Stephen Blair

It’s exactly all those things that have caused me to need to use machinery for almost everything now, 25 years of chainsaw, pole saw and repetitive lifting has damaged my back and caused arthritis too. I did shear work this week that I’d of done quicker and neater when I was 20 myself, sweating and grafting and running round a big garden feeling invincible. Now I hobble to a machine, grit my teeth getting into it, blink hard at every bump I drive over and get frustrated when I have to reposition and maybe churn up a bit of lawn I then need to fix. But it’s the only way I can keep working. I’m an advocate of machinery always have been. The jake shear doesn’t need the top grippers, that’s going to reduce where it can get into, tight forks etc. The force these rams have too shear means it can have a 20’ tree by the 2’’ of steel making up the grab and it might take a lean but it’s got it.

The likely hood of tipping a 1000 kg machine with a tree or branch with a diameter of 6" is pretty slim, and if something does go wrong, the likelihood of a catastrophe is pretty slim, maybe a skinny 30' tree at max lying on something and a machine small enough for a few guys to shove back on its wheels. Go dangling over a cliff with power lines underneath like Wyle coyote and then you might have a catastrophe 😂

For grab and rotator you just need enough hydraulics or an electro valve set up. To cut and not grab just is not in my thought process. It would create more work, the cuttings the easy part, the lifting is the best thing to reduce manual handling.

Only weakness is the blade just being attached on a hinge, mines an x demo so there's a slight bend so the blades at an angle, I'm going to take it off and put a new spare blade I've got off another shear and bolt it on similar to my other 1

I've got a 423 and the Avant shear. I've only used it a few times to shear and it's good. The blade folds out the way when not in use with a turn of a couple of bolts. The strength in the ram is excellent and it's great as a grab for moving timber around site.

On stumps use the crown of the bucket to lift rather than the main boom, Chuck a big rock in behind them for leverage, that should help reduce the bucking bronco effect as they do have a lot of power for their weight.

Are they ok? Yes they are ok.

Older machines even if ‘ refurbished ‘ are a pita when they break down, yes it’s usually a relatively cheap fix on parts but it’s usually on a driveway with a pile of brash and a couple of guys standing about. If it’s tracked then that’s a whole other ball ache if it’s not moving, I endured 2 second hand machines over a 3 year period and I grew used to their faults as quick as they got worse so it was just part of the course, popping the bonnet of the jeep to get the jump leads out, wiggling a switch, cleaning out a fuel filter etc etc. Expecting it to break down so leaving it running and if anyone else ever used it I would have to point out all the quirks thinking it’s normal and the sunniest I’d used thought I was mad and hated the site of the machine. If you only need 1 a few times a month in summer, hire in a new 1 would be my advice. An older machine doesn’t start off the key every time after sitting for months doing nothing.

NFU, and you can break it down to max height and percentage of your income.

If I’m on a daily rate on site, usually I’m 9.30am for 15 mins, 12pm for 30 mins and a 3pm quick coffee and cake. If My own jobs then whenever I want, depending on mood, hunger, location. I’m a believer in an army marches on its stomach, years ago when I had a bit of a squad it was always meet in the cafe, full breaky for everyone, let the traffic do its thing then get to site and hit the ground running and just charge on until it was done and then job and finish, if customer is offering coffee and biscuits, take it all day long, unless I’m up the tree.😂 domestic jobs should be a good graft and a laugh, you are working in a part of someone’s home and depending on the customer, especially if they are older then I always treat it as if I’m working at a grandparents house, best behaviour when they are looking and super polite at tea breaks but when they are not looking it’s a laugh and if there is that element of mischief through out the workers then it makes it such a better day. The more a customer feeds us the better the deal they get. I’ve done a £200 conny for a wee lady next door for some bacon rolls and bit of home baking. In the last 23 years of doing this job, all the stories between old workers and mates is about the customer, never how big the tree was.

Another 😂😂

Stick it on Arb trader.

I always do unless it's really small, just incase.

A little bit of pushing last week, can't remember the last time I used wedges!

Contact Dan at Apex in Drumnadrochit, he's always looking for good workers of all skill levels.

What an amazing looking machine!

Working 1 rainy day here or there or even a passing shower isn’t much of a drama. Day in, day out, week after week, month after month, year after year, decade after decade you earn the right to say, stuff that! Steamed up work trucks, wet gear needing cleaned every night after being sat with a wet arse for an hour on the way home or stuck in traffic for a couple more. Unloading your kit into a dark container or poorly lit shed on a farm after being stuck on a chip pile or forgetting the tools in the back when you tipped. It’s all just grim, non glamorous, hard graft! Then there’s the trying to dry the kit out for the next day that seems pointless, sliding you arms in what you thought was a dry waterproof jacket first thing in the morning, the sludge that runs down your arm from a friction hitch with the stench of ear muff sweat and dampness like vinegar from your climbing lid as your shoving your head through a conny hedge. Not exactly like the catalogue pics I dreamt it would be!😒😂

Free climb down is the most basic or jump and aim for the bushes! The scenario you are looking for the answer to is if you got stuck but we know how to do it the right way so it doesn't come to that.

At first I just included the vat on all my regular customers prices so that's me less £16.67 every £100 on those jobs. It was only the odd job here and there so didn't make much difference. New customers I added it on. Comercial didn't matter.

Upside down forks for extra height! Genius!!!!!!

If you think you've seen an Eagle, it's usually a Buzard! You'll know when you see a White Tail!

Mate did it with my old 8 toner, never put in a restrictor and the grabs like a helicopter! Diverter valve is what you need. Just so happens I have 1 sitting doing nothing, I used it on my Cat but my New Bobcat has twin Aux. I used mine in a 2.7t machine it comes with foot pedal that plugs into cigarette lighter. If you are interested drop me a messsge.

So sad! Rip Simon Thoughts to all his friends and family.