Gunns Contractors Ltd

[JD450A]

And you missed out a few grade plate spacers on the inclined rebar, Ollie

Don't kick Ollie when he's down... that's my entertainment ffs. Bottom line is he should of actually run the laser level over it at the start...

 

[Gunners]

Don't kick Ollie when he's down... that's my entertainment ffs. Bottom line is he should of actually run the laser level over it at the start...

And if I did that, you wouldn't have anything to rip me for Anyway, how you getting on with that diff lock?

 

[Gunners]

Its done, and I'm definitely done, bloody digger broke down last night but traced that back to yet another bad earth - it seems to be a reoccurring fault on my machine. This job had a bad vibe about it, fought me all the way. Lets hope getting paid goes smoothly.
Now I can get back to those 2 other jobs I've got to be on at the same time. I think one guy is starting to catch on to my cardboard cutout I left in the field as it hasnt moved for a few days

For the future, someone told me when pricing shuttering that roughly its £100/m3 to cover the timber & labour. That seems about right given what I've spent but do any of you guys have a rough rule of thumb for this kind of work?

 

[TiltyShaun]

Is it supposed to have a cross fall??????

 

[TiltyShaun]

In my experience, I usually get the engineer to design it so I can use blockwork or brickwork as a permanent shutter. I can’t deal with timber!!!!

 

[Furniss]

Get a engineer to design a concrete slab for a shed

 

[Gunners]

Been a busy month, June has shot by, 7 days a week and plenty more in the diary going forward. Spent last week at Hampton Court flower show building a show garden which was an interesting experience and good for networking. Nobody else had a tiltrotator and it certainly got some interest. Actually came in dead handy as there isn't much room between the plots and everyone has 6 vans, a digger, telehandlers, dumpers, plant deliveries etc so it gets very crowded and having the ability to attack things from one spot became vital. They are planting it up this week and judging is Sunday so we shall have to see how it gets on.
The show is open to the public next week then I'm back up there to take it all down and reinstate. Also got filmed by the BBC so if the garden does well we should feature in the build up, had to do a bit of acting with the machine as they like to get several shots of you doing the same thing. I'm pretty confident I'll be on for a BAFTA later in the year

 

[Gunners]

Also been finishing up the last few bits on the SANG job thats been ongoing for the last few months. A couple of tiny bits to finish off and its done. Dragged the 801 out of the shed as its rake bucket is so handy for tidying up areas of grass that need reinstating.

 

[Brendan]

Did you buy the cormidi? How do you find it against the htd5 you had?

 

[Hg2702]

Looking good Ollie ! Very jealous of where your working and the results ! Nice to see what one man can achieve

 

[Gunners]

Did you buy the cormidi? How do you find it against the htd5 you had?

The Cormidi is on hire. for £30/day and for how often I use one now, its just not worth owning one. Its not got as much capacity as the HTD5, and the petrol engine drinks fuel - all day itl use 15L even with turning the throttle down when you load. The diesel used to do 2 days on 5l of diesel! But its far better than the JCB for tracking around. Does neutral turns no problem and its faster in a straight line too.

 

[Gunners]

Well the show garden did alright at Hampton - won Gold, best in category and best construction so almost a clean sweep! Got my 5 mins of fame on BBC 2 a couple of weeks ago and just waiting for my OBE now

Back to reality.... Packed the garden up on a lorry and sent it to its final home at Solihull Hospital last week. Then did a couple of days clearing gorse and broke a fitting on my tiltrotator that feeds the grab - Doh Not surprising with all the bushes trying to attack me all day but it does bring a reminder that whilst its a great benefit to my business having all the features on the smallest tilty, its more fragile and hoses etc are very close to the action. Those with EC Oil wont have this issue as everything's neatly hidden inside the rotator unit - not available on the EC02 unit yet!

So to keep up this theme of all having all the kit on a 3t mini, Ive had the Idig system installed. Its early days but seems straightforward enough to use. Next week I'm digging patios and footings for retaining walls so it should speed things up there. Ill let you all know how I get on with it - gives me something else to smash off!

This week has been back to a large landscaping job and installing a 6000l rainwater harvesting tank. Had to go down 2.8m to get the invert, was pretty impressed I managed it without having to dig my way into the hole as it was so large. I've dug footings down to 3m before but not an open pit. Anyway, saved hiring a bigger machine and kept me on hire, landscaper happy, client happy, good times all round

Did have a bit of overheating trouble last week with the 8026 that was down to blocked radiators. The counterweight came off with 3 bolts making it pretty easy to get to the rads and give them a good blast out. Problem now solved so I'm not classing that as a breakdown!

 

[V8Druid]

looks like you needed every extra mil of reach the engcon gave you @Gunners .... who's tank was that and what shape?.... considering putting some rain water harvesting tanks under the floor of me new shed and was looking at a couple of 9500 ltr units ... but they ain't cheap!!

Alex found me these ..... a pair would go across the 'back end' of it nicely, end to end .... biggest issue'd be what to do with the spoil out the not not insubstantial hole they'd need ?

 

[Grahams]

So to keep up this theme of all having all the kit on a 3t mini, Ive had the Idig system installed. Its early days but seems straightforward enough to use. Next week I'm digging patios and footings for retaining walls so it should speed things up there. Ill let you all know how I get on with it - gives me something else to smash off!

I'll be interested to hear how you get on. I keep thinking about getting a machine guidence and wireless that you can swap between machines looks good.

 

[Grahams]

I missed your earlier post about building the show garden. I've always been intrigued how they get them to look like it has been there for ever. Congratulations on best construction. The BBC will be asking for you on garden makeovers before you know it.

 

[V8Druid]

I missed your earlier post about building the show garden. I've always been intrigued how they get them to look like it has been there for ever. Congratulations on best construction. The BBC will be asking for you on garden makeovers before you know it.

just don't get cornered by Charlie Stomach ..... WTF happened there, eh ?? .... time I suppose .... but... really??

 

[Bucket on wheels]

looks like you needed every extra mil of reach the engcon gave you @Gunners .... who's tank was that and what shape?.... considering putting some rain water harvesting tanks under the floor of me new shed and was looking at a couple of 9500 ltr units ... but they ain't cheap!!

Alex found me these ..... a pair would go across the 'back end' of it nicely, end to end .... biggest issue'd be what to do with the spoil out the not not insubstantial hole they'd need ?

If you had been out a bit before, you could have got one of these which
barely had covered your needs 21180000 liters should well you manage with (What to do with the 21180 M3 spoil is another matter)
it would become so full that it flowed over during a couple of days with your
monsoon style rain

Unfortunately, they were all demolished in 2005
The company that tore them was paid to remove them
There were some who tried to get the municipality to leave the largest (30m) wide and barely 7 year old tank (in perfect condition)

for the city music lovers like a sound and concert studio
After the tank was cleaned, it was empty
for half a year and since I worked as a mechanic at the factory I could take the boy choir as I sang in there and had rehearsal.
We were almost unable to get the boys out of it.
the acoustics inside there were out of this world.

The echo lasted 2.5-3 minutes and as a countertenor I could sing a duet with myself by starting one
high tone and continue with the tenor voice

Early 2015

today 2019

 

[Engcon UK]

Well the show garden did alright at Hampton - won Gold, best in category and best construction so almost a clean sweep! Got my 5 mins of fame on BBC 2 a couple of weeks ago and just waiting for my OBE now

Well done Ollie - we spoke about this at Plantworx but I'm glad it went well. Are you going to post your Beeb clip up?

Back in the day, OBE was considered shorthand for Other B****rs Efforts, MBE was My Bloody Effort. I've leave you to decide which one you want

 

[V8Druid]

If you had been out a bit before, you could have got one of these which
barely had covered your needs 21180000 liters should well you manage with (What to do with the 21180 M3 spoil is another matter)
it would become so full that it flowed over during a couple of days with your
monsoon style rain

Unfortunately, they were all demolished in 2005
The company that tore them was paid to remove them
There were some who tried to get the municipality to leave the largest (30m) wide and barely 7 year old tank (in perfect condition)

for the city music lovers like a sound and concert studio
After the tank was cleaned, it was empty
for half a year and since I worked as a mechanic at the factory I could take the boy choir as I sang in there and had rehearsal.
We were almost unable to get the boys out of it.
the acoustics inside there were out of this world.

The echo lasted 2.5-3 minutes and as a countertenor I could sing a duet with myself by starting one
high tone and continue with the tenor voice

View attachment 7814
View attachment 7818


Early 2015

View attachment 7819


today 2019

View attachment 7820

circular shed ..... gonna have a job putting stuff in the corner of one o' them though

 

[Gunners]

looks like you needed every extra mil of reach the engcon gave you @Gunners .... who's tank was that and what shape?....

The engcon gives me the ability to dig to 3m without having to put it on tippy toes with the blade behind me. Could probably push 3.3m at max limit now although for the trial hole work I do itl be coming off as they usually only want a 450mm trench and I dont fancy scratching the shiny paintwork on the trench sides!

The tank is a doughnut shape. I assume to give it strength underground. I dont know who made it but it came all the way from Newcastle on possibly the longest flatbed van I've ever seen!
Its buried now but Ill ask the landscaper on Monday where he got it from for you.