Big 'Ammer

John is full time keepering and also takes stalking clients out these days. And the cut of his jib is unique! Like you say once met never forgotton, they certainly broke the mould when they made him! Hope you're busy too, all the best.

Different Robbo I think! My mate John Robson use to work on a farm near H.O.S.M. when you were there 5-6 years ago?

I was under the impression that I had spent my money on a good pair of boots..... No doubt I will enjoy being in the the new ones!

I find HCC's planning system inefficient and unhelpful. Fortunately I don't deal with them that often. A recent customer had to reapply for the work they wanted as HCC had lost their details in the system! ERYC on the other hand are very approachable, helpful and reasonable in their judgements and I have never had a problem. Had a word with them today about filling in a 'new style' TPO application and whether it had to be in triplicate as per the form. Got a resounding NO! as two of the copies would end up in the recycling bin! They don't like the new system any more than us. The daft thing is that in four pages of boxes to fill in, the bit that actually matters 'description of trees and proposed works etc' is a space about an inch high and you have all on getting the details to fit in! And theres no space for a sketch plan, that has to be on a separate sheet. I am not far away from you, we have met but it was two or three years ago. I think you used to work with my mate Robbo down near H.O.S.M. All the best, Nige. E.R.A.

I am sure there will be many here who, like me, plan to do particular jobs when it IS windy. Large fell or big row of conifer tops is a lot easier with the wind than against it.

Nice accurate fell there Pete. HCC or ERYC T.O.?

Thank you very much Fortec. I will be down to the post office later this afternoon. Thats what I call service.

I have some of these in the shed! Worn out in exactly the same place. Within five weeks both feet got wet, a fortnight later both holed in the back like yours. The most expensive and poorest quality boots I have had in all my working life. If they'd spent the money on the product instead of all the advertising in all the trade comics they might well have lasted better. If they hadn't been advertised so much I wouldn't have even considered changing from Haix. I ought to dig them out and try and wear them while its dry weather just to get some value. Gone back to Haix, my fourth pair now. And I of all people value a good pair of boots.......

I guess it was full of wire or you maybe have a bad back!

As I read it, and I'll be happy to be told I'm wrong, because its something I looked into a while back. You can change a vehicle to agric class and use it for agricultural/horticultural/forestry purposes. But then you are a tractor and can only officially go 20mph. To go faster than 20mph - within the law - you have to have air brakes fitted to put you in the Fast Tractor category like a mog or a fastrac or a former HGV thats been reclassified. Or fit them to your vehicle, but I guess you've spent plenty on it already. I worked out I could buy a lot of white diesel for the price of an air brake conversion on a landy, so never took it any further. It was as much to do with using it to tow a trailer with a post 97 license holder as saving money by running on red. I do know people with land rovers taxed as tractors and running on red but they are using them as estate run arounds and keepers vehicles , but they are standard spec, not going too far and are therefore unlikely to be pulled up. Your 6x6 is too eyecatching for the ministry men not to want to look at it. Whenever we see a vosa checkpoint there is always a copper a mile or two away in a layby with a camera. With number plate recognition etc, the checkpoint boys know your coming before you get pulled in - its not as 'random' as its made out to be. If anyone knows more or different then lets hear it as I may well take another look at the project. Sorry to have drifted away from the original topic!

Matt F, You were the man there on the day so it doesnt matter what anyone else thinks. At that time it was the right call for you.

We use Oregon 91vs generally. Or Stihl PM. Stihl PM1 has the extra anti kickback ramps and is 'supposed' to be used on ms200's. In my opinion its more dangerous, as even with the best work positioning, there are occasions in the practical world of tree work when you need to cut with the end of the bar whilst out at full stretch and you want to make that cut instantly. Or you may need to make a boring cut. In the hands of an experienced operator the safest saw chain is the the chain that cuts the quickest either up a tree or on the floor. I settle for nothing less than razor sharp all the time. When my saw touchs wood it cuts and does not kick. I often bore through a large section and dog tooth the back cut on a dismantle if its poplar or ash or something else likely to split and it has a degree of lean to it, in exactly the same way that you would fell a leaning tree. I want it to go exactly where I want it safely and under control. You can't bore with anti kick "hobby" chain. Its anti kick properties make it poor for dressing out. I don't think theres any place for this sort of chain in a professional work situation.

We check our own kit and then have it independently examined 6 monthly for climbing and 12 monthly for rigging. In the grand scheme of things its not expensive and keeps LA's and others who run approved contractor systems etc happy. Also, my staff know that I am looking after them.

I always add 10% if the gardens covered in dog turds!

See who's giving away a free rope bag with it!

Saw an ad in the local rag early '93 'Tree Surgeon Requires Assistant'..... The rest is history. It just gets under your skin. Office job for a year before that - hated every second. Year in a woodyard before that - liked that. Farm work before that - liked that too. Last five years on my own, couple of good lads and a subbie. Can't see myself doing anything else, you never stop learning in this game, every days a fresh challenge. Keeps me motivated.

Looks a cracking rig. May I ask what sort of work you undertake that needs a specialised vehicle like this where 'ordinary' vehicles wouldn't do?

When he was a new starter, my youngest employee was told more than once not to wear a chain on his belt with his keys attached. He learnt the hard way when some brash clicked it and fed chain and car key through the chipper. It was a coded key and cost 30 quid to replace. And he had no car for 5 days while the garage ordered a new key and of course he hadn't got a spare. Fortunately for him the set of knives were being used to death as they were down to minimum sharpening length anyway. He didn't half go pale when I told him that I would be replacing the knives with new ones as they were ruined and told him what they cost! Experience is an excellent school but the fees are expensive! The only chains at work now are saw chains and snigging chains!

357 and 262 both 8 rims and 21LP Mind you i've been using a stihl chain as well on the 262 and it cuts like a hot knife through butter! so it might be a roll of that next when the oregon run out.

Log -0 Its been a few years since ive used one but from memory one lever brakes the drum when you pulling the cable out, and the other is to engage drive to lift up the anchor. You should have a small pulley on that top round bar at the back, the one your scaffold pipes resting on in the picture, and that should have some small diameter wire over it running from the bottom of the anchor spade back to a pulley with a dog clutch mounted at the hole on the right hand side in the middle picture. If you get it set up don't forget to drive on a bit before you lift the spade as you'll snap the cable! Technology in this game gets better and better, but some times theres just no substitute for a big numb old winch with a spade on. If I could find an old tractor with one on that worked i'd buy it just for those once a year jobs - theres nowt to touch them. Don't know what happened to the one where I used to work. Probably in a museum!

Trusting the boss that dead elm is in fact quite strong!

My mate in York said theres been a recent spate of cars getting their catalysts sawn off at night! Apparantly theres some heavy metal in them that makes them valuable - first he heard about it was when the local exhaust place offered a discount if they could keep the old cat when you bought a new one.

Help please gents. I wonder if any forum members have hired one of these machines from EAzzee Access since March 17 this year? If so was it red or yellow? Did it have their stickers on or was it badged up 'Tiger Access' ? I have a good relationship with this company but have a feeling I may be having 'discussions' with them. Can't say more at present but your help will be appreciated. Much obliged.

Ho Ho ! I've had that an odd time. Years ago the old major with the cooks winch conked out on a council site and I had to drop nearly a full tank to get to get the filter cleaned out and get going. I got soaked and had to change into some spare jeans. I wasn't doing any cutting as I was winch man but I had a saw just to tidy up any tits and bits off the underside of the logs so they pulled out and stacked tidy. I had probably started the saw three times in the morning for like 10 seconds a go and would you believe it just as I was doing one a council clipboard operator happened by - the one time all week - and asked why I hadn't the correct PPE! I told him it was at home on wash cycle number three trying to get the diesel out but It didnt 'wash' with him and the boss got a letter!

But in my opinion, there's nothing less proffessional than leaving an oil patch on a customers drive, apart from dropping a tree onto their house of course. I'd better get that rocker cover gasket swapped on mine sharpish before we go on any nice driveways!