Taupotreeman

I don't think so. Like I say, old school and farmers are out with the tea and stickies and lunch but most other places it just doesn't seem to be in the psyche. It's not ignorance or people being rude. I gave a spare box of beers to the rubbish collection guys last year and they looked at me like it might be poisoned. I had to convince them it was OK and it was just in thanks for not chucking my rubbish down the road every week. I get the same attitude be it from my private customers or when I'm working my council job. It's worse in the cities and towns. You get used to it but it's far different from being in the UK (at least IMO) when we got fed and watered nearly every job.

Haha maybe ELG can set up a new sideline business in exporting American goodies to the arbtalk community? I know here in NZ we pay premium for English food stuffs but more and more shops are popping up increasing the competition.

Now you mention it, we have a 192t and the fuel caps are together and so far there's been no issues. Maybe it's just a hangover from when Echo had the air filter on the front and it used to get clogged up really bad. Couldn't get the thing to fire up after the first few uses. I still don't like the Husky that much. It doesn't seem to be as robust as the Stihl but I haven't used one yet. I always revert to the default setting of the 200t. We're due a new saw next year so it will be interesting to see if this little Echo can cut the mustard. We have both the 200 and 192 and at the moment the 200 is pulled out of the tool locker first because of the extra grunt. If this Echo can handle the jandle it might well be worth a look. Not sure what's happening with the chipper derail but we have a 12 inch Bandit and if that's what it says on the tin then that's what it does. The more we can put through the chipper the less we have to ring up and it sucks down 12inch chunks all day long without grumble. Why would they make a chipper capable of taking 12 inches and then say you can only put 9 inch stuff through it? Have I missed something? There's abuse and there's using the machine up to it's limits. Two different things.

Yeeesh you fellas don't know how lucky you are. Despite kiwis being some of the most accommodating and friendly people I know I very rarely get anything. In fact, a cup of tea on the job is usually quite difficult to get. Some of the farming community are good and provide lunch etc and I've had the odd pot if jam but nothing like it was back in the UK. We got regular tips on the job. So really, nothing in the least bit strange has yet been gifted.

It looks good and I'm all for trying something new but I'm not that keen on the filler caps so close together either.. Having said that, I'd give it a fly. Is it in direct competition with the 201? Or closer to the 192? We haven't really seen too much of the Echo out here.

Ha, valid point

Unfortunately the ski lift only goes up Ruapehu which isn't quite Mordor and even then it only goes half way up BUT the guided walk up to the crater lake on Ruapehu is definitely worth it, especially when there's snow on the ground as you can slide most of the way down. Just bear in mind this IS a mountain not a hill and it is alpine so take the right gear. Plenty have thought this is walk in the park and come a cropper.

Haha, I was looking at that last night on FB on my phone and thought, hell, does he know he's tied in to that (someone recently here cut out the head of a tree while tied in to it) but I can see the top cut on the larger picture now.

Na just a really small hand

Yet they still refuse to pay for a pro.

Otterbox. Not water proof but I've dropped mine on a hard floor a couple of times and it's saved the phone. It also has a good screen protector so my phone still looks brand new underneath.

Fantastic place to work. This would be a primo job for someone. Good weather, Beaches, wineries etc.Yet again, I'm 15 years to old.

Her you go will, couple of tempters for you.

What camera and lens was that taken with Nick? Looks like a fish eye or something. Cool pic.

I've chatted with a few guys on here now that are looking to move out to NZ for either a long term visit or permanenetly. I've also seen posts on a few threads from guys that wish they had made the move when they were younger, be it to Canada, Oz or NZ, but never took the opportunity when it was there. If you have any urge to visit the world go for it while you have the chance. There is so much more information and help available now on forums like this than when I made the move 15 years ago that there's no excuse for not having a crack. Will, hope you have an absolute ball out here

Not such a big tree either. Sympathies to the family.

Stand under the hot waterfall at Kerosene creek.

If you decide to head towards Taupo give me a yell and I'll shout you a coffee or beer.

They were dropping Lexus 4.0 V8's into the Rangies over here but not sure if they'd fit in the Landy. They go like stink.

It does too. Nice spotting.

Another issue with having a few drinks at the end of the working week; if an employee has an accident on the way home from work and is DUI , if the alcohol has been provided by or consumed on the employer's premises the employer can be held partially responsible and therefore, charged.

Today's job; playing with big boy's toys Four large Pines overhanging a 30-40m drop down to hot water stream which is a site of ecological sigificance apparently. Somewhere out the back of the Spa hotel for those who know Taupo. The local forestry outfit who were called in to remove the rest of the trees ran a mile when they got to these. Spent yesterday arvo throw balling through tree sized hangers setting pull lines to get the climbing ropes up today. Pulled up the winch cables this morning and then had the contractors drop the trees. What's hard to see is that the butt of the tree is about 5m down a steep pumice bank covered in blackberry. 11KV line spanning the gully right under the fall zone of the tree so no room for error.

Ever taken nurofen at work or any kind of similar pain killer, anti inflammatory etc? Most say not to operate machinery or vehicles whilst taking them. What about those that drink several cups of coffee a day at work, caffeine being another drug. Granted, not in the same category as harder drugs but they can still have an effect on your ability to do the job or make sensible decisions all the same. That statement is a little too broad.

My understanding is, at least of the NZ system, that drug tests show if there is or is not something in the system but there is tolerance allowed. Chances are you can get away with a weekend smoke and still pass the test on a Monday and again, I know a couple if guys who have. If you're a heavy user then chances are, at least with weed, there will be a build up in the system and it will put you over the tolerance. Chances also are that if you're a heavy user of anything it will affect your work as well. I know guys in this bracket too and one that failed the test so badly after an incident he wasn't given the opportunity for a rehab period nd a retest.

Most of the bigger companies in NZ are now drug testing. Forestry was one of the first due to the high injury and fatality rate (not to mention the fact that employees were using newly cleared blocks as grow patches). Both Treescape, Asplundh and several others carry out pre employment, post incident and random testing. The company has no say in who is tested and in fact, as I find out yesterday, even the CEO can have his name pulled out of the hat. Smoking on the job was rife when I started both in Oz and NZ but has become less so due to the testing. In fact, I know of several people who have given up the drugs or massively cut down their intake in their private life as a direct result of testing. I used to enjoy a smoke after work myself but gave up a couple of years ago. I don't believe there's any room for drug taking at work, including alcohol and personally I'd refuse to work with anyone (and have done) that is hungover never mind wasted.