Tim Stobart Tree Surgery

A packet of Celox and a big cable tie in my back pocket. Decent kit in the van. Get out of the tree ASAP, if needed, or get the big kit hoisted up if you've a we cut.

Hey Dom, I'm on my thrid Zubat, (I keep breaking the holsters), but haven't tried all the others so cannae comment. As for watching out when new, you can check when I bought each saw by looking at the entries in my accident book for when I last cut myself with one. Always do when I get a new one, they cut soo quickly.

Aye, it'd be a couple of hours work, so it depend son how you can fit it in to your schedule, if you end up adding it on in a two hour slot when your round the corner, £120 sounds about right. If your 20 miles away and have to put half a day to it, £200 would be spot on. In my experience, the customer will just say yes and save the hassle of finding someone else at these price levels. If you do put £200 on it, let you brash rat climb and dismantle it. Good practice on a piss easy job, and the customer may think they're getting their moneys worth!

Yep, I was in exactly your situation back in 2011, the breadwinner dragged me up here, though not kicking and screaming (I've been heading to the west coast of Scotland far too aften for a few years). I set myself up as self emplyed as there was not a tree firm on the Island, and it's going pretty well for me. If she'll be covering your personal overheads, then I would advise you to find someone to work with and advertise for work, as well as asking around the local firms. As for the jacks of all, just get with it approach. Aye, that just about sums it up. Expect the odd call for I was doing it myself but it went wrong, or I've done all the easy ones but that ones too close to wires/shed/barn/house. Also, it won't just be tree work, but don't fall into the trap of underpricing to get work," that path leads to the dark side, it does. hmmmmm"

Try Europlants, 01825 890811, they cover Sheppy. Europlants Ltd - Commercial Landscaping. Landscaping Sussex and Landsc

Pete, I'm tempted to do so, but, it's a wee bit of a hike, after the ferry for me. It's only tiny niggles on an absolutely fantastic machine. If the shelving in my van was 2"s less wide, then I'd probably have no issues with them! I'll have a try and let you know how I find them.

Again Pete, it's a bug bear, I'd love to have a 180 rotate on it, you can get them into tight spots, it's not always ideal to chip at right angles. the other mod I'd make would be to swap the stupid black knows for a bikestyle quick wheel release type lever. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bike+wheel+quick+release&rlz=1C1CHFX_enGB561GB561&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=tELJVIWhIcf2UtqNgegD&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1517&bih=666&dpr=0.9#imgdii=_&imgrc=GWK9wWi6A8_O1M%253A%3Byfg7FuvjOpEinM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbicyclesafetyinstitutedotorg3.files.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F02%252Fquickrelease.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbicyclesafetyinstitute.org%252F2012%252F02%252F18%252Fracing-bicycle-parts-for-classroom-use%252F%3B638%3B385

Be open and honest with your employer. Start lining up work, get your kit orgainised if you can save up in the short term or have kit good to go, then you'll have it a lot easier than if you have large loan repayments. If you can get some freelance work lined up with your old employer, then you should be good. Good luck, and never look back.

I knew that video would end up on that thread. Anyway, my advice is to find the right missus, she'll accept the sawdust as part of the package, and trust me, she should love the package! Having said that, it does my head in as well. Fortunately we have a cat and a collie who seem to have a constant battle to see who can leave most hair around the house. This generally attracts the sawdust into tumbleweedesque bundles that hide under furniture till the hover passes by!

Aye, something like that'd be good, but it would need to be removeable to get it in the back of the van.

The beard is all about laziness IMHO, the braids last a few weeks and keep it out of the way nicely (usually, I can just pop it in the shirt collar), though I did manage to get a braid stuck in a prussick on thursday. I reckon it helps with the customers, you may know SFA about trees, but at least you look the part!

It does, I'm needing to head to Clarkes at some point, so I may have a play with one there, I just need some slow payers to come through!!!

Good video (Great for a first one, I've just got a go-pro so am about to give it a try, so watch this space). The one question I have is what the friction device you were using was? I keep looking at switching from old school prussiks, but never get to an arb show (they keep clashing with weddings) to have a good look at them. That made life look so easy, that I may just spend some money to give it a go.

As they said. Yes, Charge more. But it's good work if you can get it. Cover your overheads with comercial. Make your money with domestic.

I currently run a MS 241 (16") and a MS460 (18", usually 25" and very occasionally 30"). I want to get either a MS660 or MS880, and also a MS362, but funds don't allow at the moment. I have a couple of upcoming jobs that will force the outlay. I'm a stihl boy. My only experience of a Husky was a 365. It was a pile of sh, it struggled with 18" and I gave it back quicker than I could phone my local stihl dealer. I'm sure they make some good saws, but that aint one of them

blocked due to copyright!

Surely if it falls over as soon as you climb it, then you've got your job done very quickly. The skills in the landing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still got my ms180 bought in 2006, it was my climbing saw for ages, but now I've got a few 170's and wee 150t so it now runs a 14" bar for snedding when needed, but it's barely been out since I bought a ms241 in the autumn. Great wee saw though.

Again Stephen is spot on (great video), it is about the challenge of a difficult tree (I really should have had that breakfast with you while you were still in Largs, let me know if you're back over at any point!). If you want an easy life, then this is the wrong game, but having said that, it's a team job, and it should be something you tackle together. It sounds to me like this firm is broken, in which case, walk away and find a decent outfit that you enjoy working for/with.

I like Marks comment on, moving the specs, I did this on a patio job a while back, and got him up to me rather than me down to him. The classic is leaving the rubbish, not chipping or cross cutting etc. I do however usually stick to my guns on a job, and make sure the specs are clear in my quote. I always quote a fixed price for the job, not a day rate, or estimate based on that. I hate having someone looking over your shoulder. If I'm back on the deck at 2pm after 5 hours in a tree, and I feel fine, I will go up a small tree after lunch. If I feel done in, then I'll help out tidying up, or call it an early day depending on the job. If the customer is thinking 2pm, that's only half a day, then I would feel forced to keep on when I'm more likely to make a mistake due to fatigue. When I explain this, the customer always seems happy with it. If they start to haggle, then you can point out all sorts of hidden costs, insurance, loler, waste disposal, blade sharpening, let alone the wear and tear on the obvious kit. Before they know it, they think that they've got a bargain at the £1000 I just quoted to knock over that 30' leylandii

At those rates it doesn't sound like they are making much, but fair point. setting out on your own is always a big gamble. Finding people you trust and enjoy working with, and covering the bills is a huge risk, but lets face it, currently they don't seem to be in a good situation. It may fail, but it may be the best thing they ever do. I would be interested how many unclimbable trees they find when it's for their own pocket not someone elses. Also, it would then be their call, I've put off tricky trees till a good day, and taken simple ones when the weather is 'scottish', but I work for her in doors, and she gives me a fairly free reign!

Both of these are spot on, if you're not prepared to do it, then don't ask. I thought the HSE regulations stated the use of mechanical means must be used where possible. I have been doing this for a few years. The mechanism I use involves a couple of ropes, some prussicks and a few crabs. As per usual, Shreks wee brother seems to have hit the nail on the head. I am glad that the unclimbable tree is becoming more common, as I'm still yet to find one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As per the OP, it sounds like a horrid firm to work for. There is enough of you to stick two fingers up at the firm and set yourselves up. If 3 of you can scrape together £10k on those scrugely wages, then by a second hand van, half a dozen saws, a wee chipper and a couple of climbing kits and set yourselves up. It'd be better than working in the current working environment.

Hey all, I'm working away this week, over in Aberdeen. Bearing in mind that it's the 21st of January, when I saw a pigeon flying to the top of the sitka I was about to knock the top out of, I thought it was early for nest building. When I then find out that there was a chick in it, after the tops on the deck, I felt really annoyed with the bird for breeding at this time of year, and guilty for not investigating the nest further. Has anyone else come across occupied nests yet?

If the 461 is better than the 460, then it's a great saw. I love my 460, great with a 25" on it, it struggles a bit with the 30" I occasionally put on it, but copes well enough for me not to have spent the money on a 660 or 880 to date! So, I would agree, MS461.

From the other angle, I have given trees as wedding gifts, usually relating to personal things (a walnut for a friend who got hugely excited over finding one while we were at uni, an Atlantic Blue Cedar for a sailor friend, and a bonsai for a crafty friend), it's a lovely touch, and they can plant it in their own garden or do a bit of Guerrilla gardening. The Walnut was my favourite, I took it from Sussex to North Wales, wrapped up on the roof of a VW Passat, planted it in an old oak half barrell round in their back garden on the morning of their wedding, and told them nothing about it, they got a shock the next day finding a 10' tree outside their back door! They new it was me mind, they said something about it being 'my style!'!