Might be doing cs32 soon

[drinksloe]

Cheers for that link stere, they plastic sledges look ok, and cheap enough at that too, only 14 euro if i've read it right?? (is that only about a tenner?)

I didn't think they'd do steel but seemingly thats wot they advise.

 

Have u bought of that company before?

[departed]

Cheers for that link stere, they plastic sledges look ok, and cheap enough at that too, only 14 euro if i've read it right?? (is that only about a tenner?)
I didn't think they'd do steel but seemingly thats wot they advise.
 
Have u bought of that company before?

A quick search online takes you to gedoretools.co.uk and they're selling the sledge hammer for £250, and a spare head for £26. I can only guess that the €14 on that link is the spare head price.
Shame it's so expensive, looks like a handy hammer.

Cheers.

[The avantgardener]

I have one of these hammers, got it from Amazon for £115 delivered. I fell a lot of trees using wedges and this is basically a ‘dead blow’ hammer that absorbs the shock coming back through the handle, my elbows where taking a beating.

i wouldn’t use it on anything other than nylon/ wooden wedges though.

I use a combination of nylon triple tapers, nylon headed hi-lifts and nylon headed bolle wedges, the latter are the best I have used, easier to drive in than the standard hi-lifts so don’t shake deadwood out of the canopy as much.

[drinksloe]

Wot type of shafts did ur od sledges have?

Just when ur getting bothered so much by vibration/shock.

 

I have done a lot of fencing by hand in past and they used to say u don't get vibration throu a hickory shaft compared to a cheaper timber shaft, but modern fibre glass shafts u never feel it.

Must admit i've never really noticed much shock using a sledge with a fibreglass shaft (or not enough to really worry about)

[The avantgardener]

1 hour ago, drinksloe said:

Wot type of shafts did ur od sledges have?

Just when ur getting bothered so much by vibration/shock.

 

I have done a lot of fencing by hand in past and they used to say u don't get vibration throu a hickory shaft compared to a cheaper timber shaft, but modern fibre glass shafts u never feel it.

Must admit i've never really noticed much shock using a sledge with a fibreglass shaft (or not enough to really worry about)

I have always used sledge hammers with Hickory shafts, they absorb the energy well but do not remove the shock, no sledge hammer is shock free no matter what the handle is made from, the dead blow sledge hammer that I have is certainly the best I have used though.

Hammering wedges into heavy back leaning edge trees for long periods is not the same as knocking in fence posts, I have done both.

The position you swing the hammer from the side when wedging combined with carrying a vibrating machine all day is what used to cause me the elbow pain.

I generally use a post knocker for fence posts, especially if they are Sweet Chestnut, I find It doesn’t split the post as much, providing the cutter did a proper job of cutting the top level.

[drinksloe]

No i totally appreciate the difference between sledgeing wedges and swinging a fencing mel (usually with wedges ur swinging at a queer angle with feet at wrong level too and at times cock handed if u can't get in on ur good side)

Do plenty of that too when needed but honestly have never felt anything other than knackered?

 

I've done a lot of fencing by hand in the past 1 boss done a lot of differnet fencing so couldn't justify a tractor/chapper for the ammount we done, yet we'd still take on plenty of 1000+m stock jobs, just ld school and near retiring age

Another ! of my old bosses still doesnae believe in chappers even thou he has 2 Suma's, only uses them for strainers everything else is done by hand. He thinks its a better job??

To be fair on good going ur almost as quick melling but bloody hard work in harder ground

 

Can mind when fbre gla shafts 1st came out on mels was like night and day compared to old hickory shafted mel's, and only ever had fibre glass sledges so can't compare.

 

Couldn't justify 100+ quid on 1 thou, and esp as i use steel wedges on bigger heavily leaning trees would probably not last too long

[The avantgardener]

4 minutes ago, drinksloe said:

No i totally appreciate the difference between sledgeing wedges and swinging a fencing mel (usually with wedges ur swinging at a queer angle with feet at wrong level too and at times cock handed if u can't get in on ur good side)

Do plenty of that too when needed but honestly have never felt anything other than knackered?

 

I've done a lot of fencing by hand in the past 1 boss done a lot of differnet fencing so couldn't justify a tractor/chapper for the ammount we done, yet we'd still take on plenty of 1000+m stock jobs, just ld school and near retiring age

Another ! of my old bosses still doesnae believe in chappers even thou he has 2 Suma's, only uses them for strainers everything else is done by hand. He thinks its a better job??

To be fair on good going ur almost as quick melling but bloody hard work in harder ground

 

Can mind when fbre gla shafts 1st came out on mels was like night and day compared to old hickory shafted mel's, and only ever had fibre glass sledges so can't compare.

 

Couldn't justify 100+ quid on 1 thou, and esp as i use steel wedges on bigger heavily leaning trees would probably not last too long

 

I bet he wouldn’t think it was a better job if he was the one on the hammer!

Had my sledge for a couple of years now and not suffered elbow pain since so for me it has been worth every penny.

[drinksloe]

2 hours ago, The avantgardener said:

 

I bet he wouldn’t think it was a better job if he was the one on the hammer!

Had my sledge for a couple of years now and not suffered elbow pain since so for me it has been worth every penny.

If it works for u thats all that matters.

I bet i'll start noticing it now when i never have in the past.

 

To be fair he still works the tools everyday and can swing a 16lb mel like a toffee hammer.

Think he thinks u get a better top line with the mel and less sweetening it off, he is a bit of a perfectionist.

[ABA Northern division]

Wedges are an invaluable aid when felling medium/large trees, you should be using them in conjunction with a winch.The key here is communication with your winch team, blue tooth headsets are also essential. I'm sure most reputable training providers will have the gear you don't have for you to use, and can probably put you in touch with retailers for you to purchase the required kit after you've passed your assessment (i.e we can offer candidates a discount at WM Plant if they show their ABA certificate)

Another key thing to remember is that 90% of deaths during felling operations occur within 9m of the base of the tree so you should be at least  10m away from the base of the tree as it starts to go over. & to  give a warning shout as it falls.

 

Thanks for putting this post on Arbtalk Stere, its opening discourse like this that will save lives.

 

David 07931670175 [email protected]

[The avantgardener]

6 hours ago, ABA Northern division said:

Wedges are an invaluable aid when felling medium/large trees, you should be using them in conjunction with a winch.The key here is communication with your winch team, blue tooth headsets are also essential. I'm sure most reputable training providers will have the gear you don't have for you to use, and can probably put you in touch with retailers for you to purchase the required kit after you've passed your assessment (i.e we can offer candidates a discount at WM Plant if they show their ABA certificate)

Another key thing to remember is that 90% of deaths during felling operations occur within 9m of the base of the tree so you should be at least  10m away from the base of the tree as it starts to go over. & to  give a warning shout as it falls.

 

Thanks for putting this post on Arbtalk Stere, its opening discourse like this that will save lives.

 

David 07931670175 [email protected]

My work colleague and I have  just felled 550+ dying Ash trees in 20 days for The Woodland Trust, most needed wedging, some winching.

if I had to use a winch in every one I would have been there till doomsday and not made a wage.

Winching can be invaluable and certainly safer in some situations than wedges but not always practical, site location/terrain/suitable anchored trees etc.

Training is one thing, the ‘real’world of Forestry another.