Thermal Imaging Camera's

[Marcus B-T]

To clarify why our technique is not strictly speaking thermography. We only use the thermal imaging camera on trees and so only set up the camera for that use, whereas a thermogtapher has the skill and knowledge to look at many applications based on an understanding of the thermal properties of many substances (that doesn't mean to say I couldn't if I wanted to, I have a degree in chemistry from the University of Leeds and studied thermodynamics for two years). Secondly we extract the temperature from the radiometric images and analyse it statistically, which you can do as a thermographer but it is not the normal way, most of the techniques look at absolute changes and use delta T values and the like. These don't work so well though when you have biological data.

[Bolt]

With regard to bats, surely what we are trying to do is prove a negative here (ie chop away my son, there's no expensive bats in that one!). Its generally very hard to prove a negative. IF the system can be tuned to locate bats, the best it will do is warn us if bats are present. IMO if our results don't come up as positive we are still none the wiser, the bats and resulting fine may still be waiting for us undetected.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

With regard to bats, surely what we are trying to do is prove a negative here (ie chop away my son, there's no expensive bats in that one!). Its generally very hard to prove a negative. IF the system can be tuned to locate bats, the best it will do is warn us if bats are present. IMO if our results don't come up as positive we are still none the wiser, the bats and resulting fine may still be waiting for us undetected.

 

But youll have covered your arse end for sure.

 

I think the bat detection is more a check for flights at night kind of thing? rather than detection in residence, is that right Andrew?

[Bundle 2]

"I cant get all technical like you esteemed and learned folks, least not yet, but I will say this, if I had 13k I would buy one tommorow over anything else."

 

 

A thermal imaging unit that has been judged "fit 4 purpose" by MBT & Co about 12 months since weighed in at £6,ooo...so quite alot less than you have indicated Hama....

Take look at this.....

12Things_Booklet.pdf

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

"I cant get all technical like you esteemed and learned folks, least not yet, but I will say this, if I had 13k I would buy one tommorow over anything else."

 

 

A thermal imaging unit that has been judged "fit 4 purpose" by MBT & Co about 12 months since weighed in at £6,ooo...so quite alot less than you have indicated Hama....

Take look at this.....

 

Bundle, many thanks for this post, it was the MOST usefull post on this subject so far, and I am now well on my way to getting the full picture on these TI cameras.

 

Pricewise I doubt it would be wise to by a 6 grand camera, you get what you pay for in this world and I am a camera freak anyway so I am loving the T400!

 

When I see some prices for these and have a better idea of practicality i am going to seriously consider becoming a trained owner of TI technology, my mind is pretty well made up on this subject.

 

Your work load is not limited to tree surveys with this technology and a shrewd investor could easily find enough market to keep himself a busy boy doing lots of TI surveying and reporting.

 

The lack of willingness to jump on this bandwagon is a bonus in my mind, the more of you that think its just too pricey to do the less competative is the market for those with the technology. There is nothing more rewarding than a "captive audience" market wise!

 

Andrew your onto a winner, but you need to sell this and I get that, why havent you, MBT etc realised that a lot of us would be faster to realise its potential within a broader market, as pointed out by SWB and the links through Bundles article above?

 

Surely armed with this info we can all see the investment returns, if we have the cameras we can offer the service not only to our arb clients but to a broader more diverse market giving us high returns for the investment.

Edited February 7, 2010 by Tony Croft aka hamadryad

[Arborist Sites]

Tony be careful about the old people slow to jump on the bandwagon thing.

 

This was first sold to me as a limited licensee, one person per area, not so anymore.....................

 

As with most of these licensed things the dough is in the training..

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony be careful about the old people slow to jump on the bandwagon thing.

 

This was first sold to me as a limited licensee, one person per area, not so anymore.....................

 

As with most of these licensed things the dough is in the training..

 

Be carefull about the old guys? i never acused anyone of being old! and am only trying to spell out what benifits I can see, if not doing a good job of that!

 

When you say the dough is in the training, do you mean there isnt much market to make money from "other" than in being the one to be selling the training/product/liceance?

[Arborist Sites]

Put it this way if i had an idea that was so amazing and was going to change the face of arb and everyone was going to want the service as stated, why would i give other people the chance to ride off my back and idea when i could just employ more people and reap the financial rewards myself...

[Stephen Blair]

anyone in the country can walk into a shop and buy a pen and some paper, doesnt mean they are all going to be J K Rowling, its the same with chainsaws, i know tree cutters that dont have 2pence to rub together and i know another who is a multi millionaire. Buying kit and doing training is one thing, making a living and running a business is a whole diferent ball game..

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

anyone in the country can walk into a shop and buy a pen and some paper, doesnt mean they are all going to be J K Rowling, its the same with chainsaws, i know tree cutters that dont have 2pence to rub together and i know another who is a multi millionaire. Buying kit and doing training is one thing, making a living and running a business is a whole diferent ball game..

 

Well i guess money is part of everyones motivation, but mine to a lesser degree for sure, I am not stupid though, things have to be viable!

 

My motivation is purely my childlike and insane quest to do what i love, running around in the woods like a five year old and continuing to learn at an exponential rate, like a sponge!

 

Anything that would enable me to study trees and their relationships with fungi is news to me and something I will want to truly learn more about. It is good to have some of you tempering my enthusiasm for this subject but I just havent seen any evidence as yet to justify any lack of faith in the technology. there has been one unfortunate incedent causing some clouding of judgments, but those that allow something like that to cloud thier judgment are only cheating themselves IMO.

 

what would be interesting would be to add a poll,

 

TI camera technology-

 

usefull

interesting

pointless

or indifferent

 

Personaly I have two maybe three trees I would love to test the cameras on two for clients and one in woodland with pholiota aurivella 20 mtrs up on a limb. The othe two large vet oaks with dead cambium areas and fungal colonisation via Gresinaceum and grifola.

 

Are none of those contributing to this thread curious enough to have one or two of your jobs assesd via the method? is it not worth the survey cost on one or two trees just to get a first hand example for your own interests?