iainarkle

You should be fine. The only issue they have (having had more than I care to remember) is rust and holes around the inside rear door and rear seats if its a double cab and the same if single. Avoid the 'surf' 2.4 as the auto gearbox is not any good and make them over heat. The surf 3l is not as bad. I've used the 2.4td with over 600,000km on the clock...they are still probably going too!

Yup...know that feeling, except yesterday when I felt my age...38. The day before I felt like 138!!!

Hi All, its been a while! Any how, I've been having an interesting (yes crxp) time with my insurance for the hilux. I was smashed into on the 19th Dec and since then the truck has been at the bodyshop. I have full comp, commercial insurance for self-employed people with LV. They talk of a courtesy vehicle in the key facts of the policy but do not specify other than on page 30!!!! of the policy documents when it says class 'A' van. Basically a tiny wee thing. Any way, at the time I was sold the policy, according to LV, I should have been offered like for like cover as this is not part of the policy I have. I assumed it was seeing as it is targeted at s/e folk and specifically for 4x4s. However, LV cannot even offer like for like cover for such a vehicle! Right, bottom-line check your policy docs for what you will actually be provided with if your vehicle is off the road and if there is also any lose of earnings cover. I have not been able to do a think since the crash because of the need for a suitable vehicle to get me into the woods. The good news...the truck should be back on the road in a week to tend days time :thumbup1:

Dear all, Well, you will see that Big J spent most of the day taking photos and NOT DOING ANYTHING - AGAIN. He is currently sitting in the woods in his pimped truck with an ipad because he's too tired to cut from loading the kiln! RSI from pressing buttons all day...don't figure. :001_tt2: Yours sincerely One of J's friendly lackie's... PS OK I'm sat on my couch so perhaps should say nothing!

get a tirfor round it and as you winch it out cut the roots that are under the wall freeing the rest to come out. Probably best inform the customer that there may be damage to the wall as it will leave a big whole right under it and the wall may collapse into it.

Just tried using this app, looks really go and thought I would give it a go. Well, have spent the last 30 mins waiting for the image of leaf to be uploaded and got fed up with it! I'm at home and the iphone is linked to my wireless and still never made it up. The other thing that's not that user-friendly is you need to take the photo on a white background which in principal is fine but not so when you are wet and in the woods! Great idea and hope it improves...

Hi All, this is mainly an idea for Steve! Just thinking of all the theft that is going on and is it possible / worth the effort to start linking the location on a map. My thoughts are if we can identify a pattern and location as a collective the Police may actually do something? Just a thought... I know some very talented "grey" men who are outstanding at serving revenge...best served cold!!!!

Some really good points on both sides here...remember we (humans) have worked and managed the land for thousands of years and are mere stewards of it today. Our natural heritage is what it is, not what it used to be and the reintroduction of species (animal, tree, vegetation, etc) is a hugely contentious issues. I am all for protecting what we have, where appropriate, the reintroduction and irradiation of what is or isn't supposed to be here. Trying to re-create something that has not been there for thousands of years is never going to please everyone and do not forget the environment when it was here is now very very different - weather systems, nutrients, pollutants, people!, animals...you get my drift. To things worth having a look at are Alladale and The European Nature Trust. Both set up by Paul Lister and doing both re-introduction and protection. Enjoy

Hi BC, still looking. Its odd bits and pieces (a coupe of days a week) at the moment until the licenses for some larger single select and line thinning contracts come through. In real terms the bigger stuff wont be signed until June / July time. Give me a call if you have something in mind.

Cheers Bushcutter. Your search criteria is clearly better than mine...

Hi all, I'm after a list of the corresponding qualification / certificate codes for the old NPTC Chainsaw assessments. I know this is on the back of the old certificates but I cannot put my hands on one until next week!!! The ones I'm after are Chainsaw assessment 10 through 16. For example: Is the old 10 & 11 equivalent to CS30 & CS31? One other point of interest is when they changed. Do you know and is there any legislative requirement to update the assessment. My insurer is happy with the old ones! Thanks in advance.

Over the next few weeks I'll get some more now the leaf is coming through the place looks awesome!!!

Oh, PS...the first picture has a 6'8" dwarf leaning against the tree...a medium size Yester Beech!

Hi Guys, Been encouraged to post some pics of where I live (not the big house I'm afraid!). Why, because as I see these trees everyday I forget how vast and majestic many of them are. Hope you all enjoy them...

MS260 / 1. Some of my guys use and have used Husky's and they break!! I have had one, broke, two others I know have had them...you guessed it broke! I could go on... 13" bar on a 260 and you'll be delighted. Some like the 15" for making snedding easier.

Good news Stu. Piece rate, I think, is the fairest way as everyone can see what is going on. Day rate, this is pretty much up to you I'm afraid! You have the choice to accept what is offered or not or negotiate. For an experienced cutter I would expect them to earn, on average over a month, £100 per day as a minimum. (I supply the fuel and oil). The challenge here is to trust the guy you are working with to make sure you are not stuck in a sitka stand single select 1st / 2nd thinning and dealing with windblown all the time. Even guys with 20yrs+ experience will struggle to get enough product to the ground to earn a decent rate in there. Everyone knows this needs to be done so they crack on with it knowing that there is better stuff that over the course of the month they will make it up. This is where the trust comes in! For what it's worth I think you are doing the right thing. Keep your head (and pride) down until you can demonstrate that, on average, you are consistently cutting 8-10 tonnes a day. Then speak to the guy. If no progress there will be plenty of others guys who would take you on when you can show you can cut this sort of volume. Hand cutters seem to be a dying breed and increasingly there is more and more requirement for them. Keep at it.

Hi, by the sounds of it you are self-employed?? You mention the contractor, are you a sub-contractor and self-employed? If so you are not entitled to minimum wage! Being self-employed you state your rates and terms or accept the rate you are offered and the terms offered - provide fuel, oil, ppe etc. If you are not happy with it then you negotiate or turn the work down and look elsewhere. Who is not entitled to the National Minimum Wage : Directgov - Employment So, assuming you are self-employed...If you were cutting less than 4 tonnes a day and requiring constant supervision, help and instruction then I would say that's fair but only if you are provided with at least fuel and oil. By the sounds of it you are beyond that so try and understand how the contractor is paid. If it is tonnes then suggest being paid a fair tonnage rate given your experience. If, however, you are an employee (or have not been given anything stating you are self-employed or employed for that matter and it is 'assumed' you are an employee) then the minimum wage kicks in. Be careful here as you may end up on an apprentice wage which I think is only £2.50/hr. The fuel, oil, saw, PPE, consumables etc - you have a strong argument that your employer should provide them, it could be law but a lawyer I am not! As an employee you cannot be forced to work more than 48hr a wk on average. Working time limits (the 48-hour week) : Directgov - Employment I hope that helps.

Hi, it's IR35 and was first put in place in the late '90's (I think) to stop IT contractors setting up as a company then just doing what went before with their previous employer. As I understand it, it is a pretty grey area and depends on the contract you have. If you are contracted, have a written contract for each and every job then broadly you should be OK as HMRC cannot stop you having the opportunity to work. I use contractors and have done for years in various businesses however they all do the odd bits and pieces ('homers') elsewhere and declare it. HMRC have not had a successful prosecution as I understand hence why it has kinda drifted into the grey area. Both company and contractor are liable, not just the company. Bottomline, get a contract of work for every new client you work for and the specification of works. If anything it will help to show that just because you can't sell yourself and get other work with other people you are not trying! (I'm not saying you can't sell yourself etc...but you catch my drift I hope! )

Absolutely! I've got plenty for those of you who want to be 'made'. You'll sleep very well!

Oh, here's a good one I had today from one of the guys...he was at a party last night and had asked if he could be late which was fine. Then at lunchtime today I got a text saying he had broken down and was on his way to his mechanics on the tow-truck!!! Yeah right...then tonight the truck in question was back on the road having had all the injectors cleaned! All in just a few hours. I wish my mechanics could do that so quickly ;-) (the injectors in question were replace in December along with a re-bored block etc!) hummmmmmmmmmmm! You could both use that one and I wont mind...

Robert, remember not to wash that Mitsubishi you got off J as all the sticky-tape will come off I look forward to the bill. Is beer in the Crammond OK as payment?

You're SOFT, the pair of you... I feel a couple of t-shirts or a new livery for your new truck coming on! J, remember to bring your size 16 for Friday!!!!!!

I have just got a new contract template from my 'tame' Lawyer for using sub-contractors working in forestry. I am happy, as is my Lawyer, to post this up so anyone can use it, all they need to do is change the names and description of work, other than that it is generic. One point, if you are moving from site to site he has recommended doing one for each site! Bit of a nightmare of paperwork for you arb guys but basically, to make sure you are 'contracting' the sub for individual jobs. If you use a catch-all type contract it could cause awkward questions later on... Sub Contractor Service Agreement 2011.doc

As someone said, it all depends on cashflow at the time you need it. Also, depends on if you want to 'build' your accounts and value of the business then finance lease. HP is the less complicated but there is also another option. Contract hire, you never own it, you don't have a balloon payment and everything is fixed cost. At the end of the term or at any given point you can start negotiating. The hire company doesn't want to hold stock of used vehicles or machinery (they are a bank not a dealer) and they typically go to auction so if you negotiate hard you can get the vehicle for its true cost at that point in time if you want to own it...often this will be less than any balloon payment. If not you just give it back. Simple, you have just paid for the use and maintenance of it.

Hi, have a chat to Willie Dobbie at Abbey St Bathans. He's the logosol importer and all-round wood/milling guru! I'm sure he'll have a solution and sell you a thing or two!!!