Dan the Cherrypicker Man

01/09/2026

This is where the Hinowa 2010 really starts to separate itself.
In narrow mode, the machine is seriously compact. We’re talking around 790mm wide, roughly 1.9m high, and just over 5m long. That narrow width means you can get this machine into places most other tracked lifts simply can’t reach.
With a minimum travel width of under 800mm, it’s ideal for tight gateways, narrow access routes, and awkward doorways. Add to that a slope capability of around 16 degrees (28.7%), and it handles uneven ground with real confidence.
For restricted access work, these numbers genuinely matter.
Full video here 👇
https://youtu.be/yiKMeXSgeuM

31/08/2026

£600 on ladders. Used them once.

I got a set of 15-and-a-half metre ladders — the rope-pull kind — spent £600 on them. Used them one time, turned to my 17-year-old lad and said: "We're never using these again. We're getting a cherry picker." Bought one, stopped doing everything else, and just started fixing roofs from the basket. That was it.

The whole story's on The Roofing Show with Danny Madden 👇

🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/roofers-on-working-against-the-odds-taking-on-challenges/id1721211861?i=1000777416112

Radio · The Roofing Show

31/08/2026

🚨 MISS RACHEL HAS GONE TOO FAR! 😡😂
Absolutely outrageous. Swearing at toddlers on daytime TV… where will it end?! 🤬
Needless to say, my 18-month-old daughter will NOT be watching such filth and depravity in this household again. 😂

31/08/2026

With the setup complete, it’s time to drop the liner.
I load the liner into the basket and head up with it — and on this job, it’s a tight lift. I’ve got overhead power cables on one side, the wall of the house on the other, and very little margin for error.
At this point, it’s all about control. Choosing the right movements, watching clearances, and staying fully aware of everything around the machine. No rushing, no guessing.
With steady positioning and careful inputs, I’m able to bring the liner up to the chimney without causing any damage — exactly how it should be done.
🎥 Full video here:
https://youtu.be/2wWSZ0Ftem0

30/08/2026

The Hinowa 26.14 is an absolute beast of a spider lift.

In this clip, I'm taking a closer look at the Hinowa 26.14, including the working height, outreach and basket capacity—and it's difficult not to be impressed by what this machine can do.

Headline specifications are always interesting, but what matters to me is how those numbers translate into a machine you can actually use on site.

And the 26.14 is seriously capable.

Plenty of height, loads of reach and a useful basket capacity make this a very impressive bit of access equipment.

If you've operated a Hinowa 26.14, I'd be interested to hear what you think of it.

30/08/2026

There’s something more sinister going on here as well…
Looking beyond the chimney, the next issue I spotted was the step lead flashing where the neighbouring wall joins the property. The seal between the lead flashing and the brickwork appears missing, which could allow water to track in behind the lead and run down into the property.
This is exactly the kind of defect that can easily be overlooked from ground level but can be a real cause of water ingress.
In this clip I explain why failed lead flashing and missing pointing joints can become a hidden leak source in roof and chimney junctions.
Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/npZ8zHqaCKM?si=Axq2fpZwcgq0frLK

30/08/2026

🌧️ ROOF LEAKS, RELENTLESS RAIN & A HALF MARATHON BEFORE BREAKFAST…

Another week in the slightly unpredictable life of Dan the Cherry Picker Man. 😂

This week's Roof Tops and Pit Stops started in the sunshine of Spain and ended after a tour of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire involving:

🏠 Persistent roof leaks
🧱 A Grade II listed chimney repair
🏫 Several days at Nottingham High School
🌧️ Enough rain to flood my own room at home
🚛 A day creating content with a HighDrive truck-mounted cherry picker
🔍 Roof surveys where sometimes the right answer was: “I simply can't get to it.”
🍩 A Greggs mission with Robin
🏃‍♂️ And, for reasons I'm still not entirely sure about, a half marathon before breakfast on Saturday morning.

There's plenty of roofing and high-access insight in this one, but also a few reminders that things don't always go according to plan — whether you're working on somebody else's roof or discovering water pouring into your own building.

If you fancy seeing what a fairly typical (or perhaps not-so-typical) week looks like for me, the latest Roof Tops and Pit Stops is now live 👇

🔗 https://blog.dji-uk.co.uk/2026/08/30/rain-roof-leaks-and-a-half-marathon-before-breakfast-roof-tops-and-pit-stops/

29/08/2026

29/08/2026

Dealing with clogged gutters and slipped tiles on a building's valley. A quick fix is needed to prevent further damage. Safety first as we get onto the roof to sort it out.

25/08/2026

Why is it so difficult to buy a decent bucket?! 😂

My faithful old bucket has finally given up after a year of loyal service.

It was strong. It was flexible. It was the perfect size. It survived being thrown around in the back of the truck and dragged onto more roofing and chimney jobs than I can remember.

And now it's broken.

No problem, I thought. I'll just buy another one.

Apparently not.

Every replacement I've tried is either too flimsy, too rigid, the wrong shape or generally just rubbish. I never realised how emotionally attached I'd become to a bucket until I couldn't replace it.

Surely somebody out there knows where you can buy a proper tradesman's bucket?

Recommendations in the comments, please. My livelihood may depend on it. 😂