Thesnarlingbadger

Hi all. Had a call out yesterday for this Medium sized Atlas cedar that had shed a limb. Going to go out and do the clear up and remove the limb on the shed later on today. I’ve been asked by my client to make the tree ‘safe’ and although I have said there is no 100% grantee I can make it completely safe I would like to know what you guys think may be the best course of action. My client would like to retain the tree and felling is a last resort. I have looked at a few options and spoke to him about them which are... A full reduction 20% Cutting the split limb back to the next growth point Felling (ideally not) Cable bracing with a 2 ton brace The issue I have is that if we remove the damaged limb that all the weight is going to be on the left hand side of the tree as it has already lost a good 300kg from the limb that dropped Saturday night and if we loose the rest of the limb we at looking at almost half a ton off one side of the tree. I can counter balance this with a full reduction but not sure if this will have a decent enough impact. I’ll get up the tree later and get some images of the tear in the tree. Pictures below. Thanks in advance people

I’d stay well away from knotweed if I were you. Specialist companies charge thousands to grantee it won’t come back and they do it by digging it out. We did a clearance job last year and the firm that had us in got a separate company to come in and get rig of the knotweed issue. The prices they charged were eye watering £10,000 plus and they still had to come back 3 times as until it was gone completely. They dug down about 3 meters and took all the contaminated soil away, must have been 50 odd tones of the stuff.

Wicket thanks guys. I’ll take a look at it tomorrow on the job. Arbtalk to the rescue once again [emoji106]

YeH it turns over just doesn’t kick in. Yeah we tend to get white smoke from the exhaust when it starts up.

Hi all, I’ve have an issue with my ST6 for the past few months and can’t seem to find the route of the cause. The chipper starts from cold fine and generally works fine except on big jobs when it’s running flat out. The problem is if it’s been going 10 to the dozen and then we turn it off for a minute to let brash build up again then try and start it it won’t start. We leave in for half an hour or so and away she goes. We have been getting by with the issue but I’m just a little worried as the commercial side of things is getting more and more and the old girl is doing harder days and a half hour stop on a big job a couple of times a day can be a right pain in the backside. I have checked the coolant levels which are all fine. The fuel seems to be getting through the filters to the engine alright. The earth cable seem alright but every now and then I file the metal down to make sure it has a good connection. The starter motor is engaging but the machine isn’t not taking off. I’m leaning towards it being and electrical issue somewhere but it’s annoying because it only does it when it’s been running for a while. Any ideas guys? Thanks in advance [emoji106]

Nice I will give them a call if I can get it sorted this weekend. I have managed to get it working just by emptying, cleaning and resetting the fuel tank. But it doesn’t work if the machine is leaning even slightly to the left which make me think the fuel isn’t getting to the carb or the oil sensor is a little dodgy. Either way I managed to get a job done today with it so not the end of the world.

Thanks guys. I did check the oil which is fine (if anything a little high). The lines have been checked and the tank has been taken off and flushed out. I’m assuming that all the filters were done 2 months back when it was serviced. But they may have thought sod the fuel filter as it’s a pain in the arse to get to. I brought mine from Ben Burgess 2/3 years ago. Do they have service engineers working for them? I may be able to pick brains. It does act even worse if it’s on an angle (which is all the time). If you start it on flat ground it will run ok bus as soon as you tilt it of cuts out.I’m wondering weather it may be the oil sensor? Thanks again

Hi all. I have a 360 stump grinder with a GX 390 Honda engine. I’ve been having issues with it for the past year on and off. Lister wilder did a service on it about 2 months ago and it’s had a lack of power which wasn’t fully resolved in the service. Now it is playing proper funny buggers and starts up but as soon as it starts cutting it cuts out. It still doesn’t have full power like it used to but that’s not the end of the world but I need it to do the job it’s designed for. I can’t seem to find a service department number for them anymore and the old number I had for them just goes to an in recognised number (probably my fault that). Any help on what might be causing this issue would be appreciated. Thanks guys

I wondered why the missis was disappointed when I took my kegs off [emoji848]

How tall is the tree? I would say that if its getting noticeably worse I'd be concerned depending on where the tree is in relation to buildings. You may be able to brace further up but it may be money after old rope.

Hi Rab, Can you get a 32" bar for a 266? You can cut 2x the length of the bar but with the tree being that rotten I'd be very wary about what it might do. What I'm getting at is that you could probably cut a healthy tree with twice a bar length but a rotten one I'm not sure I'd risk it. I would want to be doing it with a big saw so that I am right were I want to be if things go tits up. Might be worth asking a friend if they have a bigger saw to borrow. Cheers Eric

Well I gave it a go (for a brief time) last week. We were removing a 100ft pine with multiple stems. Two of us were climbing and we had to rig a large amount of it in big sections. The main problem was the place where the rigging point had to go was right in the middle of us and was a pain with one line let alone two. It was the largest tree I have done for at least 2 months and I was knocked by the end of the day and cramping up (probably just getting old and Christmas alcohol and food intake probably didn’t help) but if I had to drag 2 ropes around the tree all day I would still be shattered now. I can still see the benefits in some respects, but for this tree which I would have expected to be perfect for using 2 ropes in it was a flaming nightmare. I could have climbed it myself but it took 2 of us a full day to get the brash off and it would have taken me 2 days by myself. And then another day and a half to get the timber down and another day or so to get all the timber off site. So we would be looking at a 5 day job as opposed to 3 days. And my quote would go from 2k to 3k and I would have lost the job to the guy who quoted for 3 days work with one line. I know the AA have said they are going to support us in the change over but they are looking at this from a perspective that we are all working solely in the commercial sector of the industry. I doubt they are going to pop round Mrs smiths house and explains to her why I have quoted £800 to fell her Apple tree. Rant over. I will keep trying where I can but I am already putting in my risk assessments that using 2 ropes whilst rigging is more of a hazard. Anyway here is the beauty, really shame to take it down. The tree was 70ish years old, couldn’t believe it when I counted the rings.

Wicked thanks Mick [emoji106]

Hi all, Been going through and servicing the chipper today and noticed the engine oil was low. I know I have put oil in it before now but can’t for the life of me remember what oil I used. Anyone know it’s a 2013 model with a V1505 Kabota engine. I thought it was 10-40 or 5-40 but not 100%. Thanks in advance.

Yes and that’s my point. If an anchor has been tested I.e having 2 fat bastards bounce on it before accent then that anchor is never going to brake whist climbing up. I get it’s safer to have two ropes on paper but there are multiple reasons why it’s not and these issues will come out of the woodwork in the next year or so. Most accidents happen on a Friday afternoon so I’m surprised HSE hasn’t said no one is allowed to work past midday on a Friday.

I have yet to have my say on this. But from what I can tell it is already causing problems. I think one of the main issues is that many of us are too long in the tooth to make this an easy change over (myself included). Other problems I can see that have more than likely been mentioned are.. - Increased fatigue while climbing (i for one will be knackered after a big dismantle) - Increased cost on a job (I'm sorry Mrs smith but that £500 job is now going to cost £800) - How the hell am I going to drag two lines out to the tips of a big reduction without making a lovely nest of rope (I make a mess with one rope?) - The cost of buying more kit (this isn't particularly a problem for me but most of my subby climbers aren't just going to have a couple of hundred quid lying around (I pay people well before anyone makes a comment)). - The pain in the backside of re-writing all the 'health and safety policy' 'Risk assessments' and every 'Method statement' I send through (I just hate paper work). - When is a tree to small to use two lines. I'm not going to be be taking two 45m ropes to an Apple reduction. - They are saying you need to lines to ascend (does anyone know of any flaming accidents that have happened while climbing to a preinstalled anchor point that has been tested with two guys on the line? because I certainly haven't). The issue has and will always be human error, this isn't going to change just by adding a second line, it will just present different problems. so instead of a climber cutting there rope and falling out of a tree they are more likely to cut one of their anchors out on a multi-stemmed tree and find out they have snapped their pelvis due to the pressure on the harness, this will happen to someone before long, and then what? 3 ropes. Accidents happen and from what I have seen and heard a lot of them could have been avoided if kit was checked properly or if people weren't trying to act like 'johnny big bollocks' on site. This being said I am aware that some accidents happen to sensible people who are just very unlucky. We all want a safer working environment but I can't see this being and easy change with out a bit of backlash. Out of curiosity (and this may be a stupid question) is this fully in effect now? as I'm getting mixed opinions and from what I can gather form the AA is that it is in effect but we don't have the proper guidance in place yet?. Anyway I have a fairly big pine to take down this week so I am going to give it a go and see how I get on. I'll report back (with more woes no doubt). Anyway that's my 2 pence.

Cheers guys. Going to do the job mid November and I’ll suggest carrying out the work on the Oak around may time. Gives me a chance to sort out a shut down on the lines (still I’m sure I’ll get messed around last minute). Nice one [emoji106]

Ahh nice one. I didn’t even consider the oil tank ?‍♂️. Ok great I will speak to them and suggest fracture pruning and turning it in to a vet. Thank you guys.

First post in a while as I’ve been pretty hectic. But have just had a quite flick through some recent posts and remembered why I think this forum is great. Such a good source of information with a friendly/amusing bunch of folk. Anyway enough of the ass kissing.... I have recently looked at a job to take out another tree and spotted this oak. Am a bit concerned about it but not sure what is up with it. The tree is touching 11k lines but not sure if it’s been fried because of this or if it is a disease. One of the lads said it may be sudden Oak death but I can’t see this myself as it’s just a shed load of dead wood. I’ve took my client that oaks are fairly solid and hold on to there dead pretty well, I’ve also mentioned that it is likely to keep declining so will should think about a corse of action. Pictures are below. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks people

Hi people thanks for the reply’s. I would have replied sooner but I’ve been MIA on a site clearance job and haven’t really had a chance to look at my post. figured this might be the case. She way planning on filling in the garden with rubble and then decking over the top. To be honest I don’t really want to get involved as it’s not really my area. But I would like to give her some advice even if that advise is ‘unfortunately your f****d’. I’ll let her know to through some glyphosate down and put a membrane over the top, then the rubble and keep the secateurs handy for the future. Anyone know if it is likely to damage foundations or it’s the root system relatively week? Cheers

Hi people, Went out to look at what I thought was going to be a fairly big job a few days ago and it turns out it’s not and not really a job I’m interested in. However I have let the lady I quoted for know I will get back to her with some advice on the mater. She has moved in to a house and there was an old stump from a tree of heaven at the back of the garden. The stump has respouted and there a loads of little shoots growing up over her garden. I’ve said I will cut the stump down lower and pall the shooting saplings out but I can’t grind it as access is impossible unless you have a saw grinder attachment (not buying one for this job). She is concerned that it is going to keep coming back and her plan is to through a load of rubble (2ft deep) over the whole garden but won’t do this if the shoots are going to come up through. My questions are how likely is it to push through 2ft of rubble and if it will how do you kill it off? If you can. I never realised it would be this Resilient and I’m guessing is kind of like bamboo in this respect. I’m not going to get in to excavating the garden because at the end of the day it’s not what I do but I would like to come back to her with some advice. Pictures for reference. Thanks guys.

Nice thank you. Would never have got that one

Not 100% on this one but went out to look at a tree for a customer earlier and think it is some form of crab apple but the bark is a lot lighter and more fissured than usual and the leaves are a bit more waxy. Any ideas people? Thanks in advance.

All too well. I had a customer ask if I would be paying them for the timber from some conifers he wanted down. I said I could leave the logs with him and he could sell them himself if he liked. He seemed to think that I would have a list of contacts that would snap my arm off for some crappy old laydandii. I didn’t get the job and the conifers are still standing 2 years later. Works quite but not that quite.

Sorry to hear this Mark. It’s such a hard thing to have to go through. I’ve lost 2 family dogs in my time and it’s always taken time to get over. At least she had the best life she could have and eggs and bacon for a last meal is about as good as as she could have asked for. Hope you and your family are alright mate.