Dilz

if its a good read its a good read

I guess it's just like learning to price tree work... probably be a few days where all I make is a sore back and a pocket of sawdust... wouldn't be the first time. Taking a board as part payment is nice touch especially if it's of the size in the pictures.

what about a predator / laski 360? only 65wide, pivot. considering one of these for my first stump grinder - plenty of folk round here have big machines so they are cheap to hire in for the bigger stuff.

Despite telling folk I have no real idea what im doing - they want stuff planking up - these aren't mates - but clients from doing tree work. one has 6 3m 30-40cm oak stems to cut into 2.5" boards - I only have a small set up (60cc saw small log mill and edging mill so not super quick) - I had one guy ring me and I put silly money on it (I think ) for milling 1 beech stem and 2 hornbeams (converted costs as im in Sweden - 100quid driving and set up fee and 60 quid an hour milling including materials / fuel / sharpening - not taking care of the sawdust - I wasn't too keen to do it but this bloke has been persistant and is happy to pay... ) I then saw one company based near Stockholm say they charge per board - 150quid for the first board and then about 70-80 per board after - that seems pretty steep for chainsaw milling but I honestly have no reference other than what I've scavanged off this forum - Main thing is striking the balance between not out right ripping folk off and busting my back all day for not much at the end of it) - Was even considering finding the nearest similar sized boards from the building suppliers and charging maybe 30% of that price...What are folks thoughts on this? Might just add basic tax rate self employed here is about 32% and the vat is 25% so you do have a to charge a fair amount to have anything left after the state has robbed you of most of your days takings

Looking to get a book or two for the library on woodworking / timber frame building. Nothing too advanced, covering the basics. Any recommendations much appreciated.

it seems identical to the predator 360 - in fact it has 360 in the name . info seems a bit different . Laski says it only grinds 12cm under the ground which sounds useless...BUT I think that's aimed at folk who don't know how to get the most out of am machine...If I was to get something like the 460 Id go for FSI 22 with drive...and by that point of doing enough stumps to warrant that id probably chance on a much bigger machine. The 260 is about 135 kg which is easy enough for me to shove up ramps

Laski 360 Any one any experience of these machines? I sub out bigger stumps and have been hiring in a small old Husqvarna stump grinder when needed, but now its time to consider getting my own small machine. I don't do finance, and storage is a bit tight right now so I'm not looking to get a big machine despite how much easier they are on the body to use. any feedback much appreciated.

Not milling today but picked up a new toy

Milled some small diameter thuja stems in half which will get used for building planting boxes and a bit of Japanese walnut I have had sat around - only got a small log mill set up - so mill small logs but still at the learning / hobby stage and even at about 25cm m diameter got some nice colour

Thanks - yeah I did a lot more research then actually had a proper look and due to the difference in the tang the LP chains don't sit right on the bar nose sprocket, so reckon its gonna cause stuff to wear and risk chain breakage so just ordered a couple of standard 3/8 lengths.

Running a echo cs620 with a standard solid 20" on the small log mill. Picked up a couple of extra chains and realised id ordered the low profile chains instead of the the standard. Will these chains be alright on the standard 3/8 procket and a standard (non LP bar)? I have milled one log with it and it seemed to work but would rather skip learning the hard way that it will wear out my sprockets after a short while.

Done some more research...the pm 14 is also limited to a 22" bar length and advises on log diameter of 35cm so will probably just upgrade / extend my Granberg small log mill for now and maybe get the mini mill and have a crack at quarter sawing.

Started using a granberg small log mill, (because it was cheap beginner set up) milled a few things, quite enjoy it when I get the time to do it, a few people want stuff milling for them, but im limited by the supposed 20" bar limit (running on echo cs620X) Im going to hazard a guess that the issue with adding a 24" bar instead means the cut might wander off as the nose of the bar isn't supported in any way? is this right? Also been looking at the Norwood portamill pm14 set up with ladder rails to up grade and save the back a little- Any one had any experience with them? what sized timber can they take?

Any good apps out there for carrying out site vists than can store all the relvent on site photos, maps, make notes etc relvenat to the address... Just using my phone and hand written notes at the minute which is fine until I realsie i have a dozen quotes to write up then eventually generate the relvant workorders, to include the photos and maps etc? Any tips much appreciated.

Big tree SRT, short SRT, DRT set up, Fruit tree rope, rescue kit, Two zig zags lock jack sport and hitch climber with rope wrench. 5m side strop with pinto , wire core with positioner, base anchor (snake) Thimble top anchor for SRT / pulley saver for DRT... all krabbed up and bagged up ready to grab ( and then there are all the extras..e.g Dmm hook with belay, figure of 8 etc etc... travel light move fast.

We dont actually have LOLER over here, we have a rule that says 12 month inspection by a competant person, and its very vauge as to what counts as a competant person, but basically if you have some kind of climbing quaification you are pretty much counted as competant unless you are in a big rope access company. My main issue is, using a single sheet for all the kit, then all the serial numbers etc need constantly typing / writing up again, Figured individual sheets would last as long as the kit and then its easy to add in new stuff... that said...i havent counted all my bits of kit just for climbing...but there is fair amount, 10 page worth of karabiners at least...and then there is the rigging...but thats not PPE and its only the PPE over here that needs to be inspected.

As a sole subby cant say ive been very good at keeping regualr records of inspections but rules are touch different here, (i.e you get away with it unless something goes really wrong if you are a one man band) BUT have been called up on it and muttered at and also raising my game as bit. Question is,,, is it better to have an inspection sheet for each indvidual item (like is found in say teufelberger manulas) OR one big sheet listing all the kit that gets filled out every inspection? Just thinking which would actually produce the least amount of paper / printing / storage and work better.

In this instance, Making a bit of thing for using when hainvg an SRT a canopy anchor. You cant buy anything ready made like what i want / have made. the EN 759 B relates to anchouring devices and slings etc. So long as all the parts use conform to this EN standard its good to go Or not? I made one using 9mm prussik cord that was only tested to EN 564 - accesory cord, and got a grumble because its not technically tested for anchoring. Figure this is a grey area with TF making all their CE made lanyards etc. Most the time id say where one could place their EN and CE marks, and its a dark and sunless place...but alas times change and days of being a rock n roll subby are slowly being exchanged for long and dreary acts of responsibilty.

it's the ones less than 6' that ruin me these days....(both ascents and women)

yeah I'm. moving back to thicker ropes. My big old paws don't like gripping the skinny stuff...ropes I'm on about but applies to women...and sandwiches also.

anyone got any experience with cousin black widow rope?

looking at getting the black widow. Is it any good?

Did you get the rope? Is it any good??

I learnt to reverse properly, who needs mirrors when you are hanging halfway out of the driver's door?

Considering a small tipping trailer. Alot of the jobs where I use a small trailer are tight access, or the trailer has to be taken off due to parking. Currently use a small 8x5 single axle Looking at a 10x5 twin axle but conserned it will be a reet PITA when having to shunt it by hand, and for hitching back up, especially on solo jobs. Just wondering if there is good reason for my concerns. Weight of the trailer is about 750kg.