Stephen Blair

The 5 day course is the start of a persons journey into tree work. Are they any good with a saw? Good enough to fell some trees on an estate or grounds job and give them the ability to sned brash on a driveway beside a chipper and it’s up to them to work out the rest if they want a career in the industry. Fast forward them 10 years and they will have their own story on how they got there or they will of taken a different path. Some people simply grab a saw and learn as they go and toughen up and spend the rest of their lives sore, exhausted and owed money!?

That Sir is a work of Art!!!

Great reply, I use my 3cx for doing stuff rather than making money if that makes sense. The more I use it the less I feel the need for grabs and shears. The power and design just means I can do whatever I need to, I feel a JCB brain doesn’t come naturally to me but I’m catching on. 20 odd years ago when I worked alongside a 3cx there was never a thought on attachments, the driver could do anything we needed, I was lucky to work with an amazing operator who could make her dance!

Great looking machine Eddie! Apart from larger wheels,rear hydraulics what are the advantages of the 4cx? There’s nothing I’ve not tackled that the 3cx hasn’t coped with ease, I’m the weak link every time until I find the best way to do it. The joys of self teaching!

How’s your grab going Gray? Is it taking the abuse with big sticks and wrestling about with stumps ok?

Amazing work!

If you are doing what you think is right and it is working then keep going. You are there, you know all the details. Be professional and serve your customers to the highest level! The internet amplifies doubt, avoid at all costs! Nice work!

You need to re think your numbers. If you can afford to loose/spend £4-£6k then buy new and write that off in depreciation. Plus diggers at £4-£6k don’t exist, if they do they are pumped or stolen.

This resulted in death. the machine has been photoshopped in to let others see how it was caused. avoid high stumps!

I’ve had 2 sycamores of late and both have been close to boundaries and neighbours have had resent building work that’s taken away roots.

On Scots pine, the tree is already dead. Also some bore holes.

There’s tag lines on the other 2 stems, lots of room to fell the poles! That’s a vanity pic!!?

The link doesn't work for me.

Mmmm, as much as your math is correct I feel you should choose your battles better, don’t focus on this, close the laptop and go a walk down the beach with your kids or a cycle you haven’t done in years. Deep breaths, you have achieved a huge amount in your career I doubt another rope is going to get in your way unless you let it mate.

I find it easy, you can’t imagine anything else other than difficult and complicated and you haven’t tried it yet! As I mentioned in an earlier post, 2 different sized friction chords makes for a simpler life. 1 for assents and descents and 1 for side adjustments. It’s a much more comfortable work position I find. A floating bridge with 2 swivel crane is a benefit. When descending from hopefully directly above, if your secondary line is offset and to the side you are working, say heading out a limb, you descend at an angle rather than vertically and then having to pull your way across. It’s easy trust me. Once you get the hang of it, get a few tantrums out the way it’s easier. I climber for 10 years before doing my tickets, and the instructor handed me 2 lines and no strop. I just got on with it and before I started he put me onto teaching another lad who had never climbed. The only time it feels different is when you need to choker around the main stem on a change over and the sit back is slightly more compared to working off the D’s. The way you climb just now is a progression from guys who climbed 30 years ago and you have managed fine.

Rope management Tom! If you need some guidance I’ll talk you through it mate?

I seriously can’t see the fuss about using another line, I’ve worked with 3 lines from 3 separate trees in the past for accessing dead trees, I often use 2 lines if the crown has no central leader, it’s great for fighting the pendulum effect. I think this is only going to effect guys who don’t like being told they ‘ have ‘ to do something. Piece of advice, central line long friction loop, offset line small loop. If you use mechanical then you have the ability to be progressive so you will fine.?

Call Ash on 07781027599

1 day!!! Awesome machine!

Moving some big lumps.

Nice Duck and flail.

My first thoughts were he’d be wanting a motorway through all the little villages !?

Remember you need to get your lever in to undo the hitch, going by the above picture It will be tight to get leverage if your lever is straight and not a 90 degrees end. I often crown the flail right in for taking out polythene and for tightening/ sharpening the blades. Keeps it in nice and tight rather than at full stretch where it will gradually drop with the weight.

It’s a myth that you are free from liability on a personal level, the the claimants may just keep going until they get money out of someone. For any reason your ltd company insurance doesn’t pay out and they know you have assets of your own, then it all comes down to who has the best lawyer. Friend of mine had to pay a lot of money to a lad who got hurt when the LTD company insurance wouldn’t pay out as there was negligence from the employer. Quite right too imo.

Me daily when I owned it. Oil levels were all spot on at hand over. No leaks. There’s a few blanks in the story from his side, all very strange.