Tom D

You've certainly "got the t shirt" Mike I bet you could put together a pretty good slide show.

Nice one Jamie:001_smile:

I get a buzz from doing big trees, but its not adrenalin, its just job satisfaction that comes from being faced with a problem and overcoming it in a safe and efficient way. As Rupe and others have said, I wouldn't want someone on one of my sites who was there for the adrenalin rush, why not try base jumping? BTW the trees in your pics don't look all that big...

Some from last week, a row of 20something butchered sycs and a large "hedge" we did. I had 2.5 days on the sycs but it was more like 3 tbh, we had already taken a good 10' of the hedge by the time I took the pic. [/ATTACH] The pic with the merc was andrews stunt fell, I told him it would fit. And the wee fella fell out of his nest in the hedge, I put him back at the end.

anyone seen it on laburnum?

I've never tried a comp, but if I can make it to justins show this year I'll have a go, assuming there's another climb. Not saying I'm good or anything, I think we all know its not just about the knot . I just know that if you dinosaurs just took the time to try there are way better hitches out there, no need for hitch climbers, fancy pulleys, slick hitches or anything, just replace your blakes or prussic with a knut or martin. the climbing method is just the same its just a much nicer knot to work with.

Dinosaurs, thats all I've got to say

Congratulations mate, babies are great, I can hear hear mine expanding her lungs downstairs as I write. Best wishes to you and the family:001_smile:

very nice pic mate

that looks a well advanced infection, kretzchmaria is particularly bad on lime, get em felled sharpish mate. I felled a syc with it today it was well knackered, and there wasn't anywhere near as much fungus as that.

That looks sweet, being able to tension and lift is a big bonus IME.

so thats 0.88 giving an arbtalk average of 0.93

you mean 75 and 85? or did you have an accident with the 020?

I saw the riko ones at capel, I thought they seemed really well built, I would go for one with the operating levers by the side of the table on the gripper arms tho, not up at eye level. I run a 16 / 8 ton woodline PTO one and its great, it has been pretty reliable except for a cable on the linkage which was cheap to replace. This is it: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlg9aarI1oM]YouTube - log splitting in edinburgh[/ame]

There seems to be loads on the net about this, it could be linked to all kinds of stuff, including your likely hood of getting cancer arthritis and heart disease! Its not very scientific if only 2 of us put ours up, I am genuinely interested to compare us lot with the national average of 0.98 yours is 0.0. How does one measure the ape index? or is that a joke?

You'd win that hands down Mr Tickle!

Very nice Josh, I had to laugh as I was about to post " me and stevie would have felled that into the road" but I see he beat me to it.

Its bound to be true, there will be an element of genetics in the level of apititude in any profession. This was recently proved in city traders and though it will be harder to prove I am sure it will be the case in loads of other professions. Why not try the finger test? Its what they used in the city traders example and also in atheletes. You measure the length of your index finger and then your third finger on the right hand (measure from the crease closest to the palm ) Then divide the length of the index finger by the middle finger, the lower the number the "sportier" you are. I get 78 and 85mm so thats about 0.92:001_smile: I'm off to look up the national average now if I can, post yours up, it will be interesting to see if us tree surgeons are above (below) average.

As has been said, its simply supply and demand. Look on the bright side, to get into the antiques trade is way worse, the auction houses employ graduates on a voluntary basis for the first year, some will be lucky to get a small salary, maybe 8K. This is why all auctioneers are posh, you need daddy's money just to support yourself during the first years.

Great thread Mike, thanks to my daughter it has taken ages to read, essentially I agree with you, though I didn't really get going with tree work till 26 and properly climbing till 28 when I started on my own. I still think young is best. I had to learn fast because I was working for myself and often with groundies who couldn't climb, so if I couldn't do it it wouldn't get done. When I took on my first full time guy I put an ad in the local paper, some national website took it from there and put it on the net (without my permission) as a consequence I got loads of applicants, I was amazed how many were older, many 40+. I really wasn't interested in employing someone over 25 as an apprentice, and TBH I think that many of the older new starts will struggle for several different reasons. I know I'll get a slating for this so I'll say now I have a massive respect for anyone who is willing to start out in this game aged 35+. These are the problems for older new climbers as I see them. Physically its just not the same (look at footballers, at 35 its all but over) Employers want someone to invest in, not someone who will leave and start on their own as soon as they can, as has been said youngsters are far less likely to do this. Older people in a very physical job are more likely to sustain a lasting cronic injury, you only need to look on here to see the number of people with bad backs, elbows, joints etc, as an employer this is a BIG turnoff, no one wants to pay someone who is off sick all the time or even worse sues due to injury. Its true that youngsters have less fear, in some cases to the point of recklesness, This lack of fear is bound to be a bonus when learning the job. Chances are most of these older climbers will have to start on their own as employers will most likely prefer youth, this means they will either have to learn on the job or go contract climber, and as Josh said to get the production necessary to be a contract climber you need to be quick. and that means as quick on friday as you were on monday, not easy as you get older. I know that there will be climbers out there with 8 years exp like me but aged 45 who could kick my ass in a comp, there will also be those who started young and could beat me.... I'll bet there's a lot more of the latter. There are probably other pro's and cons but these seem to me the most important as an employer As a caveat I should mention that I have seen some rubbish youngsters who will never be any good. A good alrounder needs stamina, skill, and balls, but not neccesarily fitness. No good being an ace climber with a silky but brown your pants when the big saw comes out.

Any dealers in the eu? the euro is going down with this greece thing and poss spain + ireland too, could be a bargain? Honey bros are still showing them: Hobbs Block Lowering Device

Happy birthday, enjoy your day out.

I can't recommend it highly enough, RU in a rush for it? If not you're more thn welcome to have a play with mine sometime if you're around, Stevie mentioned you had rellies in this part of the world? That first pic is weird BTW mine is an H2 like the second one.

Was great to meet you all, looking forward to the next show already, feel refreshed despite the hangover, and thanks to Dean for driving. I'll let you know what I think of the 362.

Todays nightmare, a decent sized black pine with a massive russian vine through it.