TIMON

Cheapest for our Peugeot 206 was the AA. £400 less than our current insurer. (Wife is American so it pushes the price up)

Happy new year to you as well, Mark! Hope it's a good one for you..., Timon

Hey Steve , Lots of good things on the radar for 2015 We're looking to put a couple of guys through their ground saw tickets, we're doing our rigging cs41. Also we will be offering a brand new LOLER examinations service for arb equipment in the West Midlands for 2015. We are working towards becoming AA Approved contractors. We're also looking for a new National HQ for our charity helping to restore those with broken lives. In 2014 we opened a new men's house and a new women's house. In 2015 we will be opening more again. Wishing you all a happy, prosperous NEW YEAR!! Timon

Beautiful sunny day now Jon . Finished for the day.

Thanks Tom, it's unlikely that we would be able to afford a shliesing at this stage of the game. We had a bargain with the mog and the chipper came a bit later. Again, we had a bargain... We're just trying to utilise what we've already got and make the most out of it. Thanks mate Timon

Thanks Huck... This is really helpful stuff to know...

Ours is the green mech 220..... Very powerful discharge ... It is a bit on the long side but it's an excellent chipper wouldn't want to gamble getting another one just because it's a bit shorter.

Hi Jon .. 3c. In BHAM Back to work today. Conifers. Thanks Timon

Not sure about the reverse box, I haven't seen it yet but I'm told it's only 5 bolts. Our mechanic will build a purpose built mounting plate to incorporate everything.

Thanks Elliot, The green mech weighs 850kg. Should be ok I think, with the HD springs. We might put some extra lights on the chipper. Thanks mate. Timon

..... Quality!!

Thanks skyhuck.... That's good to know. Our guy is going to make the mounting plate for us from scratch. Timon

Thanks skyhuck, i think our mog has heavy duty springs on the front as well so it should work well. Does it alter the handling much ?

Hi Gaz, I've just done the LOLER exams ticket so I'm very new to it. There are guys on here who are much more knowledgeable. The key here is the manufacturers recommendations. Most state 5 years . Textiles degrade. To go against the manufacturers recommendations is putting his backside on the line (and yours!) I know that during the NPTC exam if you passed a peice of kit that was past it's date you would fail the exam. If you did the same thing out in the field and something failed and you had passed it when it was out of date..... It would all come back to you. Your professional indemnity insurance wouldn't cover you because you had stepped outside the guidelines. I could pass say, a rope that was slightly out of date and know that it would most likely be fine for another 6 months... But if something went wrong.....,,, The question to ask here is really to the manufacturer . What do the dates cover... Manufacture date or first use? To step outside the dates is asking your LOLER guy to gamble. Hope this helps Timon

Hey Jon I know there's a few on here that have done it. I'm up in Hexham in the North East today. A good mate passed away before Christmas. It's his funeral today. He was only 44. Sad day. Thanks mate. Timon

Hi Jon, -1c. Up in Hexham in the N. East. Going to a mates funeral in the morning. All the best mate. Timon

Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of mounting a chipper on the front of a mog . Our green mech 220 is currently mounted on the rear 3pt link. We're about to switch it to the front and mount it on a plate using a reverse box. New chip box etc. and eventually a hiab trailer. Any thoughts, tips, advice would be very welcome.... Thanks Timon

Hi Jon , we looked into having a biomass system put in our main house.... Quoted £120K. Pellets £240+vat per tonne... Not viable. Timon

Hi Jon , They don't look good mate, I agree. We're going to get them sorted before the spring. Thanks Timon

Agreed, but some people arrive at a position of faith based on evidence that points in a certain direction. "Blind" faith never made any sense to me.. We're all on a journey of understanding. I guess it all comes down to choices at the end of the day.

But surely current scientific understanding is incomplete.. So to say that you believe in either view point requires application of faith.

I watched a documentary recently where university lecturers and professors in the US who expressed their belief in intelligent design had been sacked from their positions. It doesn't matter whether you believe in an intelligent designer or whether you believe we are here by accident, both viewpoints require "faith" by virtue of the fact that no one has been able to scientifically prove where and how "life"in its essence started. I watched a debate where Richard Dawkins when pressed hard offered the possible explanation that life on planet Earth could have been started by aliens!! (Intelligent design) I can't put much faith in his explanations.

I seem to remember writing an answer to a similar thread earlier this year.... At that time we had doubled our profits for the first half of the year, started a second team, work was flooding in, etc..etc.. Since then we've had to invest more money in bigger better kit etc.. Had personnel issues, suffered setbacks in different areas. (Same as any business) had to compete in a market where there are more and more firms out there (some working with no insurance, paying their teams pittance cos they are already on benefits etc..) There are so many variables to consider that I am coming to realise that quoting for jobs is more of an art than a science..... Thankfully we're in a strong position and have been able to navigate through the storms... I wonder how many second hand chippers will be up for sale in the new year??

Here's a couple of examples. Personally I'm leaning towards removal... As you can see we're not short of habitat. I know there are differing opinions on what is best for the environment as a whole, but I think the trees, their appearance and well being are the priority here. I still welcome your views and advice Thanks Timon

I saw a programme on corruption in Mexico some time ago, it was to do with the drug wars.... Lots of nasty stuff going on and people in positions of authority making a killing (literally) When I read about this practice happening over here I realise that Britain has been in the corruption business a lot longer than places like Mexico ... Africa etc.. After all it was Europe that exported corruption to the developing world in the first place. What this very depressing thread tells me is that over here we're much better at it than the Mexicans etc.. Much more subtle.. Much more protected... Whatever happened to ethics?? Whatever happened to integrity?? Did we ever have it in the first place? Very sad to read that this is happening.... I hope the people involved get called to account for it.