Taupotreeman

Dizzy now.

Yeah yeah Adam I know. Gotta say it was way easier to adapt to than the wrench but then I've never done any SRT stuff before. Feel like a fish out of water trying to go up single rope on a pantin but felt heaps easier on the SJ. There is a but though and that's the fact that working off the wrench I can see as being easier to get around a tree with a lot of tight or fiddly branches. I trialled the SJ on a Pin Oak today and instantly thought "this would be easier with the wrench". Having said that I'm well happy with the money I spent.

Choices choices. First fly on the SJ today and it wasn't as difficult to set up or use as I had imagined. Do I like it? Hell yeah. Ascending the tree, especially with a foot pantin on, was way easy. What do I think of it so far for working off? Well, having had a brief go on the rope wrench the other day I reckon the RW is a better working tool if you can swap over to working srt. Personally I think I'm going to end up using both (once I get a better grip off them) depending on the situation.

Do we get to see the during and after piccies Mark? Funny how the tree suits the house in that photo.

Yeah bro, much smoother than the first one. Like I said, seems like you got the hang of it. Pity you couldn't film more of the er erm uni students if you know what I mean

Five days bro....... nah about 4 hours all up. Quite a bit of sitting around for us while Mason was dismantling but the whole job went sweet. No rigging just good dropping skills from the monkey with a little bit of luck and needle threading. And yeah, hippy camp site down the road from us with everyone apparently naked by 11am so we were hoping for an eyeful on the way home but it didn't happen Jealous of the uni job, the imagination runs riot.

I think this argument has done the rounds before and I said then that in many places people want what they want. Some arborists can afford to be picky but here at least you sure can't. Added to that you can't talk people out of having their trees topped except to have them out completely on the odd occasion. Some of the local outfits have found out the hard way that you lose work pretty fast if you don't do as the customer wants. There's always someone else that will do it and there's not enough other work to sustain a bigger outfit. Maybe different in the UK but here in Taupo that's the reality of it. I see it as a private contractor and I have a never ending battle as council arborist with people who insist we top trees for views. 75% of these people refuse to listen to reason. I've topped trees and I'm not proud of it but needs must. I get frustrated with people who tell me I should refuse these jobs when they're not in my shoes. I can afford to refuse them now but if I need to put food on the table and pay the mortgage then I'll do whatever I need to (within reason) to do just that. I can live with myself, if others can't then that's their issue.

Large multi leadered Poplar. Working on about 120' as the EPV boom is 55' and didn't get half way. Large leader hanging out over a kids playground so council wanted the leader gone. Removed the lower stuff with the help of Treescape's EPV and then the rest was dismantled by MasonW. Smashed it Bro.

I've done a fair bit of spiking and I'm with huck on this one. You need to lean back out from the tree and try and stay upright. More chance of your spikes getting a decent purchase and less chance of them flicking out which I find happens when you start crouching or giving it the squirrel death grip. It does take time to get used to though and for sure if you can get an anchor above somewhere then you can start coming round the underside.

Yeah bro, way weird. Coming down and using it to work off I can really see the attraction. Having the friction always right in front of your face rather than high up and wherever your double line bites around limbs makes life way easier. I was only having a play today so no work but first descent and you can understand what all the palava is about. Going up the rope and I'm still trying to pull the rope through rather than walking up it. It's like learning to climb all over again and I made a real pigs ear of it to be honest but I'll spend time on it and give it a full chance. I just ordered my SJ too so I'm gonna run them both and see how I go. As for the kerfuffle about the safety of single line; I don't buy into that. Even if you're working off double line it's still really only single. If you cut one part of a double line you're buggered any way so I don't see how single line is any worse. Maybe I'm missing something?

So we spent a couple of hours today with A. trying to show me how to use this thing and B. how to ascend efficiently. Bearing in mind this is the first time I've used the wrench and only the second time I've tried any srt stuff, I looked somewhat like a tortoise trying to climb a step ladder so thanks to MasonW for posing for the shots and showing me how it should be done. Anyway, long story short and after a bit of trial and error, I found a use for the petzl ascender I bought in 92 and never used. Ascender above the wrench, pantin on right foot and foot loop on left foot attached to ascender. Seemed to work better than all the other bits and bobs we tried and having the ascender to hold on to made life a whole lot easier for me rather than grabbing the rope, especially when I'm still trying to pull the rope through as you would DRT. I can see the whole point of this thing even with this being my first go but it'll take a while for me to suss the ascending and feel comfortable with the new style. Still, nothing ventured nothing gained.

Normally? Always more like.

Couldn't find the "Today's job" so these pics have ended up here. Nothing special, just a reserve that hadn't been touched in years apart from a nice stand of Nothofagus that had been topped for views in the past. This time we are leaving them to grow out and see how they end up. All the rubbish and weed trees were removed. Pictures don't really do it justice.

Don't have a lot bro but got some old Carabinas and an old climbing rope. Past their use by date. If they're any good let me know.

Just as a matter of interest Drew, what sort of gear do you look for?

Pretty good I'd say. Average seems to be between $20 and $25 per hour for a good climber with a bit extra for the very good. That's employed not subbing though. Some of the city boys might be able to confirm that but at least that's what's on offer in the sticks.

Apologies, 25m. I'd be hesitant to knock something over that size in one hit. With Mac you have branches everywhere and little idea of where the weight actually is. What exactly goes through someone's mind when they look at a tree like that and think " I can do that"?

What was it? 15m Mac I think without checking the story again. That's an awful lot of weight and spread for an expert never mind someone that doesn't know what they are doing. I don't want to come across in this thread as unsympathetic but sometimes you have to ask. I looked at a job once that involved clearing burning Poplars out of 11KV conductors, no charge to the owner as it was paid for by the utility. The land owner took it upon himself to do it from the bucket of his tractor. I mean, who in their right mind??

The ground movement; not so much.

Starting to wish I had the time to climb one of these giants while I'm down there. No doubt I'll get the urge once I've seen them and might follow up the possibilities of doing so before my climbing days are officially over.

Drew,you wanna up those drop weights for us....ahem....better built climbers

David, that picture of the Forth bridge is beautiful. Something about it that caught my eye and held it. Nice work.

Yeesh Adam, looking at those pay rates and given the cost of living in the UK you sure you want to go back? You can always move out Ch'ch if it's only the earthquakes doing your head in.

That if you played with it too often you'd go blind.

Not sure if this link will work correctly. Yet another one biting of more than they can chew, unfortunately for one of the men involved. Sounds harsh when someone has just died but when does common sense prevail. Christchurch Man's Tree-Felling Help Ends In Tragedy... | Stuff.co.nz