Tom D

With the makita I would go for the dcs5030, this is a pro saw and is on a par with the stihl 261 and the husky 346 in terms of power to weight. I would take a pro saw from makita over a hobby saw from stihl or husky. No need to go on a course, but learn to sharpen it properly from someone who knows how. And learn how not to blunt it. Does rob d have a video???

This is mine, it is one of my best investments, currently using it on a nice council woodland project, winching, skidding, stacking, and pulling the chipper around..

I eat at least 2 bags of crisps a day... I like nuts too.. but you can't find them in the broxburn scotmid....

Thats a hell of a lot of money, you won't be much better off in terms of employment apart from having a some extra tickets. I have found that some people who have done 38,39,40 are still unable to climb. The tests are easy and you would be better off getting some experience with a firm and having a go before you spend a fortune on training. You will learn more and be much more employable after working for a good firm for 6 months than any 6 week course will give you. Some people just aren't cut out for climbing, until you have a go and really try and test yourself you won't know wether you are a natural, or someone who will have to work at it, or someone who will never be able to do it.

The price stlhls make on ebay, there's no need for a re-fund. especially if you bought it from Jonsie at a great price in the first place! FWIW mine has been fine since we replaced the drum and bearing..

I replaced the clutch rum and bearing on mine recently, if it goes again it will be going on ebay (after it has been repaired of course). I will probably replace it with a makita dcs5030, same cc, same power and slightly lighter, only £395 and since I will only be using it as a brashing and chipper saw it should be up to the task.

I just watched the freelander one, as we have one.. I had wondered what curtain airbags did... very impressive, almost looks comfortable.. Land Rover Freelander | Euro NCAP - For safer cars crash test safety rating

I was supposed to monolith a dead beech last week, we had to wait for the bat inspector to look at it first but he refused to climb it. I thought it would be bad form to monolith it after that so we felled it. ( I would have though )

This was lime and leylandii.......

We had to monolith this beech to 10m, the left, broken stem was a potential bat roost and we had to avoid hitting it, dismantling the head would therefore have been tricky, so we felled it in a oner...

Covered in ivy 2/3 of the way up, that was why I was inspecting it, to have a look at the unions, the ivy was severed after that. The ivy was impressive in its own right, about 25cm DBH on the biggest stem. Seriously big tree, the biggest stem was 90cm+ diameter at 20m.

a couple from this weeks monolithing...

Climbed it today, its 4.7m circumference, 1.5m dbh, 31m high and 31m canopy spread... Its 28m to my head hight.

Took 3 big limes down today, here's a few pics..

The tech cert is tough, but I think you will get a lot out of it...

I did one once, but got it off with the bottles, I had the whole thing out and in a vice though and was canny with the heat...

Could you not get the bottles on it dean? I take it you tried.. although it doesn't look scorched enough for me. You can't beat a bit of oxy..

I have been doing 80 ish for a while now, with the worst weeks 100 or so, I will be taking it easy soon though. I had to work last week while my wife and kid went on holiday, that is not how I want things to continue...

what I need for the job, I hate having things getting in the way. Lanyard, caritool, 020, 50cm sling and retrieval ball for rope guide. other stuff if I need it. Festooning your harness with bling is for poseurs. Rather like the saddos who have a vauxhall corsa bearing half the stock of halfords.... cocks

There is an element of natural ability involved here, some people will take to it naturally, some won't. I had believed that getting stuck in was the answer, I took on an apprentice climber a few years ago and just made him climb everything, he improved quickly and now is an excellent climber, I have another new start who has not been able to improve any where near as fast, even after 6 months occasionally climbing he is still unable to cope with any big trees in an acceptable time, this is not his fault I should point out. What has worked for one guy (pushing him outside his comfort zone) has not worked for another. I don't know way the answer is but experience is the key factor. Its hard as an employer to give experience to new starts if they are so slow that it holds you back and costs money and time. Once we have got through our current run of commercial work I will give the newbie more climbing on smaller domestic trees where time pressures won't be so much of a factor, maybe this will help, as he will be able to build up slowly to doing more difficult stuff.

OOOhhhh impressive girth... Is it white or black?

I might be able to top 27m.. not sure about the girth...

IME the cheaper alternatives are not as good as silky. Buy a silky and look after it... and if you can't afford one put your prices up!!!

I have or aerially inspect a monster white poplar next week, its by far the biggest one I have seen, does anyone know what vital statistics of the UK Champion are? If its close I will take the time to measure this one, otherwise it will same me the bother.. My guess is that this one is 1.8-2m' DBH and about 30m high with at least 30m spread.... I have seen black poplars bigger than this but never a white one...

I'll post up after I have used it a bit, but won't have a real verdict for several months.. I need to really get a feel for it before I'd recommend one..