Bolt

I am rather confused by "Ethical", as I don't consider my actions unethical. Most of my career (20 odd years) has been spent doing powerline work. Some may consider my work as butchery, and they are welcome to their opinion. I aim to cut my stumps low, I don't damage fences, I make sure the chips arn't fired down badgers sets, or bunnies holes, I don't block streams with my arisings. I treat whoever I meet with politeness and respect. I try not to make my groundy cry (or knock him out with falling branches) and I try to swear quite quietly. If I break somones property, I tell them, and if I have a Pee around the back of the garden shed, I don't aim for the sun lounger or the BBQ. Despite not leaving pegs... or rips... or spiking up the back of trees, I TAKE PRIDE in the fact that you can see that I have been, because, as I see it, I don't want the powerlines and trees to blend in, because I WANT people to notice powerlines. Its not noticing powelines (or underestimating their danger) that causes injuries that ruin lives, and fatailities than end them. As I say, others may well call it butchery. Could somone clarify wether or not I AM UNETHICAL??

as long as you, your equipment and the bits you cut stay out of the proximity zone, you don't need to infrom the network operator (and your insurance will be valid) if you are FELLING, the proximity zone is 2x tree height. If however, you are pruning / dismantling, the proximity zone is 9 metres (for a line on wooden poles, regardless of voltage). If the tree is at 10m (which you reckon it is) go-you-ahead (as they say).

Just give it a go James, youv'e already done the hard bit (i.e. get together the bits you need) Its a great way of understanding better how somthing works. My golden nugget of advice would be to take photos as to take it apart (pictures are cheep, so take loads as you go from all angles) This makes putting stuff back together sooooo much easier. As long as you don't need the saw desperately, you can give it as long as it takes.

Nice "street view". hope you got written permission from every car you rode past, otherwise I may feel the need to sit at my desk during my lunch and steal all their identities. Har Har Har, by this time tomorrow I shall rule the earth

tickover rpm...air filter...chain tension...dirt in the clutch housing...broken clutch weights...

A nasty state of affairs, especially if you have stumped up £900 in advance. It rather depends on the "nature of their problem". If they haven't got enough work to justify another surveyer, I suppose thats just how business runs. Self employment is full of unexpected and sometimes nasty hard knocks. If they haven't been straight with you from the start, its not so good. If you haven't been straight with them, well, there you go! Thing now is how to move on. Are there other companies local that may need a UA5 surveyor? It is, after all, still not that common a qualification. Even if not, you are still able to use this as a demonstration of your commitment to the right employer..... keep plodding.

For god sake don't post a "street view" of it.

was it the bent ones, I thought it was the straight ones thay didn't like

Ditto all of the above sentiments. Don’t dwell on the hinge thing. If your hinge wasn’t a problem in training, just take your time during the assessment, and “do what you did in training”. The worst thing now would be to over-concentrate on your hinge, and have, for instance, chain brake use and no-go zones go out of the window. Remember, it’s supposed to be fun. Enjoy showing the assessor what you can do. oh, and fair play to you for posting (I would have kept sthum)

1-2 meters off a sycamore sounds like a job for life. I guess its not a particularly large tree, therefore, You would do well to get youself a sturdy main anchour, one that you really trust and are happy to "push" against. That one is mainly to keep your confidence happy! As you move around the tree use additionals that are for positioning, but wont be so sturdy. Lots of people find having a few webbing slings ideal for these anchours. When you reach out to do the cuts, avoid the urge to do it "face down" as your anchours won't support you. Sit back in your harness and streach out so that you are almost in a lying position. this gives you "length" and support. what were you cutting with, saw? loppers? or Secateurs?

once got a particularly large trainee in a petzl navaho. its surprising how much expansion those little harnesses have. wouldnt really recommend it though (He made it look like a thong. not very manly!!)

*derail alert derail alert* hi mr woodpecker, which gods own county would you be in (as a matter of interest )

congrats Chris, what species was it, how much did you have off, a do you have before and after photos?

very nice. The yellow hat is very good and all..... ....but you have to go some to beat the blue glove / white coat / microscope combo! reminds me of my open university days. all in all, a thumbs up

NPTC only do assessments, and I don't believe there is any requirement for retaking assessments. If you have say, CS31, and you do a CS32 assessment, this, I recon, is considered a type of CS31 "refresher". LANTRA AWARDS (oops didn't mean to shout) have training courses for experianced operatives that are, say, a day rather than a week, so any Lantra provider should be able to sort you out a package. Check out the lantra awards website. My only experiance of training providers in the south east is Kingswood training near Tonbridge.

The combination of saw maintenance and a big hammer. Perfection from the flaming-ace camp.

never tried a camel back, do they make your back hot, get in the way or mess up your balance?

all the best. I would look forward to getting some face to face advice if you aren't too sure. It you are after a bit if light reading, Publications & Merchandise The "Guide to good climbing practice" is a good start. *other titles/publishers/suppliers are available*

There is the Africa musiem at Tervuren (its abit out of town but that means you get to go an a tram thingy:thumbup:), anyway, the musiem is good, but its set in a cracking park, monster beech trees, straight as a die, and 1st anchour point about 60 ft up, awsome! :biggrin:dont forget to take a rope and harness for the good lady:biggrin:

Hi James, Climbing trees is a strange old game. If its really climbing you are interested in, I would try and find somone who would give you a little taster of what its all about. Its surprising often that someone thinks it the game for them, only to hate every second of being on the end of a rope with nothing beneath their feet but air. If you are anywhere near Tonbridge in kent at the weekend, there is a get together that would let you try before you buy, as it were. If not, Where aboust are you? all the best..

I still recon its a dehydration related problem. Its not just a case of how many litres you drink in a day, you need to ensure that that your input is spread out over the course of the day. Often, this isn't easy for arb work, where you are working aloft, and tend to take a few opertunities over the day for a large drink. Your fluid levels must be going all over the place in these situations! I used to get loads of really bad headaches, and made a point of drinking as much as I could as often as I could. If you are spending a long time up in a tree, get a large bottle of water sent up, wedge it in somewhere central but out of the way, and snatch a few gulps as you are passing through out the job.

'though I guess, thats not very handy for portishead, sorry BFG

RFS (royal forestry scociety) do a cert arb course. I did mine at Duchy college through Lynher training (Gunnislake / Callington cornwall) in about 2002 Saturday mornings, once a week. Learnt loads.

Hello dudes Sitting at a laptop, writing a report on fungal activity, got to pondering..... Who would have thought, when I was at school enjoying my lowly comprehensive education, that Latin and touch typing (two of the least likely subjects to be offered to an Okehampton lad) would have been of real use when I grew up. Have to admit, really strong sewing might have been a handy skill to have acquired as well.... Any subjects you think you should have taken in hindsight?

The farmer looks a rare old tool Recon the tractor is set up for regular engine repair. (I have a theory that farmers who live up the top of hills an get away with owning tractors that are "poor early morning starters").