Gareth Dalzell

I know what you are saying, but it doesn't really make you 20% more expensive if you are VAT registered as because you get the VAT back on all your fuel, equipment, etc etc which in turn lowers your overheads. I agree it does make you more expensive though, but it does have advantages when you go and buy kit and fill the van up. In our situation it's only a small percentage of our work is private so it doesn't fizz on the commercial side. The bit that really gets me is having to collect it for HMRC for nothing and then getting fined if I'm late or make and error:thumbdown: I agree with yorkshireman - it does give a certain level of assumed business status.

Always worth sending these ones in Recorded delivery - I know it doesn't prove what's in the letter but it does at least give a paper trail.

As you mention the tension could be a problem, it's worth being aware of what direction the spark stream from the stihl saw is directed as it could create a quite a bit of heat which could cause more damage. Some of those trees however may already have deeper damage and will always have a hidden weakness - could be interesting if you are felling and relying on hinges

Goes with the job unfortunately - hopefully you'll make it up on the next few jobs. Something to think about though and something that happens to us from time to time - if it had been a stone and smashed a window they'd be after you to fix it - at least it only damaged your mower. See - it could have been worse - get her fixed, move onto the next job and make some money before the rainy season starts:001_smile:

If you are looking for a group of people who can't sharpen their saws (in my opinion as we come across it every week) you should target the landscapers. Also builders who use saws. Two groups of people who we are always getting asked to adjust or sharpen saws for. As others mentioned arb types generally can do their own but landscapers and builders now there's a market! Just an observation - no offence made to any landscapers out there - after all that's what we are only all my guys have the NPTC certs before they get near a chainsaw. Go for it!

I'll second that - I think it was Saltex a few years ago I saw it. The Barreto stuff is very well constructed. We have one our their hydraulic rotavators for difficult ground conditions and its awesome. The post hole borer they do is more powerful than most two man machines but only needs one man so fits your bill. See if you can try hiring one first - alot of the hire shops use them.

Cut it down to the base where the new growth is. You'll probably find the stem is mostly mush

We've had great success with the pines mentioned earlier, but also to get protection at the lower level Elaeagnus ebbingei. We have this planted first line sea defence and in some very coastal exposed areas and it will make 2-3m and nurse up the trees. We have also tried Quercus ilex but its a bit slow and tends to get scorced. Around the harbour estate (not sea defence) we have Quercus palustris growing strongly which were planted at 30-35's - out of 296 we lost 2. They have now been in about 15years

Everyone of our staff have their first aid cert and we refresh every two years. In the last year I've had one of my team take a seisure and nearly choke on his tongue until I got him into the recovery position (totally white/blue colour and foaming) and then at easter in a pub an elderly lady clutching at her throat about to collapse and her son came running in looking for help and I did chest thrust until she popped up a chunk of steak and some goo. Life really is very delicate and disappears all to easy sometimes. I rather be able to say I had a go than wish I could! Also from a selfish point of view as the boss and the one most likely to have a strees induced heart attack, its good to know if my guys want a pay cheque on Friday that they can give me a snog (CPR) and hopefully keep me alive until the ambulance arrives!

A yes that would be to bulk up the Civil Servant pension pot - its running rather low - just don't start me on this one (and then there's their sick pay, bonuses, christmas shopping day...........) At least their pay is frozen for 2 years over £21k, but I,m sure they'll find another way to top it up!

As long as the rims are sound with no nicks' or dents in them you should be fine. Sometimes we have bother getting them to seat properly without them leaking so we normally get them clabbered with seating compound

I carved this about 15 years ago out of greenheart. It was from an old timber pile used in building foundations in Belfast harbour. I imagine the timber to be a few hundred years old. A real chain blunter - Hardest timber I've ever cut, also had bits of grit/stone in it from being submerged in "sleach" (grey clay goo) for so long Just before anyone else says it - I know its not the best thing that's ever been carved - we call him Mr Potato Head and sits in the wooded area on the way into our yard. We were told this stuff came back on the sailing ships as ballast and was then used in the harbour

I was wondering about trying to get a refund on them as at the time we bought ours, the relevant legislation preventing their use was already in place- as we would have expected our supplier to have been aware of this. I reckon we have about half a dozen of them and spare chains!

I think its the selling of them that is the problem here - their sale (which would cover resale as there is no difference if someone happened to attach it to a strimmer and cause another accident) and supply is prohibited in the UK now. The accident from the information we were given was caused by two adjacent operatives on a slope. The lower operative simply dropped to the ground and died. On investigation a metal link appears to have fractured, gone through his neck and lodged in his brain - killing him instantly. I don't think legally anyone can supply or sell you one at the moment. It would also appear that the problem lies in the guarding of the flail head, not the flail itself which may be why they are still available for sale on mainland Europe. UK strimmer/brushcutters standard guards aren't approved for this type of head.

Sean Excellent idea and the concept and draft probably isn't far off the mark, with a few of the other ideas like pearls of wisdom type quotes. I know its a draft but as well as Arbtalk at the top, the website address as well wouldn't go a miss just so the uninformed can become informed incase they totally miss the relevance of the name.

Had this problem last night, one of the guys had hit a rock with the Kubota G23 and sliced the shear bolts on the blade spindles. Not wanting to remove the deck again I lifted the deck to its highest position then got the trolley jack under one side of the back grass box plate and lifted it up to about 30-45 degrees. Locked the blades out with a block of wood and did the first side, torqued up and jack down, then did the same again at the other side. Job done in about 15mins. The G23 does have a great deck lift height to start with though. First time in ages I haven't sworn at a machine when I've been fixing it!

Have you ever tried to stop a ruler dropping between your fingers when someone else releases it. You can see it in front of you, you know it's going to be dropped but you still miss it! Yes mistakes where made but by the time the realisation of an event like this unfolds it can be too late to react. There is probably a fair amount of guilt going on here with those involved, and the "what ifs'" will be played out time and time again. I just feel so sorry for those who lost loved ones and now have to pick up the pieces. Armed police force? I lived with it for 40 years over here - it doesn't stop all the killings and when they do shoot to kill, the back lash is frightening. Friends of mine in the police will tell you - carrying a gun is the biggest responsibility and worry you can have - everytime you go into a situation you're always waiting for some drunk or nutter to try and disarm you and fire one off!

I hope not! Although I don't think that takes away from the level of risk involved in this type of exhibition

A friend emailed this one through at the weekend - anyone who has ever tried tracking a digger up a steep ramp or stepped it onto a lorry without ramps should watch this. YouTube - Liebherr Hope this link comes up alright - I was a nervous wreck by the end of it I wouldn't trust a quick hitch with a people cradle on it let alone.................

I recognize Arbclimbers comments - my stepson is finishing off his masters in Computers at Bristol and gets really really really peaved with me when I do things on the computer which to him seem so basically flawed - but hey' we all have talent and computing like you Tony, isn't our principle one. Tony your big talent is your subject - it's the communication of that talent that's Arbclimbers forte. I hope that you can gain from his experience and he will continue to help in a constructive and tangible way, but hey they're generally a rather arrogant bunch so don't take it too personally - they can't help it! Arbclimber I know where you're coming from, keep up the good work and stick with him, we will all benefit from Tonys knowledge Tony - its a excellent move and medium for your work - i'll keep it bookmarked

Noticed this when I was checking one of our sites in the Port of Belfast - Its on all their tugs - Wise words I printed it out and put it in the Bothy

Shane - good post. - Common sense it may be Huck but common sense is a bit like making assumptions and we are know where that gets you when you employ staff - but I take your point.

Have you tried Bodericks the Irish Iseki dealer - there's a couple in the south and one the north. Sometimes they take trade-ins and are keen to punt them on

Scotty - Horrific for those working close by and very sad for those left behind.

I assume it has to be moved right now - cause its probably the worst time of the year, but it can be done. Big tree and shrub moving is something we specialise in. Firstly protect the stems from machine damage when digging. A bit of root prep, dig around as in the photograph gibbon linked to, but under no circumstances put any slings around the stem or it will ring the bark, especially at this time of the year. After you have trenched around the root, start undermining the root ball from every side. If you don't have any root ball meshes use heavy chicken wire to hold the root ball together, by wrapping it around it twice and cable tying it to itself. Lift it with root chains or slings around the root ball - again not the stem. Or drag it up onto a sheet of plywood. Depending on access and equipment available, get it up onto a pallet for forklifting or use a pallet truck over scaffold planks to get it to its new position. Dig and prep hole and plant. Firm very well and ensure it's well staked with not root ball movement. water well but don't flood it on a regular basis. If you where over in Northern Ireland, we'd come and do it for ya - the bigger to tree the bigger the challenge - the bigger the buzz!