arbogrunt

I think its a handy thing to know how to do. I use it very occasionally...maybe a long limb walk, moving from one widely spaced stem to another. Its a good self-rescue technique too. The down side is, if your in a big tree, you can run out of rope - if your in trouble, you may not be able to get out in 'one hit'. This might then necessitate an aerial rescue (a type B at that!). So, yes I use both ends of my rope now and then, BUT if its a big tree, I get another, shorter rope up instead.

Look at it from the other angle...imagine being a groundie when the climber has a bad accident and you haven't got the kit or the training to do anything...you just have to stand there and watch him bleed out.....I couldn't live with that for the rest of my life..no way:sad:

It was a bit of a toss-up mate!, I thought about not using a secondary anchor (if its safer without one, i don't use one). Trouble was, it was a hell of a swing into the trunk...and I'm ugly enough already. Its made me think about self-rescue a lot more, I tied in with the end of my line and tied a blakes with the tail of the bowline, it was quick. Alls well that ends well.

wrestling. Grappling is great all over conditioning. That and...more climbing!. I never ache from climbing...even big, hard climbs and I'm 45. If I hadn't been climbing every day for 15 years I'd be in rag-order!

I was dismantling a windblown crown that was hung up in another tree, I had one last cut to do, I attached my secondary anchor and then routed my lifeline away from the big lump that I was cutting out, then undid my tool strop from my harness (which I always do with big lumps). I made the cut, the lump fell away and the limb it was on sprung up, throwing me off. This wasn't too much of a problem as I'd stropped in to it, however, I swung under the limb and couldn't get back onto the branch. My Grillon strop was tight across my chest and was inhibiting by breathing. I got the other end of my line, anchored to the limb and cut my strop and self rescued. My vision was just starting to go and it took me 5 mins to get my breath back!. Moral of the story?....always have a sharp knife in your chainsaw trouser pocket (or use a MEWP for every windblow job you get!)

good post. Aerial rescue IS an important part of our job. A lot of people have said they are in positions where they have to climb without any AR back-up. I've worked with companies that have pretty p*ss poor rescue provision in the past, the way I look at it now is, if the blokes aren't qualified, I don't work for them, but I've got a choice. Its not worth hanging in a tree with shock, bleeding to death for a days money at the end of the day. Having said that, a lot of the lads who are my back-up on the ground don't climb regularly and would take ages to carry out any of the rescue techniques...but its still better than nothing!. I self-rescued last month after getting trapped under a limb with my side strop inhibiting my diaphragm - it was scary, but I just did what I've been trained to do and got myself on the ground. If I hadn't re-routed my rope and been carrying a knife, it would have been a different story....

I'm happy I would personally pass an HSE inspection (as a freelance climber), not sure whether some of the firms I've worked for would. That said, I haven't seen an HSE man in 15 years, it seems to me they only rock up after a bad accident/death/tip off?!

'......and heres one I made earlier!'

you know when you've been in the arb game too long when.... you're so deaf, the telly is so loud, it can be heard outside the house (but not by you!) You've got tennis elbow (both elbows), your wrists are shot to sh*t, your shoulders are knackered and your backs in bits... ...and you still enjoy climbing!!

throwlines getting tangled up hangers Ivy oil caps coming off saws up the tree oh yeah, THROWLINES GETTING TANGLED UP! - it grips my sh*t!,,,aaaaagh!

Blimey!, is it me or is that wage a lot less than you'd expect for a position like that?!

I see the point of this, keeping the weight of the saw off your harness and not having to lift it up into cutting position is more ergonomic. I'll give it a go, but I'd do a step cut or a diagonal step cut on the first piece before I do the second cut - safer if a bit slower. Nice post mate!

Last time I tried to repair one, it all ended up in a carrier bag and being taken to my local dealer!. If your using the hedge trimmer attachment on full extension, be prepared for this again (I did 3 shafts in a year). In the end I only used the chainsaw attachment on the HT75.

Yeah, I notice the high prices of saws down there too, I do some work for my in-laws occasionally (and that was before the current appalling exchange rate). Better off sending them over from UK mate.

15 years ago I was on £3.50 per hour as a new climber. I got my city and guilds and tickets and when I went back to the firm I got £3.90 per hour! . Ten years ago, my climbers were on £80 to £100 per day depending on experience.

They are not native, I think they originated in China and go by the alternative name of 'Chinese water deer', but don't quote me on it. The only way to control them is to shoot them. They taste great by the way, I had Muntjac haunch in chocolate sauce a while back....its goooooooood !. Too many people let the 'cuddly, furry animal brigade' get in the way of good woodland management. I say give Muntys and Grey squirrels the good news!

I climbed prussic and blakes hitches for years (still do on short climbs/other end of my rope). I switched over to a distel then a VT with a hitchclimber a year or so ago. I've got a bad wrist injury and I've been getting a bit of tennis elbow too, using a pulley system with a cambium saver/rope guide has helped me keep on climbing (us old gits need all the help we can get!

I agree with all the above. You should practice this with the gear your using every day. Use your rigging kit for a 3 man rescue, but back in up with a 6 wrap prussic. Any sling/strop/short rope is good for tying your false crotch in, but if its kit you us every day, you'll be familiar with it if the proverbial hits the fan.

'A quick google search tonight and i fancy the look of the BSA ultra' I've got on of these, lovely little rifle, very compact, light and accurate. I would recommend changing the silencer for a Wierauch, the one that comes with the weapon isn't very effective:thumbdown:. I also own a 70lb longbow, which is really sweet to shoot, and a 45lb martin stick, another very nice bow...if only I had more time to shoot 'em:bored:

'Anyone know where I can get hold of firewood in Essex please? Have trailer and can collect, happy to split it - just need access to it!' - Give the Essex Wildlife trust a ring, they've got stuff on reserves all over the county, if you chat to the wardens they'll help you out. The HQ is on 01621 862971.

I've never whacked my fingers!. I use a 12oz bag out of mine and it shoots fine. I don't use it all the time, but its got me out of a few tight spots. The other thing its great for is setting pulling lines in dead trees. I've also got a mini one for shooting water bombs - excellent for indirect fire in the yard!

I use a bigshot for long throws (cos I'm crap at throwing!). It takes a bit of practice. I find this throwline malarkey does take a lot of patience, but its worth all the sense of humour failures in the end!

I had this happen years ago with non-original blades. Its all to do with the chromium content of the steel used apparently. You wouldn't want to be in the chipbox with your pecker hanging out having a pee when a few bits of frag come flying out of the chipper shoot !!!. I'd go for original blades and drop the revs on the chipper/turn if off when you get in the back.

I do work for a 'bat-man' occasionally. He does his survey and I climb and inspect cavities with an endoscope. I've never seen a bat in a tree in 15 years (I'm glad to say!) and I've only known 2 other climbers who have. I did a bat-awareness course with the local wildlife trust, it was very interesting and made me think a bit more and have a good look around a tree before felling/pruning etc.

I've done 'climbing interviews' for people who don't know me, its no drama, just climb as you would on the job!. Many years ago, some bloke got me to do a nightmare reduction on a Horse Chestnut with live 450v wires running thru it and a pelican crossing under it. I was green then and foolishy did the job. When I called him back he said he 'didn't need a climber now'. Needless to say, at the time I had the urge to put him thru his own woodchipper with his hair on fire, but now I look back on it as a hard learnt lesson!