Minotaur

Forgot to add - Bring on the burglars!

Just getting ready for a night out - only question is what to choose!

Rich, I thought the whole point to having a bigger, knie, sword, whatever, - was so they can't run away! Ever!!

There at least two one legged tree surgeons around - one was in an article in Land Rover mag, can't remember where I got the other info - magazine or internet.

Understood the above but what can you charge for tipper and chipper - say Timberwolf 125/150 (towed) ? Driver/groundie £150 ? Tipper £50 ish plus the fuel? Chipper £60 ? Thoughts and comments??

Wouldn't have any fears of auto with Toyota or maybe LR, but would definitely look at some feedback on forums before buying an auto L200/Ranger/Navara/etc/etc. Autos take abit of power, so some vehicles might be sluggish or possibly unsuitable in an auto configuration. Just my opinion

Have you been out to Sierra Leone to look at the work/work sites? How safe is the local area? Not too long ago the British Army had to send a large force out there to rescue a group of kidnapped British soldiers -- Operation Barras. Yes the civil war /unrest is largely over, but in very poor countries where there has been recent unrest there are/can be kidnappings and or robberies. Have you checked the FCO website: Sierra Leone travel advice Might be worth contacting a decent risk advisory &/or training company: Risk Lifesigns Global security company | Global risk management - red24 I am not saying it is unsafe, but unless you have a good knowledge of the local area, advisors and asafe compound to work/ooperate from, with accomodation., then you could be looking for trouble. I travelled and lived extensively throughout Africa and can assure that unless you have done your homework you 'could' be walking into a hornets nest. However, with the correct advice etc, etc it could all work well and the team could have a great time. Make sure your guys have thorough up to date First Aid training, a bloody good First Aid and Trauma Kit and have practiced trauma procedures and rescue climbs. If you need some one to go out ahead of the team to check it all out and pave the way, feel free to pm me!

As long as he knows how to pay the bill - happy days!

Until fairly recently this country was one of the most lawless places in Africa, if not the world. I would be very careful about checking out the current situation and the level of banditry in the area concerned. Then I would be interested once the company offered a wage comensurate with the job required/advertised - risk/short term contract/etc/etc £2000 per week absolute minimum

There money is as good as anybody elses, coz it usually is! Do you really think they work pay the bill fair and square - no chance. 'Would touch it with yours', as they say!

I hope this isn't breaking any rules - just trting to help. I have my own tree business plus I am a qualified First Aid Instructor. I would be willing to put together an EFAW with as much emphasis on the Arb side, or could an a day and cover more significant trauma and some climbing rescue practice I'm in West Malling, Kent - could come to you or if anough takers in the SE, whereevers central, as long as we have some useable trees and an indoor training room. pm me if interested Chris

HullsmillFarm - I'd say it was a very good offer. Brewup - if I was you, I bite his hand off

G Wagen DC Pick Up

Contact some local firms and volunteer to do a few days or weekends for an insite and a chat Good luck

Are the 2.4's much better than a TD5?

Def agree with the above, but the killer with asbestos is the fine dust when you break it up. Recently a friend of my wife had the following happen to her family: Father in law who is a retired squaddie became ill, eventually he was diagnosed with asbestosis, and after quite some discussions it was decided the only contact he'd had with asbestos was when he knocked down an old garage at theirs long term forces property. Father in law passed away, then within 3 months my wifes friends husband, his brother and sister all became ill. Yep all diagnosed with asbestosis and all died 6-9 months later. They had all helped the father knocked down garage and dispose of it. They even remembered rolling balls of asbestose which they threw at each other and kicked about! Amazing what people did not so long ago that with a bit more info...............

Firm I used to work for had a spate of thefts, so: hitch lock, wkeelclamp, a long steel girder or solid bit of steel with chains thru or welded to it and then chained across the front of the trailer on the A frome of the drawbar. Almost impossible to remove with out cutting gear! Worked well and even tho they broke into the unit they didn't get the trailers. Like the board thru the a fraome/drawbar idea.

I am 46 been in the game 7 years now - did a bit when I was a youngster, but got sick and tired of the industry I was in. So 7 years ago I re-trained got my tickets and got a job with a contractor who work the railways etc - mainly get up to date with the current legislations and re-new my work skills. Hard work, but worked in a good team of lads, but there was some complete idiots too and the money was sh*te! Managed just under 12 months then went out on my own. I contract a few experienced lads when I have bigger or more technical jobs, otherwise just crack on. I really enjoy the freedom off the job, working in the trees and the great outdoors. But down here in Kent there are so many itinerant workers - Eastern Europeans, our traveller un-friends, more pikkies, more pi**ies, and then some guys who don't mind working for labourers wages! Ho-hum crack on and enjoy, but make sure you fully undestand all the job entails - hard work, gaining the trust of customers, dealing with all the sh*t from those listed ubove and the large investment in saws, ropes, kit, truck, chipper, etc.

Arb specific First Aid is something I am currently working on - but can't sa much more here yet.

Rich 28 where abouts in the UK are you? I'm in Se London/Kent area, and work is the worst it has ever been down here. Can't believe how bad a start to a year its been - truly hope the rest of 2012 is not like this coz if it is I'll end up homeless. Its just starting to pick up, so fingers crossed. Like the guys above have said, its expensive to get all the tickets/training, there is trully a hell of a lot to learn and the kit will cost you a packet - let alone a truck and poss a chipper?! Keep looking for more plastering work , look further afield and also try out with a local firm and/or maybe for one of the lads on here. Good luck.

Great work, fantastic photos and a quite magical place, particularly in snow. Well done David, keep them coming.

Checking out info on chassis strengths and weighhts etc, you could try: Foley Specialist Vehicles - encyclopaedic knowledge of Land Rovers and have built shed loads of 130's, 150's and longer. They have even built vehicles for LR

A pint in the pub on way home, 2-3 days a week, a beer or two when I get home - just little stubbies. Then 2-3 glasses of red with me food. If I got the taste might have a stubbie or two during the evening. But that sme lot - can't drink anymore, could neck 10-12 pints a night regular when I was younger but can't manage half that on a good night now!

Thanks for the replies D22 has a well documented engine problem, that to their shame Nissan tried to avoid, deny and denounce - thanks to the chaps at knackered Navara they eventually had to admit to the fault and start to put it right. But NOT before it cost many people alot of money, work, their job, etc. Perhaps a bit old hat. Similiarly Land Rover denied the head gasket fault on the K series petrol engine as fitted to the Freelander. As I know to my cost and disgust. So the older Navara's out NP300 is a bit old, but hopefully the no more reliability problems D40 Navara, unfortunately has some problems , but none that compare with the D22 Navara. However, I don't like all the electrics and the lack of a proper lower box controlled by a gearstick, rather than a button. Perhaps a bit too lifestyle. Not sure how it would cope in N. Africa, which is somewhere I quite fancy visiting with whatever truck I end up with - if I do end up with a 4x4. L200, old shape, just too old for my liking. L200, current shape, like the single cab, but really don't like th elook of the club or double cab. There are some comments around about various reliability problems or faults, but none that stands out that would stop me buying. Hilux - old shape, another truck with a great reliability record, but rather underpowered and not the best tow tug. Plus hideously overpriced for such an old vehicle. New shape Hiluxs, good reliability reputation, one friend has driven his 4 times to West Africa full loaded with no problems. However, they have a very poor recommended tow weight rating at 2250kg, although they are plated at 2800kg, and several reports of them towing that sort of weight without a problem - although I do wonder if thaty s the owners talking 'up' his truck. LR130/110, superb off road ability, against Iron age design and ride, but the only truck witht he benefit of permanent 4wd. Well aware of their ability, as I took a 130 overland to Cape Town. Very expensive but hold their price well - apparently. This is probably the case, until I buy one then they will become the only truck that nobody wants! Why, oh why, don't LR make a Disco dropside/utility/pick up, etc. Never really fancied an Isuzu, was told they were a bit behind the field in design and ride quality. Ford Ranger/Mazda, old shape performs well as a work truck by reputation but on a very old and underpowered engine. Ranger/Mazda current shapes - seem to have become very popular, but is that down to price alone? Lots of comments that they struggle to tow anything like their plated load. Land Cruiser 40 series is ancient but almost unstoppable. 60 is a station wagon only 78/79 series have an awesome reputation for longevity, I know someone who owned one with in excess of 500, 000 miles in Africa and despite looking like scrap was still going stong. And the ability of the straight six is just legendary. I have driven quite a few of them and really like them if only they were available over here. But think they would have forced LR hand years ago. The heart says LR but the head says a Toyota, however perhaps pricewise an L200 or Ranger??? Still in a damn quandary!

Ok this is how my list would rank: TLC 79 series - just go and go LR 130 - all round ability & perm 4x4 LR110 - as above Hilux current model - just so reliable, quite capable, but poor towing capacity L200 - all round ability Ford Ranger/Mazda current - all round performance but some probs Old Hilux - maybe ranks high but starting to age, but reliable, tow capacity not great. NP300 - working truck but reliability issues, (engines go pop) Navara current - too many electrics, and a bit of a toy? Be honest, I have no experience or knowledge others like the Isuzu - but open to advice Sam - sorry but the faults of LR against the reknown reliability of a 79 knocks the British Brick off top spot. I am mainly looking for opinions of the Jap kit as I have lots of LR experience having driven a LR130 London to Cape Town, RSA. Ta