Marc

It seems the common factor is fruit trees, can't be that many problems that affect fruit trees and cause these symptoms, can there? I have no idea but would like to know.

:

As for diameter of whats best it varies, the stiffeness of a cord also plays a part. As a rule i prefer 8mm for a VT and a soft cord as it grips reliably. I climb on a knute now with 8mm ocean polyester cord, as it last longer for me, and is a little less critical about length of you cord you need to tie the hitch. If you don't set a VT right it won't grip reliably, to many wraps and braids means it will grip reliably, but you lose what makes a VT so good, which is its ease of breaking and some self tending as you climb up or in. It can be a fine balance. Not that i'm an expert on vt's mind

If your climbing on 13mm rope try some cheap 9mm polyester cord. I'd also suggest trying a Knute first, its a good knot, a little less fusy to set-up. Get used to that as climbing on a basket type hitch with pulley is a little different to a blakes.

I knew it was tongue in cheek, still i felt like raising the point. There is more to a career in arboriculture than climbing. Groundsman are an essential part of the industry as you said.

Also the fact it seems to be affecting the plums, apples and cherrys mainly. Could it be silver leaf or something similar? Are there small holes in the leaves?

It looks to random to be root damage/compaction, also 18 stoner did you say that some of the trees in an orchard 50 yards away are suffering? Could be viral?

And why not? some of the companies i work for the groundies get practically as much as the climbers. A good groundie is worth it, some just don't fancy getting in the harness, does this mean that their pay should never progress beyond a certain amount or reach the level of a standard climber?

Also there is a typing mistake in my reply, i meant "start a biomass"

The claims are not meant to be offensive in anyway, Goodwood are a top company looking to promote recycling our waste wood into fuel. Maybe i should of worded my reply differently, what i meant to imply is that I believe there are funds availible if you have a green initiative to your company that can help with the purchase of such large equipment. I'd be intrested to know for sure either way, at the moment its just what I heard and i'm not sure if its correct.

That'll be Goodwood tree care near me, I belive and i may be mis-informed here that got a grant or subsidy to buy that set up and not a biomass buisness. Its a U2450 http://www.goodwoodrecycling.co.uk/

Try this some time,,, get a short 60cm sling, with 2 karabiners, attach one to your harness main attachment, then the other to the hitchclimber, this will put the hitchclimber ahead of you. Then just pull the tail of your rope and body thrust the hitch climber will tend the knot for you automatically. There are neater systems, like the tip slider shown in another thread, where you can easily send the hitcclimber ahead of you and bring it back with out unclipping it from your harness and putting in a sling.

What about a bowline? I heard this knot doesn't lower the strength as much as say a fishermans. I only use fishermans for eye 2 eye hitch cords and my lanyard where i don't expect to be putting massive loads on it, certainly not loads of over a ton. Still intresting to know.

It seems there is no real correct way to tie like steve says. I've tied it both with the top leg going under the bottom leg first and vice versa. I've also tied it where each leg alternates or where the top leg always passes over the bottom leg when making the braids. You can also braid the briads thought some call this an XT. Some make a load of wraps then just clip the biner through the eyes and weight it then dress it. Me i prefer to make 4 wraps, then make one braid with the top leg going over the bottom, then I weight is by sitting in the harness and dress it so that it comes out as a 3 wrap 2 braid. If it does'nt grab right i'll adjust the length.

Wish i was closer to you I would of come along. i'd like to see more get togethers through this forum and hopefully one down South.

The competition should be to see who can hide the most amount of saw dust under the shrubs.

I'd like to see throw line, foot locking and srt techniques taught at a basic nptc level. On my basic tree climbing and aerial rescue I spent a week making monkey fists to reach the first branch then rope over rope to the top and that was basically it. It took my participation in forums like these and working with other climbers to learn other ways of access and climbing once in the canopy. The difficult thing with trying to learn these techniques online or from working with others is to fully grasp how to set them up appropiately.

I'm all for promoting competition for all in the industry even the ground crew.

Thats not a log! looks more like cheese, a big lump of cheese. I'd like to see the rake master championships like in the States, see who can move a pile of brash the quickest. I don't lift or carry logs, thats bad practice and i may put my back out.

I like the way you promote effcient ergonomic work practice, but i can't help thinking access is only a very small part of our job. I would like to eventually invest in a tree frog set-up, but so far footlocking serves me well, it generally only takes me a maximum of 5 minutes to ascend on a knot (I may do a little work on anything directly in my way on the ascent) 5 minutes ascent and then upto 4-5 hours climbing i just can't help but think any MSD's or RSI's i'm going to get will be related to my work once in the tree and not the ascent. Just my in-experienced thoughts on the subject. Plus with most things related to our work there are good and bad ways to footlock.

I've used Tenex but did'nt get on with it, but my understanding is it makes the alomost perfect hitch cord, its super strong stronger than most other friction cords. Uses polyester like many other cords so has same melting point. Its main benifit is its flexibility and the way it sqaures off providing maximum contact with your climbing line alomost like using a flat tape. Having said that it was one of the reasons i did'nt like it - to much bite. It handles differently, understand it and get used to it and it is a very good cord.

I'd reccomend buying from Jessops, personally i always refuse product insurance offered in store, for some unknown reason i took out the insurance on my fujifilm camera 3 years for 30 quid covering everything. I loved my compact it went everywhere with me and got abused, It fell out of my pocket mid swing on a massive rope swing i'd set up over a little stream and landed in the mud. The casing got bent when it was bashed against branches whilst climbing with it round my neck. Finally after 2 years it stopped working when it got a drenching of sea water. Jessops replaced it no questions asked, and i did'nt even need a receipt! Then a digital frame of mine went kaput after 11 months, no receipt again, but i thought i'd try it, then could'nt find the receipt when i went in store but the manager said he'd go over older receipts and get back to me. Well he found it, they took it back but could'nt fix it, so i got a new one which is even better than my old. I can't fault their customer service. Jessops also price match.

Saw a mog similar to that but an 07 plate 300 miles on the clock for 69,000 came with a little palfinger crane. Not bad money really, a demo Vermeer BC2000 is nearly the same money, i know what i'd prefer- the Mog, and a smaller chipper.

Both systems have merits, and negatives, its just knowing the right situation and time to use them.

Is it qauntified tree risk assesment? Seems intresting, any course or knowledge is a good thing, even if you don't find it usefull.