Jack-Arb aka Tiago Sinclair-Julio.

Hi Jake, Theres this agencie that specialises in arb jobs they often call me offering jobs in London, they are called completetreecare.co.uk and there phone number is 01694720022 ask for Bruce. Theres a lot of tree companies as you can imagine I know that City Suburban are always looking for people, look at there web site and give them a call, you mite get a job... Good luck Jack

I think it does, the thing is that it goes through you but because you're not thouching anything it just passes through and continues down the line... I could be wrong, I dont know that much about electricity. But I think its similar to birds when they sit on electric lines they seem totally unaware of any electric current. Jack-arb

Hello When I first heard about fracture prunning I couldn't believe it, I had just left a street contract company and the idea of rips and tears was completly out of the question. It even went against all I'd learnt at college. I started working at this place and not far from this tree theres a red oak that was frature prunned about 5 years ago, in fact it was the tree where they got trained doing this thecnique. And the tree reacts in the same way as in a conventional reduction, full of shoots all over the rips, one wouldn't notice the rips because the growth on them is so vigorous. I did a good part of this tree and it was my first time fracture prunning besides coroneting old dead trunks. As thecnique goes you need to be at the very best level, its all about positioning you have to be extremelly fit... Not at all its basically top cut pull and rip, ok doing coronet cuts a bit different, one as to cut at strange angles against the grain but even that doesn't bother me at all. Theres this old school guy that refuses to do coronet cuts because its to dangerous and theres no point bla bla... Even him the other day was having a go at it and I only said it joking ' now just finish it of with coronet' I was quite amazed. I personally dont think that its so dangerous... Finally: I think that fracture prunning in the right place its a good thing to do, is it better for the tree? I dont know but from what I've seen in the red oak it doesn't look like it minds at all... And if I try to put myself in a tree shoes I can see why the tree doesn't mind. A tree is much more familiar with a rips and tears than with chainsaw cuts they've survived with storm damage for much longer than human clean cuts! Jack-arb

Hi Dagmar, Its of bad taste to (try) offend someone just because we dont share the same views.... The next time you quote me dont copy and paste my text and sign it with Jack-ass, because it only show how big of an ass you are... Do you debate things or just shoot them if you dont agree!?! Jack-arb

Couldn't agree more Jack

Hi there, Its defenetly a good habit to use all ppe doing this job, a chainsaw does real damage if it bites. Imagine having to live with the thought of 'why didn't i have my trousers on that day'. Make it a habit and then theres no need to think about it. Theres so much that can go wrong beyond our control in this job, so adding more risk to an already risky job just doesn't make sense! I know this country is going crazy with H&S some things are just mad. For example the top handle saw, they are not supposed to be used on the ground because being top handle one can easily use one handed on the ground, thats fine! But if one uses it with both hands while on the floor whats the big deal? Even up a tree using it the way it was designed to be used with one hand, its still bad practice. These things do get at me simply because in a political correct society one as to be thought what is a correct way to clean your bum! Its like they think people no longer can figure out them selfs how to do things proply.... Good night Jack

Hi Roller, I can see the benefits of decompacting and applying a good root fert. In a old stressed tree but what about the Phytophera or Pseudomonas, it wouldn't solve this, alghouth possibly the tree would have a bigger chance to hold on to life for a little longer than with the current strategie adpoted by most Local Authorities. Theres little logic in reducing a old tree being attacked by a disease, a already energy depletead tree having to cope with a reduction at the same time fighting for its life with an infection. I know these trees, I want to see how its going to pan out. What I ment to ask you is - do you do this kind of treatment for many Local Authorities? Or its mainly private clients that see the benefit of this work? And while Im at it, how expensive is it to hire your services lets say for 3 of those chestnuts in the pic? Jack-arb

Hello cernearb, Im not quite sure at what level you are looking to start with, but would advise you to take one step at the time because they usually not cheap. And depending on what kind of things you want to with it. If you want some basic tree inspection skills to use on a day to day basis with customers, or are you looking for something that is final decision that stands in court for insurances companies dealing with subsidance claims etc... Theres a whole range out there depending on your needs and abilities. Treevolution do more than one for different levels and in my opinion they are good, not the cheapest but good. Check there website - http://www.treevolution.co.uk must colleges that do arb will have tree inspections courses. Best of luck! Jack-arb

Yep we do live in the real world, whatever that means! The thing is, reality is different for all of us. So real can mean a lot of things. What I'm trying to say is, we humans as a species have common interests and surely one of them is to be able to continue living in peace for many more years to come, in this planet that is our home. For this the last thing we need is guns. Maybe we still not quite ready yet, because some of us are black others are yellow red or white. This shouldn't make a difference because we can mix with each other meaning we are the same. So maybe the solution is there, if we continue mixing together we'll get to a piont where theres no longer different race's, we'll be one big mix, one race. Then maybe we'll realise that after all we have common objectives... No offense taken - 'skyhuck' Jack-arb

I've got nothing against people who hunt to put food in there plates. And can except the ones that like to hunt occasionally and respect the species and the amount they kill. But do I agree with it? Probably not, because - how can one get any pleasure by killing an animal... I cant, and find it hard to understand people who can. Specially because its so unfair, a defenseless rabbit what chance does it have against a weapon. And these people who love hunting, the thing of being out in the country but refuse to eat a rabbit or whatever they killed, oh the taste is to strong etc... But the thread is about air riffles, you cant realy hunt with a air-gun, can you? The people who own them are usually kids and they only get into trouble with them. Or they hurt each other or are killing little birds or harming cats etc... So its a bloody good idea to ban the things. Now getting at your point! I certainly dont have or want a gun of any kind. What you say about baning cars, planes and all the rest, I would agree if there main use was to kill things but its not... And finaly I'll leave you in peace its a free country and Im not interfering whether you guys have guns or not! I just agree with the ban. I cant help myself thinking about your avatar - quite ironic dont you think? Ghandi certainly wouldn't aprove the killing of animal in the name of sport, let alone eating it!

Cheers Sciadopitys, So what you're saying is that most species dont have visible annual rings, and the reasons for this is the fact of not having seasons, or if they exist they are to subtle to interfere with the trees growth. In other words they dont become dormant during winter like in the North hemisphere, so because of this they grow all year round without showing the pattern of the seasons on the annual rings... It sort of makes sense, but still would like to see this with own eyes. It seems so bizzare this idea. jack

Do trees in tropical jungles have annual rings? I was in a lecture a few years ago when studying for my arb qualifications, cant remember how the conversation begun but someone said very comfidently "trees in the tropics dont have annual rings". Ever since I heard this I've had this in my head. Is it true or not do they have rings or not? Has anyone been fortunate enough to have been in the Amazon for example or has anyone heard the same thing? Jack

The thread is about should drug testing be compulsory or not? I personally think of course not! Why because if you do it out of working hours and it doesn't affect your work why should you be penalised. But smoking at work no way, I dont care if it doesn't affect you, because you do it everyday, or its only after lunch, no those arguments simply dont work for me because if one can smoke dope the other can drink cans of beer and the groundie wants to pray... theres never an end.... Its nice to do a days work get your dosh, go home and spend it in whatever you like. Jack

Yes well said - tockmal! Why would anyone want to own a bloody gun! The very principle of a weapon is crap, this world would be so much nicer with no weapons at all. I've always wonder why on earth do countries need to have the military, most of the time theres no war and the amount of money that they spend in hardware that is only used in training its crazy. All those soldiers could be doing usefull things like working in the land, building flood defences etc... Humans are clever enough, war is a primitive human instinct. We're well over it now days. Non violent solutions (ghandi) Jack

Hello guys, Amazing story - Oakwilt. What an experience man, Im glad to hear that its all in the past. I find it hard to put myself in your shoes, knowing that the goverment did everything to f*** you up, but you managed to pull it off. It must be horrible to be let down in such way. Theres must be away to prove in court and make justice, for the sake of all the others in your situation and for yours too. They must be held responsible... As long as one feels healthy it rarely crosses our minds that in fact our bodies are so delicate and that each day that passes without any problem its a real fortune. Its so easy to take it for granted, but when misfortune strikes its all to real and then we do realise how lucky we've been. What I can say is theres a lot of things that we can control and by being aware of them they will make real difference. One of the big ones that most people know about but dont take onboard is nutrition. With tabacco and alchool/drugs, people understand the seriousness of these substances to our health, but with food they dont. A poor diet can be as dangerous to our health as the substances above. People dont want to be told what to eat and in a society where time is scarce. A lot of us dont evan prepare a meal from scratch most of weeks. And we as a nation are not passing on the most basic of skills (cooking) to our children. Its not suprising that has a consequence we are eating ****. Most people dont call a meal if it doesn't contain meat or fish in it, let alone understand that we should not be eating it at all or at least much less of it (max twice a week). The meat and diary industry is so different than 40 years ago because people want meat everyday lots of it. So how can production coupe with ever growing population craving for meat twice a day? It cant, at least not proply. What happens then is quality cant follow the demand, the result is animals are feed all kinds of stuff like hormones to grow fast, anti-biotics so they dont get ill in those apouling conditions that they exist in etc... We humans could live prefectly allright eating meat once a week from a well cared animal. All this junk fast food take away **** as the worse possible quality meat in it. The amount of junk we put in our bodies simply by eating is amazing. Im not a vegetarian but Im all for quality food what kind of people are we if most of us wouldn't eat meat if we had to kill it ourselfs, meat now days comes in packets and most of the times one wouldn't have known that it came from a dead animal. you are what you eat! jack

A split level cut is well worth knowing about, it was created to be used in situations such as felling a tree with a opposite lean of the intended direction of fell. It wont work if the lean is really significant but allows you a bigger chance because you can insert a wedge or a felling bar half way through the cut stopping the tree falling back on you. It really works well in a windy day, when the wind is against you. Its wised to fully understand which cut works best for different situations. Jack-arb

Any knot that can easily be untied and for me thats a bowline or a double bowline... Im not absolutly sure but a triple bowline is the way to make a harness out of a rope - one of the loops around your waist and the other two are for the legs one for each side. Must be extremely uncomfortable but worth knowing about... Jack

Hi, The wedge with an extra ring added to it just last for so much longer. I used to go through so many wedges most of the time brand new ones, use them for the first felling and they were good to go in the bin. Until the day someone told me, put an extra ring on them and until now I still have the same ones. A bit tricky to insert the second ring but with eventually they go in. jack

Ya i see what you mean steve, i guess its what one gets used to. But for spikes it must help a little more having some kind of heel, so they are exactly where they should be... Any how, 101 viewers without an opinion, strange! Good night - its late must sleep, big job 2morrow large reduction on oak using fracture prunning technique, it be my first time using this technique so looking foward to it. Jack

I really cant footlock without a prusik I know its practice and thecnique but if you can have a nice long prusik to put your foot into is difficult to do it without anything. One could even use two prusiks instead of one and use one for each foot I guess! Jack-arb

cheers peter!

Hi, I've always had boots with heels except for a pair that I sold. Although they were my favorites, very comfortable and very well made. I think that the make was "haix" they come in black for the forester version and brown for the arborist. They look alot like mountainneering boots, but because they come with flat sole one cant cling on to branches. For me this is important in those situations when one cant balance proply with the ropes because of lack of anchors or whatever reason. I've talk about this with other climbers and most of them haven't really thought about this. I think it can make a real difference.... What do you guys prefer? Does it make any difference? Jack-arb

Peace!

Its alright for some! I've done some free lance climbing in Wales last summer and prices were between £120 to 150 max... For bid dismantles. Jackarb

Well said!!!