A day in the life...

[Buckaroo Banzai]

I need to Google about these 'Sawzall' thingies as I'm not familiar with them... do we have them in the UK

I am sure you know , but maybe by another name .I don't think there is a man alive that has not destroyed something with one of these.
You brits have a way of naming things , perhaps you know it as a Shambler Bugger ?
one of these:

with some of those.

Add to your tool box one of these

and a roll of that

and you can tackle any job around the house.

[Mendip]

Aah, a Shambler Bugger! Now I know what you mean.

I don't think I can justify a chainsaw simply because we have such little demand, but you've got me interested in one of these buggers.

We have several mango trees that need pruning but by the time you start sawing at a branch you get so quickly overwhelmed by these dirty great big, biting, red weaver ants that it's impossible to finish the job. Maybe one of these things can get the job done quickly enough before the ants are on to you?

And when I say 'you', I mean the gardener. And while it may be quite comical to watch him jump off a ladder, shouting and slapping at a horde of biting ants, one day he will hurt himself and that will end up costing me. And it doesn't get the trees pruned.

[Edmond]

oil it, apply let dry and buff, rinse and repeat til you get the finish you want

Must resist.


Mentioning a passport run.

[Barty]

and you can tackle any job around the house.

You forgot the WD40.

[DrWilly]

[Buckaroo Banzai]

We have several mango trees that need pruning but by the time you start sawing at a branch you get so quickly overwhelmed by these dirty great big, biting, red weaver ants that it's impossible to finish the job. Maybe one of these things can get the job done quickly enough before the ants are on to you?

Ι you have a lot of that to do, you might want to consider one of these.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/30...nVx5dQ&stock=1

[Buckaroo Banzai]

^^^^I just came back from Global House where I went for something else, and saw a similar but battery operated, for about 4,000 bht.

[Shutree]

^^^^I just came back from Global House where I went for something else, and saw a similar but battery operated, for about 4,000 bht.

The kit Stumpy has looks pretty good and from his pics it seems to work.
The gf wanted a cordless strimmer that she could use easily and bought one on Lazada. Lightweight and convenient to pick up for a quick trim around the borders. Until you try to use it and discover that the online video of it cutting branches the size of my little figure was absolute bollox. It actually cannot even cut a few blades of grass. Completely useless.
Caveat emptor.

[Stumpy]

I have to say. The Greenworks 40v pole chainsaw and hedge trimmer work exceptionally well. I can easily top trees and cut off large branches. They sell it on Lazada and it's a kit. Money well spent. The hedge trimmer I have is an EGO 52v set up I brought from the US. Works outstanding and has without fail


One thing for sure, do your homework on these products. Sure it's easy to buy a 1500 bht Sawzall but it may not perform well as Shutree noted. I stick with Dewalt for most everything because it's a proven reliable product. Thr Greenworks was new to me but I am quite happy with it's capability and battery life. All I can say is don't buy cheap expecting it to work well.

That said, I use my cordless tools every day. Just depends on what needs to be done. Today was a quick chainsaw job for some larger Mango branches, leaf blower to clean up the area and my weed whacker to edge the grass and the walking steps.

[Mendip]

^ I think I'll look into one of these pole chainsaws, with so many mango trees I think it could be useful.

Stumpy, are you pruning mango trees right now? Ours are absolutely full of blossom just now and with a lot of young mangoes from an earlier bloom. I'm leaving the mango pruning for a while.

[Headworx]

I think I'll look into one of these pole chainsaws, with so many mango trees I think it could be useful.

Calm down big fella, you're a Geo not an Engineer. Know your limits

[Joe 90]

Nice bit of kit HW!

Is that what you use to cut into your full Monty?

Mendy youv just given the gardener a pay rise and now you're buying him power tools!!!

I thought you would just get his mini machete sharpened

[Mendip]

^ I wondered what on earth you were going on about Joe... so I looked back and discovered that I did indeed promise the gardener a handsome pay rise. He must have caught me in a moment of madness after a couple of glasses of Mont Clair!

After discussion with the wife I've given him a 1000 Baht a month pay rise.

It's a much better percentage raise than I got this year. I can't remember if I actually told him about it or not. Maybe we'll have to go to arbitration.


I also discovered this post that I seemed to have somehow missed...

Well done Mendip!

Thank you Topper... praise is a rare commodity in this place. A whole heap of Greens owed!

[Stumpy]

Stumpy, are you pruning mango trees right now? Ours are absolutely full of blossom

I had a few that needed to be cut back to a manageable height. My wife and I don't like having to harvest Mangos at 20 ft up. So I routinely cut them back which actually seems to produce better quality Mangos.

Like you, the trees are full of blossoms but honestly we have 10 or so trees compromising of 4 different Mango varieties so like every year we will be "Mango sick" in no time and trying to give them away to people who are Mango sick already. So I don't worry to much about cutting them back with blossoms on them.

[Joe 90]

Pruning always bring better fruitission.

On my brief but memorable 2 weeks in the vineyards of South Australia we trimmed away half the bunch of grapes to produce bigger and more tasty grapes for harvesting.
Some vineyard owners who catered for the Japanese market trimmed off two thirds, yielding golf ball sized grapes that commanded heifty prices in the land of the rising sun.
I hasten to add the grapes were never as big as the ones hanging out of Cyrilles arse after a heavy session on the cheers beer

[Mendip]

^ You paint a pretty picture Joe... but not one I need before breakfast!


^^ Stumpy, I have two words for you... 'Mango Chutney!'

I made up a batch last year and am now on the last jar. I'll be doing the same again.

[BLD]

I had a few that needed to be cut back to a manageable height. My wife and I don't like having to harvest Mangos at 20 ft up. So I routinely cut them back which actually seems to produce better quality Mangos.

Like you, the trees are full of blossoms but honestly we have 10 or so trees compromising of 4 different Mango varieties so like every year we will be "Mango sick" in no time and trying to give them away to people who are Mango sick already. So I don't worry to much about cutting them back with blossoms on them.

It's amazing isn't it. In Lao I used to get thoroughly sick of eating mangoes but here in Oz there $5.00 each so I rarely eat them

[Stumpy]

'Mango Chutney!'

Ahhhhh.....lets see, we did Mango Jam one year. Finally gave away the last jar about 3 months ago. OH yes...then was the Dried Mango project. Had trays all over drying in the sun. Honestly just easier to keep the trees small, produce a qty that can be consumed and not have to try and figure out every year what to do with Mango's. Oh Yeah God forbid trying to thin the tree quantity. Un heard of and got a serious crosseyed look. I said we should thin it down to one of each. NOPE!!. On the bright side, my tortoises LOVE Mangos so they get a fair share of the ones that drop and Judy my Lab seems to like the green ones.

It's amazing isn't it. In Lao I used to get thoroughly sick of eating mangoes but here in Oz there $5.00 each so I rarely eat them

Same in US BLD, However the ones we got in California were all from Mexico and they were not very good so we seldom ate them as well.

[Looper]

I'm not confident using a chainsaw and tbh I don't want the expense or maintenance

The maintenance is the PITA part with a petrol saw.

I had a big tree to drop this week which should have been a petrol job but the fooka wouldnae start so I had to fall back on my trusty lithium ion workhorse

4 years old it is now and never skips a beat.

This was my face cut

This was my back cut.

I needed wedges in the back cleft to get this bad boy to fall right.

Get a battery saw. They need zero maintenance. Just change the chain when it gets dull which I have done only 3 times in 4 years.

They are worth the price of admission on fun score alone, nevermind the practicality and productivity you get out of them.

I think this rear cleft is crying out for a wedgie...!

[Joe 90]

I think this rear cleft is crying out for a wedgie

I reckon its already had one

[DrWilly]

Those wicking silk shorts look so old they'd rip if you tried to wedgie him...

[Buckaroo Banzai]

I had a few that needed to be cut back to a manageable height. My wife and I don't like having to harvest Mangos at 20 ft up.

One of these solves that problem But if you are picking coconuts make sire to wear a hard hat, to prevent drain bramage , which of course in your case might be way to late.

PS: this looks like an interesting DIW project , all you need is a couple of zit ties and a long extension cord.

[Stumpy]

One of these solves that problem But if you are picking coconuts make sire to wear a hard hat, to prevent drain bramage , which of course in your case might be way to late.

Oh we got Mango pole baskets. We got Mngo pole Nets. We got Mango picking shit all over this place. Let's be honest here. It's just a damn Mango and 1 tree can produce 30 to 50+. They aren't rare gold nuggets. Just another fruit. I like walking up and picking 1 or 2 as desired with no tools required. I am so thankful I got to remove the 2 HUGE lumyai trees. Every year was a OMG look at all the fruit of which a few big bundles and the Lumyai rush was over. The rest my wife begged people to take them away. It's 100 bht for a hung bunch at the local market 5 minutes away..

As for coconuts, that's entirely different program and we have 3 of them and 2 are loaded with the noggin busters.

[malmomike77]

Just change the chain when it gets dull which I have done only 3 times in 4 years.

i re-sharpen mine, easy with a small file

[malmomike77]

loaded with the noggin busters.

yeah i've had a few close calls