Stephen Blair

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The loaders meant to be there so when you are tired you can buzz about on it. You need a digger and a grab, I don't want to come home when I've got trees to throw about:) Keep us posted! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

If you can get your chipper and truck next to the tree, then the loader is only there to load the timber on the truck and forks are better than a small grab imo unless you were doing hedge clippings. Having the machine onsite and having it operated is a different thing altogether.

If you were having a bonfire it would of been good. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I've been wearing Alloy Geckos for over 4 years now, a different class imo. Previous to that I had hard leg, alloy bashlins, they were good, but not Alloy Gecko Good!! I'm on my second set of pads now, I've never put a file near the spikes, sharp as a sharp thing. Flip line I have a 3 m wire core with a clogger, most of the time it's too long in the canopy and a pest, so I use a 2m rope with the same clogger and have a clip on the other end for 1 hand working.

Oops, sorted:laugh1:

If someone comes agressively/ tantrummy rushing towards me, I find walking straight towards them usually quickly decides how it's going to go. Had a guy with a claw hammer walk up to us 1 day telling us to stop fly tipping and do 1! I looked at my big sign written van, huge sign written 2150 and said ' we are not very fly, are we ?' The boys burst out laughing, he tried to intimidate me more, I started walking towards him and he just backed away shouting none sense! Has a jcb driver throw a tantrum as I moved 1 of his road cones 3', he came out going nuts, I told him that it was staying where I put it , he was shaking with rage, he got back in his digger and drove it towards me, I just looked at him and pointed him back further, he did it but still raging! When the rest of the road gang turned up, he got out and moved the cones further in front of his digger and was acting all big as the squad was there. I walked back over, went up to the big guy who was obviously the foreman, and said' do you mind if I put the cones back a bit as it's restricting the traffic as we are parked accross from you? ' ' no probs pal ' and I did so, little jcb driver was livid!!!!! Had a guy try and ram me in his sports car as I was walking across the road carrying a log aswell, he was a nutter! Then there's the customer who disappears 5 minutes before you finish to avoid paying, now that's a whole different class of eejit!!

It's cool for sure, but not ice cool. The lack of turning seat gave me a creak in my neck thinking about it. Maybe good for small pine woodland jobs, but Arb related clearances you would need 20 his with rakes to clear up behind from all the dragging Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Every hedge is diferent, I work the way the hedge and garden allows me. Whatever way is the easiest, fastest and most efficient way is what I'm aiming for. Not every hedge gets the same Tlc, some customers want a budget hairdo. Beech hedges should be done once a year around late September, I was told. I don't take them in hard, I like to fritter over them and they will look there best with a bit of growth for winter.. Don't hammer Box , it just falls apart. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I had never drank in the house until 2 years ago, I'd have a couple of crabbies a week. I don't like beer or lager, or spirits, crabbies is nice. I'll have 1 to stop me going back out to work. I can go a month without a drink and most I'd ever drink in a week if I was being wild would be about 3-4, If we go to friends I'll get a cheap sparkling champagne for a fiver and put sorbet in it. Proper butch I am!! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

That was cool!

Then there was the guy who threatened me in front of the planers, a complete psycho, I wasn't messing with this guy, a scary dude indeed. We come back the next day and the sacred tree they wanted to save was wrapped with about 8 rolls of chicken wire up to 20', nailed on with bent over 4" nails, then wrapped in barbed wire with abusive signs hanging from it, I turned round, put the saws in the van and have never been back, too crazy for me!!!

Also had a Nun go mad at me, and asks to speak to Stephen Blair, i say that's me, don't be ridiculous she says, your too young(23 at the time) so she goes inside and calls my mobile, a lot had happened since 1998, it was now 1999! I take it out my pocket and answer it, she doesn't click it's me and starts going bush, then she comes to the window and I give her a big wave, that was the last I ever saw her!

I have so many confrontations since the very first day I started a saw in a built up area. I used to rack my brains thinking of the perfect reply but these folk are not interested in reason or logic, they just can't walk past and want to have a go. My first real encounter came when we had a self seeded sycamore growing out a guys basement, this tree was easy 3' wide and about 70' high, tight against a big tenement, garden was about the size of a postage stamp and this new owner had been given permission and told by his insurance company to get it down. I was a climber for a company, newly started and very excited about everything, we pull up and straight away cars need moved and a site marked out, that's all got nothing to do with me, I hit the ground running, chuck on my gear and happily start free climbing up said scabby maple, aiming for the top, as I pass the 3 rd floor, there's a guy sitting in his pants getting stoned, so I knock his window and say hi! He nearly jumps out his skin, I think it's hilarious and keep on going. It takes me a few minutes to get an anchor and descend down, 1 of the boys passes me a saw and off we go, my first branch lands lovely slap down beside a car and it's alarm goes off, we think it's funny, next minute the whole close is out, men woman and children and they are going bonkers and have called the cops. I sneak up a couple of limbs, pull my rope up and just enjoy the show. There's no mobile phones about as it's 1998 and finally along comes the police. They are trying to calm the folk down, the groundies are enjoying a fag and some juice and everyone has forgotten about me. The police are getting no where, residents are going mad and starting to get abussive, then Mr Pant wearing stoner points up at me and starts calling me names, the police burst out laughing saying they didn't even see me, and Mrs Policewoman was very interested in the whole harness get up ! I come down, and start having a go at Pantman as I was younger and not my company I wasn't taking it. So as I'm walking away, there is a Mark1 fiesta, and I tap the window where a tax disc should be, Mrs Policewoman asks who's car it is, you guessed it, Pantman!! On the spot fine, lorry called to uplift car, neighbours all run away and leave him, we get a good drop zone!! Take that Pantman:lol:

It's the switch from Blue Thunder and Airworlf to bring out the missiles!!!!

Didn't really like that tbh, it's all a bit back to front ! Seat doesn't turn, dozer is at the wrong end. Liked the shear grab though.

Now that's a handy loader! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I've never heard or seen the snipe until now, looks like a lot of extra work to me, I've managed up to now without it, If Josh didn't have a camera he wouldn't of bothered either Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I don't think its lightening, it's the type of damage I usually find on oak where big laterals on wood that's stringy buckles. Lightening can leave anything from a scar, instant death to blown to bits! It really is a horrible looking tree! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I bet a few books fell off the shelves !! Cracking job as usual , proper tree killing done in style! Do I spy a winch on Avant? Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Welcome to self employment, you can never switch off. You need to keep your foot on the gas all the time, if your not working, you should be looking and promoting in any way shape or form. I started when I just turned 23, I'm nearly 39 and I never know exactly what I'm doing tomorrow, too many variables. I've been on holiday for 2 weeks and it's too warm for me to work efficiently and safely today. If it cools down I'll go out after my dinner and may not be back until 10pm at the earliest. This morning I had breakfast with my financial advisor and looked at 3 jobs, so not a wasted day.

I've had type A vents for about 2 years, never used the vents. I didn't know they had them until someone pointed out I had fancy trousers! If I need vents, I put on shorts and do something else! They are very well made trousers. No issues. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

If you with Chris you will probably do it in Langbank at Finlayeson Estate, so about 10 minutes down the road.

I leant to stop being dangerous and taking risks, by crashing cars, I learnt how to drive on a tractor when I was 9:biggrin:

Go and put a lottery ticket on aswell mate, well done!!