RC0

I still do some subcontracting but mostly I do my own jobs now. I'm much happier for it.

I have some product reviews pending. When I get the time. I've put out well over a hundred tree vids on youtube, arbtalk and some other forums. Hundreds of photos too. It's a lot of time invested. There'll be more no doubt, but the motivation is a bit harder to find now days, to be honest.

For me, If Im going to use Ddrt, its probably going to be on a removal....where I can walk up and around on spurs and just tend the slack as I go. Dont have to worry too much about friction on the rope caused through redirecting, because I can just cut off any obstructive branches that get in the way. Retrieving a Ddrt line also takes no planning really....you just pull it down. This is especially handy when transferring between tops with a grappling hook etc. But when it comes to access and maneuvering around big trees for pruning....its hard for me personally to factor in Ddrt at all. The mere thought of tip reducing, say a 140 ft fir using a Ddrt system. All that wasted motion and energy pulling on the 2:1 line. Lots of re-routing of the lines to keep them free running etc....what a lot of work. With SRT, you're just free to go where you want, and come back in half the time. Maybe its got something to do with body type. Ive often wondered what makes a person find either technique less strenuous than the other.

Ive found no evidence that this trend has found its way to Canada yet. Regrettably.

Thanks Paddy. Yes I might do a couple of loads even, if theres lots of material to process. A few noteworthy places to see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathcona_Provincial_Park Tofino | Destination BC - Official Site A day amongst the giants at Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park | Off Track Travel There's tonnes more. Not a big island so its easy enough to get around. Just find a 'places to visit' website and you cant go wrong. Gve me a call if you make it to Victoria 250 661 3183

Checker plate added over the mesh sides. Just the bumpers now and I'll be happy.

It's the only 7.3 powerstroke diesel, Ste. I was warned to stay clear of the 6.0 that came a couple of years later. Yes the load handler. $150. Can't argue with that.

Picked up a used custom built Rack with cupboards for the truck today. Slid on and bolted down just fine. Just need to add some aluminum checker plate behind the mesh so the chips don't blow out. On the whole it's getting there though. I'm keeping an eye out for some winch bumpers too, but no rush.

I haven't had time to watch the whole vid, just the end part in question. They seem like good lads. I couldn't really see what they gained cutting all those face cuts. It saves some energy hanging in the climb line. ...but it's not a big thing just to make the cut without, either. If they were cutting those face cuts to 1/3 the depth of the tree, then they're cutting away 1/3 of the strength, obviously. What if on that very first face cut they made the 1/3 horizontal cut, and then discovered the stem was also hollow or rotten? So, then that 1/3 they just cut away becomes a lot more significant with all that weight still bearing down from above, and if they're committed to rigging the logs the way they did. Yeah I wouldn't allow that technique on one of my jobs. Best not to look for trouble.

Boards came in handy again today, Ben. We rarely have to move logs from a site....more often have to Firewood everything and move it from a to b within a site. So, you can fit quite a lot on, and just dump it wherever. I could have piled it higher still but was a bit bumpy through the gateway, so i didn't wantto risk it tippin over sideways.

Exactly.

The manufacturer's made a fabric mesh think that fits into the stakes, for carching sadult and finertia debri. I don't know whether they got around to releasing it though. If that's what you mean Ted.

I use the boards separately for covering damagebles too, so i can undo the string in which case, but a proper hinge would be fixed. Either way would work just fine though Ben.

thanks jon yes soon to have tipper box fitted and roof rack for tool box so will be bigger still thanks reg

Thanks All. Steve, sales have always been good where this product is concerned. I suppose wherever there's cutting involved, inevitably theres going to be cleanup thereafter on some level. Ben, like grey git says. I have two boards, with holes and string to form a hinge.

I know. Shocking isnt it mate !

This product has proved a remarkable success so far. Thankyou to everyone who made a purchase. I do hope it proved to be a good one. Please note the Arbor Trolley is now made in the USA and comes with flat proof tyres as standard. If youre a small company, or even a one man band such as I, the Arbor Trolley could save you a lot of time and effort. Ive had the one in the vid about 5 years now. Time flys.

Yeah that'd be funny Ben. Dennys for breakfast, and a couple pints at the end of the day. Some tree work in between that.

I'm just saying nothing comes easy Mark....but with some self belief and determination, you can do alright. You get to dictate how your future pans out. Climbers, up and comers, don't listen to the naysayers who's paths you might cross. I'm not referring to anyone here of course. But I've worked with a lot of people with agendas over the years....insisting on how tough it gets if you dare to try and better yourself. Liars, most of them. Trying to protect their turf. Pay no attention.

Interesting thread Adam. Thanks for sharing some of your experiences. I do believe it's different for everyone though....and it's impossible to predict the future how everything will eventually pan out. I was employed for 4 years, and then self employed climber for 21+ to the present. For me the freedom, the experiences, the opportunities, the challenges, the money, completely outweighed any perks that employment had to offer. Paid time off at xmas and stuff....never meant anything to me, comparitively. The key to continuity on my part was to make money for people....and take away their own confidence in their ability. That means constantly evolving and improving ones arsenal. And when you're doing tough jobs everyday, they just become routine. Easy. Whilst if a person only gets a tough job once in a while they're gonna find it a much greater challenge and often take a more cautious and lengthly approach. Interstingly, during many quiet periods when companies don't have much work on, I've found myself really busy....because collectively those companies have only had jobs on the sceduale that suit my skills a lot more than theirs. Just the way it goes sometimes. More recently I've been doing sourcing a lot more if my own work, with a view to phasing out the freelance climbing etc. I've grown tired of salvaging underbid and poorly negotiated jobs; of hearing how hard it all is to run a full tree service. I'm not sure what kind kind of life they lived but clearly people's perception of hardship is quite varied. Work is not exactly falling at my feet right now at this early stage, but it's coming, and gaining. Because I'm hungry. I don't expect anything to be easy. This week I worked 4 days, and finished at 7 - 8 o clock on three of them. Just me, the whole jobs. No helpers. But I've got a pot of money for it. To keep. Feels good. Some times bad life changing stuff happens as had with some members here more recently....and can happen to anyone. But outside of that it really is what you make if it. How you as an individual can impose your self on people and situations. If I could give just 3 pieces of advice to aspiring freelance climbers they would be : always pick the toughest trees on a site. Keep learning and evolving. And always go home with a check at the end of a day or which ever is the last day of the week you work with that company....without exception or excuses.

Amazing tree Steve. Really glad it staying.

Nice pics Adam

To easy for you that one one mate. Like riding a bike. Think of something else.

I don't disagree with you. A fixed bollard with a big radius is much nicer to use. All I'm saying is that 2000 device cinched up at the top is pretty dam good also and excellent value For what it costs.

The distance from where the rigging block is tied and where the cut is made plays a part in how that slack gets induced into the line as the log tips over....but mainly it's the depth of the face cut that sort of create a shortcut for the log to fall and separate from the stump. The deeper the face, the more slack is created. Tim the bottom of the trunk where the LD was set had quite the flair, although not clear on the vid. If i'd cinched the top strap super tight the LD wouldve been set pointing up at 45 degrees or more. So when that dip occurred in the line it's just possible that the line could've slipped off the back of the LD and we'd have lost a wrap. I've never actually seen it happen, but in theory it's possible. Dave, the guy on the rope could've avoided this by pulling the slack out if the line each time the logs tipped....but I'd never had him catch big logs in such a way and wanted first to see how coordinated he was at just letting the log run a little. So i purposely slacked the top strap so the LD would dip as the line went slack. As it was he did good. Next time I'll get him to pull the slack as the log tips and see how he fairs. Jonny to say they're crap and a waste of money is a little unfair. That 2000 costs £120 and would probably be good for a 20 ton pull, thearetically speaking. For some people, a device like that is all they'll ever need. You could buy that and probably 3 new saws for the price of a grcs....so which choice is the most wasteful of money is a matter of perspective. The positives of the hanging style device is that they are cheaper, reactive (the align themselves with the ground worker as he/she walks around with the line), more mobile, compact....and not least of all robust....you might have noticed at the end of the video it getting slammed by a 600lb falling log. You can't take those liberties with a grcs or similar. So, clearly there's a time and a place for everything....and I'm very grateful that thousands of tree workers were in agreement and made a purchase with us. Thanks