Shane

Deafness is only the beginning, maybe you've been the victim of an accident that wasn't your fault after taking out a payment protection insurance for a mis-sold endowment mortgage. Gotta keep the legal profession busy.

It's going to be interesting, I've talked to the client about the work of David Nash (Ash dome etc.) so once the roots develop and the new foliage appears he may want something quite artistic. The legs are already there... Maybe a gollum with hairy hands! Tony - You have a good point. We just felt the wobbly nature of it warranted an immediate weight reduction (my guys say the same about me).

My guys are always nagging me about one of these (cheers, Spoons) but so many places we work have loads of steps or tight turns, I am still not convinced. There are days it could be used but I do wonder if when your job has such a volume of brash, will there be room for the trolley? And if you hang it on the chipper thats your 750kg trailer weight exceeded. Maybe there should be a Stein 'loan' system so us non-believers could borrow one and maybe see the light. Anyone in Sussex willing to lend one for a day? Happy to swap beer tokens.

It may be 8 - 15 minutes cutting/lowering but who is gonna price it on just that? I'd want to be paid for my expertise, and the 'what would happen if I didn't do it right' bit. EAsy job - yes. Ludicrously cheap charge from a pro - why? If the guy is doing it himself, time doesn't matter but sequence of actions does. All the answers have been posted - let's not kid the OP he can get it done for a 15 min charge.

Let them get on with it. They will never improve and will never become realistic rivals. If you want to take photos - take ones of really good tree work and aspire to that. Concentrate on looking up - not down.

And to finish off, get some weight off the top and Good luck tree! And the MS200 in the piccies was just for show of course.

Then we did our bit

Here are a few piccies of a recent job we did. It was a willow which some time ago lost a couple of big branches which left two massive tears in the lower trunk. Eventually the cambium healed up around the tears. Over the years the trunk decayed while the cambium seems to have wrapped itself into two 'ropes' around the wound. The decaying trunk was supporting the remainder - until recently when it rotted away at gound level - leaving the whole thing swaying. The customer did not want to lose it so we did some bits and hopefully it can grow into a piece of art. Below is what we started with

Seems to have gone ballistic round here too. Averaging 3-5 enquiries a day. I had to move my game of golf on Sunday to fit in some quote visits.

Full marks, it is the lesser of two weevils. Glad I'm not the only one still into ancient jokes.

I know what my loler tester would say

I know this is a long shot but yesterday I saw two very strange bugs, my camera was not working so I've done a sketch. I think the big one is a weevil of some sort, can anyone identify the smaller one please? bugs.docx

I suffer fig bum too. Though none of my guys do. Euphorbia is another nasty one. Get well soon.

I always try to discuss the cutting with the tree owner first, and at that point raise the issues. I have never thrown the branches back unless they want them - always price the job assuming professional disposal (chip/log/tip etc). The questions remains... If the tree owner can refuse to accept the arisings, does he have to pay for their disposal? and if so - What say could he reasonably have in how/cost of disposal?

If a neighbour cuts off some overhanging branches from one of your trees, they MUST (afaik) offer them back to you. What if you don't want them? can they just chuck them over anyway or is it a case of 'if they want to cut them off - they then have to dispose of them'? What would be the legal implications of dumping the offcuts if the owner made it clear they do not want them? I can see that some people might want their apples back but we've never had anyone insist on having their leylandii offcuts back. I ask this as we occasionally get this with neighbourly disputes where the aggrieved neighbour is paying us to cut it but don't want to have to pay to have it removed. I always quote for removal or (if they insist on giving it back) let them chuck it over after we have finished. I hope I've worded that to make some sense.

It has been said that once someone has seen/heard of your company in two different places (signwritten van, parish mag, website, recommendation, past customer etc) they are far more likely to contact you than on the basis of a one-off 'contact'. It therefore makes sense to use a variety of media - using whatever methods you can. Every time I play golf I take my signed-up landrover and I get a fair bit of interest as a result.

Today we had to do a bit of maintenance on a mulberry tree. About half the fruit was ripened, just gone from red to black. The client said we could have as much as we can pick, 'it only makes a mess on the lawn'. I don't honestly remember ever eating mulberries before but they were BRILLIANT. Tasty and really full of juice. I must have eaten half a kilo but they are just sooooo refreshing on a hot day:001_cool::001_cool: If you've not tried them - do it! Just one word of warning, the juice stains like mad and it gets everywhere.

You've never killed a falling shark with a chainsaw then??:lol:

Be professional. Show some respect to the customer - simple things like Using the footpath rather than dragging knuckles across the lawn Check if any 'weeds' around the tree are special and must be preserved at all costs Never let the customer hear you saying things your granny wouldn't like to hear Don't expect tea and cakes - you will not be disappointed, but might be pleasantly surprised. If the customer asks you to do something that would not look right, don't tell them they can't, explain what the effects would be and suggest an alternative. Look after your climber - Like many said, keep that rope clear of debris Keep it clear of the highway - there have been fatalaties Agree a communication system with the climber Predict the worst outcome, then plan around it to prevent it Look after yourself Know what's going on Know when the climber is dropping stuff Never forget the audi and BMW drivers when you are working roadside Maybe set the chipper/van facing the oncoming traffic - (squash reduction) Keep cool When neighbours/passers by get arsey - you are just doing what has been agreed, if they have an issue feel free to discuss it with the customer, but for HS regs they must keep oput of your way! Loads of other things - keep eyes and ears open and absorb the experience. In five years get five years experience, not 6 months ten times over! Smile and enjoy the work! It's fun

Do what you think is best. There are always macho men on here who tell you to replace quite adequate kit with a unimog/24 inch chipper, 5million hp stump grinder etc. They just think they live on Tracey Island (the place not the woman).

Just had a reply telling me its been sold!

Now you can do a cushion cut in one go!

Before I buy another Echo tool I'm going to phone a couple of dealers and ask if they have certain spares in stock. So far not been too impressed and had to wait ages for a key component for my pole pruner. Well made machines, but as professional users we WILL need spares support service.

I think he meant to say you can only get a 6 inch diameter branch in the chipper

There is a certain 'culture' in the UK that as soon as you are old enough you just go out and get hammered. It is the done thing. Is it the pub culture or what? I have travelled round a lot of europe and other countries don't seem to have a 'It's a big man thing to drink to excess'. I must admit I was bad in my college days, but one day I just got bored with acting like a biggus dickus (only when merry- honest). I can see the fun but it just doesn't do it for me. An ex neighbour of mine had a successful business, a big house, flash cars, bikes etc. He now lives in a rented dive, his son has disowned him and he gave up his plumbing business cos he couldn't get up in the mornings. I wonder just how far he is going to slide. Everything in moderation, even moderation.