scottythepinetree

no noticable difference between the standard hc and the rapide as far as I can tell.

Here you go mate... not a big file either. Can use it to optimize your registry and a few other bits like start up etc. Download CCleaner 2.31.1153 - FileHippo.com Just click on "download latest version" in the top right of the screen. They ask for a donation but F-that if they giving it away for free.

Could he have done it with a 441??? Sorry wrong forum......

Was going to suggest Dermot myself. Seems like he's one of the few around who's busy. Does a lot of utility work these days though, but a bit easier to get into here than in the UK.

Not great but fast enough. No real problems. You tried CCleaner Steve? Free to download. Noticably faster after cleaning.

Which part you thinking of moving to mate? Pretty slow over here at the minute but still a few bits n pieces knocking about.

Think most companies over here who do commercial contracts would require a chipper cert so prob help somewhat to have it. That said if you managed to get a job with 30/31/38/39 reckon any employer big enough to have commercial contracts would be happy to put you through the course, providing of course you work hard for him.

Spent a couple of years banking cranes before the bubble burst.... Driver was top notch! Your slinging is right up there too!! Some pretty awkward looking pieces.

Had something similar happen a few years ago. New groundy picked up my rope with a bunch of branches and put it straight through the chipper and walked away. Luckily one of the other guys spotted it and hit the kill switch before I was pulled out of the tree. Was that lads last day working with us, when the boss found out. Once I'd calmed down thought maybe he had been a bit hard on the lad, but pretty sure he won't make that mistake again.

Not sure if they still do it, but I think Newton Rigg used to run the RFS cert as a part time course, where you do a week in a class 3 times over 6 months. At least they ran one here in Ireland a while ago. Was really helpful at keeping me motivated and helped a lot with my confidence to do the exam as any issues or questions I had while studying were dealt with the next time we were in class. Really recommend this route if you can find the time. Modern Arboriculture or anything else by Alex Shigo will cover quite a lot of the theory side of the RFS. Should be able to get a few from the book section of Honey Brothers website. Can be a bit pricey though, but worth it if you are serious. Definitely get a good field guide preferably one with photos as the illustrated ones tend to lead to a lot of mis-identification. Once you have it get out and about trying to identify a few trees.

Myerscough do a foundation degree course (fdsc) but it might be a bit much if you have no other experience. did the RFS cert in Arboriculture before I started anything practical years ago and found it gave me a great boost when I got around to the practical side. I was still pretty clueless though when I started working. Luckily, the bloke I worked for back then seemed to have a limitless knowledge of tree care and I learned heaps from him. My point is there is only so much you can learn from a book. It's only when you get out and see how these things apply in the field that the knowledge really sinks in. It would certainly help you no end to find someone who knows what they are at to teach you on the job even if it is only one day a week. At the very least it will help with whatever course you decide to do.

I use Ocean 10mm on my 13mm Arbormaster with no problems using a VT. Very occassionally slips slowly when new but better when worn in a bit and lasts for ages.

They hold a loose crotch together every time you put em on!!

London Plane does something similar I think?

As someone once told me "If in doubt, just close your eyes and keep cutting. One way or another it'll all be over in a second." But seriously....Fair play for doing it, but as above a ratchet and an anchor on another tree would have been much safer.

Cheers mate. Seem to be mainly Husky dealers. Will give em a buzz on Monday anyway. Have heard good things about them.

Anyone know of a good place to get a chainbrake for a 200t that will ship to Ireland? Craked the brake handle on mine and need to get a replacement. Cheers.

Watched a video somewhere recently (can't for the life of me remember where, most likely somewhere on youtube). It was a tree climbing instructional video from America. The instructor recommended what he called "cinching knots" ie. double fishermans, anchor knot or buntline (?) not too sure about that last one). Basically knots which grab your crab. He reckoned bowlines have a tendency to move about and could possibly open your carabiner. Anyway climbed on a bowline for years without any real trouble, but after watching that video switched to double fisherman's when I need a termination knot (have a splice on my long climbing line) just for peace of mind.

Think you're being a bit hard on us smokers mate. Bad habit, and I am only too aware of the badness. But I smoke on the job, but have it down so that I know when I can do it without it interfereing with my work. And I'm careful to keep it out of the faces of those who don't smoke. Also, I surf and swim regularly, and have been climbing trees for about 8 years so I'm a LOT fitter than a lot of people I know who don't smoke. Certainly I don't cough my lungs up everytime I drag a branch up a hill or a bunch of branches big enough to make grown men cry for that matter In fact, I'm confident to say that I'm a credit to anyone I've ever worked for (except the first guy. He had me during the dropping branches on fences, putting unbreakable knots in ropes etc. stage. But even for him I came good in the end), and if I ever worked for you that you be glad to have me. Agree with you about the booze though, hangovers and tree work are dodgy to say the least. On the very rare occasion I think it's acceptable though. We are all human let's not forget. Love nothing more than making the guy with the hangover miserable for the day:sneaky2: Back on topic, When I started as I said above, the guy I worked for was at his wits end sometimes with me blunting chains, dropping branches in fences, generally like a one man wrecking crew but age experience and developing the motto "less haste, more speed" ethic I came good. In fact the reason I think he didn't sack me off the bat was that every time I came to him with a cut saw strop or broken rake I was literally p***ing sweat. Granted we had a good few lazy gits come and go during my time there. But there were definitely a few foreign lads who weren't up to scratch as well. Think the reason there are proportionally fewer of them is that the ones who travel for work would want to be pretty sure they're going to hack it before they invest time and money in to moving, and some of them have family back home relying on them to earn money to justify the pain of them not being home. For you employers on here, I think the fairest course of action is to keep giving the lads a start, but send em packing by lunch time if they ain't up to it. Can be a pain I'm sure as you wouldn't be taking on staff if you didn't need someone that day, but I'm sure you'll cope. And when you do find a goon un, you'll have a good un.

I keep a similar tape strop for cut and hold, sometimes give it a bit much though, shock loading so wouldn't use mine for positioning where there is a risk of a long swing should it fail. I keep a second short lanyard (2m distel and pulley) in my bag. Keep it daisy-chained up to keep it out of the way. Not a big fan of extra weight and dangles either so if I can I try getting the bits furthest away done first then get rid of the second lanyard. Can be handy in smaller trees too. Dispense with the main line all together. Nothing bigger than a medium size prunus though.

This thread nearly has me crying, moved to the sticks over a year ago, and although I love the pace of life here (no traffic, miniml queues, friendly vibe etc.), am sick to the teeth of looking at jobs thinking "bit of a thinning, or a reduction would have this tree tip top" only to be told by the client "cut it in half". Try every time to explain the disasterous consequences to the tree, but can be like talking to a wall. Unfortunately, I work someone else so can't press too hard for fear of losing the job for my boss, but have so far been successful a grand total of 2 times in a year and a half of talking a customer round. Bit different in Dublin (can't really say about any of the other cities), but other than that it seems like you guys over the water are light-years ahead. Long for the day when clients here(or other companies for that matter, what's the point if there are 10 other tree butchers willing to do what the client wants with no fuss?) start to give a toss, can't see it in my lifetime though. Anyway had to get that off my chest somewhere on here. Seemed like the best thread to do it on.

Jamie, you need a bit of an attitude adjustment. Aside from all the above points you seem to be far too negative. This industry doesn't have much room for people who allow the word "CAN'T" into their vocabulary. There is no such thing as can't. If the tone of your posts is anything like the tone you use when applying for a job I'm not the least bit surprised you haven't been offered a job. Most people on here, or in any qualified position for that matter, have at one time or another, been in your position. For that reason you aren't going to get much sympathy. Getting your tickets by any means necessary shows a prospective employer that you MAY have the ability to get the job done, so it MAY be worth taki ng a chance on you. Don't mean to lecture you but it sounds like you need it to get you to cut out this woes me stuff. You know what you need to do.. but in case you don't, or haven't cottoned on yet. 1) Look at some of the centres suggested in this thread (I live in Ireland so can't suggest any relevant to you). 2) Put them in the google search bar and find out how much you will need for your tickets, and which tickets you will need to get started. 3) Figure out how you are going to get the money to do them (bank loan, savings, or a combination of both) 4) Ring some employers, explain your situation again, only this time ask them to keep your name and number on record in case anything does come up. Be POSITIVE on the phone with them. Maybe even suggest doing a day for free with them dragging branches etc so that they can get an idea of what you are about. To be honest, if you can't do any of this off your own bat, I can't see any reason why you would be any good to an employer.

Have one in work.. not bad at all. Tracks are pretty powerful. Use ours for pulling over trees sometimes... never ceases to amaze me how big a tree it will actually pull over. Goes anywhere. Decent power in the feed rollers too. Bad points. Disc blades mean the chip it produces isn't great compared to drum knives (like the vermeer). Also there is no clutch which means you have to leave it run for about 5 - 10 mins after use or else timber can block the flywheel and burn out the starter when you go to start it again. We've gone through 3 in the last year. The radiator is not very well covered and located at the front which means you need to be on it at least weekly blowing out the dust that builds up there. Also if the shoot gets blocked can be a pain to get unblocked (true of all chippers) but moreso with the greenmech as you have to take off 3 covers to get into the flywheel. Seems like I have mostly bad things to say about it but all in all I'd give it a thumbs up. Does its job really well.

Anyone care to elaborate to an Arbtalk newbie? The mention of free stuff always grabs my attention!

No one has metioned Robinia, burns hotter than hell. Black smoke though, which I have heard is poisonous but never had a problem in that regard. Pretty careful not to let any escape from the hearth.