Mark Bolam

Had you, muppets! That's my MS180 with 12" bar on the stump, and my nephew and his chums playing with their kiddicars. As for the vid, you forget my Oompah-Loompah like dimensions! Beers on you boys next time we meet!

The little caritools are dung. The big ones are mint. No problems with handles here, but like Hamadryad I keep my saw clipped close and don't bang it about. I have always clipped my biner onto the handle to carry it. And pretend I am a Rock God now and then. 3 a year Matty? Serves you right for doing so many conny 'hedges'!

Sorted your spelling oot, you bam.

Was that the wee hardman with the tats Stevie? I still laugh picturing the scene! My little mishap with the O2O the other week really bought it home to me. Realistically, if you don't self rescue, you won't be rescued.

Welcome aboard Cookie. Don't mind these two. They are as delusional as their joint replies to my post suggest! I must admit, Frank, when I passed CS38 first time, I was probably the least likely and slowest person you would want to rescue you. Arterial bleeding? Forget it. The weight of your growing hair and nails would have snapped the crown out long before I got to you!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8M68yaYI7E]YouTube - Mark and Mark Oak fell[/ame] Fair day for a Saturday. Tree was dead, but timber was still very sound. 45 minutes climbing to remove back limbs (tree was weighted towards copse and fence), avoiding fence and baby Oak. Wanted weight forward a bit as there was no room to swing at wedges because of fence. High fell because of cavitation at base (Ganoderma and UI brackets at base), and landowner requested high stump so as to be visible to grass topper. Went down OK, but didn't clear the stump well because of front limbs left for weight, but I expected it to roll and leave the butt flat, thank God! Cut up and handballed onto trailers, client, who really got stuck in, helping Mark Harrington and me. New tip - all the 12" rings were split using metal wedges to minimise sawdust, bore cut a bars width through the centre of each ring to give the wedge a start. Worked a treat! Tree was just over 36" diameter at height of felling cut. Pub at 5.48. That Peroni tasted good.

Thanks for learning how to put that up mate! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The thing is, you don't have to do any training to add 'tree surgery' to your sign writing. Or to get insurance. It is a misconception that it is a 'legal' requirement. This is a good debate though, Frank. Although it is making me a bit depressed. In my head, I am swinging round a canopy wearing cool gear and Oakleys, huge saw hanging from my harness, cock-rock turned up to 10, pub full of admiring mates and nubile groupies begging me for the days stories when I swagger in covered in sawdust with £20 notes falling out my pockets. In reality I have been swinging round a thorn hedge with no harness and dragging conifer over dog-mess strewn lawns, and my wife tells me I stink when I walk through the door and reminds me the mortgage money is due again. I am 'fully NPTC qualified', though, so I take some comfort from that!

I hear you Frank, but a lot, if not most, 'tree surgeons' (trading totally legally) haven't got any NPTC units at all. There's the way it should be. And there's the way it is. I totally agree with your sentiment generally, but you ain't going to change it, bud. I'm off to the fridge for a beer.

Josh, you look like a Power Ranger without a lid on anyway! Mods - please edit the thread title to the correct spelling of Stein. It's sending my OCD nuts....

Handbag coordination it is then! Thanks fellas.

My 13mm Yale Fire is past its best, and I will need to replace it soonish. I tried 11mm Blaze, but found it hockled badly with the VT, and knacked my hands and forearms. I like the sound of a lighter rope, but still with a chunky 'feel'. Any comments on either Imori, Poison Ivy, or both would be appreciated. No 3-strand jokes, please.

While we're on, big thanks to Justin, Mick and team for super-quick service on sorting out my top handle that had a few issues. It performed as new today for 3 tankfulls!

Will you get to fell the epicormic fuzzballs next year as well? Result! Rich folks, eh? Can't wait to be one!

2 lumps, job's a good'un!

Bigger tree than it looked at first. Cracking job Hodge and lads! Your farmer mate - does he like a beer?

MEWP?

I tried it something similar once Dean, but as Peter says, I wasn't happy with the lateral forces in the adjacent heads when the line was tensioned (they nearly ended up touching!). Reg Coates blocked down a big Ash by lowering 3/4 discs which he had screwed eyes into. There's a vid on here somewhere. Very effective, if time consuming. What's wrong with the decent crash mat / Dead-eye-Dick-with-the-discs option?

Floating rigging line? Tha'll be gettin' rid of tha Prussic next lad! Them new-fangled lot on that tinterweb site have a lot to answer for....

Too right! I would have had a pint after that journey for sure. Tidy job.

Bet you made a few sparks on the A1 Matty!

You know! Sorry for the derail Shane. You should be proud of yourself mate.

Yes mate. Mind you, his name was Trevor.

Mozza's right. I would cry if I looked in my bag and my Ropeguide was missing.

Matty it must be like seeing a bird down the pub that you dumped because she became a fat scruffy minger but a few months later shes been to the gym loads, got a new tan, haircut and clothes and looks reeeeaaaaal hot! Gutted!