JLA1990

Great to get some feed back when you can!

Ha it’s a great tractor not knocking it just don’t see them in the above applications (could be wrong but never seen one guarded up). The valtras seem to lend themselves and everyone jumps for them to run their kit. I can’t imagine ill undertake road work and there is no one size fits all! Talking of case, case puma 240 (what a great tractor). that’s a line up! How’s the n174 performing ? Roof mount better than Jake mount in your op? silly but can you feed your heizo with the roof mount.

I’ve thrown a hammer or two, thankfully not come my way. The Machine sensing the controller is too close is a good shout, I wonder how easy that is to implement on the machine/remote. With the most recent near misses I need to action something on the machine - maybe it’s not a wide scale problem especially seeing all the videos of people happily walking all around the machines but not something I want to risk.

Just for fun! - that’s my Friday night sorted 🤣 Thanks for the response, appreciate the expense and will almost certainly buy used saving a little. I’m unlikely ever to sell it (within reason) as it won’t be in daily use more out for certain projects and over winter helping out with my/others clearance works. I’ve not had a go on vario as of yet but as you say separate rpm is massively advantageous for attachments I’d add attachments as required but just looking for best base machine for Timber trailer (grab aswell), mulcher, cultivator/roto.

General question to tractor lovers - If you could have a bigger tractor would you? Obvs certain jobs will mean smaller is better however unlikely to be involved in small thinning jobs more site clearance, large scale mowing and habitat creation. I’d like to purchase a tractor next year and the choice is slightly bewildering! So hence the question for the above duties would you get the biggest hp you could? I’m used to alpines and John Deere 6155 but want to step up, Valtras seem to be everyone’s go to - T174 or T234.

Thanks all. I wasn't specifically asking as I know what the implements working zones are, was more of a warning as I keep seeing videos of people working/walking right next to the machine. I would strongly recommend at least fixing hanging chains from the underside on the back of the machine or even better on the attachment itself (the rubber/matt guards aren't fit for purpose imo).

Anyone had a close call working alongside a remote control flail deck? 1 near miss this year and recently a glancing blow off an operatives lid. I’ve seen video after video of operatives walking behind/adjacent to the machine - serious accident waiting to happen? Very little guidance again for these, just a reminder don’t get complacent!

Wet and warm I’ll drink it on a winters day. Once had a lady prepare a whole Mediterranean picnic for me and the guys, grilled fish and vegetables out of nowhere.

Have they provided an arb report which details removal? They will In turn of applied for planning to remove the trees which will then give you the permission/felling license. Bolster everything in writing, acknowledge each bit of info/report and then get confirmation back.

Yes however also taking the time to understand their company and drawing parallels on how I might be able to help them! I’ve always found running a company is solving or providing a solution.

It’s been a great tool for me and gained a lot of work. No other platform gives you such easy access to the right people, obviously you have to put the time in and cultivate the leads. Many companies/people use it like a social media platform (pointless imo) but if you use it as a tool to introduce you/your services to interested parties it can work. I worked out id spent approx 18hours in 3 months on the site and generated £28k of work - great return.

201,400,660 - best line up for tree work imo

Many thanks both. That’s the only provider I can find in the country, can’t be right? @slack ma girdlei shall give you a call this week.

Hi all, What qualifications are there for dismantling/felling trees using grapplesaws/shears on an excavator? how are users currently proving competency, is nptc fmo 2.2 the only current qualification, If so anyone know who’s offering this course? Thanks,

Stihl 461 will handle the gorse but as pleasant suggests you’re gonna need a dealer near by. As good as they’re, hitting that spec veg consistently you’re gonna need parts on the reg. Obvs I have no idea site conditions etc but for the price of the cutter could you not get a tractor/mulcher in? That would do more in a day than you would in a few months constant cutting.

In a nutshell…. - consultancy fees - time spent + 20% (no all risk costs/price work) - stand down fees (contractors getting paid to do nothing) - compulsory purchase/compensation - Ecology & planning - all of the above milking it for all it’s worth the list could go on and on, as feckless as the ecology work going on is it’s a small proportion of the overspend. I was awarded (subcontracted) in to undertake grassland translocation works…..lead ecologist had never project managed such works same can be said for the woodland trans works 👍

Can anyone recommend a provider, preferably NPTC. Based in Gloucestershire but happy to travel

Thanks very much… rather than taking over the thread I’ve gone down a Google/YouTube rabbit hole about offshore diving/working.

Thanks! Very interesting, what kind of depths can the divers work at?

Can you give a little more info on what the divers are doing and what all the dials are recording…looks very interesting, a world i know nothing about.

I can help, pmd you.

I love dogs! You could buy the new prinoth raptor 100, I think you’d get loads of work trading off the novelty alone (first & only one in the country).

As you've touched on start small, get a feel for what's needed in your area (unless you want to travel) and build from that. As the two guys above have mentioned its far easier to fill a week if you're flexible and can keep overheads low (trailering around your own kit etc) sourcing out to other contractors can work but because interest rates were so low everyone and their dog has kit now hence the 'find your own clients' comment. I have never worked in domestic, previously ran a company but stepped away end of last year and am now in the throws of deciding what i want to do (i have set up another company), its becoming very appealing to stay small and become an owner operator however i would likely buy a 14t excavator but i have an old client base i can turn to. i would really hold off with something like a wtc as some of the day rates I've been quoted recently I'm not sure how they're making money, plenty of margin for me to just pm jobs and subby everyone in at the current rates of larger machinery (food for thought)

Do you have any experience operating larger pieces of kit? There's money to be made being an owner operator but only getting the client in yourself not subbing for other firms. Primarily it all depends on how much money you want to make.... decide what work you want to do with what machine and start making enquiries/lining up work. Hire at first until you have a healthy forward order book then outlay for the machine. This doesn't have to be large bits of kit either plenty of work with avants,roboflails,3t diggers etc, you can easily make 40-60k with a small machine however if you want to break this ceiling multiple bits of kit or larger kits required. Personally in these times I would face the larger overhead of hiring (if you have the cashflow) rather than owning especially if you have no client/contact base.

Ecology Surveyor available to work alongside arb crews carrying out nesting bird, Bat roost assessments, ground checks (reptile,gcn etc), badger sett monitoring/mitigation. Relevant class licenses held to carry out a suite of surveys and mitigation works.