Shane

Still researching what grinder to get..... boring but perversely fun. From experience I know it's obvious that when a machine breaks down (which they do occasionally) if its a push-along design you just push it back to the truck, take it back to the yard etc... What about tracked machines? Jo Beau or predators for example- weighing in at the best part of a ton. If your beast gives up in someones back garden how the heck do you shift it. I'm assuming Mrs Ponsonby-Mind-My-Geraniums wouldn't be too chuffed having hydraulic/engine oil dribbling onto her lawn. So can they be freewheeled? Can they be towed by something narrow? Winching? This may sound pessimistic but at some point you just know it will happen. Does the clutch on these machines control the drive to the tracks or the cutting wheel, or both ('cos I've heard that the predator clutch is a bit weak so would that leave you stuck).

Theocus That's interesting - we do loads of TPO work and get on well with all the TOs we deal with. All work to BS3998, risk assessments, loler etc so maybe not much difference. I am wondering if it might be worth investigating. Maybe time to remove the blinkers of an old cynic (I still cringe at what ISO9001 did to my old employers) and move with the times.

That was excellent - just need to be sure that the seller being stitched up is a dodgy character though. I'm not looking forward to selling my old leaf blower now - mind you it is a genuine stihl.

Moderators - can someone change the title of this thread please, my wife doesn't believe me when I try to explain what its about.

I replaced my 05 plate transit with am older mk5 (R reg) and am enjoying improved reliability with less techno-cr@p to go wrong. If you can keep the body work sound (new wheel arch kits well under £100) the ally box etc. stays looking good for years. I'll never touch a newer transit again. As has been said many times on here - if you can afford it go German

How much effort is involved to get the AA accreditation. I've heard (but don't know) there are lots of forms to fill in and hoops to jump through, but it is claimed (by those in the club) that it opens doors to organisations who will only deal with accredited companies. All well and good but how many customers ask about it - how many people would be impressed with the logo on the truck? DUNNO . This is just an opinion based on my previous incarnation in IT at a large insurance company. They decided to get ISO9000 accreditation and spent several million on it. We had to fill in forms to go to the bog (slight exaggeration) but every process had to be specified, followed and all activity monitored. Within a year they went from many millions annual profit to collapsing and selling out to a famous Norfolk based monster which stripped all the assets. It can be a good idea in theory, but in practice it makes the company very sluggish and unable to react to changes in circumstances. It could be good, it could be bad. Be careful what you wish for.

All we need to do is for everyone to bid a million quid (as Bob Geldof recommended) when touts were selling tickets on ebay for that Q8 concert (or whatever it was called).

I assume we are talking about Mat? (and Dan)

In which case if its only scum feeding scum - just ignore the sh1tes and keep your own stuff locked up safe.

Yessssss. There was once a Hagar the Horrible cartoon (I can't find it anywhere now) Where his daughter comes in with a new boyfriend . The daughter and boyfriend go into another room. Hagar's wife says to Hagar 'Isn't that sweet, remember what you were like at that age' Next image shows Hagar frowning saying 'HMMMMMM' In the final picture Hagar is carrying the young lad and throwing him out of the door. Hypocricy of all fathers - been there myself.

If everybody politely declined to buy stuff from these people (I suspect some of them are not Irish travellers) there would be no market and less incentive for them to 'obtain' dodgy goods from China or honest people's sheds.

Just about everyone I know started out charging out at cheap rates - me included. In my first year I must have got 90%+ of all I quoted for. I felt pleased with myself and got lots of experience. As soon as I honestly worked out my costs/profits I realised what a pillock I was being. I guess the new boys will always come along and some 'east-ender' customers will just go for cheapness - so what! Eventually they will realise they can charge a higher rate and they will eventually charge a sensible rate. If everybody who is professional and experienced just sticks to their pricing strategy there are nowhere near enouogh newbies around to do all the work. We are running the danger of talking ourselves into our own recession. The economics of it dictate that we must cover our fixed costs before we can earn a penny, and then the extra variable income needs to be measured against the variable costs resulting from doing the extra work. I would rather work 3 days a week for a professional rate than 5 days a week for maybe the same total profit (or maybe less depending on variable costs). I hope that makes sense - nearly 40 years since I studied economics.

Not the anchor point but an 8 inch diameter beech branch I was stood on. About 45ft up. The 'slack/swing' plummet was only about 2ft (yes, never have more than 12 inches of slack) but long enough to require change of undies. The branch was cracked near the trunk and I hadn't seen it. Bl00dy lucky it wasn't my anchor point - the groundies were lucky the falling branch missed them too. No fun at all.

What was the point -If you show an example of the wrong way to all those present I'd expect to see a successful bit of rigging to finish off with - especially if I'd taken time out to go and watch a demo by a professional company. All those wraps would have held the QE2 if the rope had been strong enough.

Youd need good luck that chain is on backwards

That water looks sooooo cold- Was that the rhinefall by any chance?

Apart from a tiny difference as you get a bit more friction on a longer bar but the vast majority of the effort is in the cutting - therefore you are basically correct. We shall now await some refinements to these theories from the brainy bunch

And who was the Dagenham d1ckhead who invented the 'safe mode' when the sh1te electronics lose confidence in the e messages they receive. After a hard days work, driving down a country lane in the dark, with chipper in tow - something happens and the van slows to 4mph! If you stop and turn off/on again you can do a few miles before it does it again. How do they have the audacity to call it SAFE mode. Anyone in the Worthing area... who fancies having to stop in Titnore Lane in the dark. New fords are the epitomy of Thunderbirdism (technology for the sake of it). End of rant

I've recently sold my 55 plate transit (throttle sensor, dual mass flywheel and other electronic 'we have the technology so lets build it in' shitebits. I have replaced it with a smiley R reg. I had to replace the front wheel arches but no problems whatsoever with the mechanics. I'd say older fords, LDVs or German. My ancient LT35 never let me down in 6 years, just sluggish. Newer is not necessarily better

Sounds like a throttle problem. Assume nothing! It may have had a service but they may have forgotten to adust the throttle mechanism. I remember from my insurance days (boring....) something like 95% of fire and catastrophic failure claims for cars and plant were in the first week after a service!

I own a landy 110 and for some reason I love it- BUT, in the three years I've had it I've only had to replace the rear end of the chassis, the engine, power steering box, fuel tank, front steering swivels, seats, windscreen, bonnet, headlights, transfer box, rear springs and a few smaller bits. I have probably spent 100 hours a year working on it - but its one of my hobbies. If you buy a landy you need to be an enthusiast, if you buy a cheap one you need to a bit of a loony. 80% of all landrovers built are still on the road 20% have arrived at their destination. You have been warned

That second piccy proves how good they are on steep slopes

I know the guy isn't wearing PPE etc. etc. but you get the point. I recon a few of these with kindling bags could be quite marketable. All royalties payable to me .....

I'm sure a few of you have made these before. I made and used a few to keep me warm while working on my reliable Landrover during the cold weather. I'mm gonna make some ready for the patio evenings during the spring/summer. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjQRLQTNsJo]How to Make a Swedish Torch - YouTube[/ame]

When the groundies are busting a gut to lift/drag heavier logs than each other - 'A man proves he's a man when he stops trying to prove he's a man' Another one we try to follow - 'The job is either perfect or not-yet-finished' Manage expectations and keep them informed with what they NEED to know. (applies to customers, employees, family, suppliers - in fact everyone) And finally, Your promise becomes your top priority and NEVER promise what you are only 99% certain you can deliver.