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Mark Bolam

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Everything posted by Mark Bolam

  1. Mark Bolam
    I reckon the woman was killed when the tree finally came down. Hence no part 2. Mind you, I've looked on Stephen Blair's website, and he doesn't mention this little job of his at all....
  2. Mark Bolam

    Desperate to mate, but skint as f**k at the mo.

     

    Won't know for sure till midweek (next week).

     

    Don't really want to drive and not drink!

  3. Mark Bolam
    Is that a Crack Willow Carl?
  4. Mark Bolam
    Does anyone know what the outcome was?
  5. Mark Bolam
    No gayness in avoiding skin cancer mate. Use decent factor (20-40) Ambre Solaire here, avoids the need to re-apply. The secret is to slap it on early and rub it in well before you get minging! Love the smell of it as well. Convinces me we might have a summer.
  6. Mark Bolam
    I think the type of work you mainly do will have a bearing on your EFFECTIVE age as a climber. I find medium dismantles and suchlike physically fairly easy. Then I look at some of the positions Old Snake was in a few weeks back reducing an Oak... That type of work would have an old codger blowing chunks and swallowing his dentures! Mick touched on a good point for me - gym work definately helps. Q: What do tree surgeons do when they get old? A: Die.
  7. Mark Bolam
    Not really Mozza. I'm used to carrying a bit of weight between my legs...
  8. Mark Bolam
    I feel it a bit more these days (I'm 42 this year), but am probably more productive than ever (working smarter, not harder). Long, repetetive re-ascents are the killer for me, hence breaks taken aloft, and more bling on the harness - ART ropeguide, pulleys, pantin, double extension ladder etc. You are kidding yourself if you think you can climb forever. Some jobs will be OK till I retire, but large reductions etc. are getting beyond me at commercial speed. I'm a lot happier with my spikes on these days! Dean Lofthouse will be the winner of this thread. He is still climbing and is in his late nineties. He picked up his tree-climbing skills in WW1 whilst spotting for the Royal Artillery so they could adjust fire whilst shelling the Boche. However, most of the mud at the Somme was a result of Dean getting his 130 stuck, rather than gunfire.
  9. Mark Bolam
    I feel about 72. Luckily, I only look about 23.
  10. Mark Bolam
    I reduced my last Hawthorn by climbing a long, long time ago (small ones with poles/steps and hedges not included). Life is simply too short.
  11. Mark Bolam
    Looks very neat. Re the mobile no. thing, stick it on there by all means, but keep your landline on it as well. It gives customers a sense of security IMO.
  12. Mark Bolam
    The reason the 3 'tree surgeons' he got a price from couldn't chip it must be because they haven't got chippers! Do yourself a favour mate, put the guy in touch with one of the local arbs on here. They can do the job for a sensible rate (including a finders fee for you), and your customer won't get bent over for £5k. Unless we are all missing something and they are Redwoods overhanging a greenhouse factory. Pics man!
  13. Mark Bolam
    Think the site comes across really well. Personally I think the whole qualifications thing is a bit of a minefield. There is no law stating you have to have any qualifications, and loads of people have 'fully qualified' splashed about with CS39 max. As said already though, the site is aimed at Joe public, not other arbs, and I think it would give a very favourable impression. If any improvements spring to mind I'll post them up.
  14. Mark Bolam
    Looks great. I'd be very tempted to have a pulsing red light flashing along the top of the windscreen. I can just hear that music now...
  15. Mark Bolam
    Does it feel fatter than Blaze? And hockle less?
  16. Mark Bolam
    Should have just got Prince William to pop in on his way back from a party. Be a bit of a bugg*r if you didn't choker the slings properly on that job!
  17. Mark Bolam
    Upon re-examination, I have discovered a clue on the pulley itself. Clearly embossed upon it in a strange, mythical language is - (Diameter sign) 12mm That's that little mystery sorted, then. Get your wallet ready Mr. Stockbridge...
  18. Mark Bolam
    I recently got hold of a ISC double pulley to use as a redirect. When I set it up, however, my rope is just too big for it, and it sticks like mad. It's XTC 'Fire' 13mm, and it is quite old and 'fuzzy'. Anyone else experienced this? Is it time to buy a new rope? Also have 11mm Blaze, but don't really get on with it and keep returning to my trusty 13mm. Have found all this 11mm stuff to be a bit of a false dawn, TBH. It hockles like crazy, is murder on your hands and forearms, and lets face it, if rope weight is an issue with 13mm its probably time to go to the gym!
  19. Mark Bolam
    Honest warts'n'all vid. Good work on horrible trees, I thought. Gotta love Willow, breaks so easy, then holds on like a b**tard when you want it to break! Looks like one of those jobs when you breathe a big sigh of relief when you get back on the ground, and get that warm glowy feeling and feel a bit chuffed with yourself. You deserve to. Thanks for posting.
  20. Mark Bolam
    Do I have to get my bell-end LOLER'd for lifting at work? Last time I worked with Mick Stockbridge he was lashing ton bags to it, showing me porn pics and lifting them into the back of his truck. LOL'd would be more fitting sometimes!
  21. Mark Bolam
    Used it today on a medium Birch TD. Loved it. The extra weight meant it didn't coil and get in the way as much as my lanyard, and tucked in Caritool nicely in certain positions. Thanks for the tips fellas.
  22. Mark Bolam
    Maybe swapping up the tree is the way forward then. I'll see how I get on. Seem to be doing a lot of ivy covered stuff at the mo, and I bought the wire-core for that as well.
  23. Mark Bolam
    There's no way I'm coming down to change over just to chog a stem down! You're right, won't be a problem on a stem, but I know I'll end up using it all over the tree on dismantles, and the tail of my normal lanyard has really been getting on my tits recently. Shoving it up my a**e isn't an option, either. That's where I keep my opinions.
  24. Mark Bolam
    What's a figure 4 lock mate? Sounds bloody painful! Loving your honesty!
  25. Mark Bolam
    Wilkinson Sword plastic leaf rake and metal spring tine. Lifetime guarantee, when they wear out they replace them free! £20+ each, but worth every penny IMO. Nowt worse than trying to do a pukka tidy up with a crap rake. Well, there is, but you get my drift. Phenom, I'm well jealous. You can be my rake-man anytime...

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