Marc

could that just not be down to the extra insulation the padding gave rather than the reduced vibration, after all thats why saws have heated handle.

I did some research recently on havs for our upcoming health and safety audit, from what i found out there is no proof that anti-vibe gloves provide suffcient control measure for reducing vibration. Basically it may feel more comfortable but you'll still need to take regular breaks and not be able to use any power tool for a longer period just because you are using av gloves, i'e they offer no usefull protection. I don't remember where the document is, i've looked at so much info my mind is a mess, but in can be found on the aie website.

Not got a clue whats in your pic so maybe the model/year would help or do predator make only one type of grinder with one type of clutch?.

live drive!!!! freakin dodgy man! I know of 2 extremely serious accidents that occured using stump grinders with live drive. Our mechanic knows a thing or to about predators (he built them) he mentioned to me about some improvements he made. If you can give me as much detail about your machine and problem as possible i'll ask him his opinion on how to sort your problem.

dragging brush and tending the climbers ropes and needs.

Missed that thread on the buzz (not the f8 revolverone) thanks for posting it here softbankshawk.

you didn't set it right a knute is like silk, and just as easy to advance as a vt and maybe dare i say it smoother to descend on!!

Everyone is obsessed with the holy grail that is the VT and mythical self-tending. The VT is a great hitch and yes with enough rope beneath you it will self tend itself wich is novel when it works, onyl one tool does this relaibly the lockjack (boo). I just think we shouldn't get hung up on self tending, there are lots of other good self advancing hitches out there like the Knute. The bueaty of a VT and its variations is it doesn't actual remain set on the line it works like the chinese finger trap principal, so should always be easy to advance or descend. A knute remains set on the line but one leg wraps round the other leg which buffers the load to the 4 or 3 coils making it always easy to descend on never binding tight and easy to advance as it hasn't bound tight, and as its set on the line it should always grip reliably, unlike a distel where only one leg wraps round the line and the other leg is free to tighten and bind the coils making it harder to advance or descend o. I find with these style of hitches unlike prussiks, blakes or klemheists they lend themselves to a different style of climbing, the ability to footlock the line, tend one handed and climb hand over hand (once you trust yourself to not let go or fall) I tie my knots loose as i always want them to move freely its second nature to me to thumb the coils to make sure it grabs or i can just tell when it won't, it doesn't bother me and i don't fell unsafe or worried about freefal but it does take geting used tol. There are other benefits to these knot especially using a hitchclimber like setting up 3-1 advantage systems, using 2 anchors with one line, aerial rescue possiblities etc etc.

I started out on 75 a day as a self employed labourer, i had some nptc's my own climbing kit, saws and ppe etc. I was hoping to get stuck into climbing but like others have said its not really the reality although some may just throw you out there. 75 as a self employed hard working tree worker i think is fair, its a risk being self employed. I think it made me more attractive/employable as companies could use me and lose me when they wanted, i paid for all my own kit contribution and tax's, I on average raised my pay by £10 per day each year as my experience rose, the last year my experience expotentialy increased so did my daily rate. Starting out as climber with less then a year in the saddle is not realistic (like others have said you'll just end up losing a company money) go in as an allrounder and jump on every oppertunity you can to climb. Remember though that observation is an important skill in this game you'll learn a lot by watching others more experienced than yourself. I also moved quickly from company to company trying to find an outfit where i could learn by observing and oppertunity, if your a good worker and honest you'll be kept busy, although the economic climate now is different from when i started.

I love the knut its my prefered hitch over the fussy vt, ok it rarely if ever self tends over a vt, but to me its other advantages outweigh that benefit, its performance is more reliable and longer lasting always remaining easy and consistent to advance, easy to tie, and it hardly twists the line. You can also tie its legs short to make a more positive hitch with minimal sit back. In this pic i've tied it with 10mm op to 11.5mm tachyon i like this set-up as the thicker hitch cord doesn't generate so much heat. Lancstree i'd shorten the length of the cord and switch to a 2 karabiner set-up, put the petzl pulley between the legs of the hitch for a more positive action, and use the second biner for the splice. Alternativly get a hitchclimber.

Here is the new big rig for the company i work for. Its the ultimate leylandii slaying machine.

Good job and nice set-up you have there arc.

I'd plump for the hiflex type a's if they are as light as the c's then they should be good, not for everyone tho.

One of the key points about ladders and the WAH act is 3 points of contact, painters and decorators can still use ladders upto a certain height as long as they keep 3 points of contact i.e both feet and one hand on the ladder, there are tools out there that allow them to do this for wondow cleaners holstered squegees and buckets for one handed access. Hedgecutting simples cannot be done off any ladder or steps legaly your not even allowed to be 1 ft off the ground as it takes 2 hands to hold a hedgecutter, you need either a mewp or some kind of tower-fold out platform with enclosed rail. As for stripping ivy if you can keep 3 points of contact the this would be o.k. I think!

Agreed, if you don't like then you don't have to buy it. You may be paying an extra premium for getting a complete climbing system in a bag but it'll be worth it for some just not for others. I don't think this is an indication of where things are going is just another option out there, you can already buy pre tied prussik loops and be paying a premium.

We have just bought an air spade to do root plate investigations amongst other work, just curious about the best compressor to use as some let out a fine mist of oil which is no good for the root system.

Good job Dean, love your Landy rig and bandito chipper.

Thanks for posting that drew i've seen the fig 8 on the buzz and tried it myself, did'nt like it for limb walks thoughits hard work getting back in from the tippy tips of branches as your using all your strength to pull yourself in and hold position with your arms whilst tending slack, a doubled line gives you some advantage and you pull your self in if that makes sense. Still i can see some advantages in there like Dean pointed out no friction from diverting your line round branches, yet i always like to work a tree in a methodical way so i always have the best/lowest rope angle. I reckon i could use it on say major dead wooding the inner crown on some jobs, as its very simple idea, especially like the way you can footlock up then descend! I don't use a figure 8 just a large cambium saver ring like the ART ones which are rated.

That is something i would not want, I want my boots as light as possible and comfy, if we follow good practice then the chance of hitting the side of your foot should be extremly low to nil, its no use producing ppe to such a high protective standard to cover poor practice. Better training is the best way to prevent accidents not better ppe! I met someone recently who managed to cut the side of his leg through type C trousers, he did this by hitting the seam!!! The only way of avoiding this would be to make type c trousers with overlapping seams this though would make the trousers a little heavier and more uncomfortable by having the overlap. The cutter in question said it was his poor positioning which lead to the accident! All ppe has its weak points/limitations, Stihl HiFlex are very good very light trousers with some of the thinnest protection material around, this makes them great to wear and bearable in all but the hottest days, BUT it is very possible to cut through them if your unlucky. I personally prefer having something lightweight and comfortable but with slightly lower protection, i know this and accept it.

I don't want to come across as patronising or anything like that, safety at work in all aspects of what we do is a topic that really intrests me. My biggest downfall is lack of concentration when i'm not on the tools especially if i'm on the ground I get bored or just do not have a 100% awareness of what is going on around me and have had moments of stupidity, its something that I have to improve and i will after 2 close'ish calls, i'm sure we all know those moments where think "holy **** that was close" or "**** me that could of been really nasty". To me what sets most of us apart is our ability to learn from these mistakes, to take on board how our actions nearly seriously hurt us or those around us and to then change our work habits. I have also observed though in other treeworkers i've worked with the lack of this most basic survival ability, they just seem to live with luck on there side constantly exposing themselves to injury through poor work positioning, laziness or the just get it done attitude, often these worker can go years with luck on there side so never really see what they are doing is wrong. Logging sucks I know it i hate it, i've been there done all the lazy boy bad practice, one foot on the log cutting close to it to finsih the cut, using the nose of the bar etc etc Now though I am far more cautious for reasons some of you may know,(not because i've injured my foot). I keep that bar far from my feet if i'm in the standing position, or just plain get down there cut with the pulling chain and the log on the dogs virtually nil chance of injurying yourself and better for your back.

I looked at the pic first and thought ouch just like my work mate straight through his chainsaw boot to the big toe, then i read he wasn't wearing ppe! Chainsaw boots do not give proper side protection, the only protected places are straight on the laces or to the toe cap, side impacts will give you a nasty bite exactly like that. And i know i was the one who adminstered first aid and removed his chainsaw boots.

There are a couple of churches round here with Judas Trees, so i guess its not all that uncommon. Unless there are a lot of gardeners/landscapers out there with wicked sense of humours?

Sometimes doing it in those small sized chogs is good for the job and the groundcrew, the bits are managable so they can get them straight on the truck, the saw dust is broadcast further so less tidying up than if you ring'd it on the ground etc. Those smaller pieces are easier to push off and the technique of leaving it in the cut means he is being fairly effcient, so the fact he is making twice the cuts is besides the point Its all job and team dependent though.

cutting right through like that is o.k on small diameter wood or soft woods, you do have to be carefull that the chain does'nt push it off. The saw being used is besides the point could of been any number of reason for the big saw/bar being used. The technique looked like it was employed well to me, I used to do it a lot but have been put off since nearly losing a chog by the chain pushing it off, or being to greedy and getting my saw pinched. Just felt it was being lazy. Now prefer the control of a step cut and you can do it in a similar way to that by leaving the saw in the cut like a few others have mentioned.

Nice one Nick, good to see someone using there observation skills very important in tree work.