theflyingscotsman

Upgraded to a Wallenstein Wx640 !!! Thanks Greg from Bathlogs Beast 25tons of pure pleasure! (ish) At least it's the 'high' model and the first Wallenstein that I've used standing up straight... So no sore back! Now it's to get a remove able logs table and the option of double controls (for hse) fitted. I'm also going to make a 4 way and six way wedge for it. Happy happy happy

Yup agreed, good posts. it's nice to know I'm not alone...now tipper, crewcab, new ranger...ehh..

Exciting times Justin well played so far! Best of luck When's the Edinburgh store opening? Lol

Yeah an Irish guy died tonight I heard. Still my quad bike though flaming pallets is still going ahead tomorrow.... Something about too old to die young?

Howdy mate, nope I'm keeping my head down.... As an 'old' young farmer I may just be able to miss it... Some of the videos are funny though.... From naked well blessed blondes to chaps getting lifted and spun on a 360 diggers...then downing a pint

Ah not so good friend. Did you keep any of your kit from your self employed days? If so it's never to late to start up again. You'll be a lot more effective now. Go and talk to your old customers and see if they'd have you back. The only plus point about employment is if you aren't getting on in the job your in, try and find a better one. I know it's not that easy but life's not. Keep your chin up, tell depression to go 'France' it's self as it's little more than a time waster. Life is for the pro active.....mind you only got one life. Self employment isn't exactly a barrel of laughs either mind... Okay you may earn a bit more but I work 70 hours a week on average to earn just that wee bit more... If your a grafter you might consider slowing up a little so you won't be so bodily tired. Usually employed people (IMHO) work about 1/2 - 3/4 pace of a self employed people. As their not getting paid to race about flat out. So take it a bit easier. It might at least give you a bit of time to think of a solid game plan and move forward. Good luck and chin up mate.

I got a huge alloy one from the wheel barrow company which is great for logs, grass, heavy stuff . It's was about £70 and has lasted well Chillington barrows are good if your want steel

Hi Steve, many thanks for the offer but 8k gulp gulp gulp! Way out of my scope this year! I'll just keep going with the small hatchet just now, only doing about 600 sheep feed bags a year so a bigger machine would take a few years to pay for itself. Many thanks for the info though.

A 365 is okay with a small a smaller bar..I've used one with a 24" bar on it and it was working very hard. I'd suggest a Stihl 460 for the job, 25" bar on it will run lovely through just about anything. Can be bought fairly cheap off eBay. Look for a clean one though.I aim for ones less than two years old. A 460 is also an animal with a 20" bar on it and will motor through the smaller stuff and is relatively light.

Hi Steve, looks very good indeed. I'm about to invest some money in one. If you don't mind me asking how much was your kindlett? (Pm me if you prefer) I was looking at one that only did board wood it was 2500 so I'd think your one would be a bit more?! Gulp! Thanks in advance

Jesus, he was a barrel of laughs anyway. Sorry for asking too many questions on a helpful and informative forum....just trying to get on in life like everyone else.. Folk take stuff way too serious... Now which is best Stihl or Husky lol???

I've got a 56 plate ranger and would advise you to avoid. Soft drive trains and plenty gremlins aboard. The older shape rangers ( an 06 plate low mileage one ) where good ponies. 56/07 plate ones avoid (my neighbor has an 07 plate and says it's just as bad as my one.) A friend had a 56 plate on also, for 6 months. In that time she spent a fortune on the gearbox, clutch, flywheel like I did but her engine also went pop. It had done 44k at the time she just got rid. For for sale 56 supercab 88k one careful owner £6000! Hahaha

Haha it's like a hi-vis army

And we All wonder why the country - even the world has gone to pot.... They could advertise their bars anyway they want...lives not fair get use to it and move on. Some of the atrocities going on in the world and people are bitching and whining about that.!!!!!!!!!!! Grow up, go and make some money and have a nice life.

Hi does a load handler work if you've a canopy on the back of the truck? ( sorry to hijack original post!)

Hi Billy, Cheap..that's good first time I've covered myself for a number of years. Accident covers me for loss of income and is a standard payment of £1500pm which is basically to cover my bills. It was as I only had 3 years books and most wanted 5.. So it was a 1500pm no questions policy. It may no cover exactly what I earn a month but make me sleep a wee bit easier My life ins is cheap because I'm healthy and 33. So I'm told?! And as long as I keep paying it - it will stay that price forever. Happy days

Money super market... Or money saving expert is good also. I've life ins, personal accident and injury... £36pm Unsure if that's good or bad tbh. £13 for life £23 for accident as I've been in business less than 4 years it costs more.

Howdy, sadly for you if it says 'used' and 'no returns' on his ad' you've NO come back. You likely bought it cheaper than a new one and that's the chance you take. I've bought about 5 saws off eBay, 4 are spot on 1 was a total pig... I don't buy anything off eBay unless it's 50% of its original value or it's value used dependent on age and condition This time it just sounds like bad luck..

I see no issue, park along side her, turn the spout and keep on keeping on! Shift if someone needs past...

Amen to that....

Good used from eBay, small saw 350 or 353 husqvarna or 359 if you want a bit bigger. Bigger still a stihl 460 is a cracking saw and can be bought fairly cheap. Also 281xp husqvarna is a bit of a beast for the large stuff.

Hi john I'm through trust, chainsaw wise no one will insure you unless you can prove you can maintain and use a saw ie tickets: which are about 600-700 for the first nptc course a lot less if it's lantra. Look on the Oatridge college website. Colin

Hi Mat. I'm very pro self employment and will answer the main question as openly as I dare Right good first step is to ask those in the know.(the Arbtalk 'search' is excellent for this, as there's lots of helpful knowledgable chaps on here) I started 3years ago after being employed for about 14 years. I know have 3 small business's and specialize in properties plus an acre. (Biggest being 600 acres) I started with about £7000 (mainly selling luxuries i didn't need and £3000 redundancy payment) + and £8000 loan. In year one my target per day working was £100 In year two £200 and so on.. Set yourself targets and stick to them. Pros: money.. Why be employed and put the bulk of the money in someone else's pocket? When your employed and even sub-contacting this is what your doing. Job satisfaction is huge also: to pull off your first big job, complete your first year in business is epic. Days off when you want?! Well yes it's good to do what you want Ish....days off can be extremely hard to get if you've a good going young business. It takes a lot of time to be the main man. Getting work (doing quotes) then doing the work (grafting) then asking to be paid, then accounts, then endless research into the best gear for your money. Research also into how to expand and new avenues of business to make more money. Pro: sickness- once yourself employed you'll never have a 'sick' day again...as either don't need to, as you can take a day off or you don't want to lose a days wages Main pro: it is extremely nice to do EXACTLY what you want to do. No one on planet earth tells me what to do any more. (Apart from my lovely wife) haha Cons: Risk and reward. So your planning to make a minimum of £100 per day with minimal kit for your first year. But to get that money it's not about just turning up anymore. You've now got to factor in total costs of getting paid. This means not only your business costs but physical and mental (stress mainly) and you have to do all this mainly unsupported. (No bosses to ask and no one else really cares!) Having some of your work coming from a larger contractor is a very good thing: the bread and butter wages- however.. That work could and will in time dry up. So begin by looking at the amount of competitors in your area and go from there. A simple trip to the local notice boards or in the local papers, google it::: but find out... If there's too many already it's going to be extremely tough. A good contractor will have all bases covered. i.e. All my customers (around 300) use me solely for all there garden, tree, wood fuel and machinery servicing and won't go else where as I give them no reason to. My rates are reasonable but not cheap, work is all spotless (if their not happy with something it's remedied immediately) I tend to them like extended family almost. In turn they trust me and pay me very well. My business's grow year on year. I work an average of 70 hours a week to achieve this. (I am planning to reduce this within the next two years as I employ more people and book keepers etc..) Anyway I'm trying to not ramble on. Make sure you've a business past the 'working for the other guy' Tree work solely is a hard business to get off the ground. Gardening is easier: cutting grass, strimming and weeding is easy to be neat and fast at: the tree work will come later. If you manage 1000 acres of property there's bound to be trees on your contracted sites. Risk: everyday you go out to do a physical and sometimes dangerous job. Accidents happen. Be insured to the hilt. You'll have to make good calls when it comes to the dodgey work. One false move in tree work can seriously damage you and or you business reputation. On to reputation: something that any good contractor should hold in high regard. Reputation wins you work, allows you to charge more, retains work and saves you money on advertising. Do not under estimated it. Do a good job, turn up when you say you are going to be there (or communicated if your not going to make it) and be polite and well dressed. I provide all work wear for my guys which helps create a professional look from the off. Sites like buyworkwear are easy to use and surprising cheap. My last main con is equipment: if you go self employed you will enter a world of kit dreaming and worry. Dreaming about the kit you want and worrying about the kit you've got breaking down. This is unavoidable. Buy cheap buy expensive it always wears out eventually. Buy the best you can afford. Use eBay a lot. I reckon it's better to start with a full compliment of kit that's used, than two shiny new bits of kit that you can only do so many jobs with. Also get good repairing and maintaining your own kit. Other cons are not having any time to spend with the mrs or family If your planning to work from home, never leaving work. Etc etc the same pro and cons list cold be drawn up for an employed person. I do see two types of self employed person. The ambitious go getter types, who go for money and growth and the way of life guys: happy to dodge along doing bits and pieces. I am the ambitious type: I really see the point of moseying along earning next to nothing...be smart work very hard and aim high. Best of luck to you, it ain't easy but very worth it in the end. Ps: this is all just my humble opinion and not gospel.

Haha got it in one... My favorite line when someone ask's "what are we going to do today boss..." 'Do what we do every day pinky..try to take over the world'

No ones mentioned that most 'new style' caps have a little 'V' cut out of the tank to show you where it goes... Some of my kit has it and some not... Does the newer stuff not also have a black line on the cap?!