ecolojim

right, ive got my CS38 27th to 30th May and assessment on the 2nd June. Ive got nearly all my gear, but i shall have to get some more to meet the criteria. peoples first hand experience whether of the course itself or possible gear i should buy would be most appreciated. the requirements are: Requirements 1 passport photograph PPE (helmet with chin strap, boots etc) Climbing rope (30m x min 12mm) Safety harness with leg straps (full or seat harness). If using a full harness or Willams a Maillon Rapid will be required. 2 climbing strops; min 4 Triple-action auto-locking karabiners (not screw gate); 2 Prussik loops Personal first aid kit so I need a helmet, I could do with replacing my first aid kit, could do with a new pair of gloves, might as well get a couple more biners, a second climbing strop and another prusik loop helmet: thinking petzl vertex vent thingemy... but im not sure whether to buy complete or whether my visor and muffs from my husky helmet will fit it (need a replacement visor anyway) gloves: fancy another pair of the timberland pro ones unless anyone tells me not to probably another couple of the isc triple locks second strop: I currently have just the one, a 3m petzl grillon setup. perhaps appropriate to get a 5m one as well? but what kinda setup? wirecore? ascender based or prusik? prusik loops. Ive got one decent sized one, Justin sent me some cord, it's black and hivis yellow striped. is this suitable? if not i'll have to get two new ones And something in the assessment spec talks about redirects, so i wonder if a couple of webbing slings with maillons might be appropriate? thanks in advance guys. Jim

I've got an 019T, and i very much like it, especially the curved side handle. It's a great cutter for sure! Think it cost me 75 quid, 90 delivered from the states 2nd hand. Ive just got to change the bar, chain and sprocket and have to decide what parts to go for to give it a new lease of life. it came with the pico lp chain on a 16inch bad and a heavily worn sprocket.

only just seen this topic. random drug testing for an already dangerous profession... yeah i'm in! cripple the industry?? nah i dont think so. encourage more clean guys... probably. give me half a chance when i start up myself... i reckon so Ive just spent the last 3 years as a music student, worse, a music production student. Ever smoked weed? nope, ever smoked cigs... a few in my lowest moments pre uni, but nothing to speak of. Drink? less than most. hard when ive said that not to seem like im being high and mighty, and if you think im being that way, then so be it, but I have to agree with Skyhuck, Pecon, Steve, and whoever else. Theres no place at all for it on the job site, but smoking it recreationally is proven to still affect you the next day at work, if not beyond, so why bother?!. The job's dangerous enough guys, why cant we have 100% of our minds on the job 100% of the time? Some of you guys have made reasoned points to the contrary, however I do fail to see that they are valid. Can you not relax without them? chill with loved ones, bit of tele, maybe a movie? couple hours down the pub? I dont really buy the escapism argument, I think it's an excuse pure and simple. Ive had my share of bad times and if i turned to drugs, I personally think two things would have happened, the other side wouldnt have felt so good, and the bad time would have been much extended. Maybe a load of you are going to think that im too green to this job (pardon the pun) to pass comment thus. Personally, I long for the day when I can do a good days work, and relax at the end of it taking pride in what I have achieved. Life is what you make it, and there is a beautiful world out there for us to see, even in our own back yard... if we take the time to see it with the eyes and senses we were given. Stay Safe

once i start earning money from climbing i might just have to have some then. I too usually sport the same look. however, my hiflex, which i find very comfortable to climb in thus far, and the knee pads in them great for kneeling on branches, do make me look more like im going scuba diving than anything else.

try a chandlers or shipwrights. only place I ever see 50mm-ish rope is down the docks. its where all my short lengths were aquired from

sod that

good to hear! please say there will be another!

beaver plant near york have a teupen... cant remember what size, (leo 15gt i think) but reasonably priced iirc when the climber climbed out of the basket into the tree there was no aparent way for me to bring the basket back down to ground, but every machine has its foibles. although i do wonder if its a regs thing that it has no controls on the main unit body as well as in the basket? was quick and easy to set up though, and minimum intrusion and no damage to a soft lawn (metre square boards put under the feet)

sorry guys. with every will in the world i cant make it today. a recent family bereavement has left me two weeks behind on uni assignments, and with deadlines on the 9th may, i just cant afford the time I hope one and all have a great time, learn some new stuff, and I hope to be able to meet up with you guys real soon. I guess thats just the way the cookie crumbles but i sure wouldnt mind it crumbling a bit more in my favour for once Jim

i really like my kolibri. incredibly comfortable, and although not the lightest harness out there, its fit allows me great movement, and as a beginner, it gives me a lot more confidence due to its sturdy nature

i was told that for experienced and qualified operators, chainsaw protective gloves were going to soon be optional. I dont climb with a saw as yet so its not so much an issue for me, but i have a pair of the non-ppe timberland pro gloves and one pair with the protection in them. the protected ones are the comfiest ppe gloves ive worn, but the non-ppe extra grip models are a joy to climb in

gotta agree here. when the time comes, I will give ALL companies that want to talk to me or demo their product, a fair crack of the whip and will make the decision myself. What's more important to me, is not how fast it chips per se, it's how well it chips, how well it deals with crotches and forks, and very importantly dealer or manufacturer ongoing support. filling the truck with chip in 4 minutes flat is all well and good, but id rather it be fast enough in all situations and give me peace of mind. at this juncture I would much rather do a thorough job than a quick job

done and done

happy birthday!

most excellent!

err no i dont think so, aspen tree services in Scotter Lincs, Willis, forget his first name

ahhhhhh that's what those things are!! local guy in my village has one of the red and black/grey ones. wondered for a while what it was. certainly interested. Will get in touch

yeah sounds fair. actually found out the price by pm earlier, just under £13.5k might keep a beady eye out for a tatty old whatever. see what i can buy to do up

cool. part of me thought it was a typo and part of me wondered if something was up with the saw! haha. my 026's on a 16inch bar with .325 chain on and kept nice and sharp it's good and fast

quite odd this. ive got a 290 and an 026. the 026 wipes the floor with the 290. I've always thought of the 290 as a farm saw, not only because of its name (farm boss) but because its too heavy to lug around all day but hardy enough to chuck in a truck bed and survive forever. the 290 seems positively sluggish vs the 260 and seems incredibly overweight and oversize for its power.

right so it HAS to be compliant to be used commercially. ok again a very different situation to the states then where people are forever picking up 30 year old big engined chuck and ducks for next to nothing. would be more than ideal for someone such as me starting up, im handy with spanners and a paint spray gun, but looks like its not an option here then

anyone have an idea on the price of this machine? where i recognise i could email greenmech about it, and will closer to the time in persuit of a demo, i cant be bothered right now if im honest. another consideration will be buying an old chipper, but i never see too many of these for sale?? obviously older machines when made would have been subject to different rules and regs than a machine built today... would this affect their ability to be used commercially today? thanks

if im honest i dont think it would be considered bad form. from my POV as a complete novice, a lot of the questions that I find myself asking are pertinant to keeping myself and others safe whilst I am aloft. Now, the internet, as wonderful an entity it is, gives everyone who has it cart blanche to post absolute crap and there will be people taking it as gospel so in situations like that, im pleased that there are so many guys able to 'moderate' the responses with their own experience and higher knowledge. (NB tree climbing and aerial rescue booked for 27th-30th May so be expecting loads more questions in the mean time) As for the rest of the time, I tend to try and ignore it. most forums ive used are cliquey and there are a few demi-trolls who just seem to have a knack for getting everyone's backs up either intentionally or not. but from my point of view, this forum is less like that than others. there are groups of friends, but of course there are. Personally Id rather use this place as a springboard to gain knowledge remotely and allow me to make those friendships in the real world so that I may learn more from you guys who I look up to (pardon the pun) maybe such things are best brought into the open, but that may well cause more conflict than the snide remarks. I tend to take most things i read on forums with a pinch of salt. Use opinions as a tool to formulate your own, but always have your own. Jim

sorry bout that mate, just edited my post as you were posting, the second photo does have a fig8 in as i had thought about it more. the second photo is how i always make sure i tie it now. the odd thing is, while tied in suislide mode, the knot does actually work. it grips the rope, it descends smoothly etc, but it doesnt dress and set properly and that tail end tries to go back into the knot. NOT GOOD!

figure 1: suislide as you can see, the tail wasnt passed behind the climbing line. fig 2: correct... so im told, unless you guys are gonna upset me now lol that tail end once dressed and tightened just doesnt move, but theres an overhand knot stopper in the first one and a fig8 in the 2nd one, but i cant always fit one of them in. please excuse the long excess on the tied prusik loop, i didnt want to cut the cord until i knew how long i wanted it. on p53 of the TCC the blakes illustrated shows the 'tail' passing in front of the climbing line, and the top to bottom loop bit running behind the climbing system 'bridge' whereas p83 shows it as per my second photo Hope these help Jim