AHPP

Man and skidsteer available for coppicing/woodland work Want to spend more time cutting product and less time clearing a way in or tidying up afterwards? Get me and my little skidsteer in to do all the stuff like bramble/scrub/rhododendron ripping, brash burning, product stacking and moving, even minor extracting; basically anything that would take you away from the actual profitable work of cutting product. Other benefits are pushing leaners, pulling hangers, holding stuff off the ground to cut, stuck saw retrieval, tool carrying and (very small) trailer towing. It's really useful and does far more than a man, far faster. Main attachment is the grab, rigid swivel type. Bucket also of use for repairing ground and rudimentary track building. I also have a petrol capstan winch, saws, rigging and all the usual odds and sods. Got the odd edge tree that needs climbing? I can do that. Most of my work is freelance climbing (but I'm trying to do more with machines). Have me in before cutting, during cutting, after cutting or all three. Exact prices dependant on location but roughly as below in most of England, some of Scotland: 1 day - £400 2 days - £700 3 days - £900 4 days - £1100 5 days - £1300 No VAT. Fuel included. Also available for arb groundwork, operated by me or operated by you while I climb. Also available with bucket, pallet forks and post hole augers for building/landscaping. Most of England, some of Scotland. 07929 855913

The Bank of England needs turning into a trendy wine bar before it can do any more damage.

I used to think this but I've now settled (not immovably but firmly enough) on the point of view that in the time you spend waiting for a crash/dip/adjustment price bargain, you lose more because of inflation. I say you're best off just getting on the train and not worrying about the fare seeming steep. It'll seem blissfully cheap next year. Say you have £200k. The house you want is £230k. A £30k dip could happen, you think, so you wait. You wait for a year while inflation is running at 10%. The house is now £253k (or your money is worth £182k, whichever way you prefer to think about it). Another year passes. House is £278k (or your money £165k). Now you wish you'd just paid "too much" two years ago. 10% is the inflation rate this year btw. It won't be that next year.

Joke's on you. I don't have any money.

I saw that phrase the other day and threw up a bit. ****************ing odious doublespeak. There's no presumption of you having my money. There's a presumption I have my money.

I remember looking at it and wondering which stem would be most convenient to fail. The answer was none of them. They were all doing something for the other ones in terms of balance and rigging strategy. Proper pain in the arse. They want to hope it all falls over or all lives forever.

I can't see why we should bother doing anything else.

Rare for me to turn a job down but turn down topping some pops I did. Three bloody meaty stems, going out in all directions except up. Proffered spec was wallop it back to three twiglets and whatever wouldn’t fit through the chipper. Tricky rigging. Hemmed in by the worst sort of garden shit. Sheds everywhere. Roads miles away. Basically unviable for a crane. The inevitable takedown will be a proper job but at least can be planned at relative leisure while the tree stands healthy and unmolested. Performing the hack the customer wanted would have started a countdown culminating in calamity and given whoever eventually climbs it to remove it a way harder job. As is always the case, pictures don’t do it justice.

I reckon it was just some rich kids holidaying on a yacht, shooting mortars at empty jet skis. The propaganda writers can’t believe their luck.

Regardless of legalities, getting the end clients to ask is more likely to yield fruit. It does put you in the realms of you, a subcontractor contacting clients behind the primary contractor’s back though. Especially tricky because the conversation is basically, “Remember this firm you hired? The guy’s a cowboy.”

Update. I’ve just discovered you can’t really use the bollard and winch at the same time. The ropes foul each other.

Pre-tensioning a fell, especially when using a clutchless winch and no backup/pig/progress capture. Use the tree bend and the rope stretch to store energy so it goes when your back cut (or release) is finished and you don't have to go back to the winch to get it over.

Budget?

What are you wanting to do with the felled trees? Sell as lengths? Process into firewood? Chip? Mill into planks? Something else?

Can you weld?

I know. That’s why I suggested he makes sure he knows how elastic his rope is and plans his pulls accordingly. My mother tells me things I’ve just said myself too.

The polysteel isn’t a recommended pairing or whatever but if it works for what you do with it, it works. The Rolls Royce for static stuff is braid covered dyneema like Novoleen. If you want elasticity, any arb rigging rope will do but try to pick one with a less waxy outer braid. English Braids are waxy and Yale actually have a waxy coating option. I have a Marlow that works nicely on a capstan. I’d investigate Marlow, Stein and Teufelberger in that order for a replacement. On winching, make sure you know how elastic your rope is and plan your pulls accordingly. Sometimes you want static, sometimes you want elastic, sometimes it doesn’t matter.

This has always been a great thread for Aspen Bob’s lads but you’re pushing it towards legendary status, Mike. I’m afraid I’m uncharitably pissing myself at your misfortune.

Shepherds’ warning.

You two have fun.

I've been a Grand Master since the last forum software update but nobody's turned up to fag for me.

I've often wondered whether arbtalkers at the APF should signal their sociable intent with some piece of identifying clothing or accoutrement, much like leather fetishism dresscodes but less spanking etc. I'll probably have a camo bag with a pink ribbon on it. People are welcome to say hello.

An ex girlfriend bought one of those. Fabulous thing. Way better than a Grom.

They feel better in the hand than a 160t and if they cut the same as a 220 backhandle, they'll be great. I've not looked into the switches/modes though. That could be a big drawback.

You'll need higher resolution photos for the Logbullet brochures.