Rich Rule

Thought it was a bit out of your way to pop from Maidenhead to Bromley. Sorry, not got any wood for you I'm afraid.

Maidstone or Maidenhead? If it's the latter it is a bit of a trek to Bromley,let alone Margate.

Use a narrower diameter line to get the most out of the zig zag. There are many ropes but I am sure someone will suggest Blue Tongue. Cue, Silky.

Might be a bit expensive but I bet the quality would speak for itself.

I remember seeing a program about an old boy who made them for the Royal Carridges. Failing that maybe Mark's brother has a contact... He is in charge of the Horse, Carridges and guns in the Royal Artillery.

It may be a pantin plucking the fibres on the rope making it where quicker. Do you use a pantin or foot ascender?

The mass in Service of My 65 plate Hilux DC 3.0 Invincible says 2045kg. SO with the reduction of drivers weight and a similar figure for the fuel it comes in well under 2040kg. Yet on my documentation the vehicle has a taxation class of Light Goods Vehicle. So should this be in the DPV category or LGV?

Agree entirely, but I thought that was last weeks news;) He looked a mess considering he only faced about 3 minutes.

No details will be released till after the HSE investigation is concluded. Terrible news. RIP.

Around here, any blue badge holder (disabled or not) just displays the badge and parks anywhere they want. Usually on the single yellows. It is cheaper for them to get a blue badge down the pub rather than pay the residents parking fees each year.

Nice work my friend. At first I wondered what all the moaning and groaning was about? I thought you may have found a woodpecker hole or something. Later in the video I realised it was the exertion on you when at the ends of those limbs. Keep em coming mate.

.....

A couple of recent decents!

Pillenic ?

What model Stevie or are you being sarcastic in saying you automatically put on your chain break with out thinking?

I agree entirely Tim. On the Oak failure, the line was running over a bit of epicormic growth and no amount of flicking/ the stick trick/alpine butterfly/ swearing at the bloody thing would make it settle down into the crotch. Hence we loaded it like we did and it was Oak... what could possibly go wrong..? It definitely made me more aware of the forces acting on a tie in point. The second time was a scabby Ivy covered Lime tree. Line ran through a lovely anchor. The whole leader tore out a metre or two below the crotch my line went through. So one minute I was ascending and then the leaves were suddenly going in the opposite direction and the garage roof was getting closer. It was all in slow motion. I stopped before I hit the roof looked up to see the leader lodged in an crotch. Not this one was definitely bombproof so I just carried on climbing and cut the whole mess out.

Likewise Mick. We could maybe try and get you on that SRT malarkey! I will be there on Thursday. Are you camping and staying longer or just doing the day?

That is what industry best practice suggests and many people do. IMHO this method was a major contributing factor to the first anchor failure I had. 2 men loaded, 90kilo each so 180 kilo on one end 360 acting on the TIP with a base anchor. (Minus a bit for the friction at the crotch) I ascended quite aggressively as we had tested it and it looked bomber. Sure enough after about 6 pumps with the pantin an 6 inch oak leader snapped out and I started to move downward when I was meant to be moving upward. I reckoned the limb had just reached its point of elasticity and the loading prior to ascent had weakened the structure. Completely healthy leader with no sign of decay. I hit the deck but it could have been a lot worse.

Me, twice.

Be interesting to see how it reacts Steve. Rather you than me though. You know you are gonna cut a cm wide bit go growth and pull on it and see something moving the other side at bottom left of the crown... If you do it, Pics or it never happened.

Exactly Steve. I work with a few guys who are proper big lads. They pick an axe 9/10 times over a maul and more often than not it gets stuck and then they wrestle it out. The other day we were splitting some timber and I was managing to cleave to rounds in most case in a single blow. I tried getting one of the big lads to do a little jump just before impact to give it a bit more oomph. He didn't believe me that it makes it easier. Splitting can be a good work out and not too hard a work if the technique is there and the correct tools are used.

Good post Hairy chest.

Stefan, No shame on me mate. Just pointing out a few small facts. I have no interest in scoring points to gain perceived importance amongst a group of people who 99% of them I have never met. I just pointed out that you seem to have a highly inflated opinion of yourself and what you are capable of compared to others. Then ask others not judge. I don't know you from Adam, I also don't know your circumstances. I probably never will. However you wish to dress it up, hard working, stubborn, tenacious. The facts don't change though... you chose stump grinding you said you would go to wedding You blew your fiancé out to go do some work You started a thread on here, that came across as you gloating about it You didn't like some of the responses you recieved. You judge other members with disdain and comment they wouldn't be able do what you do. In reality, it is all your fault, that you let your fiancé down and are in the dog house. I have met a lot of people like you before... Enjoy the chappie.

Woo there Neddy! When did you walk in everyone's else's shoes in order for you to judge what and when they are capable of? Then you say walk in your shoes before you judge. So what's it to be then?

Stefan, I think the biggest mistake you made in this situation was to say you would go to the wedding in the first place. I hate weddings. Ihave blown many out in the past on the reason that I don't like weddings and to travel a long distance there and back to do something I hate. I suppose it depends on the importance of the friendship/relationship with the bride and groom. Family, close/old friends then yes, I go. My missus' boss's daughter? Probably would have declined when first asked. One thing I will say though, it would have to be an extremely important task to risk the fallout from blowing my missus out like that. Stumpgrinding would not be one of those tasks I'm afraid. Or work for that matter and it would have to extremely well paid in order to pay for whatever it takes to get you out of the dog house.