Retired Climber

27 minutes ago, Johnsond said:

?? Bit more detail as to the reason you wanting to know where I work may elicit an answer or alternatively feel free to use the PM facility. 

Your offer of a coffee with another member just made me think that the offer may be extended to me. I'm sure we'd get on better face to face, than on the forum. 

We've been renting out some homes to people on contract to BP in the area (Stonehaven specifically), and I often have reason to pop up that way. I thought as you were in oil and gas it was likely you may find yourself in Aberdeen on occasion. I normally have to deal with people with silly job titles like 'Global Vice President of some made up corporate function'. Would be good to have a chat with someone who has a proper job. 

34 minutes ago, pleasant said:

Yup, that would be fine, and we would book it in uder that basis, but if you have taped up a secondary micro switch to enable you to use it one handed or a deflector flap spring is missing so it doesn"t close then we would either suggest we fix those issues while we fix it for the initial repair, not take it in, in the first place if the operator starts 'telling us we are wrong' or advise the customer we will hand it back as is but sign a disclaimer. No one is advising someone HOW to use a machine if they dont need advise, but I repeat....we are liable if we dont inform the customer his/her machine is unsafe to use upon return.

 

You woudn't believe what we get asked to do to machinery that is clearly unsafe.....asked to remove a chainbrake lever because it keeps clicking on....fit ANY blade to a mower as long as its will fit in the cutter . Remove bail arms on mowers so engine doesnt cut out when emptying grassbox....get the picture?

 

No one is dictating to a customer, no one is being awkward, but sometimes customers do need a safety reality check. And lets be honest WHY would you want to continue to use a machine once an expert has told you it"s unsafe to use? If my garage told me my cars brakes could fail at any time, i wouldnt give them a 'blunt response' but either act on it or ignore it at my cost.

 

People today are very quick and happy to blame others when it all goes wrong I'm afraid and its called CYA. Cover your ****.

 

Hope that makes some sense.

All fair points. I think the difference between real life and talking to a stranger on a forum is that we have no relationship. The guys I use have known me for over 20 years; if something was a big dodgy on one of my machines they would probably mention it, but wouldn't have me signing disclaimers. They'd also let me walk out with an arm full of top handle saws, even though I don't technically have relevant qualifications to buy them any more. 

18 minutes ago, pleasant said:

I am assuming you are looking at that from a pro user point of view? I am relating predominately to domestic users who need guidance, and that is why the majority come to us in the first place- for help and advice. However public liability and HSE do not affect them, but customer user safety does. If we let a machine go out whether domestic or pro use, knowing it would fail manufacturer safety standards and HSE standard for a pro user, then we are obligated to inform the end user as such, and like I say either ensure it does conform or a disclaimer is signed. If you gave me a 'blunt response' for informing you your machine is not safe to use (which is my legal and insurance liability obligation) Then I would think you were some sort of idiot- particularly for knowingly to continue to want to use a machine which was unsafe. We don't fit new chains to saws for the same reason. If a customer comes in with their saw and asks for a new chain for it, we are happy to supply the chain, but we decline to fit it if asked, on the grounds that once we touch that machine we are liable. A new chain needs re-tensioning shortly after doing several cuts (as I am sure you know) If we fit it, and the customer doesn't re-tension it as he should and it flies off....we perceivably could be liable for injury or damage as we fitted it originally and the customer can play dumb about us telling him to re-tension it to save his skin after an incident

 

I appreciate you may think it, but telling us you don't agree with it is irrelevant.

I completely agree with what you are saying, and realise you can't really do it any other way without leaving yourself wide open to problems. 

My position is that I have a lot of professional tools and equipment that I now only use for occasional domestic use. I've had and used this stuff for many years; some of it is a little past it's best, but if I took something in for repair I'd be telling the shop what I wanted them to do, I wouldnt be looking for advice regarding it's safe use. 

3 hours ago, Johnsond said:

You are like clockwork Mull, another late night alcohol inspired belter, I’ll say one thing and that is your consistent either that or too shy to post sober. Im pleased you had a laugh bud, mind you what’s amusing when your pissed probably isn’t that funny at all the morning after. 
Talking about great guys etc, I’m over in Oban and Lochmaddy in next few months doing some work for CalMac, if your near any of the ferry terminals and dive ops are being carried out you should pop over for a coffee eh👍always good to meet up face to face with a forum user, rather than this billy big bollocks midnight  keyboard shite. 

Do you ever work in Aberdeen? 

6 minutes ago, pleasant said:

A couple of examples.

 

If we take in a mower in that has an engine issue, but has a damaged, non functioning or even missing deflector flap, then we either refuse to work on it unless the customer agrees to us replacing or repairing it before returning it to use OR we have to get the customer to sign a disclaimer stating the mower is unfit for use should the machine be returned with then flap in the same state it came to us in. Same goes for electric machines that come in for a simple blade sharpen or replacement if it has damage to the mains cables or switches as we have to flash test all electrical machines after we have 'touched' it. so we eith dont take it in, if we do we have to ensure it passes a flash test or we issue a disclaimer stating it is unsafe to use and the customer is aware of this.

 

damaged decks, missing exhaust guards all need addressing even though the machine may not be in for a reapir to that area. even, bits of rope or similar to override bail bars on mower handles...all have to be removed before handing back to customers.

With respect, if a bloke in a garden machinery shop tried to tell me how to use my machinery, he'd get a fairly blunt response. 

Having said that, I do appreciate that you need to cover your own backside, just incase the proverbial hits the fan. 

51 minutes ago, pleasant said:

Genuine question. How does your insurance react to you using that 'modified' tool on a customers premises and surely should that cause injury, your public liability will be null and void?

I asked a similar question in the thread regarding modded / ported saws. For me, making a tool more powerful than standard spec would be a concern, especially if staff used the saw. However, general consensus seemed to be that nobody at the HSE knows their backside from their elbow, so crack on. 

1 hour ago, Johnsond said:

One in five homeowners face being locked out of cheaper mortgage rates

APPLE.NEWS

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If the Bank Rate hits 4.5pc as expected, bills will jump by 50pc

It was in the context of people making light of the situation of those families who find themselves in the situation described within this article and many like it. Try and read it before you hit the bottle again, although admittedly  it’s a weekend so I don’t hold out much hope of that. 

Nobody is making light of a situation. Maybe read what's written rather than looking for something to be offended by. Just because I've upset you in other threads, it's a bit daft just to disagree with me on others, just to have another go at 'winning' an argument. 

You aren't fooling anyone. I mentioned my hourly rate on a thread about income versus energy costs, and in the context of the thread it was relevant. I even admitted it was a bit of a boast. You write that you don't want to do the same, but mention what you do for a living, and give guidance for us to look up what you earn, that's just bloody embarrassing. 

There are very good economic reasons for interest rates to drag themselves up out of the gutter; I'd guess you probably know that. Not so easy to be offended on behalf of others if we have a proper conversation about the economics of the situation though is it. 

I shall let you have the last word, and look forward to you trying to have a dig on another thread at the next opportunity. 

4 minutes ago, Rob D said:

 

 

It's a big question - there's a lot to it and to understand it all I'd say is around 4 hours worth of info. It's to do with how wood grows/how it is cut/where the rings are/how fast it is dried/through sawn or quarter sawn - like sharpening a chainsaw or dismantling a tree. You need to already know a certain amount of info to understand it.

I have a good understanding of how trees grow, the forces that act upon them before and after they are cut and the reasons why they warp and bend; I just couldn't really understand why they couldn't be cut roughly, left to do their thing, then cut to size. 

It would seem that it's simply not financially viable, for a number of reasons. 

26 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Cutting them again once dried will not be easy.  When you use a sawmill to convert logs to timber you are milling usually a very wet log which makes it soft and easy.  Once fully dried the timber is much much harder.

 It would also be very wasteful cutting to say 100mm and then cutting again to 60mm.

Presumably the increase in value of very straight / stable timber would not cancel out the wastefulness? 

Could you put the planks through a planer / thicknesser? 

Forgive my lack of understanding of the subject; I know roughly the square root of nothing about milling. 

If flat, straight boards are valuable, is it not worth cutting slightly oversized, drying them, and then cutting them to final size to take out any distortion? 

I do realise I'm probably misunderstanding the problem, but can't work out how. 

47 minutes ago, Johnsond said:

That’s exactly how I felt throughout the past couple of years of total shite. It seems the I’m alright Jack or holier than thou attitude is alive and well, whilst I agree the interest rates have been probably unsustainably low for too long now I get no kicks out of lecturing people who might not be as fortunate as others. There’s a lot of people who will undoubtedly end up in mortgage arrears or worse in part due to the crazy prices that you see in the housing market. You may judging by a previous post where you alluded to your amazing day rate be in a position to benefit from the higher rates we are seeing, me personally I’d rather give a shit about the younger families out there who will be bricking it at the seemingly never ending hikes. You are right though it’s a bullshit game played by people way way up the chain. As for day rates I never brag or would certainly never quote specific numbers in a Harry Enfield loadsamoney gobshite manner but feel free to look up the 2022 ODIA offshore agreement and you will see what the North Sea oil and gas game pays Divers/Supvs

Did you mean to quote my post? I can't really see the relevance, other than trying to have a dig at posts I've made in the past. 

12 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Some of us have lived through booms and busts, good times and bad.

Stuff happens, life’s not always fair.

We’re not being bombed by the Nazis, things could be worse.

Agree entirely. Life is just a game; there are very few rules; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Anyone can make a fortune, and anyone can drop down dead at any time. Roll the dice, but don't moan about what numbers you get. 

13 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Some people on the south coast might get their beach huts repossessed !

Anyone daft enough to buy a beach hut on credit deserves to be thrown in the sea. Personally, I can't see the appeal anyway, but if you can't afford it, don't buy it. 

7 minutes ago, Commando said:

I was reading somewhere that if interest rates hit 5% it would cripple most mortgage holders! I guess there are a lot of financially exposed people out there…

A lot of people are going to get a rather abrupt reality check. 

2 minutes ago, Commando said:

I wonder if "Young Climber" has the same opinion..🤔

Fair point, but interest rates have been ridiculously / unsustainably low. If 'young clinber' needs them this low his financial plans are fundamentally flawed. 

4 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

Anyone else been following the ripple/sec case?

I can't see them getting a summary judgement, but stranger things have happened. 

4 hours ago, Johnsond said:

Interest rates surge to 2.25% hitting 14-year high - what it means for your cash

APPLE.NEWS

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The Bank of England has today confirmed it is hiking interest rates from 1.75% to 2.25% in what is...

Coming off a 5  year fixed rate deal mortgage  in jan next year so been shopping around today, so far it looks like im gonna be about £140 a month worse off. I guess those further up the money chain who were unhappy with the way of things pre covid are now a lot more contented with how things are. 

About bloody time. Interest rates have been a joke for quite some time now, especially when you also consider the inflation rate. 

25 minutes ago, Steven P said:

 

He knows now, perhaps he can finally tell us exactly how long a piece of string is?

My guess is 2' 6''. 

57 minutes ago, pleasant said:

I have a similar issue to the OP's.

 

.....you see, I have this piece of string and I need to know how long it is. 😇

Measure it. The joke doesn't really work when you claim to be in possession of the piece of string of unknown length. 

1 minute ago, eggsarascal said:

Yet, you read situations, you know what others are thinking before they do.

 

Buck House put a press release out at 12:30 saying, doctors were concerned about her health, an unprecedented scenario.

 

im surprised you didn’t see it coming.

I wasn't aware of anything involving the Queen until I read your opening post. 

I have apologised, and wish I hadn't posted what I did, but refuse to get dragged into a debate with every serially offended member of the forum. I won't be making another post on this thread. 

7 minutes ago, Johnsond said:

🤷‍♂️Yeah you are certainly in possession of a set of skills alright. 

To be fair, if I had realised how serious the situation was, I wouldn't have made the comment. I wasn't aware of the fact she was in a bad way, and made a silly off the cuff remark. I don't think that puts me in the same category as those who have made jokes since learning of her demise. 

To anyone offended by my comment, I am sorry. 

18 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Well to bring this thread back on track, the poll (admittedly very small numbers and certainly not a representative sample of society) seems to suggest very few people are concerned that a large proportion of their income will be spent on energy.  In fact almost half of respondents say they expect their energy costs to be less than 5% of net income.

 

Certainly a stark contrast to what the media have been saying day in and day out that "Most people will struggle with their energy bills".  The BBC should speak to more tree surgeons......!

As a representative group, we are an odd bunch. I'd imagine the self employed are over represented on this forum, meaning many more than average have the ability to increase their income fairly easily, and also we are massively over-represented by people who have alternative sources of fuel and heating, the obvious example being logs / burnable arb waste. 

Hold on Charlie; not long now. 

Being able to have a million before IHT seemed like a reasonable deal not so many years ago. Now, with house prices as they are, it's going to be a concern for an awful lot of (normal) people. 

15 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Very clever trusts set up by highly paid lawyers.  I don't know all the details, but it is always the case that the people who can afford the very best advisers can usually take advantage of all sorts of loopholes us mortals never even hear about.

In my experience, such schemes are useful to kick the can down the road, but are unlikely to solve the issue on a permanent basis. My Father in law has a similar scheme set up, but I'm not convinced it's going to help us much. I've been looking into these issues quite a bit recently; amazing how having children can focus your mind on such matters.