arbclimber

Nice machine Dean, nice log store too.

I said in my post that I got his point. I agree with the idea completely. Just that if anyone wanted to try and figure out a better way of working it out, if they used his figures, it would be very wrong.

Nice truck mate, is that what you deliver your logs in, or do you use a trailer? Just being nosey, but what does it say under firewood. Looks like Group of companies. Have you set up your firewood business as a Ltd Co? Sorry for all the questions, i'm just curious (nosey)

Silly me, why didn't I think of that. I thought it was good going for 10 mins work.

Dead right, some just need a kick, and also some that should be easy are a pita. To be honest, if i've taken the tree down and left a decent stump, i've found you can winch out a reasonably sizeable stump. Much quicker, but then you do have a bloody great stump and root plate to try and move:blushing:

Not a big terrier fan myself, but they are cute:thumbup1:

Thought i'd stick my opinion down in here. If its just as a perk for an employee, give him a pay rise to help him get his own transport. You will save in the end. I wouldn't be buying a vehicle that cant make me any money, so if you do buy one, make sure it can be used to earn.

I think the general concensus seems to be that if you are getting the timber from work you are already doing, good times. If you need to buy the timber in, be very careful about spending much money on it, as you are competing with a lot of people with much lower expenses, to supply an identical product. Machinery such as Processors are really to assist when you can no longer fulfill demand using cheaper methods, and when, by not investing you will suffer a detrimental financial position. From my point of view, you invest in machinery when the phone wont stop ringing and you are up to your eyeballs in people wanting to buy the logs you have processed cheaply. When you can no longer keep up with demand, then its the time to be spending your cash.

Might want to check your maths on that mate. I get your point but your figures are way out.

Fine looking work. Very organised and nice climbing and rigging. Or did you edit out all the dodgy bits:001_tt2:

Its not so much about where you advertise, but how. A properly designed advert will work better, in a much less popular medium, than a poorly designed advert, in a popular one. Think about, your target audience, targeting a specific niche in that market, and then how best to 'talk' directly to them. All adverts need a message. Forget taking up half the advert with your business name and details. What you need to concentrate on is direct response not flashy brand advertising.

Whether you want to make a wage or a return on investment, the figures still need to add up. I would have spent 40 k very differently in your position. As I said though, I hope it works for you.

All joking aside, yeh I think your employer is probably quite lucky to have your expertise on site.

You'll look like a cyclist in that mate.

Maybe I should have said, the key to making a profit is...... None of this negativity is aimed at you by the way mate, I know we seem to be using your spending 40 k as an exampe of what not to do. We are only speculating about the pro's and con's of such an investment. Personally, I wish you every success with it.

Very interesting thread Dean, we all think like that at some point. Maybe you aren't getting enough satisfaction out of what you do. Sometimes its hard to know what you want, often you think you know what you want and it turns out to be something completely different. As an example, I have always thought that making money, lots of money, was what made me happy. Now I may just be going soft, but recently i've got much more out of work than just money. I will try to explain by giving the example of myself and my brother. We are both equally intelligent and ambitious. He works for a huge company, and at 31 years old, earns more per year than an average house is worth. Infact last year he got a Christmas bonus of equal value to your last years profit. Last month he made / saved his company in excess of £40 million. I have recently started offering my marketing/ business services to small companies and the self employed. Last month, I did some work for a self employed bloke who was having trouble and hardly able to pay his bills. I charged him £ 2000 and have guaranteed he will make at least £800 extra every month, if not, he gets his money back. I think guaranteeing a bloke who is currently earning about £15 k a year, an extra 800 a month, is so much more significant than saving a huge multi-national £ 40 mill. I have made a real difference to this blokes life, and probably that of his family, and I am genuinely happy about it. I would have, until recently thought that the satisfction was coming from the £ 2000 I got for 2 and a bit days work. Now i'm not so sure. Sorry to waffle on, hope you see what i'm saying.

Suppose you think that dog really can count as well dont you mate:lol: Seriously though, dogs can do some pretty clever things. When I was at college I had a part time job in a shop. A disabled woman used to come in with a black Lab which apparently was a 'helper dog'. It used to pick the womans stuff up and put it on the counter, get her purse out and give it to me, i'd take the money out and give the dog back the purse, it would put the purse back in her bag and then pick up her purchases and put them in a bag on the back of her wheelchair. On the way out, it opened the door for her, and closed it behind them.

If you look carefully, he cant even reach the controls. You feel silly now, dont you. It would obviously only be possible with a much larger dog.

How many times a day do you think his boss shouts ' where the ******* hell is Tony'. Only to find his legs poking out from behind a giant pop up light reflector, muttering 'the arbtalk boys are gonna love this one'

You know what guys, I think we have all been fooled. I think that dog is just sitting on that digger, and is infact, not operating it at all. What a con. :lol:

If I was your employer, I would have had your camera off you by now. Bet every time he turns round he has to go and search for you behind the nearest decaying piece of tree.

Thats the way to do it I reckon mate. Everyone and his dog seems to have bought a firewood processor recently. The problem with that is they aren't going to be worth anything second hand, as there will be so many about. Investing in machinery is usually good practise to reduce your exposure as its only really the depreciation you will lose. However, if the value of the machinery drops rapidly, your exposure rises rapidly too. Key to selling firewood I reckon is dont spend any money on it, keep it simple, use the kit you have already and get the timber for free. Be very interesting to see how many firewood processors come up for sale after next winter.

JD, Have the people you are doing the training with not sent you any info about what you need and dont need?

Hedge looks tidy. Those old shape transit crewcabs are pretty thirsty, hope you charged enough to cover your fuel costs. Dont think it would be that keen to pull the chipper if you loaded that back up either.

Think yourselves lucky, George (Rottie pictured left) Plays like a staffie but weighs 9 stone. Like you say though, if you wanted a dog to sit on your lap and do nothing, you would have bought something else.