AHPP

Thank you for debating intelligently. Others have not been so kind.

Now that's a handy post! Many thanks.

Did you leave the stubs on? I ask because some looked pretty lethal. Someone wading into a pile of that could get an unpleasant surprise.

If you think that's quick, try a (circular) sawbench.

Get in there with some shims. Shut the door. Shims in the spring coils to prop the spring open (long). Open the door. Hook the springs where they need to go. Pull out shims.

Does the tension come off when it's shut? Get in there with a torch?

I don't think he's in that danger. The digital photo sale is a bog standard no reserve auction sale. The (clearly separate) chipper sale is an invitation for people to offer him £4200 for it.

That's the £1m question! Not sure I 100% know the answer. I think you just have to start from a presumption that people will stick to their word and do a good job (unless there are serious red flags - "Sorry I'm late to quote, sir. I just dropped a Giant Redwood on my truck."). How did anyone judge a tradesman in the good(bad?) old days? You couldn't show a portfolio of neat work on your smartphone. Nobody had tickets. I imagine people relied on trust, reputation and the economic reality that bad people shouldn't be able to survive in business. Fred Dibnah was being talked about on here the other day. Who asked to see his IRATA paperwork, his level 9 NVQ in laddoriculture, his pipe smoking permit?

I can't see any more of the info I actually wanted making its way on here now (many thanks to the people who did help in that respect) so I will briefly address other points (made by people who I politely asked not to in the first place...): NPTC certificates are not worth the paper they are written on. They are handed out like sweets by training institutions happy to have you back for another few courses. Competent people have the same piece of paper as incompetent people. I feel sorry for people who are good at tree work, have worked hard for and have the tickets but are lumped in with people who have the same tickets and are shìt at tree work. I equally dislike bad people being able to pass themselves off as good people. People (who sell insurance or employ tree workers) who require tickets before quality are not the sort of people I want to deal with. Me not having tickets is a great way to make sure I never accidentally deal with these people. I want to deal with people actively interested in quality rather than lazily relying on the aforementioned tickets (which are no reflection of quality). Cost doesn't bother me. I'm currently part way through a course of training and qualification for a different type of work at a cost of £35,000 (though that cost could easily go to £50,000 or £60,000). It's a cost:benefit thing. If I relied on tree work as my only source of income, I might toe the line and get some tickets for an easy life. This applies to gaining bargaining power with insurance firms or being able to work for people who demand NPTC certification. Luckily, I am fortunate enough to be able to pick and choose work that I do. I hope that answers questions posed. I'm sure some will agree with me and I'm very sure some won't. Feel free to (a)debate intelligently or (b)do one.

You seem remarkably cheerful considering. This thread isn't evidence creation for an insurance job is it?

A couple have been suggested on the thread and a couple by PM but generally speaking you're right:001_rolleyes:

Outstanding!

Any more recommendations before I start ringing round?

A stand at APF had similar to these for £600. They worked fine but £600 is an awful lot for something £100 Motorolas will do pretty well. I didn't ask him how many he'd sold...

Now heading out the door for a few days without internet. If someone could bump this over the weekend, that'd be great. You never know what might turn up...

*25-36" bar

70cc bare minimum (a lot happier with 90) and preferably comes with a 25" bar. Old, heavy and unfashionable is fine but it must be £250 or under. £300 if it's especially good. I'm on a short notice trip from Sunderland to Fort William this weekend so can collect from a good portion of Scotland (hence this thread). Driving up this afternoon and back Sunday afternoon. Absolutely no replies debating what saw is best, whether you prefer Stihl or Husqvarna nail polish or how I'll never find anything for that money please. Offer to sell me something or don't. Text 07929 855913.

Grateful for your input.

I'd prefer to stay on topic please but I'll talk about tickets more generally after this thread has run a little longer and hopefully generated the info I'm looking for. So anybody coming new to this thread, please read the opening post and maybe you can help with that.

Don't pay skilled blokes lots to do what 16 year old rugby players will do for peanuts. Use tables/rolling racks/slides to make moving stuff sideways easier and/or gravity assisted. Jet wash to clean but preferably tip straight onto a clean, high platform (to take advantage of tables/rolling racks/slides). Or just sell it as is and let somebody else have the hassle.

Thanks.

What I specifically want to avoid is paying for a policy which isn't worth the paper it's written on. I'm sure many insurers would be happy to sell a policy knowing full well they could wriggle out of paying. Luckily, I can read small print. Your point about not paying out in the case of poor working practices is a good one and I imagine ANY insurance policy will have a clause limiting their liability if you've done something way below industry standard. As above, I'd be happy to argue competence, working standards etc if something went wrong but I specifically want to avoid a policy which would just stick its fingers in its ears and say, "No tickets; no payout."

You raise an interesting question. If not tickets, what can be proof of competence? A chat? Pictures of work? Submit an essay?

I don’t have any of the usual certificates, awards, paper qualifications etc for tree work. I will not be getting any. For the sake of this thread (and my sanity), please assume that I am competent and talk no more about this. I want public liability insurance. Some firms have already told me they do not insure people without NPTC certificates. Can anyone please recommend an insurer who does not require evidence of competence by way of tickets and will not try to fall back on an exemption clause if I need to claim. I want to hear from people who have asked the questions and checked the small print. Hopefully I can save some time ringing round hundreds of insurers. I will be sure to tell any insurer of the source of a recommendation if you’d like me to. Many thanks.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uXhLMIDscTI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Someone embed this please.