Ty Korrigan

And chainsaw shorts too, silly idea those.

It does well enough as a chipper tow tug, winching and loading rounds etc but true, it is a Tesco Value tractor. I couldn't have afforded better at the time and without taking out credit still cannot after having the unforeseen expense of having to replace my chipper this year. A truck is the next big thing on the horizon. If I was a another level up, site clearances and big dismantles every week then a tip top telescopic would be just the ticket. However my niche is domestic urban arb work where a machine is rarely required. The ten year old in me does like driving tractors though however cheap. Stuart

I joined a Solis FB page. It is a known issue it seems. I was contacted by Solis and asked to provide the serial number to help trace others. Stuart

Our 7t Iveco had difflock which was rather usefull. Stuart

I also joined the farm peacock in a right royal strut and crow about it all...

Done. They were not seized in and came out with little difficulty using heat, then 'degrippant' freeing oil then a hole punch, difficult to get central as there was a ridge on both. Then drilling and extraction with the Facom tools. I also had to jack the engine up to better align the holes. Viisions of Austin Mini subframe bolts, nightmare but all came good, an uplifting personal victory. Called my engineer buddy Didier who has ordered a fresh set of quality bolts. Stuart

Yup, loads of that technique so equally much snipping off the pointy stone and dirt filled tip before chipping. Tops mostly sailed down flat before breaking into a groundies nightmare of a thousand shards. Stuart

Those pops were all planted in 1986, client still has the invoice. The inner line, shaded by oaks is seriously skinny. My climber got through alot of that prescription medicine he stole from his Gran. Stuart

First pop shredded from where climber left the ladder on the way up, each trees lower portions covered in a thick lattice of dead ivy. Before each was topped out the climber transfered across with the Captain hook to set the next line, swung back in, topped out, rappelled down stripping the rest and repeat. Stuart

Buzzards Stuart

I stripped and topped them Mark. Most have heartwood decay, a few spike marks will most likely lead to extra epicormic growth. I would have used a tracked mewp to place the climber if they merited the cost but they are coming out in 7years. Stuart

No, standing on 5m3 of rakings in the chip truck.

I was watching Netflix last night downstairs at 1:30am when my viewing was interupted by Mrs Lee who was woken up by my mobile ringing. She handed me the phone and we listened to the 'message' Rhythmic gasps, rustles and groans, indistinct moaning and the voices of a man an woman. Other very organic sounds, wet sucking, satisfaction noises... We gave the message a couple of listens, looked the number up and concluded that a female client I had visited a few weeks ago. The phone rang again just as Mrs Lee was heading back up the stairs. It was now clear that she must have set off her phone whilst engaging in some quality adult time, possibly trying to live stream to Pornhub, once Mrs Lee is asleep tonight I'll let you know if I find it... Stuart

Half way. Stuart

@Mike Hill Thank you for that. Keep you posted. Just ordering bits now. Stuart

Not sure I can, it is the chassis the engine is bolted too.

Gonna give it a wang myself though a Facom removal set is €150. I've watched the Youtube tutorials and think I'll stay away from the budget tool sets. My crew is running a sweep stakes on whether I get the bolts out... I paid a local engineering firm to remove other broken loader arm bolts a year ago and replace with hardened ones. Bizzarely, they didn't do these which popped last week. The peacock is in love with my Solis, I presume because of the colour. Stuart

Nothing of the kind available in our area. The work isn't too onerous and is well paid. Besides, I have a well found fear of losing clients to indiscreet sub contractors. Prefer to keep work in house rather than let too many share a slice of my pie only for them to steal any future pies... Stuart

Old thread but current project. Regenerative pruning of 64 Lombardy poplars at a manor house North Rennes. There were many more though butt decay has caused losses and damage to property. The tallest unbroken line of 10 are 30m+ measured with climbers rope and a tape for the felled tops. Stripped to bare poles, they should very quickly develop a vigorous, uniform growth thus keeping the character of the manors main entrance route whilst being less of a threat to neighbouring properties and lines. I've been working in this park since 2011 and will be monitoring the regrowth annually. The client well is aware of the pros and cons of this work and prefers to retain rather than remove. Stuart

On the odd occasion I've been rushing and given the fuel tank a shot of Aspen bio chain oil, I've given the tank a rinse or two but have then been treated to the smell of grilled sardines afterwards. I don't think Aspen is 100% veg based. Stuart

The queens are still present, they leave the nest late Autumn. This being France not the UK. We know this from the traps set which are only catching workers right now. In the Spring the traps catch the emerging queens, that being the most important period for trap setting. When we went bust in 2018, we sold the yard to a local bee keeper and it is from him we developed the passion for bottle traps. Last week I pruned a few branches in exchange for 5kg of honey.

In the Mayenne, no-one hears pigeons scream...

Last Summer one pest guy couldn't reach a nest with his system so my French climber (he who got stung today) donned the neoprene suit, gloves and headgear which was really awful in 28C, unwashed smelly, heavy, sweaty and climbed to where the nest could be treated. He almost passed out from the heat and fear that day as the hornets where bouncing off the face screen in fury. We've far fewer this year due to the cold wet Spring in Brittany and late frosts just when the Queens came out of hibernation. The traps we put out for them have had hardly any takers either. Grenadine syrup and white wine mixed together in clear plastic bottles. A down side to climbing after the nest is destroyed are the fat larvae which as so soft that they breakup on the branches as they fall leaving an unwholesome mess for a hand. Todays nest was really very small as they so get to the size of those large paper ball Ikea lamp shades. No other comparable scale of measurement comes to mind.