Taupotreeman

Here they all come, thick and fast now. Still six minutes to go according to my clock.

Can this forum handle everybody trying to reply to the one post at exactly the same time or will it just freeze up?

If I was on the computer at this time on a sunday night the missus would do her nana. Shouldn't you all be tucked up in bed leaving me to win the prize?

Before starting up on my own I worked for a very large company that had an all singing all dancing H&S policy. Problem was that it was only to keep the department of labout happy and once I tried to put it into place with the staff those above me basically cut me off at the knees. Turns out that the order of importance was: Profit, Productivity, Image, Safety. Trying to implement the H&S as detailed by the powers that be eventually cost me my job. I was given a few options before taking redundnacy and one of those options, off the record, was to shut up and get on with the job. There will always be a boss that says one thing but thinks another.

I'd have a couple of concerns. One being that I was always taught not to use saws above shoulder level but the second is that some people may view this and, despite the warnings, would have crack at it themselves without the experience or knowledge and cause a serious injury or fatality. We had a guy here recently that tried to fell a leaning willow. He didn't get the gob cut right, didn't get the back cut right andf the tree barber chaired, speared back and landed on him. Busted lungs, shoulder, chest arm and intensive care and induced coma for several days. If it wasn't for the marshy ground he was working on and the fact that he sunk into it when the trunk hit him he'd have been a goner. Having said that I'm sure most of us on here have done something similar at some time in out working lives to try and get the job done quicker.

you are all feeling verrrrryyyy sleeeepppppyyyy you will all be asleep by 10pm.

It's OK for you lot but I've got to get around the time differnece, day light saving and all that codswallop. Yeah yeah, I know I can jsut Goole the time in London but it's still not the same as looking at your watch is it?

Good job I just upgraded my broadband allowance seeing as I'm going to spend the next couple of hours on here.

As with firewoodman; anything you can put through the books, put through the books. The business pays for wife's fuel in her car. All new clothes etc go through, lunches, morning coffee, insurance, anything you can. My accountant sorts out what's what but even if I go away for a weekend break the accommodation gets put through as a business expense. Because I was made redundant without much notice I had no money saved to set up so it's been a long hard grind but the extra time I get to spend with the wife makes up for it. You suddenly realise that there is more to life than work and I found out how much I'd been neglecting my home life just to try and keep my bosses happy. And that's the other thing; you don't have to take orders from some eejit that doesn't know how to do the job himself. If you cock up there's noone else to blame but yourself either so you learn quickly not to take the short cuts. Allow for more expenses than you think. I didn't realise just how much it cost to run your own company but even taking all that into consideration I wouldn't go back unless I was desperate. Don't be frightened to ask for work if you are short, you'd be surprised what you can get from local authorities if you have a good relationship with them.

So far I've tried the Klimbas, Meindles and Elten aquafells. The Klimbas I found good for dismantles and take downs if you're on spikes all day. They are a very stiff solid boot and very comfy. They can be a bit big for smaller trees with tight crotches though and I found myself getting my foot stuck all the time. I can't speak highly enough of the Meindle airstreams. Waterproof (so far), comfy, warm and excellent for climbing in. Still stiff around the ankles which means excellent support but they are a lot tighter in the toe than the Klimbas which are better for bigger or wider feet. As for the aquafells; I'd leave those for people who just want to do ground work. They started to fall apart after a couple of months and they feel more like a pair of old slippers; comfortable but all floppy around the edges and they offer little support.

I went self employed just over 3 years ago after being made redundant (constructively dismissed) from the last company I worked for. I didn't have much of a choice as to what I did because I live 50kms from the nearest decent size town and jobs are thin on the ground. I still live month to month although I am starting to get a network of regular clients. I was on a good wicket as a manager at the last company so I probably earn a third of what I earnt then but I'm a hell of a lot happier working for myself. I just wish I new about this forum back then and had been able to ask the questions I so deperately needed answers for. So far it's been a massive learning curve, especially as I'm starting out late in my working life, but I don't regret a minute of it. For the newly self employed I'd recommend spending as little as possible on gear until you know you have a regular work base and do as much face to face advertising as you can. I get pretty much sweet fanny adams from my paper adverts and yellow pages and most is from word of mouth. Don't just do a good job do the very best that you can and the customer will come back.

Aren't I lucky that it's a monday morning here in NZ and it's blowing a gale and persisting it down so I have nothing better to do than sit in front of the computer and clock watch. So when do I get locked out or told it's only open to the locals?

Is this open to us foriegners?

I tried a pair of Peltor ones but the recption was bad and the constant interferance evry time I moved drove me nuts. I now use a MP3 player and just stick the earphones in under my normal ear defenders. Works heaps better.

I have two of the last kiwi made swannis and they're excellent for out and about stuff but a bit heavy and thick for climbing in. I use them for ground work or for wearing over just a tshirt in winter as you don't need anything else. They are now made in China and although the company reckons they're of the same quality you can draw your own conclusions from the usual stuff that comes out of China. Not sure if Swazi are still kiwi made either as there was some kerfuffle last year about them maybe going under or selling up. Be careful you don't get the lined swazi jackets as you sweat like a pig in them and then freeze to death. Anything that's made from 100% wool or preferably merino wool should do the job but don't expect it to be a lightweight climbing jacket.

Try a saddlers or something similar. I put my braces through the wash and as soon as I tried to put them back on the leather bit just broke. I took em into the saddlers and they sorted me out a new set for about the equivalent of a fiver. Anywhere that sells horsey stuff should be able to do it for you.

I have managed a few women when I ran part of the arb division of Treescape. One of those was Crissie Spence who is a dead set legend. A few of the other girls were all good workers and more so because they wanted to prove a point to the lads that they could work just as hard as they could. Unfortunately we had a couple of idiots at the company who saw the girls as nothing but eye candy and a few of the more promising ones didn't stick around to take the rubbish the idiots threw at them. If the ladies lacked anything in strength they more than made up for with technique and they had a tendancy to think more about the job first rather than charging in like a bull in a china shop. You don't have to be built like a brick outhouse to do the job anyway. The more the merrier I say.

Just turned 40 and enjoying the work more now than I did when I was younger. I have my days where I cant be arsed but generally speaking I get my weeks exercise in one day, I'm outdoors and I stay active. I also find I don't suffer so much from the neck and back pains I did when I was managing. If you feel young enough give it a crack. What have you got to lose?

Hmmm, tie this in to the youtube video of the idiot using two saws at once one handed and we can see what might have happened. Looks like the quacks did a good patch up job on him though, hope he's better soon.

Perhaps a bonus with an old drum chipper. Had a rope fed through by a groundy while I was still attached up the tree. The blades just cut the rope off once it pulled tight because there's no fly wheel for it to wrap round. Not something I'd want to happen again though.

Not so much with the ring barking around here but plenty of people with drills and a large supply of roundup or grazon. Had a guy caught with a funnel in a bore hole in a large Pine that was blocking his view. He'd just gone back to get the roundup when the next door neighbour snapped him with her camera on his way back to the tree. Unfortunately nothing could be proved. It seems to be a regualr occurence in these Parts.

Skylotec for me. Pretty happy with it so far but can only compare it with the Petzl mini boss I had before.

I think it's almost bred into them in and around the lake that tree must be topped because they must have that view. People pay a lot of money for million dollar views and if there's a tree in the way then they want it topped. I can never understand why they planted the thing in the first place instead of something that wouldn't grow to a height where it interfered with the view. Most people want to see the lake with the snowcapped volcanoes in the back ground and a tree in the way is but an annoyance. Most have them done every year or two and the local council actually have it written into there district plan that the trees are allowed to be topped if there is a situation wherby it might interupt a resident's view. I've tried for 3 years to try and get them to change the plan to no avail. I had to top out some Oaks and Birch quite recently that have been done before and all of them are rotting badly through the old cuts. The Birch especially has hardly any solid wood in it. I suggested taking it out but the councillors don't want a bar of that idea. In the end I get frustrated wasting my breath and I'm not in a situation where I can turn down the work.

Ahhhhh, I don't feel so bad now. Thought I was wasting my breath with some customers, doing my damnest to talk em out of topping but getting nowhere quickly. I always try and tell them of the issues caused or resulting from topping but in the end most have made up their mind what they want, end of story. Refused to do a job for a guy the other day that wanted some Douglas Fir and Pine reduced down to 10 feet from about 50 feet. Was right on the side of the State Highway in full view of everyone. Fortunately he came back to me asking to discuss options.

Working for a customer the other day and saw these. The first couple are privately owned and the second are council. This is the type of thing many customers (including council) are wanting in this area in order to maintain views for residents. What I'm interested to know is; if you would do this kind of work, if not how long would you refuse before relenting, if at all? Most customers in the area are wanting trees topped like this and are happy to move on to somebody that will do it if you aren't. Including the council, this makes up about 60% of requested works so far so would it leave you with a moral quandry?