Stephen Blair

Just when a digger couldn't get any better!

I wouldn't of minded not getting Tartan paint, but having to cover 5 miles via a walk down the Main Street, a ferry, a bus ride and a 500m walk carrying a 100 weight of cement was a tad inconvenient!

Safe riding Eddie!

Brilliant!!

I have a big Sitka spruce in my head when thinking about this, usually I free climb as straight as I can up them, best I take a couple of detours from now on. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Exactly! They ironed out the problems and made mogs! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

It has the bark you can peel off. Nice trees.

If you had a Mog you wouldn't need to take 2 vehicles everywhere!

Wow, that's a different league from my puffing and panting!! fantastic skills in a tree!

It will be a mushroom field next spring Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Waney that little schiseling is perfect for the front of a u900 Mog! Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

The old cement bags were knee wobblers for me and my 10 stone when I was 16. I remember having to take 1 from Largs to Millport from Harcross, that was a ferry and a bus journey with a bag of cement and a fair bit of walking inbetween. My boss probably just got me to do it for a laugh. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Scouts pine, what's more interesting is my dad in his tractor below me ready to catch rings in the bucket of his Old Davie Brown! Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

You just use your second line like you would your side strop working your way up the tree, when you get to the top, rope in as usual and work your way down, once you get the hang of it, you will know when setting another top anchor is beneficial. If the trees hpot( highest point of trijectory) is off centre and you know you have a big limb walk offside lower down, set another anchor, then you can steer your way down, it's a great feeling. I set a golf net up between trees to catch stray balls, I had to attach it to the trees and then put eyes on it and fit the net to a tensioned top wire. There was a point where I couldn't get to on the net, so I throw lined 2 trees about 100' apart and set my climbing lines, I just started at the base of 1, prussiked up and then worked my way across, when I was in the middle I just did the opposite and slackened and tightened. Both anchor points were at diferent heights and the angles were a pain . My hips were sore for about a week but that's part of the business plan of tree work imo. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I remember the first time climbing a tree with ropes, I thought this is going to take ages as I has free climbed as a kid and had done a few years of tree work by hanging on tight:) If you can do the job, you can do it whatever way you have to, I've climbed with 3 lines before for a safety companies training video, yes it was a bit of a kifuffle but your brain learns quick and I soon got in the way of it and the work position was brilliant. 20% less turnover because of 1 rope!! if you loose a rake you'll have to fold the business!! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Fed the chipper today, I just need to make the hopper demount able now. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Do you ever see bears on your adventures? Have you had any close calls? Beautiful pictures as ever!

If it was fail safe it wouldn't let you go up due to the rope restriction on the stem and branches. If it were a technique it would be from natives in a jungle imo. They probably knew you were earywigging so made it up just for you Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Cracking job! I'd get a 13 tonner in and a big mulcher and get my self a comfy seat and have a picnic:biggrin:

The thought of tying my rope round the base of a tree and me being up it!! Sends shivers! Little trolls with loppers could sneak out and cut it or someone could untie it!! My rope, only I can be in charge of it. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Beautiful! I know a guy who does stain glass, he cuts glass like butter with a tiny glass cutter, very impressive! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Peace of bun, you've built the business within the confines of a 8-5pm job, now you answer to no one. Get some pics up of your kit and keep us posted. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Doesn't look like much prep below the turf, I think it's been mulched and rolled! Good we job for the bowser though, nice 1!

It's not that black and white imo. If you have had a go with the nail gun and you only do small fences here and there, the simplicity of a hammer is great. If you have tendinitis and can't work because you regularly do 500 m fences, then it's time to wake up. Some builders build sheds, some build skyscrapers. I've tried the other setups and if I ever get something big and open, out comes the ascender and pantin and grippy boots. I don't trust SRT, so won't even go there! Most of the time it's spikes and a strop to half something for a view. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Bad news, I wish him a speedy recovery.