Yorkshire Brummie

Switch on my 7yr old Stihl also went but still a good machine till it also got nicked , screwdriver through van door while I was cutting a hedge 20 yards round corner ! Replaced with a Husky cos it was all dealer had and although maybe a little Tinny compared to Stihll it does the job. If you've got the brass backpack's got loads more nuts.

Got my TT85 tagged on to my Ranger insurance with NFU, wasn't expensive and cover seems pretty comprehensive.

Mmm, this thread seems to have answered or confirmed a few of my worries. I have been making a reasonable living for a while trimming Mrs Miggins's Bush, but of just late been asked to quote on some "Bigger" jobs. At the moment I seem to have "lost" more of them than won. We strive to do it the right way, Full Ins., tickets, PPE, etc etc. Although inexperienced in quoting for what I consider "Big" jobs, I feel I have been pretty skinny most of the time cause I really want the job for experience knowing I 'm probably working for nearly nowt but it will boost company profile and it beats hedgecutting and weeding! Do you think Mrs Miggins's hedge really warrants more of a payday than a decent takedown?!

Thanks Guys for your replies, I think it has helped me assess what my set up works with which is probably a decent gravity fed on my trailer for now, Cheers Ian

Hi Guys, We are a small Garden and Tree firm who are doing more and more Arb work. It will probably never be on a large scale but I am seriously thinking about buying a Chipper. I have a couple of jobs that I will have to hire one for which is eating nearly all the profit margin. I have a Ford Ranger doublecab with which I tow a TT85. So..... do I buy a tow behind, two journeys and tip into trailer? Or put greedy boards and chip into pick up? Or do what my budget is more suited and buy a good gravity fed and bung it into trailer or back of pick up? Is there such think as a "good" gravity fed? Green Mech CS-100 OR Jo Beau MS400 -500. We are a 2 man team , things are tight, but I don't want to end up buying a white elephant! Have read all the forums and are still not sure... Any experience or advice would be really appreciated.

Bought an 07 Ranger a couple of months ago. Touch wood it's all good, it had just had a new clutch (dual mass fly wheel?) at 60k. It tows my 15 year old plus?! TT85 which I bought off Ebay. Haven't towed with trailer weight loaded to limit yet, but seems sound enough. Selecting Low range makes shunting trailer up hill a little easier, which maybe in a Landy you wouldn't need to do?!

I'm a bit new to the forum etc, so bear with me. I've read the whole thread, and still probably none the wiser. I'm a Gardener/Tree Man. Had my NPTC tickets for about 10 years because I got bored gardening and fancied working with trees. Finally plucked up the courage after all this time to go for it with the tree work. I've had an employee for 6 months, the business is growing, slowly but the accountant seems happy. Only problem is, I tied myself to the wall stumping up for HMRC's money for previous tax year, managed to do it... just. This year I have made some big purchases - truck, trailer etc and although I have turned over more money, I''m waiting with baited breath to hear what the accountant says I will owe. Nothing hopefully, otherwise squeaky bum time. Accountant says it should be peanuts because of expenditure, but it still doesn't help when you are trying to expand (on a small scale) yet still trying to guess what money to put away each month for Mr Osbourne, in case he comes knocking! The joys of self-employment. I guess if I bust my leg up a tree I could still do some weeding!