Tom D

The patterns on that one are similar to the ones on the tree vid so maybe its not fake, i still think it should look more blue, but if it was attached by a clean dry sling it could have arked across the tree I suppose. I saw a jump like that in a substation whilst walking back from the pub one night, it was really foggy and it appeared to jump across some of the terminals on a transformer. I nearly kacked myself:ohmy:

I wenty for HP but i only financed part of the deal like that the rest was paid for outright, that way if things go belly up the value of the vehicle should always be higher than the value of the loan, they simply take it back. If you have 15-20K sitting around then buy outright but most people don't I would imagine. I looked into lease / hire and yes you can claim the whole thing against tax and if it breaks they should suppy you with another one, there is no serviceing to pay and probably no insurance, you just put fuel in. If times are hard at the end of the term you can walk away owing nothing. The people I spoke to did'nt seem to mind mods / signwriting etc. The downside is that overall its quite expensive and you don't have an asset at the end of it. Before I bought the landy I had always gone secondhand but now I'm not so sure, the lDV is in for its MOT today this can often be an expensive time. I now think a new vehicle with a 3 year warranty is the way to go, less down time and hassle free. I used to do all my own repairs / maintenance but now its more cost effective to stay working and get someone else to do it, but I suppose this depends on how much free time you have.

I'm doing it next year but its only £600 + exam. thats for 15 colledge days over the year, which I hope to be able to spare. I find the idea of self study a bit scary.

Fingers arent really the biggest worry, if the tip of the bar catches your sleeve it can run up your arm to the neck / face. Apparently a relatively common accident.

There's no need, if a branch is light enough to hold then its thin enough to cut with a silky, I tend to undercut with the 020 then silky the top. If you've already cut the end off and its a thick stub ie too thick for the silky then an upside down step cut will do.

Its bigger than scaffold tube, its about 5-6 inch diameter, which is great for controlled lowering of big stuff, the base is angle iron though.

I think that was the right outcome, If the tree or branch was dead on the other hand as many road side trees are then he should have got compensation. It would be Impossible to inspect all roadside trees at a level detailed enough to spot a fault of the type discused in this case. Some times accidents just happen.

Pretty rough and ready, but It does the job, I am going to buy a hobbs though.

Thats too nice for the patio Steve, get that in front of the sofa, you just need to make some coasters to go with it.

If I employ a subbie as I often do I expect to pay for anything they break, but If they do something stupid with my kit ( which happened recently) then that comes off their wage. I think you just have to employ people you can trust. I never leave subbies unsupervised as either me or Andrew my employee are always on site.

I think you have to order them with the snaphook spliced in, an 8mm mallion will probly be the most unobtrusive connection.

Gustharts sell those things, I treid the bottle jack thing once, it was hard work even with a six ton jack, there's no substitute for a proper winch. Although up the tree maybe that thing is a good idea.

DMM do a captive eye krab which is quite nice.

Do they come with a red gimp suit? Imagine turning up on a building site wearing those.

Thats so true, I used to be one of them n'all. I'm surprised new harnesses don't come with a golden virginia pouch clip attached.

I have had a pair of Haix treckers for exactly a year now, they look good for another, they have a few nicks but are still waterproof and the most comfortable climbing boots that I've ever had. Its also worth noting that the best of the rest that i have had only did about nine months, and I tend to wear them till they fall off.

Its funny, I was topping a cypress hedge on saturday and whilst i was wrestling with the 020 and the hedgers in the middle of it whilst balancing on an old topping cut, I thought If I an ever going to get cut with a saw this is how I'll do it. IMO its far more dangerous than a big dismantle. Hope it heals nicely mate.

Be happy to help out with anything north of the border mate but It'd have to be as a two man team as a minimum.

Bail out is a samson product, I quite like it.

Been using the tachyon W/O gloves, I don't have a problem with it, but then I have only used it with the hitch climber, maybe a more basic system would be harder on the hands.

For me the shorter the better, the whole point of systems like these is the efficiency. The lack of sit back you get with a set up like that is what I'm after so lengthening the legs on the martin would be a no no. The hitch in the picture is a martin tied in ice tail, the cord was 1m long and after tying 2 half double fishermans its about 54cm eye to eye which is about perfect for the martin hitch. Used it again on friday, it really does work well.

A better project would be to make a chipper out of a forage harvester like that one, the one in the vid is probably 500+ Hp.

I'll take a pic and post it tomorrow, then you can make me an offer.

I have a crate full of elm burls sitting in the yard if your interested? Im 2 hours from Durham.