Stephen Blair

RIP Enzo! Sorry for your loss mate!

That's huge! Nice 1 Si!

Hats you have received 1 critical post out of over 20 from myself. You have asked on a public forum, what do you guys think? I've told you what I thought. It's not been a bitch fest, you are just sensitive to my comments. If you are happy with home owners being amazed by your awesomeness crack on, keep up the montage and all the best .

Ha ha never thought of that, the human telehandler!

Nice 1 Reg! Are they long gaffs? I usually scrambling on big bark like that!

It's easy to say, it's not the 1, just buy a better 1. If you don't have the funds ( not saying the OP doesn't) saving up for kit can take years! I remember trying to make spikes out of BT foot things off an old pole! I never had a harness, I used gpo rope from belt loop to belt loop on my work trousers and climbed in chainsaw wellies and those heavy chaps! The thought of trying to buy spikes at £180 back in 1997 wasn't an option for me. I remember borrowing a fall arrest from work( cleaning boat ladders on coal tankers) and taking the fall thing off the back and clipping it through the harness, I just tied big knots either side of the emergency safety thing so it wouldn't pop out. Was it right, no but it got a couple of easy jobs out the way and stopped me wrapping my legs round limbs while working a saw tied to 30ft of blue polyprop. Old school mountaineers used rope for a harness! That harness looked ok, might snag your baws a bit but nothing like a sqished testicle to make you rethink your chosen career [emoji4]

I never did the brash dragging part. I bought a harness and spikes and went and played after work and every opportunity I could, even in the dark. I asked a farmer if I could cut the over hanging branches around his fields for nothing, he said yes. I applied for a job as a climber and lied, never had any tickets I did admit that. Don't wait for others to dictate you future! Speak up, you might not like the truth from your boss, he may say you aren't good enough and doesn't want the risk. It's not easy being a small company and letting guys practice slowly on a priced job. Good luck!

You are a subbie climber I'd expect you to do a full service and sort out your banking when the groundies are lifting logs and tidying up.

I only started on a prussik as that's what I was given and my boss used 1. If I was starting now I'd try them all and use what I liked the best. Also if I was starting at 35 I'd be in the gym 4 nights a week and on a strict diet. This job is physically brutal on you and starting out climbing you are not efficient and scared so you will sap energy. I started when I was 22 and I never had to stop on an ascent with a prussik no matter how big the tree, now I'm breathing out my backside at about 10m

I did say that, I do believe that and out of everyone who frequents this forum, your opinion is the least valued to myself.

Thoughts are hitting a wedge in with your hand while still cutting in the first few seconds isn't cool. Filling your saw on the lawn in a no no, sharpen your saw the night before, not at the job. Big shotting a 30' back garden tree with branches from a few feet off the deck is comical. Work site was untidy between the trees and the chipper, that would make me mad. Rigging down such a small tree is a bit Ott. I reckon aunties and parents will say ' oh that's nice, very exciting ' but if you are wanting to be taken seriously for other companies to subbie you in then I think you need to get your skill levels up and not focus on the shiny stuff you have bought off Stein. I liked the music though.

I care about what I charge so I stick to my price, the new customer can now get twice what they wanted within their original budget if they thought £1100 was ok or spend less.

Why is it so hard for you to consider others may be better than you at running a tree surgery business?

This job is a young persons game! It's all about the glory and taking chances and risks! By the time you realise you need to charge more, had a few scares you are 30, have some kids and a mortgage and want more money for the job. There are no rules, you can work as hard as you want for as little or as much all for your own reasons. If you get the job, there will be a few that never got it and will complain . Some folk are just better that some things than others, be it climbing or business or both.

You can only charge what your market allows. EBay, Aldi, Liddell and the internet makes purchasing cheaper and cheaper so why would people expect to pay more now than they did 10 years ago. My prices have always been the same, I just buy kit to process the job quicker and pay off the machine.

Cringe tastic!

As Swinny says, money in your old ones BUT it's handy to have a spare set at the yard for any unforeseen circumstance turning up and ruining your day.

Fantastic!

So have you bought it? Or just a demo? Well done either way

There's no doubt being strong helps. I'm needing to do some training, haven't in nearly 5 years now and really feeling it. More for my balance , I'm a lot clumsier just in the last 6 months . If you don't use it you loose it. My reactions are slow too.

Learn in your twenties, build in your thirties then maintain from your forties.

In 1998 I was on £5.30 an hour landscaping and shovelling coal, I could do 100 hrs a week if I wanted with 4 miles travelling. I dropped to £4.30 an hour as a trainee climber near Glasgow, 1 hours travelling either side of the day and no OT. Had to buy my own climbing gear and saws and move out a nice warm flat and move into a freezing 50 year old prefab, but I was living my dream. You can make good money doing anything but only if you are good at it and most start at the bottom.

Why is equipment in your triangle? I never read anymore !

Yes mate, 8 years past! The start of the micro chipper revolution! You should be proud of what you created! Gloria is as good as the day I got her if not better! I will always have machinery, tractors , Mogs and chippers out of pure love for diesel smoke! BuT nothing will make my life easier then Gloria! I sold her last year and bought her back within 6 months, I felt guilty! She is still on her original belts! My spare set you gave me 6 years ago are still hanging up!

Like anything there are massive variables but my 2p is under 25, the harder you work the stronger you get! Forget the gym! 25-30, lifestyle changes, maybe kids are coming along, pop into the gym for squats and a few pull ups, but you are still young and good! 30-35, this is your time to go for it, you shouldn't need to be at work so long and doing 7 days, your body will be bust with RPI so isolate your training to chore and flexibility! Get the body you want for through your 40's. 40's, can't remember last time you went to the gym, biscuits are nice, mortgage has a fare dent in it and kids and wife exhaust most of your energy so just do your best! 50's well I'm not there yet!