woodplans

Stevie, ours is a tracked vermeer model. s600tx. My back breath a sigh of relief every time i turn the key. I nearly bought a Boxer, but at the time there was no dealer support, i gather this has changed in the last 3 years. We will look at them again when the vermeer gets replaced in the autumn.

A Mini Skid or Mini loader, is definetly one of the best investments you can make. We have had one for 3 years now, paid for itself several times over in increased production. I debated the purchase for a year or so before taking the plunge, now I could not work without it. We have augers for fencing and tree planting, trencher, power rake, tree forks, buckets, regular forks, ripper, and various home made attachements. All in for the price of a good labourer's yearly wage.

B trac, is now Vermeer UK. They are agents for Sherrill. Speak to Jamie he is the Sherrill rep. 01933 274400

Steve, my vehicles are spraylined. No maintenance, easy to clean, do not split and crack like inserts helps to stop stuff sliding around. I debated the price when I had the first one done, but now i have had them in for a couple of years, no regrets. Mine are done by Line X, cost £365.00 2-3 years ago. http://www.line-x.co.uk/ Avoid the DIY roll on kits they are a waste of time, a mate tried one to save cash, it looked crap and peeled off in about 6 months.

As mentioned above, check the tire walls, I have also had it from a lump of clay weddged on the inside of the wheel rim.

Barchams have some, but limited numbers at the moment. http://www.barcham.co.uk/node/376

Heres one for you Ed Bebel Gilberto mixed by Peter kruder [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1WmXeWjiKbs&feature=related[/ame]

This is a nice "strings" track zero 7 [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dqBeEqGC-W4&feature=related[/ame]

Yeah the standard of mixing on all the dj kicks stuff is off the charts. I worked in a pretty cool club in Manhatten about 10 years ago and had the privelige to see alot of these guys dj, hence the huge record collection! The only thing i now miss about it all is the music.

Love the Mr Scruff Ed, just dug out the two albums i have. Do you have any of the K7 dj-kicks mix cds, really recomend the Kruder and Dorfmeister,Nightmares on wax, and Thievery corp and Kid loco ones. Here is a taster [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P10wmLKnbU4[/ame] [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=l7SmtxVTUNU[/ame] [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eYon5b86NV4&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2cWO4OB5WBs[/ame]

[ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=l-jgBSEg8qg[/ame]

In my opinion the only way to go for the next few years is to run lean, overheads have got to be kept low and efficiency maximised. Also diversify, work is work no matter what it involves. I think this is the way to run a businesses at any any time, but at times like this it is invaluable. Those companies that have to many overheads and are not maximising efficiency are now realising they have to change fast. Unfortunatly for some it may be to late, with high equipment finance costs and other debts it will prove a major struggle, also we must not forget workplace mentality is very difficult to change in a short time span, old habits die hard, including the pricing structure of some firms. Those who have always embraced cost and efficiency will come out the other end stronger and with less competition. And lets not forget the fact that there will be more second hand/repo'd equipment on the market so they will be able to improve there fleet or expand to fill gaps left by others not so fortunate when the market improves again, at a cheaper cost, therefore strengthening their positions again. ( Then as the company expands it becomes less efficient and habits change, the good times return, the boss stops working and gets a manager in, when the next downturn hits 10-20 years away they are in the wrong position to deal with it.......cynical eh! ) Not trying to be a doom monger, just painting the picture as i see it. I wish everyone the best in the coming year, and hope that all continue to find work and prosper. Just remember it is all the little things you do to save costs that seem insignificant at the time that will add up and make the difference between struggle and survival. Might be a good new thread header: Cost saving and efficiency hints.

Some funky sh!t for you guys: the budos band [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8u5fNNaXFH4&feature=related[/ame]

CSCS is a skills registration card/cert CIS is the construction industry tax scheme, where employers ( main contractor) must deduct 20% flat rate for all labour supplied by sub contractors if they are registered. Those that are not registered get a 30% reduction.

" I say old boy...you've kicked me right in the knackers"

Marko, This just went up on ebay, probably slightly to large for what you are after but might do the job. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIEDEMANN-LOADING-SHOVEL_W0QQitemZ150321680850QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Industrial_Tools_Construction_Tools_ET?hash=item150321680850&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A3%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

I was told by the EA in the past month that we can legally burn upto 10 tonnes of timber waste per day onsite, aslong as the smoke is not drifting into an urban area.

Its amazing what it takes to get something like that upright again, years ago we got a John Deere 8400 and heston baler in a deep drainage ditch ( don't ask ), it took 3 heavy duty wreckers to get it out onto the road again.

Stevie, Why don't you offer to drag it out with your unimog:001_smile: I reckon that would be worth a few beers.

Some good sensible suggestions posted above, thanks for those. I already keep a good phone (blackberry) in the truck and have my calls forwarded from the other handset. I find with it being my firm i do need to answer calls through out the day rather than just checking messages occasionally, if i did not some of the lads would just sit around doing nowt with there excuse being "we tried to call you" I guess the cheaper nokia option would work well, but the shiny new "bomb proof" phone is still tempting:001_smile:

Marko, PLG loaders in Norfolk are the uk Agents: http://www.plgloaders.com/ They sometimes have second hand trades, from memory ours was £14K about 18 months ago, new. ( + VAT ) Occasionally see them on ebay. A mate of mine has a groundworks company he runs 4 of them, oldest is over 12 years, no major issues with any of them. It was this that prompted me to go with weidemann. To be fair there is not alot between the different brands as far as performance goes, so reliability and price should be the deciding factor.

I am getting one:001_smile: The JCB phone is water resistant, this one is waterproof. These made my mind up: [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dhqs2qvCMB8&feature=related[/ame] [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=po3az27dEY8&feature=related[/ame]

I get free replacements through my insurance, but am fed up with having to go through the process and then getting a phone that i know will not stand the abuse i throw at them.

The jcb phone is made by the same people, but is the previous model, not waterproof. I have done some more research and it can be used as a Push to talk Radio ( 2 way ) using Voip, so you get free communication between phones and base station ( computer ) http://www.youpoc.net/new-xp3