Paul Barton

Ooh you tease!! Glad you had fun mate. I am off to frenchland on saturday myself. Any tips for me (you know, like where to buy a good british burger and how to ask for a union jack tatoo in french)?

Ha ha! Don't worry, I'm not a bunny-hugging veggie. Just wouldn't want to shoot a wild deer that's all.

Beautiful animal. Shame you shot him.

I have a butterfly. It is ok but my main gripes are: 1. it loosens off after a while in the canopy and then slips down 2. it digs in to your hips when working off the side d's I tried the austria duo 2 at capel and hated it! Bridge far too low - when hanging in it I was overbalanced backwards, not nice at all. Had a quick go in the Treemagic as well. Liked it alot, nice and light and nice bridge position. Only concern would be it's flimsiness when supporting a saw as well.

I did use a conventional felling cut. I just did it craply (if that's a word?)!

Agree - could have used the dog-tooth cut I guess. I have only used that on strongly leaning trees or trees on a winch before but it could have worked today.

Thanks Carl. I thought you might just say "ha ha ha!!"

Thanks Rich. I just have personal accident insurance at the moment but am looking for PI for when I start doing some reports. I'll have a look at Trust, cheers mate.

So I had my first proper cock-up today! I hesitate to write it here but it may just help someone else. We were felling dead/dying horse chestnuts in a field next to a road. We couldn't fell them straight in to the field (at 90 deg to the wall) as there was some fencing within the field to avoid so we decided to fell them diagonally, ie at 45 degrees to the wall. We put a line in the tree attached to a Land Rover as the tree was very slightly back weighted towards the road. Unfortunately the hinge was inadequate due to my poor cutting. I had done my cuts, walked away from the tree and signalled for the Landy to pull away - then watched with horror as the tree started to go and then span around on it's hinge and toppled towards the road:scared:. I am pleased to say we had closed the road as a precaution anyway so no passing traffic was involved. I was so gutted and rather sheepish for the rest for the afternoon. Looking at the stump I could see my mistake clearly - I had left a minute hinge on the field side and a thicker hinge on the road side. That's right everybody: exactly the wrong way round! I also totally over-estimated the hinge strength in dead timber. Did another tree almost identical later this afternoon and that one went sweet, big sigh!

After browsing a few providers of this insurance I noticed none that offered it for arboriculturalists specifically. Any recommendations or advice for this? thanks in advance, Paul

Have fun Beaver. Enjoy your rest from the cyber-arb-chatter world!

Mango! (you tart)

Yes indeedy!

Welcome Pablo Sanchez!

I have an orange one, dubbed 'the mango'. I know it suits me 'cos it's the same colour as my barnet.

Great pictures Rich! Looks like you get some interesting work.

It was a nice event and good to meet some of you chaps again.

Nice pics. Is that Trent Park? - looks familiar.

Phellinus igniarius?

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|capel%20manor#map=51.67996,-0.05712|15|4&loc=GB:51.67996:-0.05712:16|EN1%204RQ|EN1%204RQ Mmm, link not working but try copying that in to your browser. Or just search EN1 4RQ of course.

Nightmare - poor old Nod. Will keep eyes skinned.

Hi Ryan - welcome to Arbtalk! I would suggest looking up a few local companies in your area and asking if you could go in and do a few days work experience with them to get a flavour of what it's all about. If you like it, then it would be best to get some training to pass the necessary NPTC tickets for chainsaw use and tree climbing. Once you have them you shouldn't find it too hard to get some work. For a while you will probably be dragging branches and feeding a chipper but that's how we all start. Alternatively you can go to college and do something like the National Certificate in Arboriculture which would give you some good background knowledge as well. If you go to http://www.trees.org.uk there is a page on careers there that shows some of the different routes you could pursue. Hope this helps? Post away any more questions - we are all here to help. cheers.

I ride a Felt hardtail. Mine was only £350 but has done me extremely well. Something like this http://www.feltbikes.co.uk/mtb.php?id=10 would do you well?

few random pics from my phone over the last few weeks. Yew roots in nearby park. Carl in pine today. My mate josh taking down 2 scots pines.

Aye, what ye be talking about? Never heard of a swing saw.