monkeybusiness

I think running a log splitter/processor/saw bench off a £100k investment is a bit of a waste tbh - you'd be better with a £1000 yard tractor for that. All the other bits and pieces you mention wouldn't get used by the majority or arbs on a regular basis (except perhaps for the crane, but that is very much access dependant and therefore suffers the same limitations as the mog mounted chipper). Large fuel grade chippers really need a bit more power than a mog can muster to be of any real commercial use. It is cheaper to hire in an agricultural tractor with a 50k box as and when necessary IMO. The mog is great, and if money was no object and return on investment didn't matter then I would have one, but it is still only one vehicle, and as a result represents a massive investment that is ok at a lot of things but not really excellent at any of them. I can't see many owner operators forking out for one of these machines, they will be supplied almost exclusively to end users who won't really have to justify the expense in commercial terms (local authority etc). The major downside to this machine is that is is just 1 machine for the money, so can only support 1 team. If the hype was true then every arb firm would run them as they would be unable to compete without. It does look kool though!!!

It's not often that you need to carry 3 tonnes day to day IMO, and if you do you simply take the 2 vehicles and trailer (unfortunately on those particular days you can't send a second team out to earn money elsewhere which they could be doing otherwise). Granted it has a PTO but in our industry that's only really useful for a chipper, and if your chipper can only be used when attached to the mog then it isn't as useful as one that can be tracked into back gardens/down footpaths/along field headlands etc. If large scale chipping is required then a 3 tonne payload is pretty pathetic in real terms. You'd be better off with a bulk trailer. That role could just as easily be performed by a much cheaper tractor. The high bodies on mogs mean that loading timber by hand is also much harder than it needs to be, so a crane (ie more money) becomes a necessity. I really like the idea, but I can't see how it can be justified (if money was no object I would obviously have one though!).

It does look the nuts, and I would love one! However I really can't see what that set up can do that a 3.5 tonne tipper, large road tow chipper, tracked chipper and Landy/other 4x4 and tipping trailer couldn't, for similar money, with masses more useability in just about every treework scenario I've encountered. (I would still love one though!!!)

There's a grand in it for you if it's my machine - get the details and I'll be on my way! my number is 07970 188050.

Judo and dreadlocks?

I think it is the biggest Norway Maple, not the biggest tree.

Check your switches that swap between tracking and chipping - if they are fitted they can corrode. Your best bet is to phone Greenmech - they will defo fix it down the phone cos they are ace!

That is crap - I know how he feels. Can you post any pictures of the machine so people can see what they're looking for? If I hear of anything in my hunt for my machine I'll PM you.

Cheers for keeping an eye out but that one's mine! The stolen one is still stolen unfortunately.

Not sure what back door you've got but I got this piece of zintec cut with a return folded along the bottom to cover my mesh rear door - it is a little heavy for the flimsy Ifor Williams prop if you drive with it propped open but it does the job. Make sure you weld the antiluce nuts though otherwise you can get in with a combi spanner...

Your carvings are great - you are dead right to be proud of them! Don't worry about following Si, he was useless when he started out (we all had to humour him...)!

Just be careful of ALL powerlines - those twisted insulated ones aren't always insulated, and some electrical companies insist on treating them the same as live open conductors. The attached pic is poor, but it shows where damage in the insulation has lead to a phase to phase fault that was buried in ivy. You couldn't see the problem from the ground at all, even when the offending tree had been removed. That twisted cable would make you just as dead as the 11kv conductors in your situation. Never be complacent with electrical apparatus - if in doubt then speak to the relevant electricity company.

Speak to Engines Plus - they are the importers, are extremely helpful and know these inside out (I think you should rebuild it with a head gasket for the turbo version of the same engine as it is much stronger and prevents the problem you've experienced). 01453547273 Good luck!

I'm not sure what I wrote that warranted the post being deleted, but apologies if any offence was caused (I'd had a few beers before posting which was obviously a mistake!). The basic premise of what I was saying is that I think the TW190 is a great chipper, and in my opinion you would be much better buying a tatty machine that you know to be mechanically sound/maintained than one that looks tidy but has possibly not been looked after very well mechanically. There are plenty of people out there who are all about things being shiny shiny but wouldn't know one end of a grease cartridge from the other - you are likely to blow big money on a badly maintained machine.

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High five!!! The colours look amazing, but my rubbish camera phone with its broken lense along with my child like photography skills don't do it any justice at all. Great work Si, it's a brilliant legacy to a massive tree. The detail is incredible!

About £150 a tonne for a timberwolf...

Your story has made my day - perfecto!!!

Cheers bud - I'm hoping for a nice Arbtalk success story (there have been a few real nice people contacting me directly over this so far to whom I am very grateful). I'm all over eBay etc constantly. I think this machine will be moved on by word of mouth if it isn't already overseas (although there are eyes everywhere looking for this). There is a chance that it will be weighed in which would be hugely gutting, but there is also the possibility of the thieves keeping it for their own use. If anyone sees a Greenmech being towed behind a vehicle they don't recognise (we all tend to know the local tree firms in our own areas) then let me know please!!!

Cheers Rich. The chipper is pretty unremarkable other than the fact it is in excellent overall condition - there is the start of some corrosion in evidence on the sides of the feed hopper but that is really it. There are a couple of obvious give aways that would enable it to be identified and some that would be impossible to find unless you knew they were there (which would identify the machine in the case of it being cloned with another). There are photos of it on the second page of this thread. I don't want to broadcast any of the tell tales on here in case the wrong person reads the thread and hides the obvious pointers, but if anyone pms me or contacts me on 07970188050 I can tell them what to look for. Really, if there is a Greenmech 1928 being offered for sale anywhere then I'd like to hear about it. This isn't a TW150 - there aren't hundreds of these machines about and they do stand out as they aren't orange/yellow. I don't personally know of any other firms in my area operating these machines (which seems bonkers as they are brilliant) and I doubt it is much different elsewhere in the UK so if you see one give me a shout and if it's mine you'll get a grand!

This chipper is still AWOL and there is still £1000 for information leading to its recovery. I have had a number of calls of people with possible sightings from all over the UK, and a colleague of mine had a call from the police letting him know his 6inch Entec had just turned up 5 YEARS after it was stolen, so I'm not giving up hope. I will continue to pursue this machine and have spread the word far and wide so am hopeful it may re-appear. If you have it or know where it is then I would suggest you take the easy £1000 rather than keep trying to hide it. And if you are offered any Greenmech for sale, please let me know - think of the money!

I've got an Ifor GH94 with the 10'' wheels for carrying our tracked greenmech and it's great because the floor height is nice and low so you can use the chipper in the trailer (and it loads the correct way round with the feed hopper at the back). They're dear new, but they are very well made. I got mine off Morris Buftons in Ludlow - speak to John there and he'll give you a fantastic discount over list prices. It's actually 9 foot long which put me off a bit but in real terms it means the chipper can be carried with the hopper at the back, and the weight isn't all over the tow bar (I think the GH range is designed with the wheels more forward than other plant trailers to offer a better balance point for non mini-digger plant if that makes any sense?!). I've towed our chipper in an Ifor gx 84 and it had to be loaded the other way around to fit, and there was a massive amount of weight on the tow ball.

If you want to do utility climbing you'll have to do CS40 first.

Get the serial number from the seller and check with the manufacturer to see if it's theirs to sell (doesn't help with cloned machines but the manufacturer should be able to help you with further checks for a particular serial number if you have any doubts). I think most genuine sellers wouldn't have a problem with this.

I've got a DCS7900 - it was my first 'big' saw running a 30'' bar with ease. Most of my mates hated it but I think for the money they are the dogs danglies. It's pretty fubar now though (but it has certainly paid for itself over the years).