Mike Hill

Thats the thing.If we had had to ring all that up and carry it out with wheel barrows it would have been three long days for three guys.If we had wanted to make a long day of it,we could had finnished that job in one. I think that alot of our injuries come not from climbing,but from lifting heavy things onto the back of trucks.

No.Taken it back to a few feet out from the almost verticle branch next to the Stem.I am going to have a go at Coronet cutting it tomorrow.I have sold that museum on the idea.I did a few smaller ones there recently.

Happy Birthday mate!

No,but Gunnar does.I think it helps.

Excellent shooting.

Did this today.Lots of fun. The machinery takes the hard work out of moving the wood.We found a bit of knackered wall and knocked it down.So we didn't have to move the wood over the wall.

Here are some pictures from the couple of years I spent cable logging. This was my first climbing,rigging back line spars when we had to use them. The pictures are digital photos or actual pictures.Some day I will get round to scanning them.I have some pictures of me greasing the Tail rope blocks.I can't find them right now.We used to pull about 500 ton of Timber per day.Depending on the terrain.one of the pictures shows Trees stacked up against a cliff face,we used to attach the choakers on the top,another guy would step cut the tree where is had speared into the ground,then we would back pull the trees to snap them off. Glad I don't have to do that anymore. The old bloke was the bosses father in law.He was in his 70's and still logging.In one crew,we had three generations,Grand father,dad and son.It was a demanding but rewarding job.14 hour days shift work at 3000 ft above sea level in 35deg plus some days.

Sorry mate but thats Bollocks. The High Climbers were the highest paid in the Bush after the Crew Boss. They Topped the Spar is what ever direction it was leaning,their biggest danger was Rot Pockets in the Spar.They would "sound" the Tree using their Axe on the way up,if it sounded dodgy they would choose another one. The Trees were topped to provide a high point for cable logging (yarder) operations.Either to be a main spar with the Steam winch below it,or as a Tail Spar with the Skyline or High lead system to provide lift at the end of a setting. Topping back line Spars still goes on today.Although all yarders have Steel poles mounted to them to provide lift on the front line.Sometimes you run out of lift at the back,so the Skyline is now normally run through a Block hanging from a Spar and terminated attached to a Stump.The Tailrope block is also attached to the Spar,some distance below the Skyline. How do I know this?I rigged Spars for a cable logging outfit for a couple of years.

This book is great.It has some of the most impressive pictures of Logging operations I have seen. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/This-Was-Logging-Ralph-Andrews/dp/0887400353]Amazon.com: This Was Logging (9780887400353): Ralph W. Andrews: Books[/ame]

Not being funny.But have you done much with Cranes?

Two ladies at once after a Rave beats chainsaws.

Looks great! Tell us the price please.

The way the Hobbs is set up,continuous winching is an arse pain. I destroyed a GRCS Winch in Canada. Matty.I like enough tension on a Chog that when I release it,it pops off and falls over.If you pre tension big bits on the Harkon winch the GRCS has and them snubb it off,you are asking for Trouble.Most of the big stuff we do,we grab the chunks with a digger once they are down.They don't see a saw again,so rigging big is efficient for us.

FN FAL's are select fire Rob.Also the Receivers are Metric. L1A1 SLR's are semi auto only,have imperial receivers and the bolt dosn't hold open on the last round. But you are right,the SLR is a version of the FN.

Good advice Dean Another tip when shooting off a bipod.If you have removed the rubber feet from the legs and make some nice pointy ones on your dads Lathe. Don't forget you have them when you shoot off the Bonnet of you mates new Hi Lux. Ooops.

Nice work mate!

The lifting power of the GRCS is great. The Hobbs lift capacity is really just for pretensioning lines. When it comes to Boshing big chunks,the Hobbs wins hands down.

I feel that the truly gifted climbers owe some of their ability to genetics.The guts to push themselves further,the intelligence to pull off certain actions,the self belief that makes them go and consistently achieve high production. Further,I feel that its difficult to be a great climber whilst staying in one Country.What makes a top climber in the UK may not cut the mustard in the States.Also in order to leave their comfort zone and travel to a job in another land requires huge self belief.If you don't pass the trial,you go home because you weren't good enough. I feel this type of personality isn't restricted to Arbwork.People like that join the Forces,specifically more specialist or gutsy units.The Para's and Royal Marines spring to mind. There have always been those people who take any job to the top level.I think Arb work,or more to the point technical dismantles attract people who are willing to "go a little further". The above is not directed at just any climber,although a little is aplicable to eveyone you puts on a harness.

I also have better results at longer range with Sub Sonics. I have read that because when Hyper Velocity projectiles slow down to from supersonic to Subsonic they become unstable.That process is call the Transonic phase. Also the Hyper Velocity projectiles are lighter so they can be pushed faster.Light projectiles are not ideal for long range.

My first chipper! They are getting on a bit now,but as has been said they are robust and easy to work on.Have an expert look it over,most would have had or would need their Bearings changed by now.That depends on the hours of course. If your starting out on a budget,then the right machine in good condtion should serve you well.

Two Climbers can fill the Role of two Groundies. Two Groundies cannot fill the Role of even one Climber.

Here is Dad firing my.35 FN Self loader. Its brutal,the action is similar to the Browning A5 Shotgun. If you turn up the sound,I think you can actually hear him wince. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nprgds7vBE]YouTube - shooting 001.AVI[/ame]

Hare Rifle? Heres mine. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZPLvBfXfKo]YouTube - shooting 002.AVI[/ame]

Thats a good point. I tell the missus to respect the Tree your are dismantling,but at the end of the day you are utilising its structure to implement its demise.You are the terminal organisim,your there to destroy its being.

I appreciate your background.However if we turn this debate into a diatribe of our achivements it will quickley become a "Urination Contest". I venture that now more than ever older people are entering this industry.Wether thats a good thing or not vrs the typical young fella starting out is what this thread is all about. This thread has been interesting indeed.With many valid points made by many posters. It would now be good for some employers to chine in with their prefrences when hiring new staff.