RPA

Yes. It’s one method of dealing with a hung tree that is now covered on CS31. If there is or does not appear to be any natural ‘roll out’ direction i.e. hung straight on then this method should be used. You cut the letter box with the tip of your bar little at a time ensuring that you leave at least 20% of the hinge in tact (10% each side). You then remove the 10% left on one side with vertical cuts little at a time. If there is any chance of the tree rolling out then the first side removed should be opposite to this direction. When the remaining hinge on this side is removed the letter box will close. Repeat this to remove the hinge on the other side and you have a hung tree ready to be levered or winched down. None of the above should be completed whilst standing directly behind the tree. Before starting you could also ramp down the back side of the stump so the stem will slide back easier. Puwer will be able to explain this better than me but I hope this gives you a rough idea.

Yes as I understood it(ex the letter box cut should have been at the same level as your felling cut not the btm of the gob). Then again I am sure puwer will be correct and it is technically a heartwood cut.

Sure thats how it was explained to me on CS34. If your doing a 2x bar fell and are on the limit of your bar length stick a letterbox cut in and increase your hinge thickness (effectivly same as 3x bar fell)

Looks to me like one of those where you give the customer some advice on basic pruning knowing fine well they aint paying a shite of attention:bash:

This is exactly why I look into the forum every day - thanks for helping me to 'expand' my knowledge:151: Cant really offer anything constructive ex have they put any down any strange lawn feed etc? (may have adjusted alkalinity etc)

If it was about 400 miles further north:( (Costin me over £300 to come down to Satex next week - other half going as well:bowdown:)

Last year it was 2 from 4 rescues. Our course tutor said that everyone will do a basic rescue (attach to casualty and operate both climbing lines to return to ground). A lot of the assessors will then basically 'draw straws' for the remaining rescue to be performed. Two candidate assessments will be completed by the assessor so you basically have a 3:4 chance of either being a casualty or having to perform the pole rescue. Nobody wants to do the pole rescue but I would prefer doing the rescue against being the casualty NPTC assessment link: http://www.nptc.org.uk/assessment-schedules/ Its now climb trees etc, not CS38:confused:

If your confident enough with a drill you can drill down the centre of the bolt (drill bit smaller than the inside diam. of the thread:rolleyes:), soak it in WD etc and it will come out a lot easier. At least you will have a hole to stick an extractor into if that still fails:D

Diane just put what we had through the blender when ours started to go solid. Both loved it. Then started the lumpy bits over time. They would not look at that baby crap once they tasted normal food

Sympathy comes with retention, not removal. Pride in the finished job comes as standard, sarcasm comes all too easily:rolleyes:

Have a look at my first photo in arb dogs and you will see why its all paid for:D After 19 years you learn not to upset them (at least not where they can see what you have done)

Its a dogs life

I didnt take the photo - I would'nt have dared get that close!

Ooooops! Wrong pic, dont tell the wife :eek: (She should have been getting lunch ready anyway:D)

See food eat food, thats why im a fat b Dont believe in all expensive energy drink bull. Buy glucose powder in Morrisons (cheap) and stick about 4 table spoons in a sports flask of orange or blackcurrent juice. A bit sweet but does the trick:D

Enjoying reading the machinery comments but please remember each persons/contractors situation is unique to them. This is where I will give you a laugh! I am running a TW13/75 and a fleet of 2 saws:eek:. What can I do with this superb set up? Just about anything! I chip to 3” (not personally:D) and log everything else that will not sell as it is. I would love to have at least 6 saws, a couple of chippers up to 9”, MEWP, stump grinder, etc, etc but I can’t:( Appreciate your machinery for what it is to you and your circumstances. Why have the biggest dog’s b of a chipper when it won’t fit through the gate of your next job:mad:

In house if fair enough but what about independent contractors:confused: The priority must be to implament a system that when completed proves that a person is both theoretically and practically competent to do what the cert says he can. Over the last 18 months I have re-done my certs (20+ years after my original 'training') and to be honest the quality of competence that was achieved by some students put the shits up me:eek: Finding a solution will not be easy but one thing that I feel strongly about is that nobody should be allowed out of the 'being trained' stage until they are truely competent and can undertake an assesment without just hoping to 'fluke it'

Agree with the exception of climbing. Try and think about it long enough to stop me getting complacent:D

The next generation - that's the job shag:eek:ed then:D

How about the tree/arbtalk design in bright green on a black backgroud - black T's wont show up the sh*t as fast!

Thanks Steve. Its a bloody long way for me (Cumbria:eek:) but the lad who is doing a bit of ground work for me also does a lot of groundcare/grass cutting contracts so we thought it might be a half decent break for a couple of days. You dont know any half decent Pubs/Hotels we could get an overnight in do you?

A thought re training/assesment/competence. On a module you will do 3 - 6 days training and then half a days assessment. Who is in the best position to judge your competence - the trainer or the assessor? To my mind to actually pass the unit you should need to pass the training to a pre-determind standard to be able to progress to the assessment. I feel this would give a better indication of competence as opposed to the ability to get through an assesment. It would also mean that two people, not just one, have agreed that you have reached the required standards.

Anyone going/is it worth going to?

Agree with the above. Also Claus Mathecks stuff if good for tree mechanics/structure/ets. If anyone finds any tree related books hard to get hold of try Summerfield Books (1st up on google search for summerfield books). They hold a decent stock and sometimes have the odd special offer.

Don't normally leave them but the tree was at a really stupid angle - does not show very well on the photos - so the stubs made it a hell of a lot easier to top down.