Big 'Ammer

Nice work there Rupe. I have same similar that we do every year, all sorts of geometric shapes and snooker table flat tops. Takes two of us two long days, one of them out of a cherry picker, and plenty of steps and ladders leant on things. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to take any pics of my work there, due to security reasons. Its a shame, as I would be very proud to post them up here. The best of it is though, when you can do 'em like that, the regular run of the mill leylandii type jobs take no time at all to make a good enough straight job.

Ho Ho! One womans enough for me! I wouldn't mind a good car a good pair of guns to enjoy the days shooting the second two jobs paid for mind!

Sounds sensible Rupe. I dare say the groundie would also be a steady reliable older bloke who could actually tow something more than a pencil sharpener behind the truck.

There's always another way..... charge whatever you want to charge, leave all the crap there for 'garden mulch' and go and do two more jobs like it on the same day, then go home with an empty van....

I thought you only tipped the machinery over on privet hedges Dean?

What's the thinking behind that three roller set up, Ed? Presumably its to grab stuff better, but how more so than a twin roller?

Lurverly! Finishing touchs must include saw on the left hand side footplate and helmet on the pre cleaner! and a glove so you don't skin your knuckles putting it into first and third! Very nice job.

Bag. I put mine back in the bag working end first each time. That way you alternate using both ends of the rope and it wears better.

I like both stihl and husq. I run a 660 25" & 30"for large stuff and my old 2100 is still doing service for a friend. When I was looking for a new large saw it was either the 660 or 395, nowt much to choose on paper or price. Some I know had recently bought the 395 and had nothing but trouble with it not running right and wouldn't set up. Back to the dealer umpteen times, loads of parts changed, shagged engine, new engine shagged, back to husqy for a lot a head scratching, all this under warranty btw, eventually husqy gave him a brand new saw after about 9 months. The new one is excellent. While all this was going on it tipped the balance for me to buy the stihl, which apart from the niggle with the chain adjuster that I had, is a very good saw. Where I used to work, I talked the boss into getting a 3120 when he was replacing gear after a theft, wish I hadn't as I then had it to use, bloody great heavy numb ......

I have always climbed in protective trousers either all round or front only, depending on what I was provided with at the time. When you've climbed in the old fashioned ballistics for years, new type C stretchy trousers are comfortable anyway. The new style stretchy types are so far ahead of the old stuff, so I don't find it a problem climbing in type C hiflex in any weather and from experience I would rather have it than not. I know very well the value of chainsaw protection. 9 or 10 years ago, whilst working alone thinning a small plantation, I had cut a 10" stem off a twin stem birch with a 254 at waist height. I then made the pruning cut and took a step backwards with finger off the throttle and saw running down to tick over. My right foot went in a divot and I stumbled backwards hitting then bar against the top of my left leg. The chain brake came on and even though the saw wasn't running at full chat it still went almost through all the layers and didnt jam the sprocket fully. I was well shaken up. I was not a novice. The thought of still being able to have an accident whilst doing nothing stupid or wrong bugged me for a long time. If I'd had no leg protection I'd probably have bled to death. So I wear protective trousers when I'm at work every day. Some days I might only make a few cuts if I'm grounding and stuffing the chipper but I don't want to take the chance, it isn't worth it.

I had some saturn knives for my Kwik Chip and couldn't tell any difference from originals.

If you like, I'll do your customer a price more than yours Pete and then they have an alternative quote and yours will be cheaper and you won't lose the job you have already won.

Dean you own a MEWP! You never need to climb a conifer hedge again!

Easiest way. Cut the eye off, melt the end and tie it on the carabiner/snap hook with your knot of choice. How did we manage before spliced eyes? Also you can slide the black sheath off and chuck it and then it can't jam in the grillon.

I went on to visit a mate who just come out of hospital and deliver a cake from my wife and to put the stalks from a bunch of grapes in his bin. They were supposed to be for him but they looked nice so I ate them driving down the M62 on the way to arb do!

I managed to get over in the afternoon and enjoyed meeting people and putting names and faces together. Nice to have a chinwag with like minded types and see some different stuff. My wife's fears that I had been 'groomed' on the internet into meeting strangers with ropes in a dark wood were thankfully unfounded!!!! Thanks to all who organised the day. Nige.

Surely it must be worth mending it? Lot of money sitting there not earning. Can't the basket be welded up to an acceptable standard? No need for a new one. Maybe drill out the pin hole and sleeve it? I bet I could find you some work for it.

I've used all sorts of platforms over the years Dean, some better than others. Wheeled ones, tracked ones and truck mounts. I quite like mewps for certain types of job or certain parts of certain jobs and will often use one in conjunction with a climber. I like to try new stuff out to make sure I'm not missing out on anything that can make the job easier. Not that they always do, some platforms are rubbish for tree work. I don't find the RQG 18 hard to set up you just need a spotter to shout out the leg pressures and get them all about the same. Its a bit fiddly the first time though. The 15 Basket has some lights which all need to be lit up to make sure theres even pressure, very similar machine to an Easylift 150. Both these have good out reach of about 9m Prefer the easylift as it has a wider footprint to the basket and will go out to full stretch all round without alarms going off and the safety features stopping you from going further out. Disadvantage with both these however, against say the RQG 18, is the telescopic legs have to hit the floor and the slide along it to full extension before jacking up. This makes it difficult to set them up where there are a lot of obstacles, say down a tight gap with a wall and kerbs, or gravestones perhaps. More compact machine like Ranger R15 is better in those circumstances. In terms of having an operator, I like to work in the platform alone and then no ones in the way. And plant people often know nowt about tree work and are a nuisance on a site. Plus an operator is one more on the payroll! Also not everyone has something that can tow 3500kg so they would need it delivering on and off site. But an operator who was a tree surgeon as well and had his own land rover......

Thats a good idea! I got mine wired up with a white socket by the garage I got it from, but if you don't unplug it when tipping it eats fuses. I just swap batteries over periodically and bench charge overnight. If I used it more frequently I would get round to a different set up with some thick cables and a direct feed off the landy.

Well spotted Pete, Beverley Road, main drag into Hull.

Ho Ho Ho!

Your right Dean, it was at full stretch at the other side so I could bore out that side first, I was using a 20" bar. I deliberately parked it as far away as possible to minimise any mishaps. It went exactly where it was supposed to. I wouldn't have cut a piece of poplar like that off stood below it on spikes! I had cut all the low crown off from the mewp, the majority was over the road. You can't really see from the picture but it was a wide footpath, bus lane and three traffic lanes. The crown spread over the middle of the traffic lanes. The footpath and bus lane were heras fenced off. I then felled the two side sticks and we made a rack with them so as not to wreck the drains (marked with the small cones) and then felled the middle stem on to the rack between them with the remaining top on in one go. It was a big day for four of us, early start on a sunday for less traffic etc. Only other picture I have is of the finished site on monday lunchtime. You can see from the size of the buses she was a big old tree! We measured it and if it had gone backwards it would have reached the checkouts in Lidl over the road!

You must be a busy bloke 88 getting casuals in to service the missus when needs must!!!