Wolfie

Fantastic. Could you give us an idea of your fees for commission pieces as a client has a large oak stump they may want carving.

Would it be the same as on the 065? one here - MS650 There is a 064 on ebay for spares or repair but I think it will reach a couple of hundred as it sounds like theres little wrong with it. STIHL 064 AV on eBay (end time 10-Dec-10 22:27:40 GMT)

Split it all down into logs. Keep it of the ground and covered but with a bit of air through flow. It should season pretty quick - before the winter is out.

Hi Sean, I've always struggled to price hedge trimming as I feel that the task is less skilled and so I can't charge full tree works rates, although it can still take a long time to do a big hedge and the purchase/running costs of hedgecutting equipment isn't much different to chainsaws. Basically if I can get £250 for 2 men for a days hedge cutting then I've about covered costs - anything on top is a bonus.

yer, bought a few spares from them - they are a good, reliable company.

Dad's 67 and still climbing, tho he give's the big uns to me now. I'm 35 and feeling shagged - I will probably stop before he does. I've got a 60+ groundy who works like a trooper. You just can't tell, it's a very individual thing.

If the chain has got just one short tooth (if you mullered one when hitting something) then i would not file the whiole chain down but yes, in general, all teeth should be the same length. All teeth and both sides need to be filed at the correct angle - use the mark on top of the tooth as a guide. Make sure you are not filing to low or high - the side of the teeth need to be half of a smily (). If too low, you will get to much curl at the top of the tooth. If you file to high when there won't be a curl at all - both mistakes will seriously affect the cutting efficiency. If you get a saw that cuts like a bananna then it's most likely that the chain hasn't been filed the same on both sides or rakers are not the same size for each side.

Looks like a typical job from someone close to me. I've heard he's thinking of moving to NZ, maybe he's already there.

Just listed my old Buckingham spikes on ebay. Item: 300491968403

I must say that Jonesie's bargain flexi-dry jacket worked a treat - hands were b****y cold tho.

first day back climbing after tearing a muscle in my arm. Struggling about reducing some crappy conifers in the freezing cold rain. Underpriced the job aswell - great day!

Sounds about as good as Stihl's customer service. I bought a HL75 some years ago and the ignition module failed after only a couple of months. The guy who fixed it said it was a known problem. When I complained to Stihl, I got an email back saying "we've passed it on to our technical department" which probably means the bin! And, how long did it take them to sort out the carb problem on the MS200T dispite everyone telling them that they were faulty. I think the big two are far too complacent - it needs someone to come in and shake the market up a bit. rant over.

Many thanks for your help Tony and Monkey. The Grifola was found between the toes of an Oak.

Just wondering what peoples' opinions are about woodpecker holes. Normally I'm very wary about trees with them as i guess the birds are burrowing for bugs that should not be in a healthy tree. But I inspected a healthy looking lime with at least four holes in the trunk, the largest of which extended 4" into the trunk but ended in solid wood (tree diameter about 20"). Apart from the holes it seems a sound tree. Should I be concerned?

I know the P&D experts on here are probably getting sick of these threads but your help would be greatly appreciated. Pic's 1,2 & 3 found on different oaks. Worried about 3 as it's close to a road. Pic's 4 & 5 are two outbreaks of about 5 around the base of a Catalpa.

agree - superb service. ordered new spike on monday needing them tuesday. got them tuesday. Thanks jonsie.

Nobody has mentioned the carters hitch yet. I know that you need to be careful to tie and set it correctly but it's dead easy to untie.

I'm generaly in favour of training and legislation, But I do feel that no allowance is made for common sense. This negates charles darwins 'natural selection' so when the brainless ofe forgets to harness into the tree or cuts their leg off it's the poor employer that has to bend over and take it if they happen to forget to do a risk assessment.

I was dismantleing a pole yesterday and the client came out with teas. Not wanting to come down and then go back up, one of my groundies put the ladder up and passed it up to me. Does everyone agree that we need a 'Heights and Hot Beverages Act'. There must be others that have slipped through the H&S net.

I heard he was trying to cut a hedge with a chainsaw.

good one ade, have you seen this one - Health and safety at battle of waterloo. Nelson - Admiral of the Fleet Hardy - his loyal mate Nelson: "Order the signal, Hardy." Hardy: "Aye, aye sir." Nelson: "Hold on, that's not what I dictated to the signal officer. What's the meaning of this?" Hardy: "Sorry sir?" Nelson (reading aloud): "England expects every person to do his duty, regardless of race, gender sexual orientation, religious persuasion or disability". "What gobbledygook is this?" Hardy: "Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir. We're an equal opportunities employer now. We had the devil's own job getting 'England' past the censors, lest it be considered racist." Nelson: "Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco." Hardy: "Sorry sir. All naval vessels have been designated smoke-free working environments." Nelson: "In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the main brace to steel the men before battle." Hardy: "The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral. Its part of the Government's policy on binge drinking." Nelson: "Good heavens, Hardy. I suppose we'd better get on with it ...full speed ahead." Hardy: "I think you'll find that there's a 4 knot speed Limit in this stretch of water." Nelson: "Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle In history. We must advance with all dispatch. Report from the crow's nest please." Hardy: "That won't be possible, sir." Nelson: "What?" Hardy: "Health and safety have closed the crow's nest, sir. No harness. And they said that rope ladder doesn't meet regulations. They won't let anyone up there until proper scaffolding can be erected." Nelson: "Then get me the ship's carpenter without delay, Hardy." Hardy: "He's busy knocking up a wheelchair accessto the fo'c'sle Admiral." Nelson: "Wheelchair access? I've never heard anything so absurd." Hardy: "Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a barrier-free environment for the differently abled." Nelson: "Differently abled? I've only one arm and one eye and I refuse even to hear mention of the word. I didn't rise to the rank of admiral by playing the disability card." Hardy: "Actually, sir, you did. The Royal Navy is under- represented in the areas of visual impairment and limb deficiency." Nelson: "Whatever next? Give me full sail. The salt spray beckons." Hardy: "A couple of problems there too, sir. Health and safety won't let the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don't want anyone breathing in too much salt-haven't you seen the adverts?" Nelson: "I've never heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell the men to stand by to engage the enemy." Hardy: "The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral." Nelson: "What? This is mutiny." Hardy: "It's not that, sir. It's just that they're afraid of being charged with murder if they actually kill anyone. There are a couple of legal-aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks." Nelson: "Then how are we to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?" Hardy: "Actually, sir, we're not." Nelson: "We're not?" Hardy: "No, sir. The Frenchies and the Spanish are our European partners now. According to the Common Fisheries Policy, We shouldn't even be in this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for compensation." Nelson: "But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil." Hardy: "I wouldn't let the ship's diversity co-ordinator Hear you saying that sir. You'll be up on disciplinary." Nelson: "You must consider every man an enemy, who speaks ill of your King." Hardy: "Not any more, sir. We must be inclusive in this multicultural age. Now put on your Kevlar vest; it's the rules. It could save your life" Nelson: "Don't tell me - health and safety. Whatever happened to rum, sodomy and the lash?" Hardy: As I explained, sir, rum is off the menu! And there's a ban on corporal punishment." Nelson: "What about sodomy?" Hardy: "I believe that is now legal, sir." Nelson: "In that case ...kiss me, Hardy.

That's right, I posted it before I realized they were 28 pages. My name is Edward, you'll probably know my dad, John, who has a yard at Fulbourn. Where are you working now then?

I think transit changed to new generation in 2001/2002 so it should be the last model of the smiley face ones.

It wasn't cheap, but it is quality. Without digging out the invoice, it was approx £3100 for body (incl. ram, powerpack, fitting), £400 for the paint job. Plus the VAT it took the total just over £4k. It was fitted to an ex BT truck that I bought as a chassis with only 25K miles on the clock. In total the whole truck after claiming vat back was £10K but I was sick of buying 7/8 year old vehicles and then spending thousands each year repairing them.