monkeybusiness

Mint - you win big style!!!

That's the ex-demo price, not new then? At 50k they sound a lot more interesting - the talk has always been of 100k plus

Kool, cheers

4 inch or 4 feet? I'm guessing the latter. They will be amazing beams (if you can find the timber). I take it they need to be Acacia for the colour/grain?

The distance between your blades and the anvil(s) is critical. Assuming they are all sharp/square (and if they aren't properly sharp and balanced then you are wasting your time) then you need to check the operators manual and ensure the distance between them is correct and even along their length (ie they don't taper in/out from each other). There should be more than one anvil (probably 2 - one bottom and one side) that need to have good, sharp square edges - chippers cut in a similar fashion to scissors and need 2 sharp edges to work correctly. If you can't find details of the correct blade/anvil gap then you won't go far wrong if you use a hacksaw blade thickness as a guide - set the gap and then rotate the flywheel to make sure the opposite set of blades doesn't foul (if it does the blades aren't set correctly/the flywheel may be mis-aligned/bent!/the blades aren't balanced). Check the flywheel can't float in its bearings - if there is nothing to stop the flywheel moving in/out along its axle then the blade/anvil gap can open up as soon as you start feeding the machine and may potentially close up (with serious consequences as the blades and anvil will meet at massive speed). It doesn't matter what make/model of chipper/saw/razor etc you buy - if it is blunt it won't work. A well set up Bearcat will out perform an abused Timberwolf/Jensen any day. Congratulations on your purchase - you won't look back I'm sure of that!

Acacia trees

I still don't understand how the solenoid voltage is supplied below 12v (approx, dependant on battery state) - is there some electrical gubbins that does this hidden somewhere within my Defender? I'm concerned because I've just put a 200tdi in a lightweight and am now worried that I'm going to burn something out as that can only be running at 12v(ish).

Does that include a chipper, tool box and chip box?

I had a boot/chainsaw encounter a few years ago, and even started a little thread about it at the time. The importer of my particular boots gave a very good insight into what the boots have to do (and their limitations). It's a bit long winded (I waffle a lot), but you can find it here - http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/2604-chainsaw-boots-dont-stop-saw.html I still wear the same brand of boots today as I feel they are the best available (even though they don't appear to offer any real level protection over and above a cheap pair of leather work boots). The incident was 100% my own fault, caused by complacency, and I was lucky to walk away from it (literally!) with no consequence other than a wallet bashing as I had to invest in a new pair of boots. The most important thing to bear in mind is that PPE is the very last line of defence, and at best it might minimise the severity of injury to a degree. Have respect for the machinery you operate and use it in the same way you would if you were just wearing your speedos - never ever rely on your PPE ever ever.

That's amazingly cheap, especially if they are using as much aluminium as in your pic. The one in the photo has got steel floor/corner posts etc with ali sides (which would still be a bargain at £1400) but bear in mind that however the steel is treated (painted/powdercoated etc), unless it is galvanised (probably unlikely to be able to get it galv'd because the floor and headboard may warp) then it will probably start to rust through the coating within a couple of years.

Speak to the service department at Greenmech, they'll fix it on the phone. They are fantastic people, and know all the machines inside out!

Mega!!! I love the hieroglyphics on the dumper body - are they the old sides off Tutankhamun's coffin?...

I picked up a cheap roll from my local scrap yard

I wondered if it was a LOLER issue with bulk bags - ie not worth getting them inspected so that's why they are now seen as disposable within the building industry. The same issues obviously apply to our industry too - if the bags are going to be lifted then LOLER applies. How's that for a can of worms...

Just get a more powerful truck - you won't notice the problem then.

I've got 3l 140 HP and they are brilliant, but a couple of mates have 2.3 120 HP that are very good but also give much better fuel economy.

Can you fit prop stands to the back of the trailer for loading/unloading, to remove the twisting force and direct the load straight down into the ground?

The older machines with indirect injection engines all do it a bit - it is just overfuelling (ie unburned fuel) at start up and is of no concern. It doesn't seem to happen with the newer direct injection engines. It just shows everyone that you've got a double-hard chipper!

Speak to Mark at Hydraulics Online (google them or call 0845 644 3640). They are based down the road from me and are BRILLIANT! He saved me a lot of money on a pump and 2 motors and really knows his stuff - give him a call when you are with the machine and ideally have the pump off if possible.

Go VAT registered and claim it back?

Speak to Terry Crick at Apex - 07791605132. He'll sort you out with training etc.

Great post - I'm genuinely interested to hear informed views on this.

It is for a tender not an assignment - you should really know this stuff if you are pitching for this sort of work.

Please don't think I'm criticising BTW - hats off for asking for advice.

In my opinion the 2 pops should have been removed and the Ash left alone (although this opinion is formed without seeing the Ash in its original state or talking to the customers and discussing their actual requirements). Those pops are going to be a pain in the a##e for the customer long term (as is the Ash now to be fair). I can't see the pops previously offering much screening from your pics, and their removal would have led to an increase in light (which more often than not is what people are mostly concerned about). The Ash could have been left alone, the customers educated in what is a 'safe' tree, and the future maintenance issues drastically reduced.