Taupotreeman

Yep, Central North Island so warm summers but cooler winters (not as cold as the UK though). Being a grade A doofus in fungi ident I have no idea but would be interesting to go back to the powers that be and tell them they having something slightly more unusual on their trees.

Funny, that's exactly what Mr. Humphries said. The info reckoned only in America and Northern Europe and it was rare but there's quite a bit of it down t'road.

Think you'll find this a safer option. Not sure about the difference in heights though.

And just a couple more. Anyone enlighten me?

For Mr. Humphries, as requested, a few close ups of some of those brackets posted yesterday in the general tree pics thread. The first 3 are from the top of the Oaks that we removed. The follwoing two are from some old Cherry and Pine (I think) over in some wet land. They look like they've been there a while.

Awesome Adam thanks. Chipper's a beauty.

Try and get them for you when I walk the dogs tomorrow. The brackets are on some old logs in a wet area near me. The wood looks like it's been dead and down for several years. There are several of these brackets around.

If you're in the mood for brackets are these any good to you David?

Just plant a heap of Ivy along the edges of that hedge, give it 3 to 5 years and it'll look primo

Not at the moment David but, as it happens, I saved the lump of wood with that bracket on so I'll try and remember to get a close up for you tomorrow.

Nothing fancy from me I'm afraid. There are several of these Pin Oaks around town that have been hammered back hard for years. There's never anything on the upper laterals except for a few months when all the epicormic shoots away. We're taking these down over the course of 2 or 3 years and replanting with a more suitable species for the location. When I took these down today all the upper limbs had these splits and scars along them and wondered if it was due to scorching or something else. And one of my 56 year old trainee having the time of his life. In 2 months he's learnt how to drag brush, use the Bandit and just passed his basic chainsaw ticket. I let him fell a tree yesterday and he ran around the place whooping and bouncing like a 10 year old with a new toy.

Can it translate text speak?

Just wondering if some of these newer stoves and fires aren't as tough as the old skool ones. I've heard of several examples here where some of the really hot burning native has melted fire grates, fire boxes etc. Maybe some of the suppliers are sweating on having claims against there product because they're built with cheaper materials. Then again maybe I'm just talking through a hole in my backside.

I got one of these a few months ago. I also run an extra roller karabina (cheers Drew) at the top and run my rope tail back through it to give me a second pulley. Makes ascending back up the tree almost effortless. Excellent bit of kit and saves heaps of energy. Now, if I only I can stop getting the thing stuck.

You're not far off the ball park Mark and that doesn't include GST. To be fair though they aren't cheap. A pair of strech airs clock in at $540 which is about $100 more than the SiPs. Doesn't sound much but in the grand scheme of things a $100 is a $100, especially when the SiPs so far are pretty good. I've had my HiFlex repaired several times now and they have more patches than a mongrel mob member (kiwi joke). Apart from that I can't understand how a pair of chainsaw trou can be so much more baggy, heavy etc than any other pair. Sure, there are some differences and everybody has preferences (I like a back pocket for putting my MP3 in and zip pockets are excellent for keeping it there) but I'm having a hard time thinking that there is THAT much difference between brands. Really, who notices that much up a tree if you have your sizes correct.

Can't comment on the trousers as such as I haven't even seen them but just reading your post Steve, this must make me kak handed. I'm a right hander but hang the saw on the left, always have. Using the new treemotion I'm starting to be a bit more ambidextrous but still favour the left. As for heat resistant pads on the legs? I'm the same as some of the others on here. When I first got back in to climbing I burnt a couple of holes in my trousers but haven't done it for ages now. not sure if my positioning or technique has improved or what. Maybe it's just the thought of burning a hole in another $500 pair of pants. Personally I'll be sticking with my SiP progress for now as they seem to be holding up better than the HiFlex. I found the Stihls a little bit flimsy around the arse and they rip easily. The progress are pretty comfy but maybe I just finally got my sizing correct. Sizing in chainsaw pants makes all the difference to comfort. Just one size too small make all the difference when it gets hot. Next pair of trou will be stretch airs after all the good comments I've heard.

Now there's how to win over your customers eh? I think therein lies another problem. these days it's all about the money and attracting a certain clientele. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of this certain clientele, many good local paying customers are "disposed of" some of them through sheer rudeness and arrogance. Several months down the track the "new" gastro pub (not wanting to bracket the new pubs but can't think of a better description) goes tits up and they wonder why. As we well know in our industry customer service is pretty much the B all and end all.

Not a decent pub in sight over this side of the world. I miss those old country pubs. Roaring fire in winter, good choice of ciders and a decent feed. A place just to chill and pass the time. Here it's mainly sports bars, party pubs and that type of thing. The kind of place I probably would have been keen on for a night out in my younger days but now there's nowhere I know of that I'd be happy to spend a quite night chewing the fat. If I wanted a half decent pub the nearest I can think of is a 200km drive. Back in blighty it was 5 minute walk up the road for your choice of several. Somethings only the Brits can do right.

Agreed, especially if it's a few years old. It turns into something resembling concrete and usually has to be cut with a saw rather than split. Even worse if it's Ironbark Gum.

I've had bosses in the past (in big outfits I worked for and the current council one) that have no idea whatsoever what is involved with the job. No idea about saws, pruning, basicaly anything. When it comes to trying to explain why you can't do a particular job because you don't have a pull rope, ladder, big enough saw, rigging kit, experienced groundy, rescue worker etc that's when it gets frustrating. The boss says; "just take down that 80 foot Gum, you can do that with one saw and this trainee can't you?" then wonders why he gets an earful. At least with the guys that have been on the tools you know they understand the day to day difficulties you encounter and may be able to help with their input and a fresh perspective. The very worst are those managers that think they know all there is to know but in reality know nothing. Fortunately I've only had one of those and that's the current one. I don't mind telling him that either and frequently do so there's no rectum kissing from this quarter.

Oh boy do I have a headache now. Looks like I have to go right back to basics. Mind you; that's what you get for trying to put a 56 year old on an arb crew that's never handled a saw in his life before. He came of the gardening crews and my employers really don't want to throw any money at training. Oh well, more time spent training, less time trimming trees.

I was also taught to lift the nose of the bar while tightening the chain but having just seen the level of the basic chainsaw courses these guys are put through I'm not convinced they get taught it now. 3 day course, 2 of which are spent in the classroom doing H&S stuff. Having said that; I've left the nuts loose on a 066 and 460 Stihl before by mistake and never had the chain tensioner snap. Had the bar and chain fall off but no snapping of screws so I'm wondering if it's a combination of both things. My issue now is; I'm just about to buy a new saw for the trainees, something midway between a climbing saw and the 460. It was going to be a husky but now I'm not so sure. Is it just me or do the new Huskys seem to be a it more flimsy in comparison to those I used back in the 90's.

Saw's almost brand new. Only been out the box a couple of months. It gets a good clean out at the end of every day by the trainees. Just wondering if they might not be tightening up the side plate nuts completely when they put it back together. The first time it happened one of the nuts had wound itself off.

Our almost new Husky has now snapped two chain tensioner screws in two weeks. The dealer reckoned it could be that we are tightening the chain too much which is most definately not the case. Never had it happen on a Stihl so anyone got any ideas apart from the obvious (that being the use of cheap metal to make the screw)?

Unfortunately, those other things that drive like cars also act more like cars when it comes to the off road stuff as I found out when I got my Surf stuck on a snow drift on the side of Mt Ruapehu. Landy would have got out no worries but the surf was way stuck. If you have something without the electrics there'll be less to go wrong. Jappas inevitably cost a bomb to put right when something does turn to custard (at least from my experience).