green heart

Ancient and very unremarkable 1964 vintage. Raised in tiny old Cheshire village. Persuaded by parents to follow my interests in electronics/robotics rather than (more interesting) forestry. FC were laying people off for fun, at the time. Made redundant from my control system/panel designing job, at age 21. Promptly started a Landscape and Treework business, inspired by older role-models..Compulsory VAT registered within 2 years. Quit most landscape works and expanded into Conservation contracting and L.A. working, etc. Survived a good hang-glider crash but have persisted with various other rash/unsuitable outdoor pursuit activities.. despite becoming a Dad. Covid hit our workload very hard.. Still love working/climbing, even if I'm shit, compared with youngsters! No telly for 20 years Red front door. Er, too embarrassed to admit details of current car tho !

Hmm.. at $150 dollars a month for a 'licence', that just smells a bit like some sort of pyramid selling scheme to me.. I thought that kind of nonsense was outlawed?

Why not use an arb trolley with some mesh sides, or just hire/buy a teeny chipper with wheelie bins? Could be less hassle? -Or get some of those lightweight 8x4 black correx sheets that builders use, providing there's no breeze...

Yes, the GTA40/M18 are much the same weight, but physically smaller/less clunky on the harness and in the hand ? They excell in lighter pruning work, particularly the ergonomic GTA26 and DUC150, (though with a lower torque/speed). Also they are cheaper, and there's a whole load of other tools that can use the same batteries, obviously.. You're welcome to try mine out, but I'm in Ches/Manchester .

I'm reasonably sure it's down to the characteristics of the motor Milwaukee have chosen: a low-ish RPM unit, but with a fair high torque.. So therefore they selected a chain with more cutters, to get the 'work rate' back up, if that makes sense? That's my guess, anyway. It's a very different experience from using a 201/2511, but much like 5thelement experience, I'm a convert, where pruning jobs are concerned. I will get round to testing a 'normal' chain on the M18 and report back, but it'll be a few weeks yet..

No, it was Wednesday 12th March. I don't know how others on here have managed to view a video of the accident... but it would be good to grasp and share any potential learnings, from Mick and Steve's more informed comments.. Can one of you share a link here, perhaps ?

So, assuming no further leaning/gound movement can be detected by earlier suggestions made here, then how about proposing a light thin and 1-3m reduction, only to the upper growth tips? This might be repeated say, every 3-4 years, to maintain a reduced wind sale resistance. It obviously retains the screening that your client seems to value, and provides a likely source of a repeat contract. I've assumed from the photos, that there's easy access for a 20m tracked cherry picker -maybe just a long day's work? -Where do I send my bill, for consultation, please ?

Just a heads up about a very poorly Welsh Climber, who recently survived a 30' fall from a tree, who was then apparently immediately crushed, whilst lying on the ground by the same tree.. 😮 I don't know the poor guy, or anything beyond the meagre details that appear in the press, but something clearly went very wrong, with what appears to be a mature hung-up roadside Beech tree. I'll try and find out more and post here. He'll be out of action for a few months or maybe longer; there is a just-giving page set up for him . I've tried various means to post a link up here, without success so far -both my braincells must be very tired.. in the meantime just Google: 'Jack Jones tree climbing accident '

Yes, with the full house/standard factory supplied chain, which otherwise works very well. I've seen the Milwaukee M18 fitted up with a 12'' bar too, which didn't seem to phase it. Although it's more like 2511/201 saw territory, I'm tempted to give this a try myself soon, on a standard chain (for those clandestine/guerilla pruning jobs, only..) I'll also find out and post when the bigger 40v Makita pruning saw is expected to be released this year, in the UK.

I'd reiterate the following points, to Hkarb, especially: Whilst the 'battery pruning saws' typically only have 5-10m/s chain speed, given the inevitable occaisional (and anticipated inexperienced) one-handed use, they pose a different, but rather more serious hazard to users, than the top-handled 2stroke equivalent chainsaws, IMO. Cut resistant gloves* and ballistic cuffs and x2 should be a mandatory minimum, and supplied with each unit, IMO. After a year's occasional pruning use of the Makita saw, I'm glad I didn't remove it's top guard -it doesn't actually get in the way, at all, and adds safety. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel saw is a wildly more capable unit (than even the GTA40) , but has too much torque and 'grabiness' to safely cut on the TOP-side of the bar, even with two hands firmly braced on it! And as such, the top hand guard is very useful feature . Never bothered trying the Dewalt unit, but I'd be very interested to hear how 5thelement has found his GTA40, after a few months use ? *After a fair bit of research, I have concluded that the following gloves have very high 'cut' (and wear) resistance, and unbeatable value for money: Portwest A645 Green cut nitrile foam glove. Not too difficult to obtain, but very strangely not used in our industry... Really sorry, I just don't know how to post a link to them..

Marcus, We've got an old FS200 with an identical issue. It still runs like a new machine, till you stall it, and then needs me to go and drink a cup of tea, before it will restart.. Not having Spud's expertise, we just put it down to poor compression, and enjoy regular tea breaks, if we have to use it !

Yes, rather worryingly, they DO seem to be just held in place, by friction alone!?! I find it difficult to believe, too. And it obviously must work, reasonably well, for a least 5 maybe 10 years, before they suddenly and completely fail... 😟

So that's just what I was inclined to think, too. So I started to look around at alternative trailers.. However, manufacturers of the useful small 500/750kg trailers all seem to use these torsion-bar suspension units... Perhaps they prefer to fit them, having a useful built-in obsolescence ?? -but with a real safety issue, for the end user ! 😟

Exactly this ! Hardly an expensive manufacturing consideration, for the road safety benefit. If this regularly happened to a make of car or truck -we'd all know about it and the manufacturers would soon sort it out ! I guess maybe I'm just too used to wearing seat belts and that 'safety' mindset.. 🤔

Try a pair of Oregon Chainsaw chaps, with the rucksack type clip fasteners, on the back of your legs. Great ventilation obviously, CE marked, and can be worn over shorts or trousers . Only cost £60-00 ish, online or from any Machine Mart shop. Winner!