R Mac

Well I can measure the max height of the Rock chipper if you want. Contact Global Newark on the forum here and see if they have any 2nd hand JoBeau in stock or about to get any in. There's a new JoBeau out, the M250, NEW - Jo Beau M250 Gardenline Not sure how much they cost but think they're a fair bit cheaper than an M300, nice and light too. Same engine as the Rock but at 117kg it's a lot lighter, the Rock is listed at 172kg, that's a big difference if you're trying to load it on your own. edit Check out the post by Global Newark on page 102 of this thread, they mentioned the M250 costing £2200, good price.

I don't think so, Treemagineers is aimed at climbers, Quote "Treemagineers works in cooperation with practical tree workers, researchers and manufacturers to develop know-how and products that help facilitate safe and efficient work at height undertaken by the global tree climbing community, which in turn helps to ensure an improving care of trees." I'd assume their blog is similarly aimed at climbers and the post related to one handed use of a top handle saw.

I have the Rock Machinery chipper but was using a JoBeau M300 last week, the JoBeau is lighter and more compact mainly due to having narrower wheels and I think a lower infeed hopper and discharge chute. The one I was using had a Honda engine although according to the JoBeau website they can also have a Briggs & Stratton, my Rock Machinery one has a Briggs & Stratton. To be perfectly honest while the JoBeau is nice as it's lighter I didn't see anything that made me regret buying the Rock chipper. As for the Greenmech I've never seen one let alone used one but I was quoted over £4800 inc vat for a new one and they're actually heavier than the Rock chipper as they have a 2 cylinder engine (Briggs & Stratton) which gives them more HP and probably more torque. As far as reliability/durability goes I've said it before, there are essentially 4 things to go wrong with a mini chipper as they're as basic as it gets. Engine, Briggs & Stratton should be fine (and same make as the Greenmech), AFAIK some of the Honda engines are made in China anyway, could be wrong about that. Knives/Blades, I'd hope the JoBeau/Greenmech had better quality blades than the Rock given the price difference but I don't know for sure. Drive Belts, just regular V belts so much of a muchness IMO Drum Bearings, probably better bearings on the JoBeau/Greenmech but it would cost very little to replace the stock bearings on the Rock chipper with high quality bearings. You could buy a 2nd hand Greenmech or JoBeau but there's no way of knowing how much abuse the engine has had and that's the one part that'll cost most to replace. At least with a brand new Rock you have a warranty and a few grand extra in your pocket, with a Greenmech or JoBeau, new or used you have something that'll still have some value 2 years down the line if you decide to sell or trade in and the reassurance of knowing who the actual manufacturer is should things go wrong. Personally I wasn't prepared to go into debt for a mini chipper as in my case it won't get regular use but you need to make your own mind up on that.

Marc I already said that, twice. The point is that you can't take an image illustrating chainsaw injuries and cherry pick one part to defend an argument while ignoring the rest. There is no data on the image or blog post to say whether the data relates to Pro users/domestic users or both, if it's both the results are barely relevant to the argument. There's a vast difference in saw stability/control between one handing a topper while holding a branch that's still attached to the tree and holding an already severed branch or small log unsupported in one hand while cutting it with the saw one handed in the other and a look on Youtube shows plenty of domestic users (Mainly in the US) doing just that, they surely must account for a fair number of the injuries shown, arguably the biggest percentage. I'm certainly not suggesting that none of the injuries were sustained by pro's one handing a topper but I'm guessing that a high percentage weren't caused by a pro one handing. I only know of one guy who cut his left hand with a topper, a guy with no qualifications, he told me he was using a topper one handed on the ground, it kicked back and he put up his left hand to protect himself (probably wasn't wearing a helmet either) and ended up with a load of stitches on the palm of his left hand.

Or a bikini

LOL, you're determined not to dump it As I said I tried to use it in my mower and while it didn't do it any harm as far as I know it was a nightmare to start and the amount of smoke was unbelievable until it warmed up. In the end it was more grief than it was worth so I'm working my way through it for washing parts/chainsaw chains/bonfires (with care) etc.

Marc I understand what you're getting at but regarding the leg injuries wouldn't pro users be wearing PPE where probably most domestic (in the US) users wouldn't be. The point I was making is how many of the injuries (hand,leg or other) are sustained by pro users? you can't draw the conclusion that the left hand injuries are mainly caused by pro users one handing a topper while the other injuries, specifically the left leg are sustained by domestic users. How many of the left hand injuries were sustained by domestic users on the ground using a topper one handed while holding a branch/log and how many are the result of pro users one handing a topper? that's really the point I was getting at. Why look at 17993 hand injuries and draw a conclusion yet ignore 16348 leg injuries completely?

I'm inclined to disagree with you there, it isn't stated whether he's referring to top or Rear handle but I'd suggest that as the Blog is primarily aimed at climbers and toppers are arguably designed for one handed use then it's toppers he's talking about, at least that's how I read it.

I watched the video, very interesting as usual. Reg is quite correct in saying that if toppers weren't designed for one handed use they could fit a dead mans trigger on the front handle like they have on e.g. electric hedge trimmers and doubtless on lots of other power tools. I also read the blog, thanks for the link, but if you look at the image illustrating the injuries there are a significant amount on the left leg, almost as many as the left hand injuries, they can't be down to one handed topper use so what caused them? I'm guessing that the image illustrates injuries sustained by both domestic and pro users and given the number of videos on Youtube showing domestic users ( mostly in the US) on the ground with a topper holding a branch in one hand and cutting with the other I'm not really surprised by the amount of left hand injuries. If on the other hand the image relates to injuries sustained by professional users only which seems to be how the writer is applying it, how does the writer explain the high number of left leg injuries? You've 17,994 left hand injuries and 16,348 left leg, that's a similarity in frequency to beg the question why concentrate on the hand injuries and not mention the leg injuries at all?

It's (the contaminated fuel) scrap, I accidently put £30 of unleaded in my Diesel CRV shortly after getting it, I'm not sure how much diesel was in the tank but the Diesel light was on. I drained the tank and filled with fresh diesel and no problems, still going strong 5 years later. The drained fuel however was useless, tried to use it in my lawnmower but it was hell to get it started and smoked like mad until warmed up. Gave in eventually and set it aside for parts washing etc.

What did you find wrong with the Screwfix ones? to brittle? dull too easily? Either way learn how to sharpen them, it isn't too difficult on anything from about 4mm up assuming you have a bench grinder. Even expensive ones while being vastly better than cheap ones will need re-sharpened at some point. Some people don't like Cobalt bits if using a hand drill as they're more brittle than HSS bits which if good quality should be hard enough. Fancy coating are likey to be more effective at attracting consumers than they are at improving performance. As suggested above, Dormer, Heller and I'll add Presto.

I wasn't entirely convinced by my own theory to be honest I hit a stainless round head screw in a tree (that I'd put there maybe 15 years ago:001_rolleyes:) that knocked a cutter clean off and cracked the tie strap but the bar/sprocket was, and still is, fine.

I haven't had to remove mine yet but it probably says in the manual. If it doesn't say then I'd use a bit of climbing rope.

Maybe hitting a stone hard enough to wreck the cutters played a part in the sprocket failure?

I grease the sprockets on my Sugi bars almost every evening with Oregon Fluid Red. I've been using an 18" constantly since May on a couple of different saws and no trouble so far, not all clean timber cutting either. I dip the nose of the bar in petrol to flush out the old grease, blow it out until the sprocket spins with the airline and then re-grease. My view is that the sprocket pulls chain oil/dust/grit into the bar anyway, grease may keep it away from the bearing. Works for me, I'm happy enough but I wouldn't evangelise on the matter one way or another.

Forest & Arb, 501SX down to £506.25 inc vat, Echo CS501SX Chainsaw

You'll like it I'm sure, I got to use one today, almost new and belonged to the guy I was working for. I only used it for about an hour ringing up, 28" bar and didn't seem all that heavy but no doubt a full day would be a different matter. Very nice saw indeed, started really easily from cold although being about 10 1/2 stone I had to use the de-comp. Once warmed it started 1st pull without de-comp. He also had an 066 on site, I assume it's just an older version? Enjoy

I could suggest that if they're all doing so badly why don't they pack it in and go work for someone else. Fact is I'm not unsympathetic to the frustrations of an employer (I guess you missed the part where I previously stated that) but in the absence of 1st hand knowledge (and before you ask how I could have 1st hand knowledge if I'm not an employer, I can tell if is someone I'm working with is careless or careful) I'll generally tend be more sympathetic to the employee, you appear to be more sympathetic of the employer. Anyway, I get the feeling I'm not considered to be worthy of an opinion so I won't comment on the matter again.

Sorry but I don't understand your comment or what you find funny, I don't employ anyone as I'm self employed but I've been an employee for long enough in the past. As for the ladder, I didn't say it was "just an accident", I suggested that it may have been an oversight due to circumstances at the time. Of course I wasn't there to know

I use my own saws and climbing kit if I'm subbing although I use the other kit same as everyone else (blowers, Pole saws, trimmers etc) I'd be gutted if I broke something that wasn't my own but equally if it was suggested I pay for damage to a bit of kit that was already well hammered I'd be pretty miffed as I'm careful with any kit but when you're on someone elses time and under pressure things get hammered. If it was crass stupidity on my part then I'd offer to pay for it (hoping I wouldn't have to), if I was making a habit of it I guess the offer of work would dry up pretty quickly. I'm not unsympathetic to employers but tree work is tough, the pay isn't great and I hate to see guys get screwed over by employers who appear to have plenty of cash for nice houses, grand holidays and new cars but don't appear to be able to afford the repair bill for the equipment that's being used to keep them in the manner to which they've become accustomed. Not suggesting that any of the employers who responded on this thread are like that, as I said at the outset it's just a general view and yeah I agree that there's a difference between accident and apathy. Also Joe, what you're doing is right, you're the Team leader and leading by example, the difference between a Leader and a Boss? A boss tells you what to do, a leader shows you.

Again while there's a difference between wear and tear and neglect $h1t happens, especially when guys are pressing on to get the job done or tired after a tough day possibly in crap weather. Surely the ladder incident didn't happen more than once? how often have saws been left in the drop zone or similar? sounds like a case of too few guys on site trying to do 3 things at once to get the job done. If you really feel that they'd be more careful with their own kit pay them more and tell them that they need to at least supply their own saws, if a saw breaks down on the job that's their problem should've carried spares or a back-up saw. In the end they can't all be careless unless you've made a major f*** up when you employed them (I'd say that would make you liable) If it's one or two guys you could suggest they may be better furthering their career elsewhere. Someone suggested that in the army the 'Team' is responsible, well sure if you feed them, clothe them and house them then fair enough, if they carelessly break something you can always 'Decimate' the workforce. In the end there must surely be a compromise solution that doesn't punish the innocent along with the guilty, the one-off along with the repetitive.

Not directed at the OP but just a general comment. Okay so you run your own business employing guys and supplying them with equipment, things break and you want them to pay for it? Well things break due to normal wear and tear, gonna deduct the cost of repair from someones wages? Could be more than one guy was using said equipment, who was using it when it got damaged? A chain gets totalled because there was a nail buried in the tree, gonna charge the operator for not having x-ray vision? When you take on a job and get paid do the guys you employ get an equal share of the money? No, thought not so basically you want to have your cake eat it, your price should take account of breakages. I guess you wouldn't be delighted if the team arrived back in the yard at lunchtime having left the job because they 'thought the chipper didn't sound to good' It appears that some employers want guys who will go at it hammer and tongs all day and then bitch and moan because tools suffer from the same abuse as the guys using them.

Bashlin twisted shank steel with velcro calf wraps, regular foot straps and pole gaffs.

The 450 is a good saw, mine runs 16" permanently now since I got the 501SX, would fly on 13" I would think. I must have a look to see what length the stock bar was, something tells me 14" but it's never been fitted.

An opportunity wasted To be fair he had been in Geneva before we got him.