Ty Korrigan

Three times the EFI Vanguard engine failed. Began with starting issues when hot so had to wait until cooled down 20+ min before restarting. Hunting, then began cold and hot starting THEN...THEN... it would hunt full time and wouldn't rise high enough to activate the rollers. Fuel pump twice then possibly fuel pump and ECU ensemble. First Efi mechanic found the pump pressure to be on the low side. GM factory opened the fuel pump to find a grey sludge in the internal filter as did the last Efi mechanic who was driven to despair by the episode. Pump fuel or clean Aspen containers but regardless nothing should get through the inline filter. Shonky electrical connections too not designed for the vibrations and heat of a chipper, wires rubbing through. I gave up on it and bought a diesel that can be repaired by any tractor mechanic. Eventually Briggs UK came through for me and shipped a new engine to France. I am grateful to them for stepping up to the mark when Briggs E.U based in Germany failed me badly. It was also a drinker of oil though nothing in the way of detectable exhaust fumes. I still own it and the machine runs sweet but as I've a reed bed sewage system to finance this Autumn so it must go. You're not alone, others too have moved their machines on rather than face painfull downtime and dealer denial as they drag out repairs.

I can still see some fat buds present despite the bark shedding in plaquettes. Whether they burst next month may decide whether or what may be climbed or 'cherry picked'....

Are there no nice trees to cut instead?

Great, I just visited this beech and came across this thread as I was cruising for advice. 25m+ in height with a 90cm dbh. Tree was 'protected' but has now had that lifted. The owner claims to be quite up on all matters arboricole so I am incredulous that they let this situation develop as far as it has. I questioned the client about whether any fruiting bodies had been seen and from his description and by showing him images we established that Meripilus has been present for at least 3 years or more. I think Kreutzmaria is also present but I didn't take any images close up. Crown is dead with bark flaking off. Client states the tree was quite healthy and in full leaf when the heat wave struck last Summer. The white stuff is limewash. I thought 2 days to strip it from a mewp in small lumps then a day to fell and cross cut the stem.

Bit of a trend with some surprisingly ordinary arb guys to think they are influencers and post footage of their opinions, bling gypsy lifestyles or rambling lectures of life as an arborisssstttttt... Apart from Reg of course.

Mick said it.

To add, I'd plant leylandii and Eucs if it was simply to create future business...

And where would we plant these trees? I normally remove a tree because it is not wanted.

In the last 2 months, I've had 7 clients ask or get back to me to ask that I just get the trees down and leave them to clear up as they percieve an economy. Some want it stacked for them to deal with (Bosch in the shed) so didn't believe me that it would cost more to stack where they wanted it than to chip given the proximity of the chipper and that I needed a clear site to work in for rigging. Clients also wanting to help out to make an economy so I politely tell them I don't operate that way and can't base my price on the unknown and untrained, clueless of what is involved, wandering around the site as though they own it (which they do of course) I'm sure they will find a local lone worker climber to smash it down but I'm not that guy especially after the loss of Ken Hogan last year. Even one of my local authority clients asked if we could cut and drop, leaving the arisings for their own teams to clear. 25% acceptance rate over the last 20 quotes. 80% of clients keeping the wood chip for gardening use and in 2 months I've only removed wood from 3 jobs.

Even here in Brittany I recieved a call from the dealer recently. I drove past the place Wednesday and saw the machine in their yard, thought it looked very Forst.

Engine now replaced. I'll sell it this Summer to finance a new sceptic tank, exchange one shit thing for another...

Rented a Rabaud drum chipper here in the same road I'm working in today during my GM150 crisis. Asked to check the blades before hiring, refused to open it up telling me they were changed one weekend hire previously. On site, nowt but long slow shreds dribbling out. Called the hire shop who sent out a mechanic, opened it up and VOILA! ****************ed blades. Mechanic then accused ME of said blade ****************. They have since then change the drum to one with hammers, more public resistant.

The dark side of Gregor Mendel and his pea breeding...

Bit sober tonight Mick? I guess I should have used a winking smiley...

I'm going to send a soil sample away for analysis which will give me more than just a pH reading. I can then fine tune an area for just for blueberrie. I noticed that during last years drought, the grass that was there browned off late compared to other areas and when I had a soil survey done for my sewage system, the report said the water table was fairly high. However, the soil itself is a sandy loam with no drainage issues and decent water retention, probably from years of sheep and I suspect vegetable cultivation.

I can't put my finger on how to hand pollinate this...

At least as far as France is concerned but those expat outfits in Germany were quite vocal in their insistence that Brexit was no barrier to employment in the Euro Zone. Not heard anything from them for months mind...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R1x4JkZTfPs

I'll lose 32m2 to a polytunnnel plus all those woodchip paths you guys suggested. Honestly no idea how it will develop but as you know my wife is Moroccan and in their culture they prepare most food from scratch so onions and tomatoes are going to figure large in the planning. The kids are mad for soft fruit, strawberries and raspberries and especially myrtilles/blue berries which will take some skill to get right. Chooks in an ark that can be moved around the plot once we are in residence. Fallow area planted with green fertilizer perhaps? Other areas sown with flower mixes. Open to ideas! So far I've had 12 years living in touring caravans before marriage, a year travelling and so far 12 years in tiny social housing. It will take at least 2-3 years to make habitable but this going to be a huge change for us with 5 bedrooms, a 40m2 living room, workshop and all our business affairs in one place rather than spread out at friends properties.

First ever serious veg plot, carte blanche. I laid black plastic over 200m2 of grass last Summer. Broke it up with a sub soiler behind my Solis which struggled a little as it hasn't got ag tyres but managed to rag up a great deal of invading bamboo which screens the neighbours cannabis crop. Installed root barrier to halt said invasion and keep peace with the cartel. Borrowed a mates rotavator and ordered some easy to grow crops. Soil is deep and rich, few stones only the odd boulder... I've been tipping some chip to compost. Applying for permission to erect a decent size of poly tunnel. I'll install a large horticultural rain water tank as we are in drought conditions already. Also, lay traps against voles which are a serious pest of veg garden here. That is Komatsu Clive on the Komatsu, one of my fat groundies.

They almost always do this. Many videos of home owners smashing themselves off ladders or falling to their death have an action shot of the floor at the moment of impact...

To 'Do a Barletts' has entered the arboriculture lexicon and has become a generic phrase for any misfelled tree.

Bolam's redoubt, Bastion Bolam where he'll make his last stand. Or is this for 🥔 taters? Boil 'em, mash 'em, shove 'em up yer bum?

I have a Tricross in Morocco. Was single speed but converted to a 5spd sturmey with bar end shifter. The Brittany treader has a bottle cage that takes a non-halal bottle of wine. As for baguettes, I buy the softest baked ones, this job takes all available energy and chewing a baguette de tradition is just too much for me.