Jesse

Last bit, and really sorry for all my input, you are really to blame, it was your call at the start, how dangerous was the tree ? did you need to apply ? would a 5 day notice have held ? 5 day notice, if the birdies can not be saved then pop them in the chipper.

Sorry, should have said, if the risk was so great consent would not be needed, so as you have applied, and the TO did not say 'Just take it down' and made you wait 8 weeks, just wait a bit longer or you will be in the ****.

If consent was needed , then the danger aspect was not, leave the nesting birds alone find another tree to fell, did you like that ?

You will get me in trouble , but human life comes before a bird or any other animal . In the case of any emergency tree work situation if the animal / biird can not be humanly protected or preserved then quick humane dispatch is in order , but if at all possible your local animal rescue center should be your first call, better still go one further, visit you local RSPCA introduce your self , today, incorporate them into your risk assessments as a standard procedure and it will help when or if you should ever need them in the future, for me they have helped me out on a number of occasions, and the only cost , not a fine, is a continues annual donation.

Friendly advice here, if you are thinking of going big, and have to buy in wood, your profit will be made only on how fast you can turn it over, half of what you charge on a load will be product cost. So the easier you make it to process and load the greater will be your profit will be. What ever you decide if its a career in fire wood, at the very best you will only ever make ends meet, No second home for you my friend in Miami , just a space next to me on the park bench. and defiantly no spare money despite what ever anyone else says.

I used to do tree surgery now all I do is drink red wine and Cider on a park bench

OK, worth doing a bit of research, look up BS 6701:2010 I am thinking that if the cable was not installed to the requirements or specifications of the standard then you can not be held accountable, BS 6701:1994 Code of practice, puts it at 450mm in cultivated ground, 350mm om paths and driveways, and with suitably armored cable , the new standard is BS 7671:2010 (i think) well worth looking up or even buying, also try BSen 50174 series, hope this helps, your first letter or email should reference the standards which apply s. good luck.

Did you like that ?

Don't get like that Tony, I know you better, Scenario- lets just say a client has pushed you for a price for a level one inspection on trees in his grounds, lets just say hes got a hundred trees, lets also just say that you put £350 on the survey to inspect the site and produce tree management recommendations, and you only just got the job because you know the prices others have put on, I say 350, could be 500, and some company's will do it free of charge, so you see where I am coming from. You only have 2, 3, or 4 mins to inspect a tree, formulate tree management recommendations, and then back in the office produce the written report. Do you now see what I mean. It maters not one jot to me if a tree stays or goes, just that the client has been given the best advice for that site, in terms of safety. I always ask for a brief as to what there preferences are in terms of the overall desires for the site and try to stick closely to it.

I'M with Pat too, and you Tony as always, I am proud to say I am a fan of the wee saw, but s an old man now ,strong in arm thick in head, I am, resonates with amusement in my head, I am still that, but the pain killers for my joints are killing me , the wise man should work light conserve energy, and do as little as possible to live long in this industry , your skill should levitate you above any competition. In the words of Spock ,' live long and prosper' since stopping climbing about 4 weeks ago I have gone from eating ibobrufin like smarties to taking none at all, may even now have to upgrade the wife to a newer model, ONLY KIDDING, Still got blood in my piss. for those who don't know me, 49 yoa, ex rm, 20 yrs climber, F****D Life will get better, if i never wake up in the morning i,v still had 10 times more fun than all of you in my life, and i can still fight like a lion. Last steet fight was only last year when I was mugged, sorry i feel the need to tell you all this but is good to know how Arbs mature with age. Like a vintage red wine.

If it is terminal , for me and only my preference, I like monolith, as long as its pole can not reach the high value target area, gives what ever is feeding on it something to eat, along with all the other wildlife benefits ,even better if its got a great big fat coronet crown.

Well said, I like that, I just tend to be a little more black and white, having spent a lot of years physically working on trees it does ,I think, provide me with a better understanding of a tree when inspecting it now, having been brought in to section fell lots of trees over the years I know first hand what can be found at the base of a tree when you take that last slice, and on many occasions I have said ' Christ how was that ever still standing' it is surprising how little will actually hold a tree up especially within a group, they can be the ones which fail in the most spectacular way.

In fact , I am now a little bit angry, had I inspected those trees and found that one in that condition my recommendations would just have been , section fell, its only my concern of offending Arbtalk members that influences my judgement to suggest a more detailed inspection, I hope my more recent confession does not upset anyone. I tell it as it is. Talk all day about the strengths of the remaining wood, Get qualified and insured , look at hundreds of trees on a regular basses, and you will soon realize you can not debate every poor condition tree that you come across.

Ok, you have had good advice from a number of members , and I do like Tony and Treeseer and all who have the time to engage, Very short answer, and one that even if this tree was TPO'd a qualified TO would have no grounds to refuse , NO BRAINER , that tree has had it, I am a professional tree inspector , Lantra approved, and an M.Arbor.A , and hold all relevant insurances , given its target area, and its position within a tight group, ( Its loss would not be missed ) save your client some money and just take it down, thats free professional advice.

Thanks to all for the replies, I just hope the dealers are not too overwhelming on the day, I do have a Bipolar disorder and suffer BADLY with Turrets syndrome, and on top of that being an alcoholic dwarf complicates my conditions further.

And first price . In order. 1st Broadway local farmers Somerset - Rough cider , as and when you find it. best picked up and drunk in a dark barn on a sunny summers day at work. 2nd Sheppeys Vintage dry - Quality refined organic cider , Bradford on tone, Somerset. Also top establishments nationwide. Drink to savor and impress a VIP. 3rd Master Thatchers Gold - Quality readily available beverage , little bit week, nation wide distribution, easily consumed with adverse side effects being the dreaded cider s++t . Drink to get s++t faced .

Until you said this I was going to say resonance test with a mallet, which will give you an indication of whats going on inside, but with the target area being High Value, think about a detailed inspection, some one mite be willing to take on liability for the tree and come up with a retention option , but for me I would be thinking about removing it.

In fact Bjerkandera adusta on a second glance at it. Target area ?

Looks like Coriolus versicolor to me, how high a value is the target area?

Now then Dean, no one is disputing Bandits build quality, or you customer service, I have been researching all models, for me I think its going to be the Bo Jeau, but your machine is a very close contender, for what you get with the 2250 its really tempting, all very different machines, and the drive system on the 2250 together with the larger cutter wheel than the others put it up there. On price the FSI offer good value, but its not just about that, down time is a real pisser, so with no belts and I think no clutch yours is a serous contender, but as 90% of my work is in tight locations with yours I would need two machines, cant afford 2250 and sidewinder , budget now is 19k with vat, so thats either 31-110 which will do everthing or two machines within that price. Thanks to all for your input.

Got some Cedar about that size, if i can park next to your stand with my pimped up landy, save me walking, I don't mind painting it as long as its not too elaborate, could get there as early as you like on Friday, painted ready to go, whats your design in mind.

Yep, but i'm not, and it taste lovely

Fry with olive oil and garlic , the fungus that is, Pollard the tree just above the historical wound, you should then have a healthy crop of fungus every year growing on the remaining stem, what a treat.

Get a lab test done at Forest Research Alice Holt Station, take a sample rap it in wax paper and post in an envelope , cost is about £80 if it comes back as Perenniporia fraxinea then my advice just take it down and replant with a different species . Don't mess about.