rcarolina

This course sounds like just what I have been looking for. After being let down by Hadlow, I don't think I can risk waiting for them to decide in Sept that they're not running the Cert Arb course again. Anyone else going for this one? Do you know if you still have to do the additional NPTC units to qualify for the full RFS cert (AO1 etc etc).

Is Mulberry wood any good for turning or carving etc. I have some and rather than burning it I wondered if it has any residual value?

No response - so formal letter soon. on the subject of the HCC courses - are they regarded in the same way as the college course - do they hold the same weight?

Listen to us - what a bunch of softies. Sorry to hear you lost your pal - dreading the day I'm in the same boat. You did the kindest thing. Chin up mate. You have the memories and you know you gave a dog a very good home.

Never too old. I posted exactly the same question here in May last year. I got 60 very helpful replies (great people on this forum) and went for it. I took CS38/39 (to go with previous CS30/31) in Dec 09 with Kingswood Training in Tonbridge. It was hard work but I loved every minute of it and once you've got confident and assimilated the knowledge you can start to relax and really see what you are capable of. I'm trying out new things and am still adjusting my style. Again the guys here are very helpful with tips and continuing advice. I don't climb commercially but I climb frequently with my job with the National Trust. We do surveys, dead wooding and basic tree work. In addition we abseil into out quarry garden for various work tasks. I love this part of my job and wish I'd trained for it years ago. However, don't look back, look forward and go for it. I am 43, with no excess flabbage and although it is hard on the joints at times it's better than sitting on one's arse in an office.

Skylotech Kolibri. I love it - can be a bit hard on the hip bones if you are a bit light on love handles like me. You can also move around 180 degrees or so - which was interesting the first time I found this out!

As of today - still no response from my email. Looks like some other guys on the forum are being d1cked around by colleges/training orgs. I bet law students wouldn't get treated like this.

I registered for the ABC Arb cert at Hadlow last week and arrived on the evening specified. I was told that course was cancelled due to low numbers (although intially I was told that it was my fault for not paying on time, not sure how this worked as I had sent the cheque in the day after I registered) - anyway, I can cope with a course not going ahead because of low numbers. What I can't accept is the basic failure to let me know before I made a 40 mile round trip. Another guy there had come down from Clapham - at least an 80 mile round trip and a good 3-4 hours of his time. I had even called in the morning to ask about registration and was told to report to reception at 6.30pm! Not happy. I have sent a formal complaint to them - they had my email, mobile and home number - by Monday morning with only three enquiries, surely they should have made the decision to knock it on the head then. Anyway - just wanted to get that off my chest - "Try again next year" they said! I was really looking forward to it too. Will let you know the response (if any). Dave.

Thanks Peeps - I did consider the Husky 339xp. Looks pretty robust and a rear handled version of an arb saw is probably for us. Incidentally I used an MS211 at my old job - didn't rate it - thought it was poorly made and under powered. Just my opinion obv but thought Stihl could do better. Saw the Stihl Rep at the Jonesie show and he couldn't really come up with a reason for the MS200 being scrapped.

Am now allowed to carry out basic aerial saw work. I need a saw that can be used aloft but also on the ground. Would have liked an MS200 but understand these are no longer available. Would only be small limbing work and dead wooding - any suggestions? Cheers, Dave

I think I'm already there. Scotney Castle, working for the National Trust. Even better now that I have been given the nod to do saw work aloft rather than just Silky work. It's a fantastic place and a great bunch of lads to work with and quite literally 10 mins from home (oh and we finish at 1.30pm on Fridays). However, it would be nice to have your own wood/forest and manage that with a close bud somewhere nice and isolated. Or, Liv Tyler's back garden.

Small one just by the top end of the car park - entrance to the yard. Probably going for the larger pruned oak by the area office next.

Haven't climbed since December. Had a good day refreshing today with a climbing bud on a small oak at Scotney (where I am now working, very happily) for the National Trust. We are using Skylotec harnessess which seem very comfy. Was happy with how things went, surprising how it all comes back to you. Hoping to gradually move onto larger beasties as we continue to climb. No saw work unfortunately but good opportunites to carry out hand pruning and tree survey work.

Scotney.

If I was starting out, I would cut my right arm off (metaphorically speaking) for an opportunity like this. I have just started working for the National Trust in one of their garden teams (climbing allowed for tree inspections 8-) but no aerial saw use at the moment). I took a fairly large pay drop, not because I wanted to but the thought of working for a professional organisation with good training opps and really good blokes and equipment was too much too pass up. Am happier now in my working career than ever before.

Hi Justin, I know you carry a lot of the Haix chainsaw boots but can you get any of the range? I'm looking for some good quality safety boots and like some of their non cs ones from their site. Particularly interested in the Airpower range esp R3 and X21. Cheers, DM

Luke have PMd you re this.

I love the dog tooth - think I would do it on any forward leaner (always keeping a weather eye out on the top of the tree). Lucky the cutter from the first pic didn't end up with a chin like Bananaman.

Hamadryad - I thought the split tail was the piece of rope that you can make a Blake Hitch out of if you don't want to use a Pruissik. Am I getting confused? So what is a positioning lanyard then? I agree that spikes and flip line are not really essential for basic rec climbing - boss wouldn't be too pleased either at pock marked trees.

Treeworld – yep Martin was the group leader, spent most of the time cooking up soss wages and black pudding. We did see some other hedge work but it looked pretty shoddy and nowhere near as good as ours. Seriously, we basically finished the last sections of a longer stretch that had been done before and was in place and still doing a sterling job. Ledders – yep, you’ve got it a big wooden hammer made out of a y piece of something heavy – think it was Hawthorn. What they used to use in the old days to settle rural disputes.

Now that I have reassembeled it the saw seems pretty outdated. I'm sure it's up to the job but the chain adjuster postion is not exactly designed for easy access and its a weighty beast. It may have to stay dead.

I've inherited a well worn one of these - not using at the moment as it has a bent bar, no chain brake spring and a well worn sprocket. It is a bit of a beats and I was wondering whether it's worth my time to get it back up and running - not even sure if you can still get the parts . It was made in Aug 97 so pretty long in the tooth - anyone still using one?

I did some hedgelaying in the Southern Counties style in 2008 with BTCV. the site was at Bewl Water and was to rejuvenate a really knackered old hedge. I really enjoyed it - all material sourced locally through coppicing etc and mainly hand tools used for everything. You really get a sense of achievement from producing something that has a real structural form yet remains 100% natural. The big question though is did you use a godonker for getting the stakes in?

Thanks for all your interesting replies. I didn't make it clear but it wouldn't be alone alone - I would have colleagues able to keep an eye etc. It's a private arboretum at a private school/estate and so only accessible to staff (CRB checks etc). I'm the only one working there with any CS tickets. In the past they have always used contractors, but the tree stock has never really been looked after comprehensively - always reactive work. I think I might give some of the smaller trees a go. I need to get a set of climbing kit (I'll have to buy it myself). Based on what we used in training I'm thinking a basic set would be : Rope Harness Flip Line Biners x5 Throw line/bag Prussiks x3 Split tail Is there anything else I need for a really basic (non saw use) set-up? Cheers.

Thanks for that guys - think I'll take my Silky to his lugs.