Shane
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Everything posted by Shane
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Just read Bald Monkey's sad news and it reminded me of a recent incident (with a different twist). We did some work for a 'customer' (first 2 letters correct, 2 others needed). They had a old dog which had gone deaf, blind and incontinent. It was doddering round the garden/house (wearing a nappy) and was bumping into anything which had been moved since before it went blind. HORRENDOUS If you had made a cartoon of it you'd have been hung out to dry by the PC brigade. No volunteers for the nappy changing then????
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That's so horrible, I agree that pets are not just animals, they are part of the family. Whatever you do at least you have your dog's quality of life as a priority. Good luck
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Not too bad round here at the moment. From my experience world cups and olympics tend to get more people indoors and not concenred with the garden. With the olympics being in London goodness only knows what that will do to the couch tatties? and lack of calls. I would guess we will see an increase in interest once the final ceremony is over. Till then we will just have to bid for all the worthwhile jobs and not be drawn into agreeing stupid prices too far into the future. Good luck everyone.
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Thats a great result - looks like he's knackered. I agree with the lock changing idea though, a few years back in Worthing a company chucked out someone for incompetence and two nights later their main building at the yard burned down with a 6 figure loss of equipment. There are some right evil little sh@ts out there. So - never employ Mario Balotelli again.
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You'll probably get a call to quote for the removal of brushwood and logs in few weeks time. But you won't be able to charge much cos all the technical work has been done - surely its just a quick labouring job to clear up the mess left by 'my friend'. How many times to we hear this - you just have to laugh.
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The answer to that is - how many hours would Johnny have spent on it, gives total cost. We cost out at x times that but do it x times quicker. No difference in cost, but it's done by professionals who tidy up properly, have insurance and don't leave it in a layby. As some have said - hourly rates can lead to tea-break, string it out syndrome. Ahhhh bring back those heady days of the British Leyland (workers) in the 70s..
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Not too many probs caused by the work, but a few old ones coming home to roost as the years pass by. I caught hepatitis in the late 80s (same time as Russell Harty died from it) so very relieved it was a 'mild' one from swimming in the Thames. Have to be careful with fat and alcohol). Knackered back - started by labouring job many years before. Currently awaiting op to re-connect rotator cuff muscle in shoulder (skiiing fall). Only tree induced injury was a torn calf muscle, over extending in a willow. Have a few silky smiles on my fingers and loss of feeling in one finger. Currently having murmurings from centre of chest when I exert myself - waiting to see cardiologist. Having said all that, like so many above, I couold NEVER go back to a desk job - at worst I'll hobble around dragging what brrushwood I can and do all the quote visits etc. till I die. (Hopefully that will be some time - too busy to sit around fretting) Like Steve Tyler sang.. 'I just wanna live while I'm alive'
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Good luck Dr. Ped - good to use your skills to the full. I remember when I was breaking out of a corporate job in IT and working through the courses, doing jobs for friends at weekends - people said I was mad. Then when our company started making people redundant they all said I was lucky because I had something else to go into. Haven't stopped laughing since. Keep positive - its like they say 'I can if...' rather than 'I can't because' No doubt we can call on your expertise at some point. Shane
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I go to my local marina and fill a few 25ltr tubs. Have done for years. Last month it was 91p/ltr. I contacted a big commercial supplier the next day to compare and they wanted £1.00 +VAT per ltre for a 205 ltr drum, PLUS delivery. I'll stay loyal to my local marina. If you buy over 100 ltrs you have to fill in a Customs and Excise form, but it's no big deal. Discreet and safe storage, not in your house, is also a wise move - worth checking your household insurace - still laughing at the govts gaff last month over jerry cans!!
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There must be someone on the forum with a brain the size of a planet who could draw up a flowchart so us gumbies can get our heads around this. This topic has appeared so often yet I can't say hand on heart I am 100% confident in my understanding of it. I need a diagram - words confuse me.
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I'm pining for my old treebusta now - it was brilliant. About 8 years ago they claimed that all known treebustas were still in use, except just one - which had been dropped by a crane. Thats reliability! Didn't Timberwolf use flywheel and bearing off this on their bigger machines? If so I guess the bearings could take the load from these but not the bigger machines.
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A few years back I had an ancient Husky - think it was a 298 - It had lots of compression but I couldn't start it, and my ad said so, NO REFUNDS. It sold for over £300 and they were happy, so was I. I've seen old saws advertised as non runners going well into 3 figures. Unbelievable! Still... as I upgrade my stuff I'm going to recover a fair bit by ebaying the knackered kit
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Are you gonna let him down tomorrow?
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Nice work Pat, how are thing going over your way?
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that's one hell of a workshop you've got there (final picture). Nice job
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And don't get confused and take your chipper out on a branch.
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If anyone wants to make money out of this chaos - try this. Get yourself a white coat and a book of some sort of coupons. Find a big queue at a garage. Walk along the first few cars and just tell the drivers to be patient, theres plenty of fuel. Once round the corner or out of sight of the garage ... tell each driver they can only have £40.00 of fuel and they have to pay in advance, give each one one of your coupons. In ten minutes you'll have raked in a fortune - before the first 'pre-paid' customer gets to the garage. Meantime you run like hell and laugh for ever more. I've got my coat ready, see you all later.
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Once the accountant had produced you year-end accounts, you could try saying, 'Oh - while youre here could you just do my son's A level maths homework for him' Don't expect him to charge for it.
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Some years back, one of my guys was clearing some epicormic growth with a small saw (stihl 017 or similar) and for some perverse reason I thought the offcuts were in his way so - thinking he had stopped for a moment - I leaned in to pull some out, I then heard the saw rev up so backed off, meanwhile the saw came round, still running. He didn't know I was there, I shouldn't have been. I actually felt the wind from the chain on my neck! and I felt some moisture too - a mix of sweat and chain oil. I sh@t myself, though I was dead. We had a long discussion afterwards (mostly them shouting at me) and firmed up on our definition of exclusion distances! I didn't sleep properly for many days afterwards. So stupid, so easy, so lucky.
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Seems a big coincidence how the bully boy nations can't wait to restore democracy to countries with oil/gas yet the civil wars and genocide in Africa goes quietly on with bu@@er all interference. Remember the Iraqi WMD - good reason to invade (not oil) but no weapons ever found. Who will be next? Hope they don't find oil in my back garden!
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Been thinking of you today - let us know how you are doing. Good luck and heres to a full and quick recovery!!
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My daughter has done the certs up to CS38. She works as a groundie for me sometimes and occasionally climbs for small reductions. Very hard worker and good power/weight ratio for climbing (using silky for the moment). Amazing work ethic too - if it aint perfect, it aints finished! Thats two so far. And there was a girlie on the same course when she did the felling course. That's three And I'm sure theres a girl on here - unless theres a bloke called Janey
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Some great names here, just beware that your child will have to go to school and knowing what @@@@@@@ kids can be, they will have to live with their name. I'm a bit wary because I was the only Shane in the 50s and 60s that anyone knew of. Then I had the mis-fortune of Shane Gould (a female Aussie swimmer) becoming famous - life got a bit tedious for a while but now it has become quite a common name. My parents chose the name because of the cowboy film they saw just before I was born. Count myself lucky they didn't go and see Godzilla. Go with what you like the sound of. Good luck Shane (not godzilla)
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Going really well down here, booked into late May, virtually all private customers, a couple of managing agents for shared gardens (though dropped one who now wants 12.5% off invoice if they pay me - hohohoho). Lots of repeat business and recommendation - no yellow pages this year but website is doing pretty well. I find things tail off slightly in late spring so the lead time will drop to a few weeks - then every summer it goes mad. I try to keep the odd day for contingency (crap weather, high value - short notice desperate customer). So far so good - but who knows whats round the corner??? As for slow paying customers, never really had issues apart from the really rich ones on the private estates. They pay in the end but like to feel theyve made a bit by delaying it Currently catching up on admin at home after mis-hap in the alps. I know my guys will be working hard right now.... errrrr
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I have a brand new crank/conrod unit for a 272 - still in box with all bearings (small end and both crank ends). Ref stamped on crank is5017770-01 sweden-e 93 42
