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maybelateron

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Everything posted by maybelateron

  1. maybelateron
    Agreed. I went down to one chipper 6 years ago when I upgraded to a much better machine (Jensen 540 turntable). Felt a bit lost without a backup machine (Jensen parts if coming from Germany are not exactly overnight!), and could see the benefit of a tracked chipper, so bought a Forst TR6. They compliment each other well.
  2. maybelateron
    Aaaaargh, grim.
  3. maybelateron
    Give it another 2 -3 weeks and you'll have to wait for good enough light in the morning to see the BT cables running through the tree.
  4. maybelateron
    This is a no brainer to me. You can't expect a customer to suddenly agree to paying 20 per cent more than the original quote. All they would see is that they are being asked to pay 20 per cent more, doesn't matter if it is going to HMRC or the monster raving loony party, they are still paying it. I had the same situation 8 years ago, but had anticipated that VAT registration was looming, so I made it clear with quotes around that time that VAT might be added, and take it or leave it.
  5. maybelateron
    With screwgates I screw them up fully, then back off a fraction of a turn, making them easier to undo if loaded significantly. I can't see this being a problem. Same concept as with the valve where your mains water joins the mains, and where it enters the house - crack it back a turn, easier to turn off in 10 years time when there is a crisis.
  6. maybelateron
    I find a variety of loop lengths is best for speedlining. It makes it just a little easier rigging several branches to set up, then cutting them off one at a time. Saves having to pull the speedline rope to reach that branch round the back or side of the trunk.
  7. maybelateron
    I am dumb. You are in Hemel Hempstead.
  8. maybelateron
    Whereabouts are you? One of my friends has had one offs made for a 90 y.o. car and does fabrication work for a large local tanker fleet. He will know someone, if he can't do it. We are in North Staffs.
  9. maybelateron
    I found these two entries very refreshing. Know exactly what you mean. We did a job a few weeks ago dealing with some tall hedges, charging £500 + VAT, which turned out to be spot on for our hourly rates. Customer had been quoted £2,000 by one of the local scumbags. Needless to say she was elderly and alone.
  10. maybelateron
    Replaced mine a while ago, with ones from FR Jones. Main front strap was fine, calf strap fine too, but the small one around heel would not stay tight. I used a couple of new 25mm cam buckle cargo straps cut to length, drilled/heat sealed then fitted. Works a treat and much better.
  11. maybelateron
    Fifteen or so years ago our first Newfoundland had to be put down,😢. After the day's work I needed to dig his grave in the field, and the ground was dry and hard, so I decided to use the old JCB 3c I had then. It had not been moved for about 3 months. As soon as I started it up the wasp nest in a locker on the side of the cab woke up. I had 13 stings on my head and neck by the time I had jumped out of the cab. I used a long pole and blower to destroy the nest, fortunately with no more stings, then I was able to bury our beloved Newf.
  12. maybelateron
    Forecast was wet wet wet for today. Had traffic lights booked for the job, so had to do it. Thought we were getting off lightly till about 2pm. Ended the day climbing a large Hawthorn overhanging a fence, with lots of Ivy in it. Really heavy rain, can't remember the last time I felt rain running down the inside of my chainsaw trousers. 💩
  13. maybelateron
    I just tell them I have quoted as low as I can anyway. Or you could say you'll drop the price a bit for guaranteed payment on the day, with invoice provided.
  14. maybelateron
    Agree entirely. Different if you have already started a dismantle, wearing spikes, and just want to get it finished. NoNo for me pruning smooth barked trees in the wet.
  15. maybelateron
    Yep, it's pretty straightforward if you put all your invoices onto the computer rather than the old days of throwing them into a drawer. I have a couple of non VAT registered friends who do just that, and then run around madly on 30th January trying to sort out a tax return!
  16. maybelateron
    Same story in Stoke on Trent and surrounding areas. Also we have a lot of tired looking mature/young mature Beech in our area. I remember the Beech took a real scorching in the drought and heatwave we had, was it 2 or was it 3 years ago. Wonder if that is a factor?
  17. maybelateron
    I beg to differ. I went VAT registered 8 yrs ago. We are 95% domestic, and are never short of work. Also being able to reclaim VAT on expenses can help to some extent as it reduces running costs compared to not being VAT registered.
  18. maybelateron
    Saturn Machine Knives, Sheffield. You organise courier to take them, then they send them back. In January they charged me £60.60 to sharpen 2 sets for a Jensen 540 and one set for a Forst TR6. Can be a bit slow turning them round at times, but I'm always happy.
  19. maybelateron
    Groan groan, yes I missed that one too.
  20. maybelateron
    I am near Stoke on Trent, if that is any use for you to come and have a good look at it. I have some land to use it on for demo.
  21. maybelateron
    I have the hydraulic tip muck truck and I rate it. We use it less now we have a Bobcat E10 with a thumb, but it is great for some jobs. Easy to steer, easy peasy to steer if you are taller than me, as you take some weight off the rear rear wheels by slightly lifting the handles; no problem as the balance is good. We have used it with the skip full of timber and 2 guys on it for ballast to pull a big trunk over, where there was anchor point for winching, and no access for anything bigger or heavier. I would say its weakest point is traction uphill on grass/mud when loaded heavily.
  22. maybelateron
    Some years ago we had to dismantle a Hornbeam with a single BT line through that would be difficult to avoid breaking. Rang BT and was told £199 + VAT to come and quote for dropping the line. The BT guyI was speaking to was really helpful and said he was not on a recorded line and could give me honest advice. His advice was explain to the customer, let the cable get broken, then customer report it. Said that would be cheaper. We did the job, just managed to avoid breaking the cable, customer gave us a £100 thank you bonus.
  23. maybelateron
    I'm happy to come down and shift logs on my terms. To be fair the team look after the old codger really well.
  24. maybelateron
    Even better is when they start by asking at 1pm Sunday: "Do you do free quotes?" As a general rule if I am quoting for work for a customer who has chosen to ring at what I would regard as an inconsiderate time, eg 1pm Sunday, 8:30pm Friday, I tend to add a bit on to my usual rates to allow for "messing us about tax". Eg - "I will move all the pots out of the way before you come" but then they never do. Had a call the other morning at 07:15 from a regular customer, wanting to check when we were going, despite me having given her the date some weeks previously, and it not being until next month. I commented that it was a bit early, and she said she wanted to get me before I was at work. Has she not heard of voicemail? Anyway, this will be the last year we do her tall and very wide hedges in a sloping garden, further from base than we need to travel to get enough work in. Rant over, thanks to the OP jfc for opening that can or worms🤣
  25. maybelateron
    Agree 100%. We are on the verge of declining some of the more ridiculously wide tall hedges these days. Even if we can get the MEWP to it, it is still real hard on the shoulders. I think some customers have no idea how hard their hedges are to maintain.

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