JaySmith

I reckon I’d run 10km quicker than I could row it! That’s the great thing about sport whether you are fat, thin, short or tall there is something out there for everyone. Sounds like you are doing pretty good at it if you are that high up your age group rankings[emoji106] The good thing with sports like running, rowing and Hit classes is you get a lot of bang for your buck and workouts can be short but still deliver big benefits. I cycle a lot in the summer months but a long ride at the weekend can take up 5 - 7 hours so then the day is done where as a 20 mile run can be done in a couple of hours and deliver similar benefits in a fraction of the time

The problem with MEWP’s is you’ll always wish you had a bigger one! The place where I work has a 18m tracked and it gets through a gateway with the bucket off so handy for back garden work but seriously has its limitations in terms of outreach and height, especially with 2 up in the bucket. I’ve used many platforms from small 15m upto 45m plus and all have their pluses and minuses. Personally I wouldn’t have a truck mounted unless I did a lot of highway work, I think the tracked machine gives more versatility and if you wanted to you could hire out with an operator to supplement income more than a lorry mount. The Teupen tracked machines are some of the best I’ve used but aren’t cheap. Really depends on your business model and the work you do, for mainly domestic I’d go tracked as it will be able to access more jobs and you can tow behind most trucks/pickups. If doing lots of commercial work such as highway lifts/deadwoods etc then a lorry mount may be more cost effective, just my thoughts

That’s pretty rapid J! That’s probably in the top 100 or so worldwide this year I would assume. You should get an account and log your efforts with Concept 2 if you don’t already as they produce leaderboards etc for a bit for extra competition/motivation. I would say you are more build for rowing than me, I’m a 9 stone whippet so upper body strength and power isn’t my best friend although when it comes to climbing the lack of weight does help. The coach and physio who I used to work with for my running would set different kinds of workouts, for example some anaerobic efforts like you did but also lots of easier aerobic (slower and less intense) stuff to build endurance. Since lockdown the cost of things like the Concept 2 have gone through the roof but they are considered to be one of if not the best best product out there and as you say good away nearly out the way

Running is my main sport (marathon’s) but when I’m injured and can’t run I camp myself on the Wattbike and Concept 2 on my local gym to replace my run sessions. Rowing is meant to be one of the best pound for pound work outs when you consider the benefit v time argument. I’m able to do reps on the machine like I would running, I.e 5 x 5 minutes effort with 1 min recovery or long tempos. For me the reason I don’t do more on the rower is I don’t want to build upper body for running but the cardio benefits are immense and less impact based than running 80 - 100 miles a week. There are various groups on Insta that post times and workouts etc. I think the reason many people don’t use the rower is because it’s hard graft when done correctly or to say Zone 5 HR level!

Little time lapse of a dead birch takedown. Had been heavily reduced some time ago which partly helped with its demise. Some cut and chucked and some rigged over the pond and summerhouse. THBQ2746 (1).m4v

Haha, thought someone may notice that! had to share the site with ground workers who were ripping up the lawn to re-landscape next week

Little Oak reduction from today. 1.0 - 1.5m off and thin of congested regrowth. Tree had lost a limb top right corner so try to bring it in to match

£900 to remove half the ivy does seem steep. However stripping ivy can often be under quoted and be very time consuming, sometimes as a contractor you win and it comes off in sheets other times you are up there with a small everything but the kitchen sink trying to prize it off! Also London is an expensive place for tradesmen what with parking restrictions, LEZ, parking fines, having to leave the truck and chipper half a mile from the job making for a long drag all adds to the time and ultimately the cost. Think they could have stripped the greenery of the ivy as a minimum. Key will be how the tree responds to the ‘pruning’ moving forward. If it goes into further decline and does need removing then it is safer, easier and cheaper whilst it still has some life in it. Sorry that you’ve had a negative experience thus far but there are plenty of good contractors out there, best putting your location on here and asking for recommendations rather than just looking at something like Checkatrade or the like and I’m sure you’ll get somebody if you need help in the future

Personally I think attitude and work ethic are more important than a bucket load of tickets. Tickets are good as they tick a box and allow access to certain jobs or companies that will only employ people with the four main tickets (30,31,38 and 39). However in four weeks there is a limited amount that you can learn, absorb and put into practice. When I came into the industry I did a one year apprenticeship style course and this gave me the experience and tickets over a longer period of time but only gave me a certain amount of experience and knowledge. For me this worked better than just a four week course but appreciate depending on ones circumstances you may need to do the four week approach. We recently had a guy come in for a trial week who had done a four week course but couldn’t safely tie a bowline, not sure how you can be deemed ‘competent’ if you can’t tie a basic knot which could lead to a serious accident if climbing but that’s another story! The four week course may well open some doors for you and also secure some work so I would say good luck and hopefully you’ll get in with a good crew who will take you under their wing and allow you to progress your knowledge and experience organically

Little tpo’d Ash reduction from the other day. Tree is in decline so TO consented for a 3m reduction before they would look at allow a fell. Regrowth very snappy and not much to work with, guess we’ll be back to take down soon

It’s neither a reduction or a pollard really, on the plus side your shed is still intact! All jokes aside it’s not a great example of arboriculture in any way, shape or form. Depending on the reserves of the tree it may come back in the Spring and produce some emergency growth to deal with the removed foliage, only time will tell. I’ve worked on lots of Ash (Kent/London) recently that have been in an poor state, lots of snappy growth, wilted foliage etc. Those that have been reduced also then have poorly attached regrowth that can snap/break and cause it’s own issue. Is that a school or something behind the tree? If so and it’s in a high target area then future management or the tree is required and a duty of care followed. Looks like they got bored stripping the ivy and gave up, there are occasions where the other ivy stems fuse into the bark and it is difficult to remove entirely but looks like they have just left the bits they couldn’t be bothered with!

I made the move into Arb ten years ago in my late twenties, age shouldn't be an issue for you if you are used to scaffolding. This was at the end of the financial crash and many said don't do it. If you wait until the 'best time' to do something then you may never do anything. When all of this is over there will be work out there for hard working, self motivated people. I'm not saying it will be easy and fall into your lap and the experienced guys will be inline before you but there is always space for somebody with a lack of experience but a good work ethic. I appreciate this depends on regions and varies massively depending on where you are in the country, can't comment on your area as I'm from the South East where things were very buoyant pre Covid. In terms of courses having Cs30, Cs31 and woodchopper would be of benefit but experience is often favoured so trying to get experience first would be better than having every ticket under the sun. You could look at the Level 2 in Arb but IMO this would be best undertaken with some work knownledge and experience under your belt. Speak to local firms and put yourself out there. When I started out a guy on here gave me a few days at the weekend and it started from there. I've carried out work for a guy who teaches at a scaffolding centre and has been in scaffolding for twenty odd years and the wages he was talking about seem to be higher than Arb, but if you were getting into Arb just for the money another industry maybe a better fit! Good luck with it and if it isn't for you at least you can say you tried and could always go back to scaffolding?

I’ve used one like the one you have in the link. It was a good piece of kit for the particular job as we couldn’t get a normal crane to the trees. Think it was about £600 per day inc delivery and collection with an operator. Link below

That’s good mate glad it’s all come together. Yeah both me and Stu work for Steve now and Ash from Kev’s does a bit of freelance for SL as well

Hi Rich, Yeah that’s the one, it’s the school on the main road between Bexley and Sidcup. Steve said you did one and he did the other. Yours were lighter than what me and Ash did to them! Hope Norway is going well mate

Not sure on when they were originally worked. They had a light reduction about 5 or 6 years I go I believe, think Rich Rule did them. This time the client went for a spanking as they had shed limbs recently into the school field

Some pop pollards from the other day

If you are looking for advice on a particular job then it’s best to speak with highways or a TM firm as they will give the correct advice and make sure you arse is covered. If you are setting out TM (even just signs and cones on temporary works) you would ideally have the signing lighting and guarding ticket. Check out the link below, it’s the red book you get on TM courses and is good to keep in trick to give guidance on TM requirements https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/321056/safety-at-streetworks.pdf

4m reduction on a Syc due to large cavity at base

Think the Leo 23m can go on a bespoke trailer and still be towed as a 3.5t unit from memory the leo30 is far bigger and weighs about 5t on its own

That's the main downfall of a mewp in treework, you always seem to want one with a few more metres in height or outreach. I seem to remember somebody on here had a Leo 23m which seemed to be the best in terms of cost, height and outreach. The firm I work for has a small tracked machine and works for some jobs but is often too small for others.

That's the main downfall of a mewp in treework, you always seem to want one with a few more metres in height or outreach. I seem to remember somebody on here had a Leo 23m which seemed to be the best in terms of cost, height and outreach. The firm I work for has a small tracked machine and works for some jobs but is often too small for others.

To be honest at a previous firm it was usually if it couldn't be climbed for obvious reasons such as moving on the root plate for example. The firm I work for now has their own tracked platform so it does get taken out on occasions when you wouldn't have thought about hiring one. For example working some large London planes recently we used the mewp to get me in to the bole of the tree and back up after lunch!

When we have lifted over houses before we have always done it on a contract lift basis where they supply a banksman to guide you etc. The problem often arises when they ask how big the bits are as it is a guesstimate based on experience, when they lift diggers and the like they know the weight as they are plated etc. Also when lifting over houses, they will want the houses empty in case the crane 'fails' this can be a pain if any of the residents are not willing to vacate for the day. We did the road closure through the TM company as they know how to fill in the permits correctly and get what i required, as I understand it the cost varies per LA. I can't really help with contacts as we are based in Kent, sounds like a fun job once all the planning is sorted, definitely a go pro job!

St Margaret's farm in South Darenth, about 3 miles from Dartford and £35 per load