Jamie

Footlocking is one thing i need to learn to do. I know how to just i find the rope always slips, besides i normally spike all my trees, make sure i get a few ugly gaff marks and everything:proud:. I do use my pantin from time to time. my boss is after one too. Jamie

your rope should be fine. My major tip is to avoid putting wet ropes in bags, they will remain wet. All our soft (ropes harnesses etc) get coiled and hung up in the van (a simple set of hooks on the wall) they dry out and remain mould free. Left wet they will end up stinking in no time at all. The person splicing an eye on your shortened blaze climbing line doesn't appreciate this at all:proud: you know who you are. Jamie

Steve is that a big pizza or a very little person. Jamie

I bent a 92" bar while cutting the top off a willow stem (it was too big for the crane to pull ouit the pond) i strolled down the log and cut just short of the cranes max reach and cut. it nipped the nose and bent it. Another was a 020 bar i cocked up and the chunk pulled the saw and bent the bar almost to 90 degrees. we just get a new one or try to straighten it on site, stand on em, whack em what ever to get the job done. JAmie

I got a leaflet through from a training provider in central Scotland. When i sat my chainsaw ticket 5 years ago it cost me around about £350 quid its now jumped up to £995. Thats a fair bit more. To me an apprenticeship scheme with a test at the end is worth a lot more than a whole host of basic courses. Every newstart we get after a minute of them cutting i walk over, tap them o the shoulder and have to explain why a saw doesn't have to be screaming its tits off to cut efficiently. Jamie

my hand is good. I had no pain whatso ever the whole event. When the surgeon was investigating he turned round to get something, when he turned back i had the tweezers in my hand looking around. Cant beat a bit of self investigation these kinda pictures should make up an HSE type gallery of what can go wrong, honest (anon of course) explanations of how it happened. i might print them off for the new guy. Jamie

i just get on with it, i pull it up myself and clip it on. it may be uncomfortable but its only there while you are working. Jamie

Thats a bit of our crane works a treat. and our larger log splitter Jamie

+1 looks fun Jamie

i've posted this before but here goes again. complacency sucks my cut and where i was... got myself down. got the rest of the day off work, every cloud and all that. Jamie

ok, ok. i dated a lassie from the borders.....the guys are simpletons, i had to spend far to many nights trying not to talk down to her mates Jamie

They are from teh Scottish Borders, they are all weird down that way. I dated one for 5 years...... Jamie

4 oz self raising flour, 2 oz sugar, an egg, a dash of salt and a slosh of milk. i either add, chocolate chips, vanilla, ginger or cinamonn...... mmm. the lady is round i may drag her off to make some:D Jamie

splices jamie

most mornings i normally make myself some scotch pancakes (packed with sugar but made fresh with vanilla extract not cheap vanilla flavour) then its 2 litres of weak diluted juice (water is a bit boring). in my piece box goes 2 apples, 2 clemintines, 2 bananas, 2 babybel type things, a yoghurt and a sandwich and a tortilla wrap with sandwich stuff in it. that does me through the day and i'll generally have a half bowl of pasta for dinner. I'm on another get rid or chocolate and shite mission. last time after i suffered 3 days of intense cravings i went onto do really well for about 3 weeks then thought id just have one....in the same boat. Over the summer i went on a cycle holiday and tried not to have much chocolate as it gives you a mega boost then you crash as the sugar leaves your system. in the crash you feel down, lethargic etc and crave more....see the vicious cycle appearing. As for chocolate i've tried to start eating only dark chocolate and if possible only well made dark chocolate...not brown veg oil and sugar, sorry i meant cadburys, nestle, mars etc. Jamie

off topic but....get to the top of a bendy pole when the tops off and give it a wiggle, thats always fun. i to climb an untended blakes too its the climber not the hitch that makes the system. mind if you are miles out a second anchor can help. and if you slip you dont swing in (and down) Jamie

fluidity is the way forward (well along) keep moving. slow isnt best. if you feel you need to stop try and find a crotch to jam a foot into to hold you in place. try on big stable limbs first as smaller limbs are bendier Jamie

early teens i went through a meat loaf phase (why i dont know) so that was my first. Most recent were Portishead - Portishead, AMy Macdonald - This is the life and Pulp - A different Class. My mate Rosie rekons Pulp is good music to have sex to. Personally i've found DnB good but different strokes eh Jamie

I've only tried xtc arbourmaster and blaze. i find:- blaze to small but ultralight, milks quite a bit. XTC milks a bit more (i've only ever used it in short lengths as a lanyard Arbmaster good doesnt milk, hence i spliced an eye on the tail. my splice has no 'ID markings' so fits through things easier. as for milking i dont cut off the excess. The end of my rope is redundant as i tie a fig8 about a meter up. i leave the excess cover in place, its not like i ever use the last 20cm anyway. Jamie

easy as to do, i do em all teh time at work. in 4 years i've had maybe 2 failures and thats me being pessemistic. once you are spinning yourself the chain is cheaper. I find spinning chains and coiling rope very theraputic...but i find splicing theraputic. Easy as no breakages. My tip, mark the work bench (all our saws run 3/8s and we have 3 bar sizes 56, 72 and 92, well we have bigger saws but the chains get counted out as and when required) with your sizes makes it super quick. Jamie

I know i need a few courses, rather than sitting listening to someone teaching me to (for example) felling twice bar size cant they come out, see me on the job and chat with me ask questions (their choice) and watch me fell teh f**ker. Most days i know i could be assessed for most units. I'm assuming i should also have my skidding and multiple windblow ticket. Tickets (and method statements) are all well and good until you factor in people. All it takes is one guy who is not so quick witted (but a good worker) who cant see the wood for the trees and bam. To sumerise. I'd like the option of work place assessment (whole squads if need be) by individual independant assesors. Teaching people to get a chain razor sharp as well would help. Jamie

i'll speak to my boss he is thinking about potentially looking forsome new. just we are the wrong side for you. we are working towards teh west tomorrow, wed Jamie

more to teh point there is an add for spice girls ringtones on your site steve.... Jamie

world war eleven????? when did 3 to 10 pas us by? Jamie

if i can let things free fall i'll go as large as i can. its my way of saving the environment. Burning as little petrol as i can. Jamie