Pedroski

Horrible news, and thoughts are with his family and friends. The harness thing amazes me though. We hired a MEWP from a big company down here (I won't name the company, but it's something that lots of aging actors have), and they don't provide a fall arrest kit when hiring out. I don't know why. I can imagine how someone could assume it's safe as it is hard to fall over the railing, but if something gives like this then there's no chance.

Better wind yer neck back in - compare the one linked to originally with this from the Zenoah site: Zenoah - CHAINSAW GZ4500 Looks pukka.

None. I agree with what Marko said - the times we have used the vet the prices have been reasonable and we are well ahead. I love my dogs, but if one got hit by a car and badly injured, or became seriously ill, then I'd rather have it 'euthanised' than go through seeing it having to go through operations and rehab etc.

We've used the strimmer and the hedgecutters. Hedgecutting did give a full working day. BUT, climbing ladders to do tops of hedges etc is awful with the lead attaching hedgecutter to battery pack - I'd go as far as saying it can be dangerous. And I'd imagine in trees with the chainsaw it could also be dangerous. There's just too much to get snagged and stuck. Also not happy with the amount of plastic - the stupid plastic ratchet for altering hedgecutter angle just won't last. The strimmer, though, is a bit of a joke, as is the blower. And the prices are prohibitive. There's a firm not a million miles from me who bought the Pellenc stuff to help them get a contract working around some schools.... but they go in and work with their petrol stuff when the school is shut - much better idea. As for "no downtime"..... well, there is plenty of potential for downtime with battery packs and electronic circuitry. The dealer told us that the battery packs contain a control unit that shuts down if faults detected or it overheats, and the manufacturer can then read the fault codes. Now, we all know what vehicles can be like when ECUs cock up or something goes wrong... Regardless, we almost bought a couple of battery packs and hedgecutters (long and standard) a few months ago at something like £4k, then the company selling them told us that the price didn't include VAT! As it is, we can get a couple of hedgecutters for a third of that, leaving £3k for fuel. That's something like 1800 litres of mix, or 5400 Sithl tank fulls of fuel, split between two hedgecutters. To make it worthwhile even considering the Pellenc, then the prices have got to come down drastically or there has to be a particular job in mind that requires the use of more inconvenient but quieter equipment. Or you need to get hold of one of the green grants, which is possibly what Pellenc are hoping people do so that they can keep their price nice and high.

There is a very valid reason for being able to take payments by card. We often get asked if people can spread the cost for expensive projects. If we took credits cards then they'd be able to pay like that.

Don't suppose you want anyone for 25 miles radius of Haywards Heath?

In bath just now I saw Pedroski Bigwood

It's nice to know my electricity bills are paying for you to make money from probably the world's most inefficient means of electricity production

I've used a couple of Dakine ones for years - for work, for holidays, for skiing, for motorcycling (road, lanes, enduro) for cycling. Absolutely top quality, comfortable and never had one fall apart on me.

How'd that happen? I've only got a baby (3501) for snedding and doing roof trusses etc, and it's all good - no problems or weak points.

I'd happily service 4 mowers a day at £75 each, but the problem is that I doubt there would be 4 mowers a day, every day, every week. At least with mowing during the grass season there are plenty of lawns. Sometimes it's best to have several strings to the bow, and be in a position to do lots of different things to fill days. The problem with specialising in one area too much - i.e. getting known as a grass cutter - is that it's easy for a customer to overlook you for other work. Whereas if you let customers know you can mow, you can do trees, you can turf, you can service mowers, you have contacts who can do big tree works etc, then the customer is more likely to consider you for all sorts. The firm I work with started off years and years ago principally as a garden maintenance/grass cutting firm, but built up experience in hard landscaping, brickwork, flintwork, dry stone walling, tree work etc etc, and now we find we get all sorts of jobs that bring in more money than just cutting grass and weeding.

Paperwork is important..... so that manual labourers can feel that they're in a skilled profession Only kidding

Maybe it should have just been reduced a LOT more in the first place, then none of this would have come about.

And celebrity status! There's got to be a TV programme and book next

Fanbloodytastic!

That's absolutely fantastic. And what a good amount of money raised so for Mary's Meals - £26k!

Rich, I'm in similar situation here. Self-employed though working seemingly exclusively for one firm, no paid holiday, no paid bank holidays, no paid sick, pay my own tax and NI and expenses, the whole shebang.... for £100/day! Getting things sorted out now though so I can pull myself out of a rutt I've been stuck in for the past few years. Mrs ain't working, we've got mortgage and kids and increasing bills, and £100/day is seeing me get closer and closer to the edge! Often I wish I'd never taken certain paths in life, but ho hum, can't do nowt about what has been!

Forgot to say - sleep well

Keep at it and you'll get quicker. There's a job I did a few years back for a local organisation that took all day and earned me £80. I did it myself a few weeks ago, it took less than half day and earned me £120 after expenses. And i went back last week and earned £60 for an hour If you're going to do more hedges, then think about treating yourself to a large tripod ladder with adjustable legs. They make it so much safer and easier.

David Icke is right - it's the Illuminati.

The good thing about the XCover is that it's a proper ruggedised waterproof shockproof dustproof version of a Galaxy, so no poncing around with cases to protect it!

Samsung XCover or Motorola Defy2

You're right..... and that situation will NEVER arise again. He's a mate of mine and let me down.

ATC1983, if you do use the strimmer, then nibble into the grass gently - few inches with each sweep. Brushcutter will be easier though, will put less stress on the engine and generally make less mess. Re the hedge, as said earlier in this thread, the width might be the really problem for you. Have you checked how wide it is, and whether you'll be able to reach?

There's a HUUUUGE difference in speed between some climbers using the same climbing technique. For example, two climbers I know who both climb DDRT.... and both with similar number of years experience: First one I'd booked in wasn't ready to climb until elevensees time, had us on the ground pulling the tail end of his rope to hoist him up the tree and was finally ready to work by lunch time. He was on the job for two days, doing one tree... which I suppose was only a day by the time he's got into the tree each day. Second climber... same climbing technique, very similar tree (120ft+ pops)... got himself to the top and ready to start before 9.00 with tree done well before lunch time!