flatyre

Advert states "must be comfortable working at height", sounds like they want climbers for brash dragger wages.

That's what a local tree firm are offering on the local jobcentreonline for a climber with CS38, £300 a week, Tesco pay more for shelf stackers! Why would anyone spend a couple of grand on tickets just to earn that sort of money? I'd have to hide my face in shame while handing over a wage like that to someone who's just spent all week with a chainsaw in their hand, I honestly couldn't look them in the eye. Surely an employer knows what sort of money can be made in tree work, and that a climber could make that in a day doing homers? I was going to approach him about sub work, don't think i'll bother now. Sorry rant over

Free P&P Image not available Photos not available for this variation <style type="text/css">.vi-hide-mImgThr {display: none;}</style><img id="icImg" class="img img500" itemprop="image" src="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sssAAOSwogpaYh0V/s-l500.jpg" style="" clk="" alt="stihl-MS440-chainsaw" /> eBay item number: 122922696445

shouldn't be difficult, they both started off as the same bare chassis, if it were me i'd start by having a look at an existing transit tipper, make notes on the size of ram, where its positioned, how its positioned, what gauge of plate/crossmember is used, same for the hinges etc. You should be able to grind or cut the welds holding the dropside body onto the chassis rails, and re-use it for the tipper body. Sounds simple I know, but a local engineering firm should be able to do it easily enough, and there are plenty of online suppliers selling kits including the ram, pump, reservoir, wiring, switch etc. By copying an existing transit tipper you don't have to do a lot of complicated calculations as that's all been worked out already.

whats the best way of stacking rings? I let them gather up then hire a splitter for a weekend, I currently have them roughly piled up thinking this would aid air flow through them?

Sorry to hear you had bad luck with the Relay Toxteth, I have a 2.2 hdi Relay crewcab tipper, front wheel drive, single rear wheels with all terrain tyres, very capable machine considering the small cc. Yes it is rubbish off tarmac but my old transit was just as bad. I haven't noticed any towing issues myself but then I only tow a mid sized chipper behind it. The fact that there is no prop shaft or diff between the chassis rails, and the exhaust is side exit under the cab means loads of room for storage under the tipper body.

I get your point, yes it is someone else's job but they are not doing it. And the longer they keep pushing it further down the line.....none of us here agree with poaching other peoples customers, but if I got offered a job based on doing it asap but didn't turn up for three months I couldn't complain if the customer got fed up waiting and gave it to another contractor.

can you get specific insurance for a chipper? this firm wanted a separate policy for their machine, but wouldn't give out details like value, age, service history etc. which I thought you would need for such a policy.

you mentioned hiring a chipper out, is that insurance for those using the chipper or for the chipper itself? just asking because I went to a hire store (notorious awkward firm) and they refused to hire me a chipper until I provided proof of insurance against theft etc. I thought the hire firm covered that?

I have a 5 year old pair of SIP which are great for groundwork and ringing up logs in the shed, heavy but good protection and warm at this time of year, bit sweaty in the summer though.

Hey folks there is still a lot of damaged and dangerous trees in my area (commercial properties) from storm Opelia which was months ago, and we've taken a bit of a battering in more recent times. As a result I have noticed a lot of damaged and dangerous trees which have not been dealt with. Each time I offer my services I am told that there is a contract in place with another tree firm which is fair enough. As an example a local nursing home has a damaged pine tree right next to the entrance, a large limb is hanging over the road and in danger of coming down. I offered to remove it but was told the company who own the home have a contracted tree firm. I imagine its one of the big firms in the area who have big maintenance contracts, utility contracts, and huge domestic operations to honour. Understandably their smaller contracts get sidelined but it does leave dangerous situations which should be addressed sooner rather than later. I understand this might seem like i'm trying to poach other firms customers, but if they are unable to fulfil their contract in a suitable timeframe is there any way such emergency work can be given to another firm outside of the contract?

Sold a few bags so far this winter, not enough to make a living but with the slow down in tree work running up to Christmas, it brought in some much needed cash. Its not the most professional looking operation at the moment, logs are stored loose and loaded into ton bags in the van, room for two bags and a couple of skids to help slide them out, same idea with the trailer.

Good point, I guess its all about reputation.

I sub to a few small firms who bring in people when bigger jobs warrant it. I arrive in my van with my own saws, ppe, fuel, etc, do tip site runs if required, pick up the chipper if required etc. Some of the other guys turn up in their cars (or expect to be picked up) with nowt. They get the same daily rate as me but two points, firstly I bring what I need to get the job done easier and faster which makes my day easier and faster, and secondly it puts me top of the "we need another set of hands" list. Its interesting that some of you guys charge by the hour, surely the more skill, experience and kit you bring then the quicker the job and the less money you make.

I am thinking of selling logs in net bags as some folk prefer to buy smaller quantities, and instead of selling a cube of firewood in vented ton bags, selling it in stacked nets? It would be easier to load and unload in nets than dragging ton bags in and out of the van, also easier for the customer to move them to their storage location. What about the cost comparison between a vented ton bag verses how many net bags? And as the logs are more tightly packed in nets does it mean the customer gets more logs than in a ton bag? I'm just thinking maybe handling the logs in smaller more manageable quantities might suit a small scale business with limited storage space and transport options?

Hi Bill its an 020av, all alloy top handle, old and probably not much use other than firewood chopping, but having never used one I can't say for sure.

Hi Folks I've been offered a bundle of old saws that someone inherited from a retired tree surgeon. There's an old 020, an 024, an 038, possibly a little husky 135 or 236, and what looks like a big old 075. The 024, 038, and husky were fully serviced about two years ago and have not been started since, I have no idea how long its been since the other saws were started, but they did run before being parked up. I reckon the 024, 038, and husky are worth keeping as they're still usable saws, but the 020 and 075/076 would be sold on once I get them running, has anyone any idea how to tell the difference, and a rough figure for what its worth? Its complete and the bar is roughly 32", and a good chain.

Thanks folks, but my mobile works perfectly in the house, when I go into the wifi settings it shows three available networks, the home network BTHub5-**** plus BTWifi-with-fon, and also Wifi-X. though both of these usually drop off though sometimes my mobile connects to the BTwifi-with-fon rather than the house network so I end up using a lot of data. But I can't seem to get BTWifi-with-fon when i'm out and about?

hey folks I have a Samsung J5 and for some really annoying reason I can't get internet outside of the house. Has anyone any clue why?

thanks for the replies folks, but I haven't been working on it, it just stopped working???

Hey folks the chain brake on my 560 has stopped working, the brake band isn't broken, checked the mechanism and all looks ok, but still no chain brake. The oiler worm wore out recently and it had been heating up because of it, not sure if this is connected in any way? but any ideas on how to fix it?

thanks folks, i'll try your suggested firms.

Its interesting that you have trouble shifting milled timber, I live a couple of miles from a small timber yard who started Alaskan milling just a couple of years ago, they now buy up every piece of decent sized timber they can get, mill it, send it away for kiln drying, make bespoke furniture and stuff out of the random wood, and the rest is sold to kitchen manufacturers, bar/restaurant fitters etc. They sell the wood as quick as they can mill it. I decided to get into the log sales last year and offered other tree firms to take away any decent wood free of charge, and any decent stems as I wanted to do a bit of hobby milling. Problem is the guys cutting the tree down don't have time to think about where to cut to maximise the amount of usable timber etc, they just want it down asap. Then you have the problem of having to take a lot of crap wood that's of little value, then there are timing issues, any delays from either party means an irate customer with a garden full of arb waste. Also can the firm who took the initial job on (and therefore responsible for clearing up) trust the firm doing the milling to leave the place clean and respectable? Having taken trees down and left the timber for a third party, and been the third party, it was of no great benefit either way.

I think i'll be moving insurers, call me old fashioned but I expect insurance to come down as your no claims bonus goes up. Also they won't insure the tipper and i'd like both vehicles insured with the same firm. I'd also like to have the frontera on the same policy. Does anyone know of any firms that offer multiple commercial vehicle insurance that would cover me and possibly sub contracters in the work vehicles and the missus in the frontera as it doubles as the family car?