Thesnarlingbadger

Exactly, could not have been a simpler job Steve. Cheers Stubby, pretty much there now got the stitches coming out on Monday and back to work Tuesday with my hand well wrapped up of course.

I'm just putting this up as a reminder to people that tiredness and carelessness can really cock up your day. I've been working 7 day weeks just to fit in the work load recently (make hay while the sunshines and all that). Plus I was heading off on holiday for a week and was cramming in the little jobs before I went away. 2 weeks back on a Saturday I was loading my van up at the yard and remember thinking I'm bloody shattered. I was putting the long reach hedge cutters in holding the folding bit of the head when they caught on the side and my hand kept going, pushing the sheath off and slicing my hand open between my thumb and index finger. I got to A+E and it turns out I've sliced through a load of nerves, no tendon damage but they say I have no idea how close it was to severing my tendons on my trigger finger. I've had an operation to reconnect to nerves but I doubt I'll get all the feeling back in my index finger. So nearly 3 weeks off when I'm busy is a bit of a kick in the teeth, however customers have been understanding and it means I haven't lost any jobs just the days I sub for other firms (who have also been understanding). So I'm just putting this up as a reminder that accidents happen when your tired or not thinking about the simple task in hand. Not telling people what to do as you all know your jobs but just think a bit more some times. Could have been a lot worse so I'm counting my blessings. A picture of the accident below. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Yeah seems so but its a quick and cheep fix so I'm not gumbling to much. As far as faults go with machines of this nature it could have been a lot worse.

Just to update everyone the issue was sorted a week or so back by Redwood. It was the ignition key and a sensor that were causing the fault. Took it in to be serviced and they sorted the bits out for me. They had it ready when they said they would and and its all working fine now. Thanks for your comments and input on the matter.

If jobs are wether depending, say like a large beech reduction that you know you will never get as spot on as you could if you do it in the pissing rain and high winds. I always tell the customer and put it in the emailed quote if wether is too bad we will have to reschedule as the work will never be up to standard. But 9 times out of 10 you can do the job in most wether conditions. I can usually find a customer or 2 from the week ahead who I can swap around. As for birds you take the hit. At least its not a lost job just one to put back. But I get its a pain in the backside especially when you have booked in extra staff etc. But then what about the days you smash out and make your money back. swings and round about id say. Other trades will also have to take a hit at times its not just us.

Thanks for sharing the video, if not for anything else it should make people think twice about what they are rigging. Your right in saying if you had climbed you wouldn't have taken such a risk but there may have been other risks involve in doing that. It's better a headstone was knocked than yourself at risk. Once again cheers for the share. :-) Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Well I checked all the wiring and cleaned any crap out of the inputs (there wasn't really a great deal). All the battery leads seem to be in order and have a strong connection. So that's about it for now. I'll ring Redwood tomorrow and see if they can come up with any solutions. As I said earlier it's due its 400 hour service so I might drop it off to them later in the week to service it and sort out the issue. It could well be this ignition barrel malarkey causing the problem as the symptoms seem to link up. I'll keep you informed when I get to the root of the problem. Thanks for the input again Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Do you mean the ignition Key turned it's self off or is there a separate switch on the tracked models. If so the Key is still in the one position when the engine cuts out.

Were you getting the same issue as I had? also it seems odd that the machine is 4 years old and not had any issues with the ignition barrel up until now or is it some sort of corrosion issue?

Was that only linked to the ST8's or is that for all the machines? Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

It seem to fire up fine but once it cuts out it won't start again straight away. I had to leave it 5 minutes. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I'll check it all tomorrow. It wasn't from listers it was from redwood but I got it off someone just after the warranty about a year back. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I haven't seen any on the screen. Hopefully they do. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Cheers for the input. I'll check the wiring properly tomorrow and give it all a bit of a clean out. And I'll ring up the good folk at redwood on Monday to see if they have any insures. I'm subbing most of next week and the week after for as a climber for other firms so don't have a proper chance to test it out but it is due its 400 hr service so I might get it in while I'm working for others and see if they can work out the glitch if sorting all the wires doesn't show anything up. Keep sending any ideas as I'll go through the machine tomorrow and check anything that pops up. Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Anyone got any bright idea as to what's wrong with my ST6 before I have to fork out to get listers to fix it. Today while chipping it just cut out (mid chip) then wouldn't start up again. Left it 10 minutes and it fired up. Then when chipping a largish handful of branches it cut out again almost like it couldn't cope with the amount going through (which wasn't loads for what it usually chews through). Loads of fuel in it so that wasn't the issue. Had the hydraulic pump and all the fluid changed in it not to long ago so I can't see it being anything to do with the hydraulics as there hasn't been a leek. Could it be the alternator or a loose wire? I've had a good look and all seems to be in order. It's a 2013 model with 400h on the clock. Any known faults that link to this problem? Any help would be really appreciated. Thank you all in advance. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

That had me in stitches. Thanks for that Reg. To be honest I never got the company clothing malarkey. I do have my own company t-shirts now but never ask other workers to wear them as I hated being told to wear someone else's name. But I think for quoting purposes if that client has a few tree surgeons popping over to quote a job they can see you are from company 'X' straight away. I don't think it's won me any more jobs though. My t-shirts are black with green writing so they are not to garish but some people go out and find the brightest colour in the spectrum and make it in to a company shirt (only to get covered is muddy sap within a day). I'm only a small business but I can understand a larger firm who deals with say council jobs etc having the need for a more uniformed look as you maybe in the public eye a bit more. But I have always wondered if it is a sign of dominance in some cases and since you mentioned it I think it probably most definitely is. Cheers for the video, I have a few people in mind who would find this hilarious. Keep em coming. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Cheers mate Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Good for you. I can imagine that is bloody hard work but also very rewarding. I did explain the lad what was going to happen and that he could have apples every year once the tree was established. He helped take down the bits that were attached to the branches and was very pleased to use his pen knife. He seems like a really great kid. I just hope this whole thing hasn't upset him too much. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Wise words mate. Can't please everyone. It's just a right pain when you get thrown in to a situation like this. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I've seen a couple of smaller ones out but no large ash yet. Bristol way Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

It's got to be the only place you can so far. I had to drive away from a car park the other day to brake a tenner because all I had were the new coins. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

So the neighbour with the autistic child was really understanding and both her and the lad were grateful for the apple tree I brought them. The customer was out so I sent an e-mail explaining that all the work has been done and hope you are happy etc etc. Not heard back yet but it has all gone better then I had hoped and is a lot of stressing off my shoulders. Thanks for all the replays. Haha Joe, that was a thought that went through my head but I thought maybe best to not have anymore hassle from this one. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Thank you for all your posts on this situation I haven't had a proper chance to read them until this morning and I really like some of the ideas coming out. I'm not trying to better my reputation by doing this just feel bad for the kid and I don't want this customer wrecking my reputation. The lad is around 10 so the tent my be a little bit to young for him but I like the way your thinking. I think I will have to leave building a den as I'm a bit worried that to build something that definitely isn't going to fall my be taking up the best part of a day. I'm going to head to a nursery and try and find a fruit tree for the lad this morning and then go over this afternoon and just get it debt with. I will let you know of the out come this evening. Thank you for all your input it has been really appreciated if nothing else it has made me realise everyone ends up in similar situation at some point.

Yeah your right mate. I just need to get it done and put it to the back of my head. Onwards and upwards as they say. Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk