doobin

Good man! Best course of action. It's amazing how a little bit of success motivates you to do more. My top tip is this- no matter how busy/rushed you are, always take time to put a card through the houses around you. Once you are quiet, it's too late to start advertising!

The X-box isn't free, the phone contract is paying for it. Hell, you can't even get a year contract any more- they're all 18 or 24 months. Doesn't that tell you something? My post re the cheap phone and GiffGaff sim is your ticket out of a monthly cycle of being screwed by a phone company for 'going over your minutes' just because you wanted a 'free' phone (which is isn't). Take the principles behind it, and apply it to the rest of your life. Then you will find things much easier.

We can't all be happy-clappy. You just can't help some people, and plenty of posters with somewhat more tact than me have already referenced this.

And a £20 Samsung will pick up signal almost anywhere, has a two week battery life and can survive being tracked over with a mini digger David, if you're reading this, GiffGaff do a pay-as-you go sim where you top up £20 a month for 2000 free minutes, unlimited texts and internet. Runs on the O2 network so signal is as good as you can expect for out in the sticks. I spend only £10 as I only need 500 minutes. I'm not tied to any damn phone company.

I'm glad you quoted my post, some do-gooder clearly decided it wasn't relevant to this thread (which it bloody well is) and my original post has now disappeared.

.325 is a downgrade on that size saw if you ask me. I recently gave up trying to find an 8t 3/8p sprocket to fit an MS250, but settled for a 7t instead. With a 12" 1.1mm gauge bar on it, it cuts easily as quick as a 13" / .325 9t combo on an 036. And at half the weight too.

....Is the right decision!

Adjustable spanners.

Someone should employ the OP, there must be CITC grants available....

Stihl ones are crap too. The system is designed for 'homeowners' who are afraid of spanners (although strangely not afraid of chainsaws?) and is best avoided.

That's the funny thing- big machines are three-four times as much to buy as a 1.5t yet command only a small premium in hire rate pro rata for their weight. A mini is £50/day, a 7.5t is £100/day (machine hire only) from a local place. That's why I like smaller kit, much less investment and similar rates. Your bloke with the 8 tonner was a touch too cheap, even if he hired one it would be machine £100/day, operator £150 (we all agree that's a fair rate?) which doesn't leave any room for the 40-50l of diesel burnt? Bottom line is this- with my skill set I can get £150 for just my labour as a subby anywhere, any place. If I provide a mini digger, whether my own or hired in, it needs to cove all the extra costs- hire, transport, fuel, insurance. Which is at least £100 a day. If you cost your labour out at that, which seems to be the norm from threads on here, then you need the same. If the 'going rate' is less, I won't bother. Same with logs.

I ask and get £260 a day me and machine, and if I don't it can damn well sit there in the yard. Were I to put a driver on it, it could go out for a bit less- but nothing like some of the rates you see on eBay.

Horses for courses. On big quote rate jobs I always hire bigger machines. My point is, don't be an eBay idiot asking £150/day for a man and 1.5t.

Worth £750 when fixed up more like. Tyres and brakes will easily set you back £100 a wheel so think carefully.

Put it this way- who would send out a bloke and chipper for less than £250/day? Same kind of money and running costs for the machine.

Per hour, you want about £32.50, or £260 a day. Plenty of idiots about on eBay though offering a digger and driver for £150 a day. My mini costs me £5/hour including repairs, servicing, diesel and grease. If £150/day or £18.75/hour is a fair day rate for a skilled bloke, that leaves £8.75/hour profit for having your own machine and all the hassle that entails as opposed to just turning up and providing labour for £150/day. Take it or leave it is my attitude. Per metre is harder to quantify as it depends greatly upon the site and how the customer wants is left.

11st 3lb now I've put God knows how much torque through Silverline sockets, even once sheared a rusted M14 bolt with a 1/2" drive 24mm socket, and the socket is still alive today.

Halfords Professional are OK, I have a ratchet. But with sockets and things you will loose, I never spend any more than £2.50. Silverline or Neilson are good, never broke one yet and I'm an animal. Draper is overpriced crap aimed at farmers with blank cheque books. Halfrauds trade card? That's like a B&Q trade card right? :lol:

What's wrong with the chipper? Advice on here is free

Way more efficient than a bucket.

Right choice, nice one.

Got to be under £100. No brakes limits you to 750kg including the trailer- hence that double axle is pointless extra weight as they are not braked. They also make manoeuvring, particularly by hand, harder than it needs to be. Those lights are just begging to be knocked off the first time you use it. Would be a lot more useful with a proper ramp back. My personal opinion is that you would be a lot better off with a second hand single axle Ifor with a proper ramp.

You sound like you know your stuff, but did you follow the correct torque pattern and recheck after a few hours operation? Good clean head bolts, lightly oiled?

Yes, but your dealer may tell you it's not possible. It is, be persistent. If you're near Sussex I have a spare outer and inner shaft here.

Thoroughly debunked... Animal protein as bad as smoking?! I agree with you that excess carbs are a major cause of modern health concerns. I'm down to 7.25% bodyfat on Keto, I reckon that'll do. I'm going to start eating a bit more Paleo, but I'm not giving up the butter! No way. Today I've eaten keto as usual but with a couple of apples. I will report back after a month. This does mean, however, that I have to give up my weekly cheat chocolate evening