Frank

Unless, like me you have various sized lap fence panels sat at yard from fencing jobs years ago, that are always poised to be put back to work.

I dont see myself as freelance. I run a business. I am a sole trader, but can provide a 2 or 3 man gang with chipper for a specific day rate. I have all my own climbing kit (plus 2nd rescue kit), All own lowering kit. All own saws, all own clearing up kit. (blower and rake haha). I have my own PL insurance, I can remove waste / chippings / firewood etc. I can also turn up in my car with just climbing kit and a 200t for a specific rate. The people I work for / alongside know what gear I have and what I am capable of, so they either ring and say "i've got a day or 2 for you in 3 weeks", or they ask me to do a site reccy and we agree a price. I would never use other peoples equipment unless they employed me. If a self employed person, i.e a snother sole trader came to work with me and could only supply their own boots, trousers and helmet, they wouldnt get more than £50 a day, and wouldnt leave the ground. I also believe my rate to be at least 3 times that of an employed climber but that is fully justified in what I can bring to the "party".

Steer clear of anything with metal lace eyes, as they are slippy slippy.

I just got some Merrell approach climbing / wlking trainers, with vibram soles and same sticky rubber stuff as climbing "stickies" up the side and around the toe. Work very well on footlock, but alas , they dont have ankle protection so i'm saving the pennies for some Scarpa.

hahahahahahahahaha

south of sheffield?? thats Bandit country, forget it, I aint going. i like my wheels.

I'd end up in the river humber. Or worse than that......Grimsby.

Wheres Worcester??

As a self employed person surely you MUST have your own gear.

All in a days work. Rest of the time I spent on the beach at Bridlington.

Heres some more. First person to ident the trees with the eerie looking trunks wins a free private message congratulating them.

Not been on here for a while. Here's what I've been up to if any of you are bothered in the slightest.

will there be any facilities for Northerners???

Only if he can use the 880. Doesnt own any Felco's:001_tongue:

Haha yeah. Real tree felling doesnt involve leaving the main stem. Unfortunatly we do do reductions round here.

I was / I am. Unfortunatly my wife is about ready to give birth and I cant risk not being there for her. Hope he comes before the english open. haha. I will be making a fool of myself at up-coming comps. I sent Eddie (sciadopitys) down to spie on how you guys did it then he reported back to me tonite.haha. Now i have the inside track and know i need to practise EVERYTHING.

I bet coming back in from them limb walks is alot easier with your hitchclimber / v.t set-up.

Only just seen this. A mere flesh wound compared to Shreks devastating Silky catastrophe earlier in the year.

Sounded like a really good weekend. Im sooo jealous. Get some pics up ASAP. Was the turnout a usual amount or was it less/more than expected??

What were the houses like??? Not the back of a council estate I hope.

Can I just add this. Naming no names. I have a pal who is in the same job as me. He had a lad doing work experience from a well known arb college. The lad had his climbing / aerial rescue tickets and was on a 6 month work placement. My pal was covered under HSE guidelines and insurance etc because he had a certified "rescuer" on site. However, Lack of experience and confidence being a relative newcomer to the industry, this lad struggled to even prune an average 25ft cherry tree. So, when my pal is dismantling an 80ft pig of a beech tree, what use would the "rescuer" have been had an emergency situation arose. NONE. He may aswell not have the ticket. As Dean stated , theres alot of ticking boxes that mean absolutely diddly squat in a actual working situation. I have climbed many trees with no 2nd climber on site. I will again.

Dont be worried, its only other peoples blood I dont like. Im fine with my own. In fact I see it on a regular basis. haha. My point is, how do you know how people would react in an emergency situation, its all well and good having competent staff and rescue kit, even a rescue line in the tree, but you never know.

Thats a very good point. I have been proven as competent to perform aerial rescue. I have even practised since the course I went on, and could still get someone out of a tree. But that person was laughing when I wrapped my legs round them and making daft noises as if being shot in the back, for comedy affect. Their life was in no danger. I am usually the climber, but have been known to give others a chance and done my fair share of groundwork being the "rescuer". I have even got first aid tickets, HOWEVER I nearly faint watching casualty. I hate blood. I have never been in any actual life or death situations. AM I COMPETENT ???

Local Authorities and larger companies have the advantage of lorry mounted platforms. Making them far safer roadside. I will always climb, if someone banned it all together I would just be a renegade, a maverick, an underground black market of tree:001_tongue: felling ninjas.