av117

awesome, thanks guys!

Exactly my thoughts when i saw it at APF - wasn't overly impressed to be honest.

Whoever could you mean?

Currently a volunteer ranger at Kelburn, looking to get a start in arb. 24 years old, full driving license. Don't have a 30/31 yet, which i know will be a burden, but i've used a saw plenty for small felling/processing in our woodlands. Done some groundie work before inc. use of a chipper. Hard grafter with good timekeeping, willing to work in any weather! Hope someone can help

Thanks for the replies folks - all makes more sense now I was amazed at the skill the carvers had - anyone who saw the hummingbird up close will know what i mean!

Cofra waterproof fleece-type-thing. Been wearing it all of today and was well worth the money. Kinda glad i didn't have much spare cash of i probably would've ended up with a ton of kit i didn't REALLY need.

So i was watching the 30 minute carve-fest at APF on saturday, and i noticed that a lot of the carvers seemed to have ultra-low tension on their carving bar chains - 1/2" gap between chain and bottom of bar easily. Not being a carver myself it seemed really odd... Could anyone enlighten me if there would be a reason for it?

dammit, i always miss these when they go for a good price!

Looks like its time for me to do my bit now... Name's Martin Smyth, 24, and currently working as a volunteer conservation ranger at Kelburn Country Park. Never really done any work like this before - always been an office boy purely for the steady money, but always loved the outdoors and just couldn't take staring at a computer any more! Should be getting my CS30/31 at the end of august, and with any luck my 38 & 39 at some point soon too. Ideally I'd like to get a start in arb, but i know its just as much to do with experience as qualifications, so my plan is to start as a groundie and just keep working my way up to being a climber - however long it takes!

Howdy all, newbie here and looking for a bit of advice... I'm a ranger at Kelburn Country Park near Largs, and we've recently started a project to reduce the canopy layer in our glen after approx 15 years of little-to-no management by the previous ranger team. I'll hopefully be getting my CS30 & 31 at the end of august (and with any luck my 38 & 39 too), but in the meantime I'm stuck with felling smaller trees using a handsaw, as our liability insurance won't cover me with a chainsaw yet. One of the other rangers has a Silky Zubat, and while i do love the speed it cuts at, i don't like the way that the curved blade stops you putting in a decent hinge and so i was considering getting a Yamabico instead. Anyone used one or have recommendations for a better saw? I'm going to go spare soon if i have to fell one more young beech using a frigging bowsaw!