munkymadman

i don't believe you can step cut when using a heli, shock loading choppers is a lot different to shock loading a crane. weights have to be constant with aircraft otherwise they become unstable. the thing that gets me is that you would never know which direction the piece of wood would go everytime you made the cut. at least cranes are a bit more consistent.

hey vduben, so you've moved over to oz. i spent 2 years climbing in oz and another year in nz. preferred oz for work(but was more experienced by the time i got there) and the money's better. i personally reckon your better staying south for the summer then move north for the winter, stay freelance if you can, apply for an ABN(australian business number) once your visa's come through. i have contacts all up the coast. if your going to brisbane, i worked for a company in byron(hour and a half south) called tallow tree services, got some very good gear, 18" bandit with winch and was talking off buying a small crane when i left. pays $30 an hour (freelance) $35 an hour if you get insurance. also have a few contacts in melbourne(still my favourite spot). one or two in townsville and the ones i had in cairns are liquidated. a friend of mine manages a company in melbourne and says work is drying up, i was talking to him only two weeks ago. so i'm not sure if you'll have as much luck as i did. a good website for work is http://www.arborage.com.au. goodluck it's an adventure

also bought a new helmet, i think that red fisherprice one isn't the most professional. it only cost a 5 euro

dean are you that sexy in real life or have you photoshopped your oicture slightly. oh and sorry reg i meant to say your like a big burly man. i did it guys i bought a GRCS, was a bit nervous pressing the approve sale button. just have to wait for the delivery, hope i don't live to regret it. it's alot of money. but i've always wanted one, just hope it comes in handy

reg you big tease. your like a chick on the dance floor who will dance with you but thats it ha ha. i am very intrigued. hopefully i won't be kicking myself in 6 months if i've bought the GRCS. hope it goes well for you and the design is a success

i was just ready to buy a GRCS, and as the sterling is pretty weak at the moment(eventhough it's rised slightly). thought this was the best time to buy over any other. is it really going to be that revolutionary that it will be a step above the opposition. or just a variation. it's the crank power on the GRCS that has got me interested. it can't be more powerful than that. IMO it's better letting a prototype product arrive on the market then they normally tweak it over a number of years to perfection.

so is that 8ft square container a thousand pounds then. it's that or build a shed not sure which would be more sensible

thats my birthday! enjoy. lovely place

no wonder he's the late dan osman. i've never been confident at rock climbing bits just flake away that you try to hold onto. maximum respect thats along way up to be jumping around

if you want to simplify footlocking, purchase a double ascender. just clip it on and footlock away. it saves you having to coordinate your footlock with the gripping and ungripping of your hands, plus has alot less resistance than a kleimheist. another tip is to tuck the strop down the front of your top, to prevent the chances of catching it between your knees as you footlock

looks like a GRCS would have been handy there. nice looking spot

i'm not here to say he's some random nut he's a legend no doubt about it. were all better drawing sketches of tree's. i'm just trying to justify his technique's.

you can still crank over a back lean from half way, a bit unnerving but quite do able. alot easier than gauging where to stop your back cut, especially if it's leaning in the direction of the gob. i'd be more worried about not cutting enough. you've got one piece being pulled one way while your trying to fell the bottom piece the other direction. way too dodgy.

i do trust my groundie's, but human error is a variable that will always be present, so can't be counted on. but similiar to john i work with different groundie's. and the main thing is the lowering technique's change, sometimes i use all the clobber pulleys and lowering devices, while other times i'll just chuck a rope over a branch and wrap it round the trunk or i might mix the two together. all depending on the situation. so i'm never able to say one and a half wraps. all i know is 'this piece is about the same size as the last bit, let it run'. the rest is up to the groundie. i do ask is this too big. admitedly he's said yes, when i'm thinking seems a bit big too me. he then goes hurtiling into the air. and yes to what skyhuck said if i can get away with not using my lanyard i will.

i never fully trust groundsmen, not because i think there stupid or anything. alot of the time they over wrap the lowering device, out of fear of burning their hands more than anything. and i've burnt a few groundsmen's hands. i've been hit twice by sections swinging back into me, one knocked me clean off my perch, luckily i had no lanyard round the trunk so i got knocked/jumped out of the way. i get more shocked when the piece runs smoothly away from me. it's a rare thing a guy on the deck good at lowering.

hey reg do you reckon you could use your hobbs as a winch aswell, or would it not have the same power

honestly i didn't think it was that bad, i think everyone's hammering him a bit hard. obviously when he cut the top out, was dodgy as. i spent two years in oz, and i got steered away from my uk training slightly. maybe it's euc's wood characteristics or something. used to back/hinge/tear cut all the time, thought to myself why did no one show me this awesome simple cut before. face/gob/scarf cut's give better direction and control(very necessary on wood that tears) but break earlier. i only use snap cuts if i have to man handle the piece to avoid something or if i'm working close to my pole strop/lanyard.

very ballsy idea. i don't mean to sound stupid but why can't you just fell it out from that point rather than having it precariously balance over head of you, then fold felling it. or am i missing something.

i love the tacchyon, i was not aloud to climb on static line. so this is meant to be the least stretchy climbing rope on the market. i'm all for not bouncing up and down on a rope. less stretch more efficient use of energy. still would rather climb on static, but rules are there for a reason.

better yet have your top off, make grunting noises, to make it look hard. then make a right sing and dance out of chogging a piece. use water if it looks like your not sweating enough ha ha

it's staged for sure, looks like something of the chapelle show. sure it's not a skit

hey skyhuck, where did you learn that trick on chogging down with leaving the saw in the wood. i've only seen one guy in oz do it, thats who i got it off. interesting to know if the same tricks are over in england.

it's the one bit of kit i've never had the chance to use, also the GRCS. and it's the one bit of kit i've always wanted. i've got the money for it now, personally i like the look of grcs but i have no real backing for that decision. i know it's an age old arguement Hobb's or GRCS. i'm going to wait and see how things pan out in germany before i purchase one.

stretching cold muscles isn't as effective as stretching warm ones. it's more important to have them warm before you start, if your in a gym you should start with a short run, or light weights. then stretch progressively throughout the work out. but your hardly going to do a lap round the lawn. i personally stretch throughout the day, at breaks even in the tree(where possible). you'll still be sore after a hard day but you feel better the next morning. our job is as demanding on our bodies as most sports, so treat it like a sport.