doobin

You have maintenance issues with all your kit... I know, at least your lads don't roll yours over! Hows it going with the posts mate?

I thought about it for my 1.5 ton. Flow rate is good (same guts as two ton machine) but I'm sure it'd be more cost effective to use an FS550. You can buy three of them to one digger flail too, no transport costs etc. The other thing is that there's bugger all reach on a 1.5 ton Fair play on the bigger digger flails though, they look handy.

My lad is fantastic. A natural with machinery which is rare. First time he drove a digger I just knew I could leave him to it and he'd be expert in a couple of hours His next job was on top of a big hill ripping trees out, raking the site and burning up with the grab. And he's only 16! Quiet spell? Whats that then? With regard to the estate agent quote what's bugging me is whether allowing a day every two weeks is enough. Summertime if its wet the grass will need cutting more than once a week. I know you can leave it for longish periods over winter but I'm just not sure.

Probably just measured the bit that sticks out. Most likely have a 21" on it if that's the case. Lovely saws. Stick a 15" on it and let her rip!

That about sums it up! Wouldn't change it for the world though

Hi chaps Whats the going rate per hour for maintaining gardens for estate agents who offer garden maintenance as part of the rent? I always charge around £15 per man hour. Have been asked to quote for a large garden in a country cottage (just mowing and trimming bushes, the tenant wants to do the borders). Only trouble is they want a quote to maintain it for a year, to be paid in monthly installments. I was thinking it'd take about five hours to do the grass, plus a couple of hours to prune a shrub or whatnot. If I allowed an eight hour day every two weeks (to allow for less visits over the winter) would that be about right? Or is that cutting it too fine (say we have a wet summer and grass grows like mad)? If I go with the above, the yearly cost would be £3120, or £260 a month. Way too cheap surely? But then it is only mowing, edging and occasionally cutting the hedge and bushes. Would I be able to get £150/day for it? That's the minimum I undertake scrub clearance, felling, fencing etc for on day rate. But this is just getting a lad to push a mower (might let him use the ride on tho!) Thanks for any advice.

I run newspapers about early morning. £42.50 cash for 2 1/2 hours easy work

Winter 05:00 till about 18:00/19:00 Summer 05:00 till 21:00/22:00. God I love long summer days! Seven days a week. I'm climbing the walls if I get stuck inside for any reason.

Sorry mate, got to pull you up on that! Stihls biggest clearing saw is 56.5cc- the FS 550. I have two and I sure as hell woudn't want that sort of power on the end of a glorified hosepipe! I'm sure your backpack will be about 35cc, maybe less. All the pro engines for polesaws, reach hedgecutters, brushcutters (not clearing saws) are 30-35cc. Stihl now do a 48cc backpack unit, but it can only take a mowing head as it's the same shaft diameter as the FS400 series apparently.

You sure it's a 13"? I was told I could only have a 13" in .325. Anyone else know owt about this? It has changed my opinion of .325 tho

Where'd you find a 13" 3/8 bar?

If you can take the attachment off like a combi tool, then it's the 130. Or maybe the 120 if it was ten years ago. Who knows?

Learn to use a spreadsheet. You don't need an expensive accountant for the first few years. Plus if you do it on a spreadsheet you have realtime analysis of how the business is doing. Very important.

The biggest Stihl one is the FR480- didn't think that had been out ten years? Do you mean the FR130? They're not bad for hedgecutting actually- only big, long hedges with no curvy corners though!

Not a big fan of backpacks. Mainly due to vibration- after you've used a Stihl 400 series, you won't want to use anything else. Also because the shaft takes a lot more effort to hold- you're hands are supporting all the weight. And if you use a blade, be prepared to keep replacing the flexi drive. I've always though that what is required for bank work is harness with some way of adjusting the height of the machine by pressing a couple of buttons on the handle! Any ideas? Would need some sort of electric adjusting strap I guess.

I don't know what you're worried about, it's a permanent feature of my Corsa.....

Just got a 13" .325 bar and chain for my 036 to use coppicing. Very quick doesn't describe it!

As i understand it, even numbers are pro saws. We have an MS250 and an MS260. They are poles apart.

Cheap on petrol?? I had a 1.3 SJ, may as well have had a V8 landy! Slow, rusty, noisy and uncomfortable. But the dogs danglies offroad!

Are you a self employed sole trader? Are you VAT registered? No? Then a spreadsheet really is all you need.

I like the picture of the lumberjack bloke cutting a downed tree with a top cut when anyone can see it should be an undercut

Seconded.

What's a bunded polytunnel? Agree re the handling!

Think they're minimum is five vehicles.

Right attitude 100%