Stevie Mac

Your right Ging I never thought about the ping pong table getting flattened. You've climbed that tree It would be a shame to fell it. Our landlords got someone from Cawder Estate to come out and look at them a good while ago and they where told if you felled one of the trees you would need to fell all of them ( the Beech, Oak and Maple). Am good mate keeping busy with work and the family are keeping me even busier. How you getting on with the work situation?

Excellent I've got a couple of Gean Cherry tree to prune this week.

This Beech sits in close proximity to my house with a big old Oak and a rather sorry looking Maple on ether side of it. Am not sure when this chunk [ I guessing it would have been a second stem?] was removed, but by the look of it it was removed a while ago. The crown is in good condition with no dead wood [did have a little but I removed it] there is also no sign of die back in the crown. My question is will this Beech cause me trouble in the future? When it rains the wound pools with water and remains in it for a good while. We get very strong winds a lot of the time and am just a bit worried that It may eventually get blown over. Also the Oak next to it has some worrying issues but will take photos and post a thread on that one. Cheers Stevie

I had fell a dead Elm which had a BT line running right in front of it. The client contacted BT and was told it would take a couple of weeks for someone to come out and lower the line. We started to dismantle the Elm and work around the line, but that was getting a bit dodgy as it was badly rotten. So we managed to lower the line and felled the tree on top of the line. Not sure if you can make out the line in the first picture. Last pic, the tree was the perfect size to fit through the gap in the hedge.

I aspire to have a set up like that.

Thanks guys.

Evening all, Just want to know when will I no longer be a junior member? Does your status change when you have made more posts? Saying that being a junior member does make me feel young. Cheers Stevie

Small reduction on a cherry tree. This was done while I was still at collage.

This mushroom was my first attempt at bit of carving, I used a lump of Lime that I got from a local estate. Once I finished it I thought it looked alright until it started splitting after a couple of days. The wood was still a bit green so thought that's why it split. My second mushroom (sorry no picture) was done using a bit of Pine that had been gathering dust in the wood shed. This one turned out a lot better and my friend let me put it in her shop to try and sell. Babalu Hand Made Gifts from Around the World and Moray - 65 High Street, Forres, Moray, IV36 IPB I priced it at £55 and someone has just bought it. I want to start doing some more carvings as I have a good outlet to sell them but need some advice. So any advice would be appreciated. Whats the best wood to use? Wheres the best place to buy wood for carving? Whats the best method for sanding the wood and getting good detail? Whats best for treating the wood? Anything else anyone can think of would be great. Cheers All

I got myself a pair of these prescription safety glasses. Maxim2x2 But I've had a real problem with them fogging up. So I contacted the company that I got them from and they recommended this, Opti-Mist Fog Free Window Film. Not tried it yet but once I do I will let you know how a got on. Also I will have a good bit of the film left over If any one else wants to try it out I can send you some.

Yeah the permit was granted by highland council, but to be honest the estate manager who set up the operation didn't know his arse from his elbow. It was my first time on such a job so its good to know that information, cheers Matt.

Yeah Matt I know the man in charge picked the time. We where working on the back road to Inverness from Nairn a bit notorious for people using it as a race track. We had boy racers, people not stopping at the stop signs and a couple of guys coming through our 15mph zone doing at least a ton on motorbikes. I've seen some pictures of your jobs through Ewan Doig's facebook page. You have had some nice jobs.

I will take some pics tomorrow, It was a close call as the inside of my foot is throbbing a bit. The wife said "o well looks like you will need a new pair of boots then" am going to take the chainsaw to the T.V and see if that gets me a new one as well.

This week I have been working for a local estate, the estate had to clear any overhanging or dangerous tree that where next to the roads. Traffic control was set up so we could stop traffic and fell the trees straight onto the road sned them and clear them off the open lane of traffic, the chipper would then follow behind us and clear the brash. To miss as much of the traffic as possible we where starting at 5am and finishing at about 3pm so by the time I arrived on site this morning I was fairly shattered ( a 9 week old baby doesn't help with my beauty sleep). I was snedding out a tree first thing and managed to get kick back on a branch that was no longer than 6inchs, my saw hit the inside of my left boot and cut a big gouge out of it. Needles to say I filled my pants and had to take 5 mins to think about what just happened. Spare boots on and I was back at it but with a lot more care. This accident happened because I was tired and not giving my full attention to the task at hand! So thank you too my trusted boots of two years you will always be a reminder of what could of happened.

Hi Mike sorry that I've just got back to you but I found someone closer to home. I live between Inverness and Elgin. Hope you trip to Abredeen goes well. No am no relation to Jamie. Cheers Steve

Well spotted!

Hi all, looking for someone that does LOLAR checks in the north of Scotland, Inverness or Elgin areas. Am going to be doing my CS39 course and test in August and will need it done before then. My college done my last equipment checks but as am no longer a student I cant get it done there. Also anyone got any good solutions to prevent safety glasses misting up? I have spent about £100 for a pair of prescription safety glasses and I cant prevent them from misting up. I have tried de-misting spray and spit and nothing works. Cheers Steve

Am sure I put that jumper in a charity shop in 1990.

Only the best people are called stewie............I mean Stevie!

Hi Everyone, Does anyone wear prescription safety glasses? If so any recommendations on where to get them from? Had my optician show me there safety glasses and the word cool didn't even come close to describing how naff they look. The optician did suggest that if I get a pair of frames they would put the lenses in them. Has anyone done this? Cheers Stevie

Hi Jay, Welcome to the site am new to it as well and its a great tool for learning the job. I only got into the tree work buisness last year, I started study arboriculture at college and got my CS30/31 38 & 39. Get yourself self employed, get you PPE and a chainsaw (if you need advise on whats the best chainsaw to get just ask on the form). Once you have done this then you can sub contract your self out. Its not cheap getting started up, I've prob spent £3000 since last November getting all my gear. I put a post on looking for work on Tuesday and got a repile on the Wed. Went and worked for the guy on Thursday and yesterday for free and he's given me subby work with him on a daily rate. I've total landed on my feet, he's a top notch tree surgeon and am sure i'll learn loads from him. My advise is work hard, show commitment, turn up on time, listen and most importantly work safe. Good luck mate! Stevie

My other half is just happy that am not on facebook anymore! And she can watch the shopping channels in peace.

Am just finishing my first year of my HND in arboriculture and urban forestry at the Scottish School of Forestry. I am looking to gain more practical experience and build my already existing skills. If anyone in the Inverness, Elgin area are needing any staff then please get in touch. I have my CS30/31 CS38 and CS39 tickets. I also have all of my climbing equipment, PPE, Stihl MS200T and Husquivarna 346xp chain saws. I am self employed and have a clean full UK driving license. Cheers Stevie

That will be Falkirk for you then. Have a mate who got attacked by a nutter with a hammer on a night out in Falkirk.