What gear???

[john87]

1 hour ago, MattyF said:

Pretty much John

Hmm, might have a go at that..

john..

[jfc]

Hmm, might have a go at that..
john..

I don't know anyone who has got their climbing ticket without the training element too. Not saying it's impossible, but if I were your assessor and knew you'd had no training I would fail you at the drop of a hat. That might just be me though...

BTW nothing wrong with cutting with top of bar (pulling chain), the upper part of the tip is the kickback area but again fine to use by a competent trained user.

J.

[Doug Tait]

6 hours ago, john87 said:

Hi Doug,

 

Yes, i agree totally. I will point out though, that i am only going to be doing very simple stuff and certainly not going off to the ends of limbs!!.. Bugger that!!

 

When i am doing any climbing i will make sure that there is always someone there too, not sure that they would be too much help when it came to going up a tree though..

 

After a lifetime of engineering, riding motorbikes, and yes, plenty with chainsaws and farms, it is all to do with common sense, and knowing your limits.. Try to be clever or being "brave" and pushing your limits, is a sure way to get hurt..

 

In engineering they have something called "FMEA" that is; "failure mode effect analysis" In other words, if this or that goes wrong, what will, or could, the outcome be.. Trust me, everything i do will be slow and methodical with lots of thought as to what could possibly go wrong..

 

Like the sound of them courses though.. What do they make you do though..?? I am not doing anything that i do not feel comfortable with though.. I do not need, nor want, a certificate in being brave and going beyond MY limits.. Not interested what others want to do.. It would be like someone making you do judo breakfalls when all you ever really wanted to do was lay down!!

 

Not sure what is involved on the chainsaw course?? Not much that a sensible person would not be doing anyway.. Would not mind doing one though. What does it cost??

 

Back in the early/mid 1980's i worked on a farm. One day a car arrived and a bloke gets out and announces that he is from the HSE and that do we/I have a chainsaw.. I/we answer Yes!! and he asks would we like a short course??

 

Well, obviously yes!

 

We were there for about an hour while this bloke did his bit. We did not get a certificate or anyhing, but i do not think they did them then anyway?? Still, i have NEVER forgotten what we/I learnt.

 

Fast forward about 40 years of incident free chainsaw use, and one thing the HSE instructor told us, one thing that he was absolutely INSISTENT about, that i have NEVER EVER forgotten, and that was.. NEVER EVER cut with the top of the bar.. Now, what do i see all the "experts" doing????

 

Yes, i know full well WHY they do it, but would i do it?? Not a chance, as it is OBVIOUS as to what is likely to happen.. [and i guess the HSE bloke had seen the results a few times too..]

 

Still, the "experts" know better than me, and are more skilled than me, so THEIR limits will be a lot "further out" than mine, but as i said, i know my limits and will not be pushing them..

 

I would like to do courses though, the more certs the better!! I always liked doing exams and stuff..

 

john..

I'm not sure what cost the climbing course is, it isn't very difficult though, it's intended to teach you a basic level of practical and legal knowledge then assess your competency. Think it's 5day tuition then 1day assessment.

 

I understand your point about not going beyond your limits or getting too brave, but an incident could happen even when you are well within your comfort zone and not using a saw. I've had a sore one falling from 4th rung of a stepladder and I wasn't pushing any boundaries doing that!

 

As for the bar I'm curious, how have you managed to use a saw for so long and never cut with the top of bar. Do you never undercut anything?

[john87]

3 hours ago, jfc said:

I don't know anyone who has got their climbing ticket without the training element too. Not saying it's impossible, but if I were your assessor and knew you'd had no training I would fail you at the drop of a hat. That might just be me though...

BTW nothing wrong with cutting with top of bar (pulling chain), the upper part of the tip is the kickback area but again fine to use by a competent trained user.

J.

Hi There,

Noooo, i meant the course as well!! Certainly did not mean that i was just going to turn up and do the test!!

 

Must say though, if you failed someone just because they had not been on a course, you would not be an assessor very long.. Someone can either demonstrate the competencies required, or they cannot. [I was a college lecturer for a short while]

 

john..

[john87]

1 hour ago, Doug Tait said:

I'm not sure what cost the climbing course is, it isn't very difficult though, it's intended to teach you a basic level of practical and legal knowledge then assess your competency. Think it's 5day tuition then 1day assessment.

 

I understand your point about not going beyond your limits or getting too brave, but an incident could happen even when you are well within your comfort zone and not using a saw. I've had a sore one falling from 4th rung of a stepladder and I wasn't pushing any boundaries doing that!

 

As for the bar I'm curious, how have you managed to use a saw for so long and never cut with the top of bar. Do you never undercut anything?

Hi Doug,

I looked it up. It was about £675 all in all for 5 days and the assessment so that is not bad..

 

Things can always go wrong as you say..

 

No, i never use the top of the bar.. If i have to cut something where that would be required, you know, where it would be neccessary to start off cutting downwards, followed by a final upwards cut, i reposition the work differently so that i can just saw straight down through it.. I will try to post a photo..

 

Here i was cutting up a sycamore tree. The way it was laying on the ground, in places i would have had to start cuts at the top then finish off from the bottom, so i jacked the whole lot up with a jack.. This obviously took time, but then the cutting itself was much quicker as i could just whizz along sawing off slices, whic was just as well as i had to cut the lot into six inch lengths.. It is like i said; I do not feel "happy" using the top of the bar, so i avoid doing it, much like i would avoid bungee jumping or parachuting!!

 

john..

Edited June 13, 2021 by john87
Forgot a bit!! [It is nearly one in the morning!!]

[Stere]

Nothing wrong with using top of the bar just avoid the:

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2021 by Stere

[john87]

Just thought i would add..

 

The jack above.. Great that is!! According to the makers, it can lift just over 2 tons to four feet, and then for the final foot, up to five feet, it reduces to a bit over a ton.. In truth i would say the capacity is more like a ton no matter where you are up the leg of the thing..

 

It is really well made [it is a genuine "hi-lift" one] with only downside is that despite teh makes saying you should not use grease, you need to grease the upright leg thing unless you want it to "pick up" [ask me how i know]

 

Say with the tree above; How else would you cut the bit in contact with the ground without digging your saw into the earth??

 

The lifting sticky out bit has an upturned end, so you can dangle a sling off it which would be a better job than what i did in the photo.

 

The thing cost about £120 i think it was, but it is one of the better things i have ever bought!!

 

john..

[Paddy1000111]

On 13/06/2021 at 17:22, john87 said:

Hi Matty,

 

So basically then, all i would have to do, is to arrange for an assessor to come and see me, or go to see them, and just show them that i can look at a tree and decide if it is safe to climb in the first place, [thing not defective] find a suitable place to anchor to, and get myself up in the tree and down again safely, using the correct equipment, and have an awareness of things to look out for and an awarness of what the risks were and what could go wrong; That kind of stuff??

 

john..

 

No, not really. You're expected to know how to do risk assessments, how to carry out aerial rescues on ropes and spikes. How to branch walk etc. It's not a walk in the park and there's no chance you're going to pass it without training. 

 

Bit like a driving test. Even guys who've been driving for 10 years would fail on some silly little mistake. I bet if you took a climber who's been climbing for 15 years and got them assessed they would fail 

Edited June 14, 2021 by Paddy1000111

[john87]

Quick question..

 

Why would you use a blakes hitch, especially on a split tail, when instead you could use an infinitely neater Prusik on a bit of smaller diameter cord instead??

 

john...

[Steve Bullman]

44 minutes ago, john87 said:

Quick question..

 

Why would you use a blakes hitch, especially on a split tail, when instead you could use an infinitely neater Prusik on a bit of smaller diameter cord instead??

 

john...

Because it performs better. Doesn't bind up as much as a prusik