Taupotreeman

Yeah yeah I know. I've got most of it sussed but still have a problem with ascending. Alright if I have a branch to grab hold of or if I stop and think about it but otherwise I get a bit squirrely on it. Like you and a few others have said though bro, have to give it a while and climb predominantly on the wrench to become confident. Anyway, with Mason harping in my ear every five minutes there's fat chance of climbing on any other system without some derogatory mark being forthcoming. Just have to figure out that inner tube thingy as that looks way easier than the lanyard over the shoulder.

83 pages and counting. Not bad going. Only problem is I have to listen to Mason everyday about the RW now. Never shuts up about it couple of small private jobs this weekend so I'm going to just try and use the wrench for the both of them, no ddrt, and see how I get on.

I don't think they're good ALL the time. Sometimes, if you're trying to turn a tree or use the weight of a leaning limb to pull it around from the direction it wants to fall, a wing cut can reduce that control you have over the direction. I can't comment on crane work as I really don't do any but I know in felling and directing of limbs sometimes you need all the holding wood you can get. I've seen a hinge tear right out of a wing cut when it should have held. anyways wings cuts are a gd idea, i think pretty much in most stituations. its just a laziness and poor training not to do them.

I used ladders when I first started then moved on to poles, monkeys fist etc. Now I'm learning to use a throw ball properly and although a ladder is sometimes easier, by the time you have had the hassle of getting it out, carrying it to the tree, putting it up, accessing the tree and then putting the ladder away, most of the time you can have the rope up and ready if you're half decent with the throw ball (which I'm not I might add). There's also something quite satisfying accessing a tree either on single line or double using a pantin or other ascenders. Don't know why, maybe because it's new to me but I get a bit of a kick out of it. I sometimes still use the poles to put a rope up a tree if I can't get the throw line where I want it but we don't carry ladders on our truck at the council and rarely do I carry one on my own private work truck unless it's an orchard ladder.

James or Dave Allen? Iam happy with each to their own but like anything, I don't particularly enjoy having it rammed down my throat. Personally, the sun comes up, the sun goes down and without it we're all screwed. I can see it, I can feel it and that's more than good enough for me. I don't pray to it asking for stuff it can't give and I don't blame it for stuff it doesn't do. It just is.

I worked last Sunday and left it until 10 so as not to disturb everyone's lie in.

I was almost about to fire off a very hurried and rather unfriendly reply to this (being a council arby myself) but thought I better read the rest of the thread first. Good job I did otherwise I might of made a right ass of myself

This could be interesting.

I've seen a couple of the guys down here who are also unnervingly good at hitting their target while I'm busy throwing it back over my head, across the car park, into the old chap looking out his window, onto the exhaust stack of a passing goods vehicle etc. I'm starting to get it but it took for someone just to show me how to throw, direct etc to get a basis to work from. Sounds elementary to some but it's all new to me. Mind you, now we are starting to use the rope wrench and don't always have to isolate a branch I can start to see a whole heap of new benefits. Still have to break out the poles every now and then though.

I tried to do a test set up with the SJ and the RW and it looks all cock eyed. The rope twists through the SJ and the rope and tether interfere with the braking, at least the way I set it up. I finally had a go on a (admittedly small) Cherry dismantle the other day. Ditched the SJ because of the above reasons and just went with the hitch climber set up. Struggled somewhat with the ascending as, like many, I'm hardwired to that DRT way of doing things. On a branch walk when I wanted to haul myself up a little I had to stop and think about it and work out how to do it. Somewhat different to just pulling yourself up and having a SJ grab the rope. Also tried with an over the shoulder lanyard and half strangled myself so I need to work on that. What I did find was that there was no lack of confidence only using single line. Also, I preferred the less cluttered set up. One line to check and everything in front of you. The VT and HC work just fine for me, finger tip control. Think the SJ will be kept entirely seperate for the times I want to use it. I need a heap more practice and experience and that's probably still an understatement but I'm sure as hell going to be giving it plenty of time and energy to try and get it right.

We burn a fair bit of Douglas Fir in NZ and it's rated quite highly. I just mix it in with a hardwood but it burns nice and hot anyway.

Just been shown how to use a throwball properly so that's what I'm practicing at the moment but I also was using the AUS poles with the switching head on. Saves getting throw line wrapped around my feet and pine cones and branches etc and then spending hours cursing. I'm getting better though.

What heat? Muggy with thunderstorms at the moment.........sorry.......

We use Vigilant, stump cutter and a few others. Failing that, diesel/sump oil mix but it's not exactly green.

I'd argue that point Oldmill. I went back through all 45 pages and reread pretty much all of it to try and get a bit more clued up. Agreed it's a great thread though; in excess of 60 pages now.

As I say; tarring all with the one brush. I know you don't get a bad rep for no reason but surely they can't all be the same? There's plenty of dodgy rip off artists all over the show that aren't travellers.

Read the Bro's posts above Dak, you won't regret following their advice. And like Adam says; don't bother with that return fare, it'll be a waste of good beer money.

Long time ago Adam, 94/95. Worked out west of Sydney at the foot of the Blue Mountains near Penrith and Kurrajong. Spent nearly a year working on and around the area, as far out as Bathurst and back in to Blacktown. Had an absolute ball, met some awesome people and earnt some good money. Can't imagine it's changed hugely since then according to everything I read and hear. Easy to get in to Sydney city at the weekends with good transport links. Plenty of surf beaches, hunting, fishing and...........some very pretty young ladies.

Not much in the way of Utility surveying in NZ I don't believe as most of it has already been done. You can try both Asplundh and Treescape as they are the major players in line clearance here and in Oz. Some utilities do their own stuff in house but you'd probably need line mechanic qualifications. You might be better off looking for liaison positions. I also know that Transpower in NZ have just won the contract for the EHV lines in the Eastern North Island and will be looking for employees so might be worth getting in touch with them. Failing that check out SEEK - New Zealand's no.1 jobs, employment, career and recruitment site and Buy online and sell with NZ's #1 auction & classifieds site | Trade Me

First off; I'm happy in NZ. Second; hell yeah. Oz is an awesome place to work, good people, outstanding lifestyle. Fine it's got its creepy crawlies etc but I was there for a year and was rarely bothered. You have to be a little more careful but on the flip side, what you get with the package more than makes up for it. These days, way to hot for me. I like the green green grass and the cooler days but I'm glad I took the opportunity when I did. As far as the trees go; Yes they're way bigger but does it really matter if you're 20m up or 50m up? It hurts just as much if you fall out of the tree and think of the experience and the tall tales you'll be able to tell. I can't or won't climb big trees these days but I'm glad I had the chance to climb a couple of 50m jobs when I was young enough.

Are we just tarring all travellers with the same brush here? How do we know that they aren't going to pay the bill?

Yep, I agree with Adam. If you can prove your worth you'll have no problems getting a job without the formal quals. They are sometimes desirable but not always neccessary if you have the experience. Plenty of guys getting work by word of mouth and expertise alone. Sounds like you have the priorities right too. Just hang out and chill.

Yep but the country is way better.

beats faffing around with a hedge trimmer any day. Reckon I'd be banging a pretty high price on a job like that looking how spotless that driveway was. Nice work.

OUTSTANDING. I'll show that to my trainee and he too will be an expert in felling. This vid should be available for those buying chainsaws from B&Q etc.