aob9

...me too, must be composted first. Instinctively, a mulch of of fresh wood chip around trees and hedges is not a good idea and I would never do it.

It's 30" between handlebars. I know it has obvious limitations but it suits me as a first machine. It's obviously too soon to comment on it's potential longevity. If the work keeps coming in I'll save for an upgrade but for now I'm really pleased with it.

Now I know all you "BIG GUYS" will choke on your ale when you see this but I thought it would be no harm to tell you about this 9HP DR stump grinder I recently purchased. I have been asked to remove a lot of dead hedging recently and hiring stump grinders around here is nigh on impossible. This is well built and very capable of removing smaller stumps. I've used it on stumps averaging about 6-9" and got through about 50 of them in a little over a day. It has a 9HP Subaru EX27 engine and is surprisingly "gutsy". As you can possibly see by the design it would be difficult to deal with large stumps, not because it wouldn't grind them but because it would be difficult ( but not impossible) to achieve great depth. If anyone is interested I would be glad to answer any questions.

If I'm correct (based on other posts) you're lucky to have the Honda 13HP engine. I have no experience of Mitsubishi and I'm really not sure about the much cheaper GTE 390. I've been offered a second hand Jo Beau M300 for €4850 (£4350) incl. VAT....high price, but hey! this is Ireland. I can import a new GTM Pro 13HP Mitsubishi for £3275 and try and deal with any future problems myself due to lack of dealer support over here.

Found this ........"Force Feeding" [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQblomGOGyM]YouTube - BROYEUR GTS 1300 de GTM PROFESSIONAL[/ame]

I'm checking out the CS100 14HP( Honda) @ €5500 (incl VAT) and the electric start 18HP(Kohler) @ €6300. To be honest my budget doesn't allow for the 18HP. But this is always the problem, the best option is always just short of the grasp. I have made contact with a guy (on Arbtalk) who is selling a used 14HP version but I'm concerned about the cost/inconvenience of travelling to the UK to collect. You guys have no idea how lucky you are having "choice" in the UK. Over here we have very limited options at a high premium.

I work in the Landscape/Garden maintenance area i.e not a Tree Surgeon. I usually load green waste into a trailer and take it to my local recycling center. I've recently been asked to remove LOTS of dead hedging (escalonia etc) and the bulk is creating obvious problems. I'm not in the market for a large chipper but I don't want to waste money on underpowered machinery at the same time. I'm currently looking at Greenmech CS100, Jo Beau M300 and also this....... GTM PRO GTS1300 Woodchipper - Shredders / Chippers Find Commercial Chippers Buy UK Given that the GMP Pro chipper is a good bit cheaper than than the alternatives I was wondering if anybody has an opinion/experience of this machine. I'm heading to a trade show this week to see the Greenmech in action. There is also a Jo Beau dealer in Dublin.I doubt I will ever see a demo of the GMP Pro in action as they don't appear to have a dealer in Ireland (will need to import) so I will have to make a decision based on any advice I can get from elsewhere.

.......and you should see what we are paying in Ireland when you compare us to the UK market. For example, this week I purchased a Hailo combi ladder from a UK supplier, paid £45 to have it shipped to Ireland and it still worked out a full €110 euro cheaper than purchasing the exact same ladder here. When I compare prices of chainsaws, hedgecutters etc it brings tears to my eyes.

AA Teccie ...........Thanks for that, more reading. What did we do before forums (fora?)

APC....I was looking at the HCC courses as well, but not being accredited is is a problem!!!! Harmony Arb....Thanks for that link. As suspected I have covered much of the "non-Arb" specific portions of this course before. But I'm still very interested in gaining this qualification. It will definitely be good for business from a practical and promotional point of view IMO.

I'm looking at some interesting machinery in the US at the moment. Shipping is expensive but it still works out cheaper than buying at home. I'm presuming nothing on that side of the pond is CE marked so would I be using illegal equipment? I specifically refer to possible problems with insurance.

I know this has been discussed on another thread but I'd like to re-open the discussion. I'm really interested in doing a formal, recognized qualification in Arb. I'm working (and studied) in various areas of Horticulture for a long time but I really feel I could learn more about Arboriculture. Not to mention that I'm genuinely interested in the subject. According to this....... Advanced Course Search .........I don't need any NPTC Certs to qualify for the "RFS Certificate in Arboriculture". According to other sources I WILL need NPTC certs to gain full qualification ( I already have CS30/31/48). The RFS website doesn't have the latest update on this course yet. There also appears to be a "theory only" course leading to a similar Cert in Arb. I'm living in Ireland and finding it difficult to locate an equivalent on-line delivery of an Arboriculture Cert course. Can anyone advise me on my options, or are there other equivalent recognized qualifications out there. BTW, I also found this........... ARBORICULTURE I course, -Study tree culture, establishment, health, care, surgery - ACS Distance Education ...........but it doesn't appear to be "formal".

I asked a pretty lady to put out her cigarette at a petrol pump recently. Her response reminded me why some women are just good to look at. Something along the lines of "Did I own the ?"$%£C ^%^^$ $^%&%^& (((** ...place.

Used Machinery Auctions - Mr Machinery Spotted a Hawk Stump Grinder on current auction. Looks okay according to the certification. BUT when I queried Hawk's Customer service in USA they said they have no record of the serial number. However, (they also said) that it may be a vendors serial number. Anyone got experience of these auctions???

Cheers for advice, plenty food for thought. Anthony

Fairly new here. I have a Tanaka TCS 3301S top handled saw. I acquired it from a friend some time back. I am not qualified/certified to use this as I don't climb. However, and I'll be honest, I have used it on occasion (both hands) because the light weight and small bar makes it easy to use for extended periods on small tree work. I try my best to operate legally/safely so I will have to trade/sell this machine. Can anybody recommended a lightweight, good quality chainsaw, maybe 13" bar for light work?

I just watched the Powersharp Chain video. Looks very interesting.

Thanks Robert S. I don't do "Big Tree" work, I'm not a Tree Surgeon. But I do fell and remove smaller trees and do a lot of site clearing/prepping for landscaping, lawns etc. I have been looking out for a used Alpine Magnum as they are perfect for getting into tight spots. They're a bit expensive and hard to come by but maybe it would be a good idea to keep saving. I might end up being disappointed with something like the 272s.

As seen here husqvarna 272s chainsaw / stump grinder on eBay (end time 27-Feb-11 12:35:21 GMT) I'm not trying to be smart/funny but are these legal from an insurance POV? I'm looking for a small grinder I can take anywhere to grind stumps 6" or less. A search on Google brings up a certain amount of respect for these machines but they were originally sold in the early 90's.

Would if I could. I live in Cork in Ireland. Very difficult to hire a stump grinder around here and even if I could it would probably be wrecked.

I'm new to this forum but I've read as many previous threads as I can find on the subject of "walk behind " 13HP stump grinders. After much research and phonecalls I have narrowed my options. I would appreciate any opinions on choosing between these three models. Here's the breakdown. Husqvarna SG13 "almost new" with full 12m warranty £2500 incl VAT. Rayco RG13 new £3540 incl VAT. Carlton 900 second hand, was used as hire machine. Fully serviced,new bearings etc. Seller is reputable outlet here in Ireland. Sterling equiv. £2000 incl. VAT. Stump removal is only an occasional task for me. Most of my work is in general garden maintenance and landscaping. I have turned down a few clearing jobs because I don't have a stump grinder. Access is important for many of my jobs. My chosen machine won't be working on a daily basis so I don't want to spend any more than I have to. Thanks for reading.