Paddy1000111

I can't imagine it putting that much stress on it. The rotary hydraulic unit (orbiter) is not any different to that fitted to an excavator and they work for thousands of hours with all sorts of loads?

Same here, if you go to the settings for the protos in the app or PC programme you can also turn up the microphone volume so people can hear you clearer

After dragging through forestry commission leaflets, trees of <8cm overbark at 1.3m off the ground are exempt. Learn something new every day! Other exemptions are fruit trees and trees in inner london boroughs whatever that means 😂

Is there a lower diameter limit for felling licences is there? I thought it was just anything over 2 cubic meters for resell?

The local Christmas tree place to us was selling "a1 grade" 5ft Nordmann Fir for £30 so I would say you're about spot on there!

I've not got personal experience In growing Christmas trees but the farmer on my shoot does and he sells them off each year. If you want the "gold standard" in Christmas trees it's the Nordmann Fir, thick dense trees with heavily spined branches. Extremely good needle retention to the point they are almost "no drop" with almost no scent and they are child and pet friendly

They do it in two different versions, protos forestry with no straps and then protos arborist with straps At the end of the day it comes down to personal fit and what shape your head is I suppose. I've had JSP, Petzl and a few other brands and always had hot spots. Took me a good 2-3 days to get the protos set up right but it's a beaut now! If you're head ain't fit for a protos then you won't like them. One thing about protos is they have a tonne of adjustments from sit depth to head size and brow size etc. It takes a long time to get them set up

I suppose the protos is the best of both worlds in the strangulation/strength thing. Very strong strap but easily undoable with one hand with any amount of force on it! I find my protos straps get under the ear defenders though 🤦🏼

My muffs haven't broken/come off yet either. What bit is coming off?

You can join the long waiting list. I've been told by my local dealer to wait until mid Feb. I am going to try another company I was recommended to by the guys on here in the new year! No idea if it's lack of production, high demand or this EU s***storm!

I think they've changed the buckle design now with the new approvals for the situation you describe/having the helmet get caught. The protos helmets have the new type connector where it's a magnetic arm so that whatever stress is on it you can still open it which isn't possible with the old click type buckle. There must be a breakaway requirement with this stuff though? The chin strap is only really there to stop it falling off.

Sorry, I didn't mean the saw was a gimmick, I meant the fact that it used the same base as a 660 and was "upgradable". No doubt it's a good saw!

Use an abuse it. IIRC it is a 660 base with a smaller head on it. I think you could fit a 660/066 head to them and they're otherwise a 660, not worth it now unless you come across and old stock 660 head for real cheap. Just an interesting gimmick

It's complicated. It's a bit like cars, buy an old one and you could find that you could have a money pit with new carbs, fuel pipes, plastics, seals etc unless you're into your classics it can be a massive money pit. Other end of the scale you could get something that is too cheap and doesn't last although you get a warranty. If I'm honest, £150 is a tough budget to work to, not enough to buy something good new, not enough to buy something good old, you're in a middle ground of crappy new and crappy old from what I have seen online price wise

Trouble is, you could easily spend £150 on a saw and find it needs another £90 in parts then the next year another £50 and bla bla bla. Suddenly spending £300 on a saw that lasts for 5 years is better than a saw that needs constant fettling

Considering my experience rebuilding a 200T recently and the overall cost you're better off with a new echo or a Makita. Run it on aspen and you're golden. At the end of the day if you buy something new from stihl you're going to have a warranty, 2 years for domestic stihl iirc?

Been told 🥺

I get that. Finally something we agree on Freelancers - Who is Responsible for What? WWW.TOWERGATEINSURANCE.CO.UK Do you work freelance? Thinking of a move into self-employment? In this article, we'll... Does this work?

You're obviously experienced and I don't want to create enemies here. Have a read of "your responsibilities as a freelancer" this is from towergate insurance Freelancers - Who is Responsible for What? WWW.TOWERGATEINSURANCE.CO.UK Do you work freelance? Thinking of a move into self-employment? In this article, we'll... On the other hand, if you're willing to provide me with something that says "as a freelancer you are immune to any form of suing or charge" then be my guest. I'm not saying that freelancers have no protection from the end client but they aren't immune. On the other hand I'm not willing to search through tonnes of legal cases finding something applicable. I take my insurance saying I'm not covered as proof especially as calls are recorded. Let's just say I'm wrong and thousands of articles and insurance companies are all wrong and call it a day. I came here origionaly for some help and to learn not to argue with guys about legal things. I can only vouch for what I have seen and been told by insurance companies at the end of the day. To this day, I've never lost any amount of money in industry simply because I cover my arse. I'm not here to fight with people

If I'm nearing that level of hatred then I'll wind my neck in. I don't even know them but I get the jist 😂

Merry Christmas Rich, I don't disagree and I wasn't being stubborn, maybe I just didn't understand.. I've employed freelancers and my insurance companies and theirs had the agreement that public liability stopped the end client suing the freelancer but there was nothing stopping the insurance company or me suing the freelancer for gross negligence or incompetence in general. Imagine the situation where I get crushed by a log dropped by an over Eger climber (eggsarascal will quote this now) I would hate some young lad to read that thread and go "I don't need insurance" and then be a sole trader and have his car taken away because he made a cock up and a company/insurer was suing him for negligence. All I was really pushing in that thread was to check your position and watch your back, not that you experienced guys didn't know what you're talking about. There's a reason why freelancers are paid more than employees and it's not because they don't have to pay them a pension Thing is with the trained legal pro is they didn't give me any proof? Didn't reference anything in stone. Just said "that's the way it is" then disappeared 🤷🏼‍♂️ were talking about thousands of pounds of a young lads cash, I want something he can take to court that covers his arse not something that someone on a forum says. I could call myself a barrister but it doesn't mean F all. You're a good guy Rich. I just want to discuss things and not be in a d*** size experience competition and you provide discussion

And in the insurance companies understanding of insurance. You obviously know better. There's two things I hate, one is giving people advice like "call yourself a freelancer and you're covered under someone else's insurance no matter what" as it's a dangerously broad spectrum statement and can lead to someone getting seriously screwed over if they read that forum in future and don't bother checking their position and covering themselves as appropriate which is what my advice was. The second is people who say "I've got X amount of experience and you don't know F all so don't talk" instead of giving some form of useful and helpful input. It just shows that your ego is a lot bigger than need be. It's a shame, there are tonnes of experienced guys on this site that really do know their thing (not me) who have no issue with answering questions or explaining something instead of jumping on "younger" members in some sort of experience D*** size competition. Get over yourself. I just came here to discuss trees, not be talked down to by someone else with a keyboard. I've watched a lot of guys in other industries with 30+ years experience get f***** over. Don't think you know everything because you did your own C-section with a chainsaw.

But nothing that I said was wrong and it was proven by the pages from the ARB insurance webpage. I thought we were over this 🙄

Yea sure, fancy explaining where I said I disliked the experienced guys? 😂

That is true, not a biggie to get a licence but not everyone has them, especially labourers. It's good to have something anyone you're working with can tow. Especially now the difference between a sub750 160mm chipper and a 160mm chipper over 750 is becoming less and less. Be interesting to see what the fuel usage is like in the real world as that's the only difference I can forsee between petrol and diesel and I suppose how often the stress-relief system cuts in as a diesel has more cylinders and more torque.