doobin

I think any minute now he'll start posting links to Chinese factories!

Please tell me you put more straps than that on it before driving off?

Don't even think about it. Customers will think you're trying to have them over. Your hourly rate needs to take account of fuel and maintenance time, etc. By far the best way to make money is to charge the job at what it's worth to the customer, not by how long it will take you. Sorry mate but this is business 101. I'm not so sure you're ready. And with that attitude I'm not sure you're cut out for running your own show at all. If you want to try, then to paraprase Nike, just do it. Start with a couple of low risk jobs on a weekend.

No, I was agreeing with the poster before re Stihl's attitude. What I was trying to say is that I their don't let their attitude bother me as they are good machines.

This thread is worthless without pics! Welcome Neil. What's your role as a forester out there? Are they hot on sustainable forestry or is illegal logging a problem?

Then I refer you to this post... If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. Simples. Don't bitch, whine and run to the headmaster, then come on here and brag about it. We couldn't give a toss about you and your tuppence ha'penny 'authorised dealership'.

You've got me thinking here. I love your idea for tree work and would have done the same already if I was a tree surgeon. We do site clearance work, all our helmets have 3.5mm inputs for mp3 players/phones already. We use radios but the quality is rubbish and I would have to do a lot of fiddling to plumb them into the helmet (poles the wrong way around) or buy a whole new set of non-binatone radios. I've just realised that the most cost effective thing for me would be to set both our phones to auto answer, and a speedial key for each other. So dial your mate, the music from both phones stops automatically for the call, you hear the other guy and can talk normally. Hang up with the push button on the clip on mic, carry on. Want to redial? Push button mic twice and you'll call the last person- your mate! We're on GiffGaff, and it's free to call each other. Result. Sometimes I just can't see the wood for the trees!

I hadn't considered it's reduced 'throwing ability'. Perhaps I should experiment. It would be easy enough to run small in an FS-70 and force the lads to use that rather than the big strimmers around windows.

I can't be the only one thinking you belong in a cage at a zoo somewhere? :lol: Seriously, props to you mate. What do you squat, sasquatch?

False dichotomy mate. Comparing Jonesie to a gypo tree surgeon is a strawman argument. There's a big difference between building a business based upon economies of scale and doing a cut price bodge job.

Got to say, I love Stihl's new ranges and don't use anything else. I'm fortunate to have three dealers within ten miles, all of whom are A1 on pricing. I feel sorry for those of you who don't have this luxury. I agree re Stihl's attitude- very German. Ve know best! I buy Stihl because it's dependable and the residual value on eBay is sky high. With my policy of keeping machines for one or two years, I seldom have to worry about spare parts so that's not a concern to me. I've always been a Stihl slut

If you're strimming round ranch fencing, you need to make sure your lads know the throttle is not an on/off switch. That's all there is too it really, but some of them just don't get it. Drives me nuts. I think you're worrying a bit much here- if the thinner stuff wears out twice as quick, that's a good sign that the trade off you make to preserve your posts is working That trade off was too much for me, so I went back to 2.4mm and find it fine for 'tickling' off grass around posts. Another great tip is to staple on a ring of black plastic around the bottom- well worth the small investment in time.

Excellent. I've always found NFU to be the Rolls Royce of vehicle insurance, and happily pay a little extra than the cheapest online every year for the professional and personal service.

I can't see that Stihl have changed their production method for this one model of strimmer shaft (which is still the same type and diameter as every other model below the FS310). Therefore I would suggest that you have a higher than average percentage of heavy-handed idiots working at your firm A shaft won't break due to too much cord- that's what the clutch is for.

Can't we just ban this troll?

I don't rate Desert Extrusions as any tougher then the Stihl stuff, and as the Stihl stuff is cheaper.... Will your FS50 manage to swing 2.4mm? I tried 2mm line once for edging, hoping for a sharper cut, but it was hopeless. 1.6mm sounds too thin if you are having to run along concrete etc. Stubby is correct re the bucket of water trick, but you shouldn't have to. You might want to give ALM another try, you can get bad batches. I once threw 2/3rds of a big reel of Stihl 2.4mm away as it was a bad batch.

Indeed. I learnt the hard way many years ago with a hired in digger, ended up stuck in a fish pond I was cleaning out! Thank God there was a building firm next door, who pulled me out with a mini JCB loadall. Never been stuck since thankfully. The difference between a skilled operator and one who just understands what lever does what is also a huge factor.

That's odd, it's a tenner more and the same power. Why do Stihl have so many variations of the same power? It's the same with the FS-55/56/60. But you're right, looks like a capable machine. It's on the list to replace the oldest FS-70 after summer. Lighter too. The 'Ecospeed' function looks pretty pointless. You constantly need to slow down for trimming round edges, etc with that size of strimmer, so what use is what is in essence a throttle lock? In fact, even in thick undergrowth you need to let off the throttle at the end of each sweep. Looks like a gimmick to me. The 94 has a separate throttle, much like the 4-mixes. I prefer the combined throttle and engine unit of the 70 as it's very quick to swap it onto an extendable shaft for the polesaw. I agree the FS-70 looks delicate but I've used them for very hard work, up in mancrates and stuff on a polesaw. My only gripe is the trigger, which is easy to catch clothing on and looks easy to snap. Bottom line is that for £250 it's an economical, dependable engine to replace a bust 4-mix.

'We' were 'twenty miles from home'? Leave your mate with the trailer and chipper and run home for a spare wheel/bigger trailer.

You're picking holes with the strimmer part of it, not the engine. I'm talking about using the engine on other machines after people get fed up of 4-mixes. The guard is Stihl's new design for all their strimmers. Flexi shafts break if idiots are allowed near them. I will keep an eye on the pullstart, thanks. Although with the ElastoStart it doesn't seem to put much stress on it to start it so I'm surprised.

It'll take more than 14 days for the ragwort to disappear....

Had to post this: When someone asks you a dumb question wouldn't you like to respond like this?..... Yesterday I was buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for Athena the wonder dog at Tescos and was about to check out. A woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I'm retired, with little to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, and that I was starting the Purina Diet again. Although I probably shouldn't, because I'd ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry and that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was by now enthralled with my story.) Horrified , she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no; I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's ass and a car hit us both.

Neither. They're for resurrecting buggered chains quickly, to a state a DIYer would say they're sharp. If you have multiple chains in multiple stages of wear, you will always need to hand finish them to get a cut you will be happy with (as you're a pro). Rob D's 12v Granberg sharpener has potential, as you can set the top plate, side plate and depth. Trouble is the stones wear unevenly and clog easily, and it's hard to tell when you're reached the depth stop. Very nice and quick for well-shaped depth gauges though. To be blunt (pun intended) I find a fresh file quicker. I use the Granberg on the 20"+ bars as it's worth the setup time then.

What problems do you have? I like to to be prepared , mine are faultless at the moment and my 2-mix 460s have not had anything more than an air filter in three years.

Works OK if your happy to strain to the post and staple it on. Correct way is to tie it around each end strainer and meet/tension in the middle. But with people who want rock bottom price, mild steel wire etc I use one and it saves lots of time.