5 shires

8 hours ago, Retired Climber said:

I'm new here; do you throw your toys out of the pram every time someone disagrees with you? Just wondering if it's worth explaining what i posted in more detail, or if you are going to act like a child whatever I say? 

Well don’t come on here and ask for advice and when given come back with sarcastic remarks..you’ll learn..not.

6 hours ago, Retired Climber said:

Whilst it may work for you, it's not good business advice. You are simply engineering disadvantages into your business. 

What ever mate...you crack on then and over complicate a simple problem...shouldn’t have wasted my time trying to help. 

Just keep it simple as said befroe...find a good set up of what you need 2/3 man team with all there own equipment,agree a day rate and when you go to quote for jobs which you need them on put what you want on top and you should be like I have said a few times now be wanting to make at least £500 for yourself and obviously on certain jobs double or more and befroe anybody starts cherping on about that’s unrealistic and giving it all that...it works for me and I keep it simple,pay what there worth,pay yourself a good % of the job and if the money isn’t in it just leave it.

13 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I think you’re confused, I know I am.

 

There’s a difference between what you pay the guy and what the client is paying YOU for the guy. That’s the profit.

Agree but again if you read my first post I did say agree a day rate for groundie and Climber which would be £120 & £250 respectively + Cost Of there’re equipment which I said would be around £900 total a day...and you would price the job so that you make your profit which you should be looking at £500...or even more depending on how big the job is...and you would only need the extra team on the bigger jobs were you can make your cut....it doesn’t take much to confuse me these days.

6 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

 Exactly.

 There has to be profit on top.

6 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

 Exactly.

 There has to be profit on top.

So your both saying that paying a groundies £120 a day and a climber £250 a day there is no profit in that that for either? Don’t know what you pay your climber and or ground staff? Around hear it’s around £80 a day for a keen young lad and a decent climber £200 so paying a groundie £120 a day makes it £40 on top and paying a climber £250 that’s £50 on top and your saying that’s not a decent wage? If you read my post I did mention that what you pay would very around the country.

And I stick by what I said £1,200 a day for a 3 Man Team Truck & Chipper is way over what should be paid.

16 minutes ago, Benarb said:

That's the problem and 100% fair enough starting their own gig. Currently the team we have is brilliant my brother and a school friend. Both 110% reliable, trustworthy and brilliant with customers. Ideal situation would be myself running 1 team and brother the other so i know that the standard of work is being kept high!

 

Exactly what i was thinking of doing, finding a 2/3 man team that want extra work or can jump on bigger jobs with us. Only problem is most of them think they're worth £1200 a day. It's just like finding good staff, few and far between.

You need to find a good team and have a chat..£1,200 seems way over dy rate for even a 3 man team which usually comprises of 1 Climber 2 Ground Staff 1 Chipper and may be 2 trucks but minimum 1 so even if your climber wanted £250 a day and the groundies £120 that’s only £490+say £300for Chipper and Trucks that’s £790 so round it up to say £800 at most so I would say depending on we’re you are you could find a decent 3 Man Team offer somewhere around £800/£900 per day and agree that price and put your quotation in at a price we’re you make what you need...so if you need a 3 Man Team Chipper/truck you should be putting them on on bigger jobs we’re you should be putting in a price we’re you should be making minimum £500...no doubt I will be ripped apart on here as to my priceing and % needed to make but obviously these rates will vary up and down the country.

51 minutes ago, Benarb said:

As per title thinking about putting another 2/3 man team together to keep up with work coming in and just wondered on peoples experiences with this.

 

We're currently a 3 man team and tend to run around 3-4 weeks ahead of ourselves and find people don't want to wait longer than this so we either lose the work or i just don't quote smaller jobs that i know we wont get round to or want to do, fruit trees, small hedging jobs, overhanging branches etc. I know all these jobs add up but we never seem to get a day/afternoon free to get through the little jobs that come in.

 

We do spend a fair bit on advertising to ensure the work is there and get enough enquiries to cover 2 teams, would just need to be more competitive on the pricing to win more of the work and not price what we want and over price what we don't.

 

So the question is, is it worth the hassle? finding decent staff that are reliable, polite and most importantly do a good job etc. Extra kit, chipper, saws, climbing, rigging kit, uniform, ppe.

 

All opinions welcome!

 

 

I have the same problem at the moment but I won’t deviate from my pricing structure they either say yes to the quotation or they get someone else...as for trying to keep up with work it’s a fine balance..i’am at an age now we’re I don’t want the hassle of employing guys even stubbies so what I have done is a good friend of mine who is a lot younger then me and does a lot of site contract work has 3 lads on the books and another 4 subbies Tuesdays and Fridays so on the bigger jobs I quote for i price accordingly as per guys and equipment needed(we have agreed a day rate for which ever scenario occurs as cost per man/equipment needed) and if I get the work I book it in either for a Tuesday or Friday if needed and any other days if slightly smaller jobs and like you say at the moment it’s at least a 3/4 week Waite at moment which obviously means going into nesting season which a Joe public either don’t understand or care this can become an issue in a lot of circumstances.i make good money on all my jobs without 90% of thr hassle,think it’s called work smart and not stupid and don’t be greedy,I know what I need per day/job to cover everything and I make more then enough so my advice to you would be just get a subbie gang in and agree a daily rate for what you need,Price your jobs so you know we’re you are and skim your % of that.its working for me and it means I don’t need to turn work away as I can concentrate on the smaller take downs,felling,hedge Work,Overhanging branches etc etc knowing on the bigger jobs I got it coverd and the man power to deal with it,it also means i’am helping my buddy out by finding work and keep his lads going so it’s a win win for both.

9 hours ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

What was the reason for it needing to fold like that 5? Can’t remember if you explained already in the other thread. 
 

I often fold for storage on mine due to a low roof but it’s just as simple as shown in pic. 
 

What did surprise me is that there is no micro switch to cut engine when chute is folded which means flywheel is spinning and un guarded when chute is folded. 
 

(I’m glad it does otherwise I’d have to stow machine in a different building and since it’s only ever me that puts it away there’s no chance of an accident - but I was surprised to see exposed fast moving parts in this apparent risk averse world)

Same reason as you Kev...easy storage in garage....and your reasoning for cut off switch is very important hence if you look at my chute it breaks around 12” above the chute plate...this is a safety design and why it has to have a gas strut.

19 hours ago, Con said:

What was the modification? A locking pin?

When I ordered the chute I asked for it to obviously fold down without hitting any other part of the Chipper hence the Gas Strut so it just folds down smooth and slow which was perfect but when I went to pick it up I instantly saw and realised that the stop bracket was in thr wrong place so when folding down It travelled beyond we’re it should stop which meant it would hit the bonnet or the hopper.

so I got in touch with Greenmech spoke to Martin there head sales Guy and though Andy at Global Sales arranged for a new chut to by made which to be fair wasn’t my idea I just thought they would have the original chute back and replace the bracket but they completely redsigned a new shaped bracket and made a brand new chute.....can’t ask for any better then that and as you may agree they have done a really top class job of it.

3 hours ago, dig-dug-dan said:

I have to say, given their customer service, greenmech have the edge and I would put them at the top of the list for when I need a new chipper

3 hours ago, Marc Lewis said:

Tidy 5 shires. I had one fabricated for my schliesing, not not as tidy as that though

There customer service is second to none and it might sound like that i’am just saying it because it’s on here and me giving them all the positives and lots of free advertising...I say this and ask anybody who knows me if I thought any different and the service was crap I would be ripping the shit out of Greenmech make no mistake.

Greenmech are without doubt top notch..from the factory though to product design and manufacturing all the way though to customer service they have got it spot on...of course I cannot speak for everyone but on a personal note Greenmech will always have my customer and of course there factory being 15minz from me is a Brucey Bonus.

yes Marc it’s a very tidy piece of engineering and it looks just rite and not to busy and works a treat...not sure now they have nailed the design it will become an optional extra.

Following on from my last post regarding my new Evo 165p and the fold down chute which I had a issue with which was that the mechanism to stop the chute head hitting the bonnet and hopper didn’t work correctly so I contacted Greenmech who were great and instantly said that they would sort it out and I even had the CEO ring me(Mr Turner) as you know Greenmech came from thr Turner company which made big mowers/flails etc to fit on tractors...anyway the lads at Greenmech went back to the drawing board and designed a new chute and fabricated a new one which was put on yesterday and it’s just perfect.

so I would just like to thank all at Greenmech Factory Alcester, Jase & Nick who must be sick a tired of seeing me.

its a great piece of fabrication and the folding down option is very useful....the machine itself is brilliant the new design and horizontal rollers have made a big difference and is much more aggressive then my old 150p even though they have the same engine the anvil on the Evo is I think 15kg or 20kg heavier which make a massive difference.

                             HERE ARE A FEW PHOTOGRAPHS OF THR NEW CHUTE  

On 21/02/2021 at 15:18, roboted said:

Apparently its Barbery x Peregrine

Close but no cigar for me....didn’t think of it being a cross I just thought is was a pet but if your mate hunts with it he must be a serious falconer...cross a peregrine with a barbery you get a kestrel size hunting machine.🦅

Quick update ref tickets..I have spoken to Ian Millard the exhibition secretary regarding still being able to use the tickets I brought for the 2020 APF and originally told I could use them for the now postponed 2021 APF and if I can use them for the now rescheduled 2022 APF and he said all tickets already brought can either be refunded or you can just hang on to thr ones you already have and they will be valid for 2022 APF which will be on from thr 22nd to the 24th September.christ that was hard work.🤪

That’s not a bad idea👍

To be fair when the 2020 show was cancelled I had a email giving me the option to hang on to them for the 2021 show or have a refund obviously I said I would hang onto them and again obviously not knowing we would be in this shit and the 2021 show would be cancelled...I don’t mind hanging on to them till next year but they may not be valid 2 years down the line...if I don’t get any correspondence in the next couple of weeks I will get in touch and see what they say....yes Steve what have we got if we haven’t got positivity....even more so at the moment. 

Thought it mite go ahead considering it’s not till September but I know a lot of work has to be done up front and behind the scenes for months ahead of the show and i’am sure if it would have been possible to have it on they would have done so....just a question for those in the know...I brought 2 tickets for the 2020 show so do I hang on to them till 2022?

14 minutes ago, Khriss said:

Not seen this design , yes Portawraps do flap abt - bungee cords help . Good price on this thou . K

I know I wouldn’t be paying nearly £300 for it but thought £120 well worth it to see how it works...that the trouble with the tree industry everything has to be over engineered for safety reasons but that comes at a high price.

26 minutes ago, TIMON said:

Does it fix solid to the tree or does it flap about like a potrtawrap?

If it’s fixed solid, I’d say it’s well worth it.

(Can’t be doing with the ‘flappy’ nonsense of a portawrap)

Think you can fix as loose or solid depending on weight...but will be haveing a play around with it I need the week.

3 minutes ago, Khriss said:

Looks amazing bit of metal work - pics when youv rigged it . K

Ya K no problems..it’s set up same as normal port a wrap and surprised no one else on here as used or got one...they have been around for a number of years now.will load up some photos when using it.

1 hour ago, Mick Dempsey said:

At £120 I’d say it is worth a punt.

 

It’ll work for sure, I mean wraps round the trunks works.

 

Is it heavy?

 

 

Yes mike it’s a lot heavier then it looks and is very well engineered

2 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

I guess use it on a few jobs and see. Looks to me something I would not pay £295 for but £120 useful on smaller jobs, maybe that's why they have not caught on too much.

Does it strap on to the tree like a bollard? I'm a big fan of my small Treerunner, I think something strapped to the tree is easier to use than a portawrap especially as the people helping me are often less experienced.

Yes it wraps around tree just as a normal port a wrap and can take up to 500kg using the round discs in different configurations.

30 minutes ago, roboted said:

Neighbours Sparrow Hawk.

 

 

That’s a Kestrel not a Sparrow Hawk...Sparrow Hawks are Blue/Grey..lovely looking bird though.....is it a pet?

Been thinking for a while now about getting a new lowering/rigging down device...I don’t do many huge take downs and when I do I have help who have all the bigger winch and handle type devices so I was looking at just replacing my old stein port a wrap.

i first saw this device a few years ago at the Arb Show but it was just to much money for what I wanted to pay so left it but at the same time I thought this device is a massive step forward in how to rig down desent sized limbs and would suite my needs.

so when this came up on the good old eBay I thought I would give it a punt...new they retail at around £295 so I put in my max bid and left it and luckily I won it....so just wondering if any guys or gals on here have one and your thoughts,have I got a bargin or have I wasted my money.paid £120.

40 minutes ago, GLynch said:

The same company that are selling this have got exactly the same one with 3,000 miles more for the same price but it's got the cab on the back 

I think both are all original

 

The price will normally be slightly more if it has a canopy on the back rather then a roller shutter but you can get really nice canopy’s with glass sides and windows or crap fibre glass ones...if the canopy is a good one it is well worth getting it as there are a real benefit.

8 hours ago, GLynch said:

Ford Ranger 3.0 TDCi Wildtrak Double Cab Crewcab Pickup 4x4 4dr SUPERB THROUGHT AND NO VAT

WWW.AUTOTRADER.CO.UK

---

Price: £8,500. THIS STUNNING LOW MILEAGE FORD RANGER 3.0...

something like this then? It's top end of my budget but my van is also worth more than I thought 

 

That’s exactly exactly the same as my  2008 Wildtrak I sold last year...mine had done 97k and was a lovely truck...the one above is over priced by about £1k...but saying that if low miles and original it might be worth it.