Ty Korrigan

I do blame the mechanic. It literally cannot be anyone else. French law is quite clear in that he has the right of retention whilst money is owed whilst the same time a responsibility to repair within 30 days. His treatment of me is polite in messages yet abusive in denying me the machine. How would you sort it? I'm at a total loss. Stuart

I long guessed guessed that was the case. Anyway, using this machine I've not much choice in the matter. With our GM150P in the incompetent hands of a French Briggs Efi approved clown, now in it's 11th week with no end in sight. He won't give it back because he won't get paid. His latest message says a new loom arrives end of next week which is week 12. Meanwhile we do what we can by pushing larger jobs back still further and using what we have to hand. I gave the twunt a 4 week window which even by French 'laissé faire' standards should have been enough. I arranged 4weeks of hedges, stumps, subbing, wee chipper jobs and some time off. Laugh if you will, I'm depressed and beyond caring. Lidl shelf stacking looks more appealing day after day. Stuart

Skarper and Haecksler are from the same factory in Czech I am informed. Better build quality than Chinesium copies but 4 times the price. The Chinesium machines are more than adequate despite having a narrower infeed. There are protuding bolts inside the infeed on mine which twisted branches sometimes catch on. Part of the hinge mechanism and security cutout. There is also a gap on top of the anvil which traps branches at times. On the whole it does a pretty good job but those constraints do make it harder work, requiring more snedding and positioning of branches as you feed. Stuart

That description might give the more sensitive clients nightmares to think of giant spider legs under their lawn... Stuart

When quoting, make it clear to clients that it is a stump grinder not a root finder. Stuart

Agri-euro 15hp 10cm capacity I paid €1372 Very good value. Circumstances have meant we've had to use it as a back up chipper for almost 3 months. Served us well. Stuart

The E.U and U.K still consider Gibraltar to be part of the E.U. It couldn't function otherwise. Stuart

If you search the FB page 'Angry people in newspapers' it carries the article. It appears to be a privately owned verge. Not council property.

I know little about the administration surrounding trees in the U.K Would such work require a felling licence? Hot topic amongst some friends. I cannot link directly as it simply says 'log into FB' Stuart

Yes. Many of working age depended on other Brits buying properties and using other Brits to renovate. This has stalled with Brexit and Covid. Property owners are no longer able to bring over cheap materials for renovations which in turn makes it less atttractive to buy here. Many Brits without sufficient French language to find French clients are struggling for work. Unwilling or unable to return to the U.K, often they are trapped here by Covid or their own unsaleable unfinished renovations. Having removed themselves from the U.K property market they stand little chance of buying back into it. Covid has seen property prices rise in more rural areas but the Parisian professionals are wanting ready to move into properties not half finished, amateurish Brit renovations with ring mains, 3 pin plugs and no tradesmans guarantees for work done. Yes, some families are pushed to relying on state aid (RSA) and 'Resto du Cour' food banks. Stuart

I wonder where you get your anger from? Have you got personal problems at home or work perhaps? If I annoy you so much, just block me. Stuart

Almost. Needs brakes though and it is too loud for Protos eard defenders. The exhaust venting next to my work position isn't great. However, it certainly is good for Pyracantha! Stuart

Hey Conor, You sound like an Orange Plant employee or a hungry post Brexit Brit, maybe both.

The engine comes as standard with a 30 micron pre-filter. The mechanic is now fitting a 10 micron. Just what pollutant traversed the pre-filter to block the pumps own 10 micron is beyond all ken. I've given up on the machine. If I could have slid a diesel into it I'd have kept it but it is now 2 months in a mechanics workshop so I'm moving it on, sadly. I'm considering running 3 CS100 wee chippettes and pay €5 per hour to hungry post brexit Brits for feeding them... Stuart

I've a Bugnot sat on my drive this lunch time. Knarly single roller, toothed conveyor, deafening Kohler diesel encased in a metal box. Belt tensioner clutch, no brakes but a parking brake like my grinders which acts on the tyre. In the last year 2 hire places opened up in town. I tried the Rabaud 150 2 weeks ago and that was an awfull machine to use. I've used this Bugnot before when it was new and fitted with cutting tools instead of flails. Flails today, shrub-er-ama-smash. Plenty of bramble, eleagnus and twisty vile stuff. Toothed conveyor is ideal for this. Stuart

Rarely use stored petrol (except when the French blocade refineries) and that I do use is kept in pristine used Aspen containers. I'll ask the mechanic, if he ever leaves hospital, if the gummy deposits on the filter can be identified. @bigtreedon This is not a GM issue. It is a Briggs Vanguard problem. The engine has a separate warranty from the rest of the machine. Sadly, no-one seems keen to become a Briggs Efi certified mechanic so their aftersales service is thin in the ground. This lack of mechanics able to work on Efi is in itself reason enough not to buy another. Next machine will have a straight forward Kubota diesel that any tractor dealer can work on. Stuart

Breton oak, a boundary tree rich in iron. Cooked 2 chains just knocking the stem over. The stump was better though. 10 min scratching around picking out stones and 40min machine time. Stuart

When I changed to a French licence I automatically recieved the C1E without any tests apart from a rudimentary medical. Lucky me. Stuart

Yes and if anyone could put a finger on just what I am doing wrong I would eternally gratefull. Currently, the big question is what pollutants are passing the 30 micron pre-filter without leaving a trace and blocking the 10 micron within the Efi pump which is a non-servicable part. I've checked my fuel receipts going back to September 2020 and all are from same petrol station. The Honda and Lonicin carb machines are unaffected. Stuart

I'm not in an Ash rich region. Stuart

En route you might notice alot of Ash dieback in the North of France and Belgium. I rented this for a day recently. 22hp diesel Rabaud. Never again. Better to put the hire money into the pocket of a hungry expat and use that Chinesium bargain chippette. However, I've cracked and booked a Bugnot 45 for 2 days this week for knarly stuff unsuited to wee chippettes. Single roller with toothed conveyor. Stuart

Mainly...

In France, if you sell something and do not disclose known faults, the new owner can make a claim against you for repairs, or a refund and compensation. The exception is goods auctioned. I'm thinking about moving my 150p on that way. It broke down last week of March and has been with a Vanguard Efi mechanic since then. 2 weeks ago, just before I was hoping to collect it the mechanic caught Covid and is still in hospital. I can't collect it, it is in bits, the guy is a sole trader do nobody else at the workshop and no-one else is authorised to repair Vanguard Efi engined with or without warranty between Brest and Le Mans. Stuart

Has it gone to dealer or private sale? I worry about moving our machine on in case we get pursued under 'vice cache' should the new owner suffer as I have. Stuart

I often get bitten cutting cypress or thuya hedges. Itchy hard lump that persists for a couple of weeks. Could it be a spider? Two puncture marks. Stuart