Marc

Thanks for the link Steve i'll check it out.

I want to make myself a simple SRT kit and am unsure what decender to go for, just wondering if anyone is familiar with both the Petzl I'D or Elderid Eddy. I want to keep the system light and simple so i've also been considering the suitability of the Trango Cinch or Petzl Gri Gri in a RADS set-up, i've used the Cinch and it does work well, its cheaper and lighter than both the i'd or eddy. Any opinions?

To small mate. The middle one looks a little like a failed wire bracing scar.

Also more expensive and does the same thing just not as pimp looking! As for safe retrieving, i do the same as Peter its simple, works and gets it unstuck easier you can also do this from the ground if it gets stuck. Better than a double snapper. Or if i'm worried about smacking a hard surface just get a groundie to catch it:001_cool:

Freeworker and Drayer is like porn for tree gear freaks, unfortunatly there isn't any Brit website that is as comprehensive. Treeworker is good, but he has way more stuff than you ever see on his website. Sherrills is another good site and they do a good catalogue!

Reminds me i got to get me some dust masks, although i really do hate wearing them. It all comes down to exposure surely? I'm trying to think of the number of times i've been exposed to high levels of fine dust for extended periods of time in the last few months,,, not to many so i'm not overly worried. I don't need a R/A to know that dust is bad or to spot it in the workplace, common sense and concern for yourself and well being should prevail.

Sucking though teeth right now!! That really needs to come down asap! Only joking what an amazing tree, nice pics Tony.

Not to shabby mr bish:001_cool:

Insurers may tell you to get lost for any reason they can get away with, and i'm not saying you should not undertake training the opposite in fact. Driving without insurance is slightly different to someone who has some training, bags of experience and insurance. There is no comparison. What is shocking in my opinion is that NPTC is seen as proving you've had training and are up to the task, this is a serious issue and needs looking at. You can pass your chainsaw from a rope and harness in as little as 8 hours training and assesment, or get all your tickets in a few months without any real world experience. And this is what we are judge by! I'm really just losing the will to live with this crap now so i'm out! My opinions and views are just wrong, and heaven forbid if i do do something bad i deserve to go to jail for not having my common sense ticket. On a final note i will do all the important NPTC units for my daily tasks, not because i worry about invalidating my insurance or getting proseceuted, just because i believe its the professional thing to do.

From what I know this is not true, even someone with nptc's can end up in serious trouble if they injured a member of public though lack of due care. Even if a member of public gets injured after every precaution to keep them safe was undertaken (which is highly unlikley) nptc or not you'll get screwed, thats what insurance is for. I've known of colleagues get injured on the job and not had the appropiate nptc qaulifications for the task whilst it may of lead to the HSE asking some more indepth question as to why no appropiate training had been taken or why he was given the task, its just been treated as an accident just the same. I certainly don't worry about rigging without my ticket i have tickets to say i can climb and use a chainsaw in the tree, accounts to prove i've been in this job a long time etc. If I was new and given a task i wasn't capable of doing i think the hse could find out and bring legal proccedings on the employer. Otherwise i don't think the HSE could prove i wasn't up to the task purley because i hadn't done a few days training and an hours nptc assesment, as that in itself does not make you competent.

Can i ask what you mean by that? I have very few qaulifications (only the bare minimum i can get away with) and no desire to get anymore as yet, experience is what I crave. Saying that i'm giving serious consideration to doing my rigging unit sometime, I'll probably be able to teach the instructor a few things judging by previous units i have done! I've always been honest about my abilities and like to think thats what got me where i am today.

See i'm the oppostie tall with skinny waist unlike you who is short and fat. I just end up with my boots full of saw dust which is annoying. And i know stretch air do a long leg in all their waist sizes but i think they are overpriced rubbish and to heavy. I'm well aware that Hi-Flex will not always reliably stop a chainsaw, i do not wear any ppe and think that it will protect me 100% thats just foolish. Good practice, experience and skill protects you.

True:bored: its nothing but a dream to compete on a level playing field where we can all charge a good rate and win jobs on on our profesionalism and qaulity alone. Only a tiny percentage of companies round here can claim to do that at the moment. And even those are losing jobs to cheaper contractors as some start to tighten their belts.

I don't mean to mock as i did exactly the same kinda of shinanigans when i was a gardener.

A picture pulled from Diy network on how to fell a tree, apparently when felling a large tree always start at the top removing the uppermost branches. Tools you need:- Gloves Goggles Chainsaw or pole saw Wood chipper Wheelbarrows Truck bed or bin Rakes Stump grinder Rototiller Shovels Shears Garden hose Steps Safety tip: Always wear eye and hearing protection and a hard hat when doing this type of work. And here is the master DIY'er in action cranking out the big top

There are hundreds of better videos to choose from if you wanted to illustrate your point. What i saw was like others have said an outwardly compentent and experienced cutter doing a very good job, when you've worked on big bits of timber like that and managed to make such smooth cuts even with the grain when he halved it, you'll appreciate he has done a very good job. Its a recent vid obviously, he had hearing protection on no need for a hard hat as no over head dangers. O.k he didn't have protective trousers on but i'd say in that situation and the way he was cutting he exposure to cutting himself on the leg was minimal. Now sneding and prep'ing stuff for the chipper on the ground is a very high exposure situation and protective trousers are sensible.

Why reduce them?

Just enter you will not make a fool of yourself if you can't footlock, the foot lock event is only worth a mximum of 20 points for the fastest, your then deducted a point for each second your off the fatest time. The big points are in the Aerial Rescue and Work climb events. Besides everyone is really supportive and get behind you no matter how good you are. Last comp i went to there was one girl competing who had only been climbing a matter of weeks, and i failed to score in footlock and speedclimb yet still did o.k for a first event, and no where i need to improve for next time.

How have times changed?

I'm talking from a freelance perspective. Don't get me wrong nailer i already do get paid very well given i have little more than 18 months in the saddle and a little over 2 years in the professional industry. Yet the day rate for a top freelance climber seems cap'd at an average 150 a day in my area, i don't think thats always enough considering the highly skilled and demanding job the top climbers have to do. Basically i just feel we should be earning more, although i never became an arborist to become rich.

I feel cheated! Nobody ever thinks of marky mark maybe he'd like to demo some new kit:closedeyes:

Got your cambium saver stuck to lazy to climb up and get it? Well if your nifty with a trow bag try to throw it to a fork directly above your friction saver, lower it down exactly! the same path as your climbing rope attach a karabiner to your your line and then climbing line, pull it back up to easily rescue your your false crotch then lower it nicely to the ground and impress all those you work with.

Oops:bored:

I've been after an ascender to make a srt kit, not a fan of Petzls offering so have been browsing other companies, Whilst looking at Kongs site have seen that they have a shed load of new kit by the looks of things. http://www.kong.it/pr_news.htm http://www.kong.it/catalogues.htm (see rescue and work for GRCS type lowering device) A new twin ascender, looks like they have noticed they have improved their current model and have made a new one with an intresting safety feature - a plate which locks the rope in place to feed it straight onto the cams and prevent accidental opening (there was a gruesome pic in treeline of a climbers harness impaled on a spiked metal fence after his kong double ascenders apparently open'd when he side loaded his ascender) Also a GRCS device and other tools based around a sailing winch for rescue and hauling. a new style of ascender and footclamp (which looks nicer than a Pantin) As well as other intresting products like a 2 way locking back up, compact clamp and Arb harness (think i've seen this at the shows already) Great if your a gear junkie like me, now where can I get my fix of these new Kong products in the UK??? By the way I think i've settled on these Black Diamond ascenders they look pimp. http://www.bdel.com/gear/nforce.php

My thoughts go out to him and his family, i hope he makes a good recovery.