Robert Lavin

Hello, I'm on the lookout for a saw to use climbing but, being new to this game, I'm after some thoughts and opinion from the collective Arbtalk mind. Top-handle saws seem to be a popular choice but I've also had suggested to me that a small rear-handled saw (think 12" MS 171/181) will be perfectly adequate. Any thoughts or experiences out there? I'm looking to buy used hence the question really. If money were no object then I'd just go out and buy a new top-handle but I'm not there yet. On a related note, anyone got something suitable that they're looking to move on? Doesn't have to be a runner; happy to fettle. Thanks, Rob.

Hello All, I'm new to this game and looking to get a start in the industry. Currently hold Maintenance, Cross-Cutting and Felling and Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue. Woodchipper ticket should be arriving in early August with Aerial Cutting and Arb Groundworker coming later in the year. Bristol based but happy to work within a couple of hours drive. Have my own saw and climbing kit. Available from the start of August. Looking for any freelance work but particularly interested in some straight hand-cutting for now to build experience. Not scared of hard work and happy to start from the bottom but I can't work for free I'm afraid! 07919 537433, [email protected] or pm me on here if you've got anything you could use a hand with. I am working in areas of dubious phone signal over the next couple of weeks though, so emails might be a better / less frustrating way to get me. Thanks, Rob.

Thanks Stefan. I think for me, those will fall into the longer term, business development category! I take your point about offering something different though. Rob.

Evening all, Mods, please move if in the wrong forum. I'm currently self-employed, working in a number of trades and I am becoming the proverbial "jack of all trades, master of none". Even so, I'm adding forestry and tree work to the list. My other jobs have me spending quite a lot of time away from home and with the way life is heading, I'll need to spend a more time at home, probably working up to an hour or two away. I'm interested to hear if there is the market for someone with basic kit and ground-based chainsaw tickets, and perhaps selected others, to operate on a freelance basis? Most of the work I've seen seems contracted which is encouraging for the trade but not what I'm looking for. I'm thinking of landowners who need someone to help take a few trees down, someone with piles of wood to process, conservation felling eg. taking down aliens / invasives or just small scale / awkward clear-felling where machinery isn't an option. Is anyone out there operating on this basis or is everyone attached to a company of some variety? Also, any thoughts on what the "selected other tickets" could be? Chipper perhaps? Thanks, Rob.

Thanks. Who are R&T? I've some googling but didn't come up with much. I expect all suggestions will get visited in the coming months. Rob.

Just had a chat with them and they seem really helpful. Quite a big operation by the looks of things with loads of courses running. Rob.

Thanks both. I'll be ringing around today. Keep them coming though. Blake Training didn't come up in my searches last night so I expect there are others that don't appear as well. Rob.

Thanks all.

Evening all, I'm looking for a combined chainsaw maintenance, cross-cutting and small tree felling course. I'd use the numbers, bit I'm not totally sure which ones to use these days! I'll trawl the internet this evening and tomorrow but I just thought some of the trainers my frequent this forum. Looking for dates in the middle of May or mid to late June. Definitely before August if possible. Thanks, Rob.

Thanks Paul.

That would be ideal. Alas, that weekend is in the calendar as "quality time" which, sadly, probably doesn't include taking her to the ARB show! I'll look out for it next year though.

Any suggestions? I know about Carr's in Bedminster and there's somewhere in Weston-S-M (can't remember the name though). Anywhere else? Thanks, Rob.

Thanks Paul, I'll start cold-calling! Cheers, Rob.

The silence is ominous...

Not totally sure if I'm in the right forum here so, mods, feel free to move if deemed necessary. I've not been here for a while. Last time I was here I was looking at doing my basic (non-climbing...yet) chainsaw tickets. I was a bit undecided and in the end headed down the IRATA route which has worked quite well. However, the time has come to revisit the subject (I'm trying to do some CPD each year) and I'm pretty certain that I'll be doing my chainsaw tickets later this year. However, before I take the plunge and splash the cash I'd like to know if there is a healthy, freelancer scene here in the South West. Initially as a groundsman but I expect to move on to the climbing tickets assuming all goes well. I'm asking since the initial cost for training, PPE and saw is quite steep. It seems that in this trade you need to provide your own kit, which is different to IRATA trades where many companies provide the technical gear which allows you to start earning and gradually build up your own kit. So, are there plenty of opportunities to freelance (or even short term contracting) down here or are they few and far between? Thanks for your time. Rob.

Thanks all. Rob.

Evening all, Thanks for having a look given the thread title. First post for me and I suppose it's similar to quite a few first posts on here. I'm currently self-employed doing a combination of supply-teaching, outdoor education and environmental education. This combination of work generally leaves me with some quiet time between October and February. Yes, I can spend this time in the classroom but I'd rather be outside. To fill the gap I'm exploring the idea that the basic suite of chainsaw qualifications will help. My intention would be to use them to do some basic work for established companies whilst I get experience and then build / gain more skills after a few years. At the moment I have no real intention of striking out on my own. So, I have a couple of questions: 1) Having gained the qualifications, is there enough work available to support the numerous people out there with these qualifications? (I'm in Bristol but willing to travel) 2) Is an employer likely to provide the relevent cutting gear? I'm expecting that I'll provide my own PPE. 3) This might be sensitive; what daily rate could I expect? I know I'm not getting rich in this line of work! In an ideal world, I'd do one of the ten-week courses, but life is just not going to let me do that. Thanks for your time. Rob.