RC0

If thats 70ft then I must be droppin 200 footers every day mate. But still a big chunk of wood and it takes confidence to assume that responsibility, good for you:thumbup1: The rope was rated to 18000 lbs, what size and type is it? Is that the actual breaking load or SWL? Consider also the knotted working load is much less still. That took quite a bounce, smart move with the portawrap, did you let it run a little? Hope so. You seem to have a good eye for rigging Ben, but just remember them ropes have their limits, and are not really designed to catch whole trees. I'll say again, good move with the portawrap.

Well said Les:thumbup1: Wish I could go. Have a beer, relax and catch-up with people.

Only happened twice. The first I fell in a river with the tree. The other, once I realised how bad the situation was about to become, I got down, guyed the tree back to another and we hired a mewp. Or rather, the tree company hired a mewp, I wasn't needed for that. Both times was root faliure.

You should try gatorade Ben....in hot weather it makes all the difference. Water is great but when you're working, sweating and drinking lots of it, it flushes a lot of the good stuff from your body.

Good job Ben. Do you drink gatorade in the hot weather? Where possible when I'm rigging, I'll cut the biggest piece available to me to test the strength of the tree, at the earliest opportunity. If its all good I know the whole thing is in hand from that point onwards. I sorta got that feeling when you took that first limb....you're headcam appeared all jerky and stuff. But after that your movement seemed smoother throughout. Was your ar se twitching a little on that first one mate? looked quite heavy for what it was.

Yeah that'd be a real nice find mate, first thing in the morning. First pic is how the maple was left. Second was the next job, 80ft pole about part way up the malahat mountain.....lots of eagles about riding the thermals. Phone pics. Rob, yeah lots of mobile milling, buying and selling.

Thanks The photos are a little clearer on Treebuzz: TreeBuzz Board: West Coast Maple Yeah the pictures actually 'dont' do it justice Carl....they were more an after thought on the second visit. Just wanted to get the limbs off before the wind got up. Big maple alright. Pete, maybe not as heavy because they grow so fast. What you do notice right away is what an unfriendly form they take....as far as climbing the tree is concerned i.e lotsa long and bending limbs/tops reaching for the sky....disproportionately so. Full of big cavities and defects. You look at around and think, 'how are they able to support them selves?'....many dont of course. Natural crotch rigging was the safest option by far. Benn I'll find out when we go back. Be less than 100 years Id say.

lol, thats a bit strong mate....bad week or something?

These are not very good pictures, and are even more washed out after uploading on the Forum. Often big trees do make for the worst pics.....but I still thought they might be worth showing. So this big wobbly maple was at lake cowichan, near 2 hours drive from Victoria. This is the second visit. First time we didn't get there till 3pm so put in about 2 hours blasting (free-falling) stuff down....2 climbers. Took the home owners 3 days clean up. Bear in mind this is a rural community where people don't mind so much at having having their yards modified by falling limbs and logs. So what you see in that first pic is about half the tree that was originally there on the first visit. Today we went back intending to finish only to find nesting birds at about 70ft in a hole on a rotton/dead leader. Dont ask me what kind of birds they were, just that they had wings and that's enough. I dont kill birds. I was still able to get the remainder of the limbs off, mostly rigging but some free-falling too. So we'll have to go back a 3rd time to hopefully get the big wood down without any more complications. Thankfully there was a 4 hour job on the way back we were able to do to make up the rest of the day. Anyway, just to make a point that there are lots of good sized hardwoods out here too, as well as conifers. Thanks

Nearly missed that one. Yeah, its really bad actually. You do your best but your ropes and hitches can get ruined for the day within the first few mins if you're unlucky. Grand firs are the worst by far.

Thanks alot boys. Mog, thats a fair question. I’ll try not to be too long winded. And please understand that I speak only of myself and not anyone elses situation. In fairness, I do lots of pruning also, including hardwoods, a handful of crane jobs a year thrown in....but seems as Ive been working predominantly on hardwoods for for over 20 years previous (Eucs included like yourself), Im not really inspired to start documenting my experiences with them in the current situation. The fir jobs that I post are pretty typical day-to-day, admittedly. Although each and every tree, location, and client present a different combination. Not to mention that being a contractor I’m often working with a different bunch of lads each day. A lot of high access pruning/reductions on old douglas firs and cedar etc, tough work I kid you not.....and I’ve had to learn some new skills along the way i.e. the grappling hook has become an essential part of my kit. So, in spite of the stuff I post, there’s a fair bit of variety within a week. Getting bored was a luxury I could afford in my late teens and 20s, as I didn’t have a great deal of responsibility outside of work, didn’t appreciate so much where I was at or doing during those years, and was pretty temperamental back then also. Now Im in my 40s I appreciate what I have and do so much more....and that I’m still very well and able. One thing Ive learned also, and no-matter whether you’re rigging out a big tree or topping a hawthorn hedge. If you’re constantly striving to be efficient and making the best of each situation then that in itself is a great motivator....especially when things fall into place and you make good time. Failing that, if Im still feeling bored I just read the climbers forum here and on treebuzz....then I realise what it is to be bored. Like I said earlier though, I can only speak for myself. Cheers Craig, I had a cut mate, you cant tell ?

Thanks a lot, glad you like. Gotta keep feeding the forum. If you've never started a thread, or can't be arrsed lately, then you should. The ground anchor was just 4 heavy logs with a big choker wrapped around....and a big 3t hook for friction. No MA, just a big strong kiwi guy to tension it up. Tree wasn't that big really, around about 100ft I'd say. Thats a pretty accurate measurement though....not like some of the fantastic exaggerations that get added to many tree stories on the net. Heard the AC/DC track on the radio the other day, reminded me of our kid. Thought it was pretty f-ing cool, though might be too BiG for just a tree video....but seemed to fit ok. The flip-line is 5/8, or 16mm. 15ft long I think. The hitch cord is 3/8 tennex. Thanks again

Beautiful day and location. I used a flexi tripod to mount the camera. Didn't slow things up much....just had to remember to hit the stop button. Thanks Watch in HD. Blocked in Germany, sorry. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNKBgvzmqhg]Tree Rigging - Zipline - 2 - YouTube[/ame]

Good work mate...a bit of everything there. Nice to see some Eucmen on the forum

Sounds like your glass is half full mate....good for you

Its a 5/8....or 16mm. 15ft. Thanks

There's not much treework in Alberta, Langur.....well that you're gonna enjoy that is. Say, Calgary for example....a 50ft poplar is like a massive tree out there. Im not kidding. Great place, but not much going on this line of work. Good luck though:thumbup1:

Always the voice of reason Mark....thanks mate. Big swings are where its at.

There's nothing wrong with handsaws. For small amounts of cutting and neat, accurate pruning, their good. I think you know what meant....just that type of person. We had one on a job once, a second climber for the day, he'd been to a competition that weekend. Suitcase full of climbing gadgets, wrap-around shades, branded climbing clothing and all that. Soon as I set eyes on him and his gear i thought WTF. Anyway, he was more intent on showing off his rapid descents from 20ft, and big swings etc. What was going through his mind i dont know.....why he thought a big swing would impress anyone is a mystery. He was a woeful climber and cutter. Plenty gear though, I'll give him that. looked cool also....at least he thought so.

Danavan, tryin not to get an accent, and I dont think I will now at my age. In fact, one of the guys had seen that show 'An idiot Abroad' and commented " he sounds just like you Reg....says a lot of similar stuff too". So, I've got nothing to worry about then! Atree. I dont know what to say mate. We got in under the skilled workers scheme. Juliet got part time work and I started a business. We share the childcare....I work 4 days, she works 3. The whole process took about 4 years. You could probably get sponsored by a big company and then perhaps apply for residency while you're working here....like you would in Aus and NZ etc....they might do working holiday visas also, but I don't know for sure. The work its self. Well I can think of some who would probably do alright and some that would really struggle. If you're a gear intensive, handsaw bearing fancy-dan type climbing enthusiast, then you would probably fall into the latter category....if I'm being honest. Its often a more basic a brutal mindset that is effective.....matched with a good game plan, obviously. People ask all the time, and I dont know what to say, because its a big subject. You need to be specific. weathers beautiful right now....mid/high 20's. first pic is of Mount Baker on the horizon....probably not so clear on Arbtalk, Second and third were taken today from the ferry. We had a job on Saltspring Island. You can just see our chipper poking up in the line-up....and then that's myself to the right, Bob (Tree service owner) left and Dion in the middle....whos another climber out here. Not sure I like that picture....something about it. But anyway, apparently a bunch of orca's shot past but I was down below and missed em.

The bag is for packing wedges. The axe is for hitting them. We wedge lots of tops over, although not on that particular day. Often its just not practical to be setting pull-lines up above, or climbing higher for that matter....and you never quite know how well something is weighted until you get up there, or which way the wind is blowing etc. Thanks

Jared got bit doing a cat rescue a few days back, been telling anyone who'll listen, crying about it all week while playing the hero to the girls in the coffee shop. Big sissie.

hey thanks again. Really surprised....though it might have people yawning. Rich, personally I didn't....but lots do. Dan who lives down stairs was forever snowboarding throughout the season. Ben the tooth is holding up mate, just a little careful what I bite into.

Thanks guys:thumbup1: Well, wherever you move there'll be some stuff that you miss, goes without saying. But in a word, Freedom. That be a sense of spacial....especially on the road. Freedom at work.... the red tape in the UK especially is just off the scale, with people making money out of inventing more and more red tape to tie up and choke the lads on the tools. None of that $hit here. When you get out, and look back at it from afar, you see how twisted the whole mess has become....but when you're in it, you sorta just wade through it all. BC is wild. I see eagles, buzzards and vultures most days while driving to work....but what you dont see is the bears, cougars and wolves. But its cool to know they're out there. Big Foot too if you believe that:biggrin: The climate is beautiful, the scenery is breathtaking. I mean, its hard work, the tree industry is very tough and competitive....but if you are too then you'll find your feet. There's some cultural stuff that I miss about the UK, places and people too....but there was far more that I was just glad to see the arse-end of. Thanks again.

If you ever wonder or thinking of working out this way, then this footage could be quite typical, although not always so much room. If your focus is climbing equipment and guys taking big leaps and swings through a canopy, then I’ll spare you the disappointment now. However, if big tops and logs getting slammed is more your thing then you might wanna watch. Would be nice to see how it is for others, the contrasting setups and locations etc. Doesn’t need to be spectacular treework or anything, more about your daily routine. Just an idea! A beer in hand is recommended. Watch in HD on youtube. Thanks