Beezy

I'm sure you will mate! A ground level 'cloud' with your artistic or should that read autistic flair!! Speak to you later x

I think of pollarded London Plane trees in their first season after pruning! Green Pom Poms!

I think there is a possibility for good branch structure to create the cloud effect, Hama you're right, not ideal species, but could work well. The house and garden is being totally refurbed, the cloud prune is part of the project, here's a couple of pics

Good Evening All I have been approached by a landscape gardener contact in West London, his client has an early mature Holm Oak in the front garden, they have an idea they would like to create the eventual 'cloud' form.... I have explained that in order to prune the tree to produce the scaffold branch framework required for the future cloud like form, it would initially look somewhat stark, a heavy pollard and a bit like a hat rack! I would appreciate any thoughts on this project, as this is a first for me!! I would expect the re-growth to regenerate quite quickly, but i said to treat this as a longer term project over a couple of growing seasons, clipping to form, bit like a Mr Miyagi bonsai! Ideas?? Beezy

Agree with the above. Have you ever actually sat down and worked out how much its all costing you, I mean eveything, how much you literally have to earn to pay for it all and live? Sit down, list it all! PPE, Tools, Equipment, Insurances, expenses (fuel, repairs etc), Depreciation on big kit: saws, climbing kit etc (usually over 3-5 years, divide the cost of replacing kit over this time) Tax/NI (as a subby you pay this) I would then divide the total by about 215 - 225 which equates to the days work per year on a 5 day working week (Takes into account avg 20 days holidays, weekends, public hols, sick) etc etc That is your (very) rough working day rate.... i did it and scared myself! Also factor in: Rent/mortgage Living costs (average food bills, mobile phone tariff) Social (drink, going out) Just my opinion, but a good guide. I'm sure there's other stuff i've forgotten too! I would have a chat with your boss, go equipped with knowledge, rather than just wandering up and asking for more. Good luck.

Really appreciate all the advice on this one fellas, the little ones are all but a twinkle in their daddy's eye at the moment, but we're thinking and talking things through. Many thanks for all your thoughts and experiences. Cheers Beezy

Evening All Recently got hitched late last year, thoughts turn to ankle biters in the not too distant future! I have been in the industry for plenty years, and now work as a Surveyor/Consultant for a company following level 3 qualification. My wife earns decent money and commutes into London, she enjoys her job. So, tentatively discussed post bambino, her returning to work after maternity leave and me staying at home, giving up my current job and potentially developing my own part time surveying/looking after kids. I'm quite happy with the whole housework food cooking thing, kinda do it already if missus is late or delayed getting home from the big smoke! I'm in no doubt this wont be easy to juggle it all, but certainly could be an option. Does anyone else do this, if so how does it work, recommendation, don't do it!! Etc etc Help or advice very much appreciated. Cheers chaps Beezy

I own a 2000 1.8 petrol, after the missus made me get rid of my 3door commercial Td4. Td4 was amazing, I'm afraid to say I've had numerous issues with the petrol, and relatively low miles each week. (Weekend miles only, have a co. car) They are juicy too, full tank £60 ish lucky to get 250 miles on that. All this said, for a cheap truck that can tow ok, tows my 10x5 Ifor well, even loaded with a bit of timber, bit gutless overall and just set aside a bit for repairs... To summarise I defo wouldn't buy another, and looking to PX it very soon. Hope this helps

Done. A well presented survey mate, quite thought provoking! Good luck!

I have Income Protection Insurance with these guys, IMO they offer a personal service at a very competitive price, I have recommedend a friend after he phoned around and couldnt beat the cost. To be fair I havent had to test out making a claim, but am assured that due to the way its set up/funded (underwritten by Exeter Friendly) there wont be an increase in premium following a claim. Defo worth phoning them for an informal chat, ask for Simon, he's a good guy.

Depends how in depth you want to go, e.g invest in a GIS mapping device which will help you to pinpoint trees using GPS locating and management software. (ezyTree, Treeminder etc) Or get yourself a Promap account, where you can buy sections of maps and plot trees on there using the basic CAD style drawing package, you only pay for it when you print out the finished version.

Mmmmmm fresh honey! Whilst working in Perth, Western Oz, we used to find lots of bee hives. Put the honeycomb onto the big old working 24inch Vermeer chipper, the honey vibrated and seperated from the comb! So good!

Info from Kew website mate http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Sparassis-crispa-.htm: Cubical brown rotter, good eating too! Species information Common name(s): cauliflower fungus, wood cauliflower. Conservation status: Widespread and fairly common in Britain, and not considered of conservation concern there. Frequent in much of Europe but rarer in some areas, and rated as Vulnerable (VU) in the Red Book of Belarus. Habitat: Parasitic on roots of conifers, especially pines, fruiting at the base of the trunk, or sometimes on old stumps, and causing a cubical brown rot. Mostly found on Pinus spp, but there are also British records of it growing on species of Cedrus, Picea, Pseudotsuga and Sequoia/Sequoiadendron. Known hazards: A good edible species, though fruitbodies should be collected in good, fresh condition, thoroughly washed to remove dirt and grit from amongst the lobes, and well-cooked before eating.

Hi Hedge Man I've got an old one too you can have if Robert's doesn't work out , again no LOLER certs, but in good condition. Same conds, re postage and donations Let me know Cheers Beezy

Probably worth trying to scrape together the extra £100 mate and get a Stihl 066. IMO Makita gear is OK, their drills and cutting tools are awesome, but don't think its as up to the mark in the chainsaw dept.

Great vid Rich, awesome dismantle, high 5 to AMJ and the SL crew too JR x Sorry for all the abbreviations!

Thanks David Did look at those, however the stools were'nt very scaly, which put me off. But now looking at the 3rd shot I posted, you can see evidence of old marks that look like scales? Thanks for the advice

Here's an underside shot of the gills

Hi All Visited a client today, who had a large Ash stem fail into their woodland area leaving the other large co-dom stem leaning towards the road. Very little evidence of scaffold root system left around the failed stem with severe decay and rot at the failure point. Using the funky and VERY handy Arbtalk fungi App on site, I narrowed it down to Armillaria tabescens (ringless honey fungus) I've not seen this before. To those who are sitting on the fence, highly recommend the App, a precise fungi book in your pocket! Would peeps be able to confirm this diagnosis please. I have scheduled a road closure and crane to dismantle the other stem seeing what little root is left on this one, the fungus surrounds the entire base of the tree! Thanks in advance Beezy x

Bit annoying that this revision to the BS was meant to eliminate maths...... yeah right! Here goes..... or steal your child's scientific calculator!! Multi-stemmed trees (2-5 stems) e.g. 180x180=32400 + 150x150=22500 + 170x170=28900 = 83800 then square root = 289.5mm using Annex D = 290mm stem dia Multi-stemmed trees (more than 5 stems) e.g 130+150+140+120+170+220+200 =1130 divided by 7 (total no. of stems) = 161x161 = 25921x7 = 181447 then square root = 426 using Annex D = 425mm stem dia

Don't know if this helps you Bundle 2, but this is my take on it! Pic E shows a multi-stemmed tree from which each individual stem originates from ground level Pic F shows a multi-stemmed tree which begins from one stem at ground level, then breaks, at 1.5m it is multi-stemmed and you do not take the measurement below basal flare as in Pic C. Think they were just trying to cover all the bases and possible examples of what you may encounter in the field.... maybe? Hope this helps mate Beezy

Does it come with full LOLER certification? I'm keen if so.....

I agree with all the above, my five pence worth.... We have had a few 'unseasonal' emergency call outs over the last couple of weeks, trees are currently in the fullest amount of leaf during their seasonal cycle, your one looked ivy covered too, adding to the overall weight loading and wind sail effect. Very erratic weather patterns also, very wet, then very warm and dry has also casued a few failures too. Your failure was a historical weak union, that had put on a small amount of woundwood or callous growth, but not enough to develop the elephant ears and bring the union together sufficiently to prevent a mechanical failure. Cheers Beezy

I think that Annex D has been added to the recently revised BS5837 in order to simplify things a bit tbh. So from my understanding, you measure the stem diameter and round the figure up to the nearest increment in Annex D, and plot the RPA (radius or area) using that. I use software that does it for you My opinion on it anyway, hope this helps

Cheers lads, Was chasing a set of 12x6 last night on The Bay, was going to cut them down myself, but got out bid at the last second! I agree £550 from Ifor is a right rip off IMO. Prob will get a price to get some fabricated at a local Aliminium welders. Beezy