or obtuse statement resulting in a reduced cash flow. Frankly, I'd rather be woken with an invitation to put money in my pocket ANYTIME than doze by a phone that never rings... Hmmmn money trees... It doesn't grow on them, IT IS THEM! Ty

So, what would you guys upgrade too from a Bandit HB20 27hp...? We mostly do domestic jobs but are looking at the bigger picture too. I have wondered about the Bandit hydrostatic model (2250XP...?) but as its only 27hp would I be getting any benefit? Thanks in advance for your advice Ty

Hello, Just curious, I'm from Emsworth originally and my parents still live there. Your phone number is Redhill area so why 'Emsworth' tree care? It's not a common place name. Regards Ty

Cripes, I only clicked on this link and now an hour has flown. This one made me laugh too... Sleeping baby has robot arms. [VIDEO] Har har! Ty

Hello Mr Magic, If you have difficulty identifying these trees it doesn't bode well for your "bushcraft courses and other wildlife education" plans...eh? hhh! Regards Ty

Is that photo taken on the set of the next James Bond movie...? Ty:biggrin:

That's called working on the black here and a serious offence here unless working on your own land. The thought of having uninsured inexperienced helpers around makes me feel queasy... Good news about the shorter courses at Pontivy, I shall contact them this next week, I have a Frenchman to put through who is too nervous about his English skills to be enthusiastic about a U.K course. If they are indeed running courses now then it will be a great relief for him! Ty

Hello, Fit a Tiny Tach to measure the hours, costs under £20. We got an average of 25hours before turning blades. Once went up to 30+ but then I couldn't shift the bolts for the resin baked onto them. I used copper grease on the threads and a blow torch to loosen the resin around the bolts. If the blades are dull they can heat up if you let wood rattle around rather than feeding in nicely. Don't overfeed it with dead dry lawson type stringy stuff. Better little and often than a whole armfull of material. Clean the end of thrown branches of earth and little stones before feeding. Check the feed chute before starting, make sure its empty of EVERYTHING. Watch out for kids or comedians chucking balls, stones or beer cans into it. I had a pair of blades damaged by a mates kid who tossed a bolt into it and I didn't check it before starting. Even a small piece of twig can stall the engine on starting jamming the blades. I used to keep the removable chute and a garden waste bag inside the feed chute for transport. One day, my oppo installed the chute and forgot about the bag upon starting... I know another Arb who put all his climbing gear in the chute before dragging the chipper across the lawn. His groundy took all out but for the spikes...new straps required there! Ty

Yesterday, we dismantled 2 large lawsons and a cedar. The wood was bone dry, not a drop of sap on any kit, don't even have to clean the rope. It was a real pleasure to handle dry sapless conifer wood for a change. Ty

Clean branches. Not soil, stones or rakings. Follow Steves advice...I did. Ty:thumbup1:

Revise that. And climbing...hhh! Ty:thumbup:

FARK! you're a lucky boy! We run at 5% of turnover. This includes, Yellow pages, signwriting, business cards, internet site, advertising on other web sites, ex-pat news papers... So we have a budget of around 3000euros+ at the moment. Ty

But does that not ring true for any business investment? I think one of the biggest 'costs' to a business is down time, either for mechanical reasons, physical (health) or lack of clients. Regular investment in reliable quality kit as part of your business plan helps smooth running. Also, investing in publicity, get out there now rather than later. By the time your diary is full of holes its too late, your ship is sinking. Ty

Paul, your better off booking yourself into a course back in blighty. There are many good colleges and training organisations and the standard of training is higher than France is this trade. Without a really decent level of French you would be all at sea on a course even if you found one locally. The college Breton boy speaks of offers only 9month courses (last time I contacted them) and if it was so easy to get trained here in France Breton boy would have his climbing tickets by now... What you probally need are the 2 most basic certificates in chainsaw use and maintenance small tree felling and crosscutting. It would only take you a week including travel to obtain them back in the U.K and you can stock up on decent tea and ginger biscuits at the same time. Kind regards Ty

I hate burning that stuff. It always chases me around where ever I try to throw a branch I get a cloud of smoke following me. Holes in my clothes and singed hair from falling cinders. Eyes and nose raw from the smoke. AND I do believe it takes longer to burn than to chip... Last year we done a quote to fell a line of bigggg buggers like these. Plan was to remove the lower stem to allow a crane fed Bandit to pass and drag them into its gaping maw nom-nom-nom-nom whilst a tractor and trailer took the chips. This method advised by higher powers required all to be felled and prepared in advance as the chipper is so efficient. I didn't get the quote in the end, a local builder won it then got a fine for burning (not legal here) before hiring a shredder which I hope and pray ate all his profit. Best of luck Ty

Arb trucks...by Tonka. Ty

Yes, that would be the most attractive solution but for many of us a step too far with yard, loader etc. One day perhaps... Ty

Dean, where is this mythical screw...? Could you tell me where in the manual just in case I ever need to freewheel it? I probally couldn't budge it anyway weighing in at 63kg... Anyway, I don't have a great experience of grinders except out HB20 and a shoitey 18hp push/pull hire Laski (never again!) Our HB20 earns us good money. True, it can tip if you don't level the ground but a bit of rake work becomes second nature after a while. Slopes are a bitch but I tend to dig a wee flat for the wheels if I can. I have to admit, its the slopes that get me as I'm a bit light myself. Still, very few stumps escape me and my HB20. I have always found Global decent people to deal with from sales to spares and maintenance advice. If I had the money I would have bought a bigger more stable grinder but I certainly don't regret buying our HB20. Ty

Your pulling our plum with that one surely? I mean, having invested in a chipper and truck, why would you put either the tree or chip into an expensive skip? I'd like to see a mornings work fit in a skip let alone a days worth! For your chips, reduce tipping costs by using FREECYCLE and finding local people who will take a driveway full from time to time. We are tipping more at our local council yard as they need 200m3 per year for their gardens and borders. A moot point with us is the 3250euros we spend on an accountant when my accountant wife would do it all for free! This is driving me nuts! The bizzare refusal of my business partner to let go of this responsibility and save us a whopping wedge...In fact every time I think about this I feel a little sick.

Our insurance is 15euros per day (based on average number of days worked) We spend far too much on fuel/travel around 60euros Almost 10euros on publicity It is going to be a real shock to find out in May just how much our new limited company has cost to run. Ty

No, that's what ex-pats do here after they have decided tree surgeons are just too expensive. We are due to work at for a couple who did exactly that. Now the wife has decided that if her husband is to get his health back then economies involving trees are not the way. I even think Normandy Lumberjack has a good image of scaffolding around a Macrocarpa (not his own apparantly but I've not seen him climb yet...hhhh!) Jeremy Vine...the Radios Daily Wail... Ty

Morning, I love pruning these but am wary of peoples reactions. Twice in recent years I've cut Wisterias back for women who have cried when they saw the resulting scaffold. Once a rich American woman at her chateau and a French Countess in Normandy who stormed off telling us we have killed it, vandals and that we where fired! IIn each case I revisited the sites during the summer to see a re-assuring wealth of blooms from the 'vandalised' Wisteria. I feel the key thing for a Wizzy is regular pruning by the same person or at least in the same manner. People tend to do it once then leave it for a few years. I try an leave the flower buds where I can, these are the fat ones also I don't remove all the stems carrying the May early season flowers. (they flower twice a year in general) It may be less tidy than leaving a scaffold but keep some stems carrying flower buds and tie them in well, you can always remove them after flowering if you price a remedial visit into your job. Best of luck and dont worry, you can't kill it! Ty

Something about business costs in France and other stuff. O.K, Now your here, registered with the CCI (Chambre of Commerce and Industry) MSA (Mutual Society Agricole) they will automatically inform 'Les Impots (tax office) After a year you will get a facture (bill) for 300+euros called Tax Professional Fonciere, a local business tax that Monsewer Sarkosy got rid of then re-introduced with a new name only more expensive still. Insurance: As a guide, a one man band micro entreprise may pay around 450euros for general tree work. Our company is Groupama and they are a bit vague about just how much your civil liability is good for but they are cheap and they have paid out without question (or even informing us!) when we killed a lampost with a well aimed branch. However, the French are insurance mad and you even insure your kids to go to school... No-one gives a sh#t if you run a business from home although if you register as a limited company you will get hit for another local tax for waste collection. We appealed and got a reduction to 60euros per year. Most tips now charge about 12euros per m3 of green waste. Your local tip may be more lenient. Land is cheap, your house may come with enough to use as a tip but remember fires are now banned (Tell that to Johnny Onions...hhhh!) If you are in a rural location you may get away with burning in winter but the ban against summer bonfires has always been strictly enforced. Noise... Professionals may continue to work through lunchtime (12-2pm) but civilians must pipe down. Some Gendarmes may get shitty with you regardless if called out by a local especially as you are British. However, just be polite and shut up and shut down for a while and enjoy your 4 course restaurant lunch for under 11euros (tax deductable) Thats what we do here and whats not to enjoy! Sunday working, well, no noise full stop. You can still work but just do it with electric saws and silkies. Fuel... Diesel 140cents litre 95 152cents litre 98 168 cents litre You can buy red (Fioul chauffage) in 2 grades for about 90cents a litre for your chipper. Using for tractors and diggers is now forbidden but does Monsewer care...? (Gallic shrug smilie required) You will use alot more fuel here as the distances to your clients are more. The minimum wage here is 9.43 gross/7.36 nett per hour = 1425 gross/1117 nett per month If you want to earn as your own boss say 10euros nett then you should charge at least 25-30euros per hour for yourself. If you run a chipper and truck then at least 45euros per hour is advised. Pay a self employed groundy 120-150euros per day, own insurance and saw. You can do your own maths to disprove mine but its a fair guess we won't differ by much. Most ex-pat 2 man teams seem to charge out from 350-480 per day. Those who work more for the French 600+ I would be doubtful if in todays climate you could make a living just from tree work for rural based ex-pat clients without doing other things on the side like grass, hedges or even smallbuilding works. As I write, the pound again is dropping against the euro making pensions smaller and second home owners put trees further down their list of jobs to be done. For our company, Brits are merely turnover and the French bring in the profit. Employing some-one... In short, don't. First, you can't as a micro-entreprise. Second, you can't afford it. You must charge out at approx 2.5 times just to cover social charges, taxes, accountancy fees and the various hidden charges that drop through the door and slap you in the wallet. Just find a mate to work with instead. Right... More later. Any thing to add Sanglier? Normandy? VTS?

Ah...Le Sanglier I presume... Large and dangerous trees tackled by tree surgeon - The Connexion

Strange but true, my great uncle George was a specialist at blowing up trees for the Royal engineers. He was captured at Dunkirk having delayed the arrival of the Germans with his felling skills. I never got to ask him what he though of using a Silky... Ty