Rowan the Bruce

I seem to be getting as many e-mails from people looking for work as people wanting quotes at the moment and hassled by college leavers who have had a trial and didn't quite cut it, hopefully they will find work (in a bank or shop!) but as the trend of tree surgery (male glamour job) becoming more popular each year and the diminishing economy driving prices down, we could all be up the creek without a paddle. A company that has done really well the last ten years and charges top dollar that i know has had to lay off 3 guys recently, and complained to certain people that I was undercutting him. C'est la vie mate, low overheads, no finance for me never done better!

But it is a worrying time for anyone starting out, only the strong will survive.

That was cool to see some photos like that mate, I spent 2 months in Nepal a few years back trekking etc.The people are amonst the friendliest I have met anywhere in the world - 'namaste'.

How did you end up rescuing the vulture for the RSPB?

wow tough ol' dude!

Nice bit of habitat too!

Thanks for all the info guys and well it seems that the poll that wasn't a poll turned up trumps for Honda, I used a grinder with an 11 hp honda engine today and it was pretty good. I've phoned woodfuels (who are really helpful), and got some info and they said that a short while ago woodline were having probs getting honda's from Japan and changed over to Kohler for a while. I asked him to find me one with a jap engine and then I'll buy one, 'I'll see what I can do' he said. Wait and see I guess. There's always a Thor with a 10.5 B&S but a little dearer, hmm decisions !!

I have a Paramo velez smock from ebay for £70 new they are 140ish and its the best thing i ever bought it rains a lot in the South west and a bit of nik wax wash every now and again keeps it totally waterproof, light weight,wicks the sweat away and although a bit hot in midsummer its surprisingly tough.Páramo

I am looking at buying a petrol woodline 10t bull splitter and I know that they used to have 9hp honda engine and fuelwood now say that they come with an 8hp Kohler one instead - not being all that familiar with either engines (am used to stihl or husky 2strokes) I am wondering what the difference is other than the 1hp? any ideas performance,parts etc..................answers on a postcard to....

Yeah I pay my groundies that, and I'm in Cornwall in't that right Tommer!

Just hope the nice healthy tree was one of them polish oaks, not much good for timber anyhow. One step up would be to use a bottle jack now that is a neat trick!

Tom did you make up the 4 way head yourself or can you get that with the machine? I'm looking for one too, what model was that?

No its called Townmill foundry or Sara's foundry in Redruth, Cornwall and is privately owned but having some heritage funding to restore it.

Interesting thread, not tried those, i guess the species would need to be diffuse porous and fairly vigorous like a cerris? Nice ideas.

cheer boys! when you've the county council and English Heritage fitting the bill, and the only foundry in the country with all the old workings in behind a crumbling old mill building thats several hundred years old, yer cheeks get squeezed a little lol!

The biggest Ganoderma was about 2ft long, I took it home for my kids to write on.

Here's some pics of a recent job. Finally had the disc in the post from the council archeologist and as there was 90 or so I thought I'd narrow it down.

We were all best pleased that the old mill was still standing at the end of the job.

yeah cheers I've sussed out the how to get the table bit on the puter now, better in the tree than the office!!

Sorry to be on the blag yet again and I know that I should probably spend 45 quid to the AA but, does anyone have a link to some templates for PUWER fortnightly service/kit inspections or LOLER weekly inspection templates. Hope you can help as I'm only a poor one man band who's trying to get on top of his H&S quagmire!!!

yeah tasty stuff mmmm!

yeah good advice, we had to use the munter hitch on a few bits and used a prussic for the middle z rig pulley which after smashing a heavy piece into it burned half through :angryfire:and was respectfully binned, the job is done now and we are waiting for some photos from the archeologist who was paid to watch my every move for two days. Not really possible to use somone else on the control line as most of the time I was way out over a grade II listed mill building which was in a very bad state. English Heritage the local council and myself breathed a big sigh of relief after that one.

Here are some site photos. Note the large ganoderma.

I just got one from someone for £75 quid, worn a dozen times. Glad I didn't get your one.

I suppose a groundies arm would suffice!

the knot I was using before wasnt a sheepshank but like it and tied off twice at the top and bottom? I dunno can't really remember. Prussik sounds like a simple idea that can allow you to slacken the speedline easily, will give it a go - don't know if the force of the piece hitting it will cause problems though?Thanks for the info guys.

The middle pulley is where the tensioning takes place and the rope is fed through before being tied off, also where the section zipped out stops.

Hi all, I've got some speedlining to do in a week its been a couple of years since the advanced course and I can't remember which is the best shortening knot to fix up the middle pulley with, theres gonna be loads of tying and untying so the best ideas would be simple. I'm not sure if a sheepshank does it ok?

I've got one and think its crap, the silky I use kept on falling out and hitting the deck with my groundies below:thumbdown:. I carried on using my folding one on a bit of pull cord never fails me, each to their own eh!