Rupe

2m is quite short for a lanyard, especially double wrapping it round a stem. Can you make a longer one out of some spare rope? Top side of lean is the easy way. The alternative would be throwline, and footlock or srt right past all the ivy, simples.

Stay on the top side of the lean, and double wrap your lanyard if it make you feel safer.

Gym membership is a good one. Many friends of mine have "free" gym membership with their employment, but of course it has a value and that value is taxed, a bit like a company car.

If you can justify it, and it sounds like you can, then go for it. I'm not saying what you should or shouldn't do. Weights are not "equipment that is scientifically proven to sort problems" It seems like you want someone to say "yes its fine go ahead" but none of us can do that, its up to the tax man. But I would stick by my first post and say no chance. Otherwise I might as well put all my mountain biking gear on expenses, and hill walking stuff as well. And Beer, cos it helps me un wind so must be a business expense. Do you not see the rediculousness of what your saying? I've thought about a way that the weights could be tax deductable actually. If they were located in your work premises and for use by you and your employees while at work, even after hours (but your paying them overtime), then I think it would be acceptable. If they are located at home for your use only then I would say no, they are then a leisure/hobby activity for you. same as bikes, golf clubs, wahtever you choose to do in your spare time.

So if you can't climb trees due to being over weight... Its not the taxmans problem if you are not fit enough for the work you do, that is your "personal" responsibility. His response would be get another job. If you were employed, and not fit enough to get up a tree you would soon be unemployed. Tree work is for fit people, I agree with that, but that means it suits people, like you, who go out and get weights and get fit, you still can''t claim for it. Like I say some common sense is required. BTW if you want the weights to be tax deductable then pay for them with cash!

Might effect your insurance if its for PLG only and not for commercial use, signwritting makes it commercial so when you crash whip them off quick.

Your body is not a tool for work. Chainsaws etc. are tools. Otherwise everbodies body would be a tool for work, sittign at a desk required a body that can sit at a desk, Oh, and it needs to walk to the desk so it must be a tool of the job. Walking holiday must therefore ALL be tax deductable? Your body is a tool for life, and weights are a hobby/leisure activity. Of course you can't claim the tax back off the weights you have bought! Medical stuff like chiros etc. can be tax deductable if you can justify it. Weights would help prevent injuries but no form of preventative medicine or treatment is tax deductabel as far as I know. Common sense does need to prevail with tax returns etc. and you would have a chance of justifying that one. Maybe if you could prove that you never use any muscles for anything other than work, then you might be ok.

Surely its the surveyors job to worry about that. If you are beign asked for a price then maybe that all part of them working out a strategy?

The sling/slide-line configuration was set up in a way that the 3:1 pre-tension applied at the base was transferred directly to the slings up top to make it easier for me to fold the logs in the direction that I wanted them to go. So the ‘dip’ you refer to occurred only after the pre-tension/LD combo had served that particular purpose. Cheers. Thats clever...... Whenever I have done it I have always used old glazed ropes anyway. Do you think the line should pass loler if its to used in this application only? I've heard stories of Loler inpsectors cutting up old ropes, but there are plenty of applications for them IMO, and this is one of them.

I just use the rope, no slings or LD, no figure 8's etc. Just half hitch it at the base and back on itself if you need to tighten it. In the video the lumps were still pulling a bight out of the rope so it wasn't that taught anyway. Good vid though.

Those plastic sheets are what the sides of mine are made of. Good stuff. Instead of building my chip box with double skin aluminium, I made it with one skin light steel sheet and the next skin in plastic. Much cheaper and the same weight overall.

Lager flash back maybe, I've not had an acid flashback for months!!

Come off the M5 at jnc 13 Stonehouse, Stroud, get on the A46 at Stroud and go through Next village of Nailsworth, staying on that (windy) road to the traffic lights which are the juncttion with the A4135. Turn left there and Babdown is a mile or so along on the righ hand side. Then go back to the A46 and turn left onto it, heading south to pick up the M4 at jnc 18 for the lond drag home! What sort of vehicle? Its windy and steep in places on the A46 but very picturesque..

Oh, and a little one called Babdown, thats the one you want, easy just off the A46

Hi, not heard of it, sorry. Got an address? There are two airfields nearby with industrial units, one is Aston Down and the other is Kemble.

think you'll find it was a joke................

Presentation is a word steve, not the one I would use though! Who was the bloke doing it?

Yes, I did get that it was a joke, or "banter" from the audience. I was laughing anyway, but mostly at the stupid car that thinks its a range rover.

On the video, was it supposed to come out when the music stopped?? Seemed like a problem. If you turn the volume up you can hear a member of the audience say "they can't get the hand brake off"

Noddy was after one of those a while back, not sure if he got one already. Just think of the stuff he could make for us with that! Talking of which, I was in the pub the other day and a guy had with him (why he had it with I'm still not sure) a home made paragliding harness. Made out of old seat belts, ply wood and stiched riveted and gaffa taped together. Last I heard he was still alive.

They are not suited to our winters, especially last two years. They need to be strapped up and wrapped in bubble wrap for the winter if they are to have a chance of surviving. I got rid of two of mine this year and the other one last year, won't bother with them again.

Thats what was trying to say, maybe a couple of statics to back each other up.

Create long anchors over the wall adge using slings, and then attach to the end of those so that no moving parts run over the edge. Simples. 2 or 3 anchors should do, just like old school top roping on short rock climbs.

Cheers everyone. I would hope that I know Blackthorn as I've encountered plenty of that. Cockspur is looking favorite then, and the broad leaf variety me thinks.

ANy offer appreciated, tree looks like a hawthorn, its got some massive thorns too, but not sure what it is. Some kind of plum? Customer says definatly not plum. If I get the rest of the work at this house then I'll take more photos.