Rich Rule

Someone else commented that to equally compare working practices for IRATA to tree work... Get the IRATA climber to install two ropes from the floor, scale to the top. Drop back down a bit and enter a window. Go through a room, into a corridor. Go down a lift shaft into the third floor. Do some work. Back up a stairwell at the other side of building into another room then decent back the first floor for some more work then back out the window, climb back up to the top and decent over the backside of the building... All the whole being connected via two ropes. It is absurd and ludicrous to think it would be a workable solution for IRATA. So as tree climbers, why would we be expected to do it?

Great video. Nice work.

Nice work mate. Looks like you had a good day for it. Been pretty terrible weather here in Oslo area. Bring on winter!

Well I dismantled a dead willow tree today. One stem had failed last week. One stem was pretty rotten and the last stem had a crack horizontally at about 5 metres. The tree was resting in some dead bits in the last stem. I did the tree with a single line. Didn’t even use my flip line for a lot of it in case the compromised stem decided to collapse. Guess what? I lived to tell the tale. Education and experience is key, not throwing an extra rope in there. I tied into the tree on one of the stems that was the most robust. I wouldn’t have wanted to use an extra rope... (as I said at times I didn’t even use the flip line for a lot of the cutting.) ... let alone be forced to. As for the man who doesn’t believe in ‘what ifs?’ The whole safety aspect of the industry is to plan against the what if. You know when and where to cut and when to know to bail out. That is gained from experience. Once again we are back to the education aspect and not another rope.

Of course it could have been rumour or old wives tales... I was informed when I was younger that if a traffic officer got out of his car and tried to do you for driving offences. If he didn’t have his hat on it would be invalid. The hat is part of the uniform and they have to be in uniform for the charge to stick... Another, was finding out how long ago the speed camera was calibrated. Another, if you are flashed by the speed camera if the notice doesn’t appear within 14 days they charge is invalid. As I said, probably old wives tales or urban myths. I only got a chance to try one out. The missus was heavily preggars with my first. She really needed and eye lash. We were in black wall tunnel not far from Greenwich, where we lived at the time. A car accident after the tunnel and between the first and second exits blocked the whole road. Traffic backed up to Bow. They had to get everyone reversing back to the first exit. As the rozza came over to explain the craic, I told him the missus needed the loo and asked was it true that a pregnant woman can piss in a police officers hat? He said yes, called the traffic sergeant over and explained. The traffic sergeant quickly issued us to the front of the queue.

He said no electric chainsaws. It is in the post. As for recommendations. Buy what ever the size you need and to your budget. Any modern saw will be better than the bucket of nails you are running. If you only use a number of times a year then the Aspen fuel will be perfect. It is quite pricey Compared to regular fuel with additive, but you won’t have any worries about stale pump fuel.

The irony of it is... 3 weeks later I received a hand written message from a Rozza at the closest station, 30km away. It asked me to sign the ticket as the issuing officer had forgotten to get my scribble. Also they couldn’t process the fine without the signature, so please sign and return In Pre Paid envelope. I wanted to ask if they wanted me to set up a speed trap as well or better still, just report myself when I go a bit too fast. They wanted to give me points and an overly aggressive but quite pretty female officer kept going on about how dangerous I was and could have killed people... she was adamant I deserved them and both officers were having quite a conversation about it... Luckily, my son was in the car and speaks fluent Norwegian. I also gave them my English driving license... hence the no points and the debate between the two offifices. You make your own luck Eggs

Not a bad outcome. I got pulled in Norway at the end of November. 77kmph in a 60 zone. The 70kmph started about 100m after the Rozzaz. Fair enough says I. Can’t deny I was speeding, you come round the bend after a school, which is 60 zone to open fields and a dead straight road. Most people know the road and just a squirt on the noisy pedal and it isn’t that long before your at 80kmph. 5500 NOk fine for the equivalent of 11mph over the limit, at night, no pedestrian traffic. Well over 500 quid fine, possibly more depending on exchange rates.

I have a few of those under layers. They are bloody expensive. I tend to grab them when they are in offer at the supermarket or XXL. A fraction of the cost. I got @Mark Bolama Devold high end base later years ago. I think he only wore it a few times as it was so warm once he got going.

We fell a lot of Birch, a soft hard wood. I have felled some fantastic Elm, Maple and Ash trees over the years. Always seems the best looking timber goes away on a grab lorry. I grab bits and pieces but mostly for firewood. As I mentioned, I will get round to it just gotta get the builder to start the garage, workshop first.

In Norway or Scotland? we get to knock over some decent sized stuff in Norway. Always seem to go for firewood or ‘paid, never to be see again’ Gonna have to get on it and get a mill.

I just throw the hook alon the other end of climb line and clip it into my foot ascender and just hand over hand and foot pumps till you get to the anchor. If it a fair distance I might use a friction device. Or just tied a vt with a micro pulley. Works for me.

Looks great from my house.

I asked that question about 5 weeks ago. Expecting an answer is like expecting them to take note of any of this discussion... it isn’t going to happen!

I don't get how you can price the job to remove the tree, access to the base of the tree, no drag etc... the same as if there was a 100metre drag involved? Unless, you price it based on the worst scenario of the long drag and then you as a company, benefit from the time taken if you can get right under it. However, your posts read that you price for the tree to come down. Regardless of the area, how close you can get the chipper etc. I personally price the job. i.e. a tree needs to be removed. It might take me 2 hours to get it all down and then the rest of the day to remove said tree, clean up the site and get on the road. By your explanation, you would charge for the 2 hours, where as I would charge for 8 and include extra costs like bodies to help drag, rig or whatever needs doing. As for the OP, Leylandii WILL have more in there that you expected. That is a guarantee. Get in there and have a look see at the pricing stage. It might help but I have seen them underestimated countless times. Good luck.

I have been stuck for 6plus hours after a truck shot a Caliper and it took that long to replace the parts and repair. Two guys onsite with the company owner. January, wet miserable and a Friday to boot. We got paid the 20 quid OT for each hour after 8. It was insisted we took the money as he said it wasn’t our fault we had to be back late due to mechanical problems. I guess it is a case of moral fibre. He offered the money, it wasn’t our fault. We appreciated the offer and IIRC rounded it down as a gesture from us. After all, it was a quite an expensive day. He was a good bloke to work for.

Yup, nice guy and had had the unfortunate pleasure of working for money grabbing twats before. He had his faults, was a bit bonkers (aren’t we all? ?) but he was certainly not a hypocrite... hence, not wanting to treat his guys the way he had been treated in his career.

Yes mate, had that plenty as well. One of the best guys I worked for paid on time, was loyal, gave everyone the opportunity to do more work (obviously for more money) or go home for day rate... He paid 20gbp per hour, on top of your day rate for anything longer than 8 hours. We did start at 4.30 at his yard to get away round the m25 before rush hour. If we were done And on our way by 10 ish... we would go back and sort stuff at the yard. Everyone was generally happy, and did as asked. Pay was good and some of his staff had been with him for 6plus years. If Carlsberg did employers...

I hear you but it isn’t necessarily always the case. Consider the scenario, the freelance climber is brought in because of his skill set. The company owner cannot complete the task or doesn’t have the staff to complete the task. You travel to site and due to superior tree knowledge and skill, the job gets done in half the time. The company owner gets his full pay and presumably all the costs are covered as he priced it for a day. Why should the Freelancer take any less than his day rate? He may have travelled a distance to site to do the work, may not be able to arrange something to drop onto in the afternoon. I freelanced climber for 15 years, I have worked for both types. Guys who would pat you on the back, pay in full and take the guys back to the yard for a maintenance day. Those guys tend to be the ones who have priced the job correctly. The again I have worked for plenty who would send you 5 miles across London to prune 3 apple trees at 1530... with the excuse that you work till 17. I can see the point but when 5 miles in London can take 40 mins plus at that time of day, plus travel time back to the yard doesn’t leave a lot to do the apple trees. If you stayed to do the job you wouldn’t get any overtime either. The latter sort are generally the guys who price way, way too cheap and are always playing catch up... the same sort who would agree on an end of year bonus and then not pay it because there knackered, run down, on its last legs chipper died in November. I know which sort I preferred working for, now I generally price high and pay by the hour, then the option is there and if another job drops in to get it done. Everyone makes money and goes home smiling.

I have had a pair of those for a good few years now Paul. Great boots. I must admit I don’t climb in them for pruning in the summer. I have lighter AKU’s for those jobs. But the Andrews must be 3 years old at least now.

De Nial isn’t just a river in Egypt!

But traditional climbing comps (not red bull or similar) were supposed to display and support good working practices. Kit has to pass LOLER in the UK. So I wouldnt be surprised if it was brought in.

I agree. I went out in style last night with some Elk cooked in the slow cooker with veggies and shrooms in a red wine sauce. 2020 is a new year and no meat... apart from the ham sandwich I had for lunch today. ???

I love them so do the kids. How about this for a solution..? Shanghai did it with drones. You just wouldnt want to be the kid who flew out of sink. I guess you would disappear, never to be seen again.

Never used the App. It is just the view options on my iPhone. edit: Steve beat me to it.