Rich Rule

So did you get taught to do a Humbolt cut in your basic felling and climbing tickets? I know I didn't.

Found it hard to forget today. Bikers with poppies, flags flying, red tee shirts and police escorts were doing a run on the clockwise carriageway of the m25 today. I reckon easily, 300+ bikes went past us.

I don't think I have ever climbed on anything that works as well in the wet as the dry. Just persevere. The BDB is fine in the wet once you get used to it. Then go about using it on a similar task in the dry, it makes it feel like the best tool in the world. That last statement could be said about most things in this industry though.

I think if she wanted to be on the calendar AW would do it herself. She seems pretty good at self promotion.

Good stuff Sean. You will go from strength to strength mate.

I remember that. It was in Eltham about 2 miles from my house. The amount of redicoulous call out we had after that for things like a 3 foot high holly bush etc. Very sad news for the gentleman and lady involved. Very good for business. It is a terrible shame that it takes someone death for people to realise that an accident with a saw could have such serious consequences. On another note, I can't wait till someone comes out with a top handle 660.

Ooops....! Rich

Chestnut removal in Thursday last week. Single stemmed tree which was nice for a change. So long extended laterals so we decided to rig it down to save the walls and garden. Unfortunately didn't get any off the tree or the rigging of brash as we were a man down. The boss man managed to get a couple during the process of rigging the stem. We left it at the height in the last pic and a Hiab is due there next week.

Pretty much mate yes. Also following on from Dan's comment about rope type. Too much natural crotch riggin on a double braid rope isn't going to do it any favours.

I use Natural crotch rigging a fair bit. The main decider is if there is any wood/branches that could need lifting... it is a lot easier to lift with a pulley over NC. If it is a big job then I plan it in my head and use pulleys and friction bollards etc. As for letting it run... I would say it is common sense to get the piece away from the climber, not to shock load a compromised tree and it is easier on the kit. The ground workers job is to slow the piece down before it touches the floor as opposed to stopping it. I think the letting it run is the biggest factor for me. Yes, sometimes you can just lock it off and hold it there, and if needs be then I will instruct the ground staff to do that. BUT and it is a big BUT, if the groundie doesn't let it run in all situations where possible, would you really want them controlling the friction when you are in a critical situation? In other words if you cannot do it when it deemed a safe situation, then you certainly aint doing it when I am topping out a dead tree...

These days I definitely pay for a lot less fence panels. Probably due to a bit more thought going into the job and of course learning from the experiences when it didn't go to plan. As for climbing style, I have progressed or kept with the times due to injury. First was a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. My locking arm when I climbed on a blakes or klemheist. I changed then to a VT system. That must have been about 10 years ago. I then tore the rotator cuff in my left shoulder about 3 years ago. Either that or it became a problem through RSI. I started to dabble with SRT at that point to try and use my shoulder less. On and off with SRT for a couple of years and have been on it pretty much full-time SRT since January this year.

John, I worked for a guy last week who had waited 8 weeks for a reply and still would be waiting now. He figured he would test the water by making record of all the times he had contacted and emailed them. We went ahead and removed a declining mature Beech tree and deadwood the others on the grounds of safety. We almost had a sweepstake to see how quickly someone would turn up once the saws started and complaints went in. It went well, the job got done and no one turned up.

Attack Craig Joubert for the difficult decisions he made against Scotland, and you are attacking the spirit of rugby - Telegraph

12 inch all the way. Full chisel chain and ported saw. That setup flies through the wooden stuff.

Nowt wrong with the Stihl caps. They are childproof you know?

Crew neck. Base layers are just that, they keep the base warm IMO. I add anything to that to keep out the elements. i.e. Buff, fleece, waterproof etc.

I hear on the grapevine that if you engine goes don't get a recon engine that is the same as the previous. The one to go for is the 2.7 out of the Nissan Terrano. Only heard good things about this engine and apparently not too difficult to fit by someone who knows what they are doing.

Try Nod at Treeworker. I bought my 50 metres of Cougar blue from him about a year and a half ago. I also got 60m of cougar orange of him about 4 months ago.

Awesome work mate. Looks fantastic!

Cheers Tim. I was actually trying to reiterate Reg's comments about the emails and messages he gets from people saying the have learnt this and that. It is all good and well copying what is done in a video providing there is an understanding of the forces generated, in this example of speedlining.

I will watch the vid later Reg. I must admit though a lot of people are using and documenting the process with video. I, have used simple zip lines for quite a few years when necessary. I have even made a vid of job including them. The point I am trying to make was, not too many years ago there was a video showing a speed/zip line to remove a tree. Many comments were made about dumping loads into a zip line without a control line. It was suggested to conventionally rig into a block. Once the load has been captured, tension the zip line and control the descent with the rigging line. The lowering method then tensioning IMO defeats the object of a quick zip line.

I tend to reduce from within the crown leave plenty of growth where possible. Then reduce the leaders back in a bit of needed to refine the shape.

I have had similar problems with mine. I have fixed it twice now. Symptoms are the saw cuts out mid cut. But then starts up straight away. It cuts out again at the same time angle etc but will start again. The first time this happened I had the carb off 3 times and cleaned and it wasn't an issue. Eventually we found the fault. If you take the side cover off and then remove the really thin sheet of plastic under the handle you will expose some wires. There is an earth wire which connects to the body of the saw. This had come undone and was connecting but then when the saw increased the revs this connection must have broken due to the vibes. Saw cuts out etc... Tightened it up by removing the plastic cover under the clutch and tighten and the problem went away. So might be worth checking that first. The second time, I had the same symptoms and checked the obvious. All good on the connection I described above. So I pulled the plug cover off and the wire came out. There was about 2 mm of bare wire showing. Trimmed back the cover and reinserted in the plug cover and fixed again. Another one to try, but the loose earth connection has happened on a couple of saws.

Say a big hello from me. I work with Ollie over in Oslo.

Would that be Ollie Bennet mate?