Carlo

93 metres

I did most of my training and assessments with proclimber, CS 32, 38, 39, 40 & 41, not on the fast track course but over 2 years. I also sat in with one of the Fast Track courses on the theory part of the course 6 days over about 4 weeks, it is an introduction to the knowledge required for the ISA Certified Arborist. I continued with the studies and passed the ISA exam 6 months later. I highly recommend Proclimber Training and their trainers.

What! no rain in Wales

Hi Craig, can't wait to see it, if it's good I will have to have one, can't have you showing me up.

Battery power tools have revolutionised the carpentry/joinery industry the secret is plenty of interchangeable batteries that fit a number of tools. Charge all the batteries up at home at the end of the day ready for the next days work. There is a place in my building, carpentry and arborcuture work for petrol, mains power and battery tools/equipment.

Started climbing and got my tickets at 53, slill climbing and enjoying at 56.

It will be great to meet up again Mart and with a bit of luck it will be dryer than on our course.

I hope Veg and I will be able to travel together, we will go any were for a good breakfast.

Carlo was my grandfathers nick name so I borrowed it.

We are very busy. Before christmas we had planning permission to clear fell about 100 trees of mixed hard wood covered by a TPO. The trees were growing on an elevated bank leaning over 3 blocks of flats They were in poor condition with a significant risk of one or more of them collapsing onto the buildings. Due to the trees leaning towards the buidings we use guy ropes to ensure the direction of fall and safe landing. Other wise if the hinge failed under the side load, the trees were large and would have probably demolished the flats.

It's Martyn we done the climbing course with proclimber together.

Hi Martyn how are you, it's been a while since we have spoke.

About 10 weeks ago I injured my bicep distal tendon in my right arm, cutting and chucking. When the timber snapped off my arm was straight, it hyper extended my elbow joint and I heared a crunch. The doc said its probably a partial tear, I am waiting for an MRI scan and physio/ultra sound.

I will look forward to a day out with the lads climbing, if I can't climb I will come for breakfast and meet up with the lads.

Martyn

Well done Ian, I had my results yesterday and I passed as well. Seems worth all the hard work now.

Yes I did mean MS 441 C-M, the dealer spoke to stihl and did try and fix the saw themselves but they were not happy with the way it was running and asked me to try it. I dont thing they had the parts to swap as they said this is the first saw with engine management they have had to repair and they did not have a new 441 C-M in the shop.

We purchased a new 441 C-E 6 months ago and last week we had a problem starting it and when it eventually started tick over and full throttle running was rough. We returned it to the dealer and he said that they did not have the equipment to tune the new saws with eletronic ignition and that the equipment is not yet avalable from stihl for the dealers. The dealer tried twice to sort the problems but the saw is still not running right. I returned the saw yesterday for the dealer to send it back to stihl. Have any body else had problems with this saw?

Good quality pics Veg. Is G adspersum and G australe the same fungi.

keep some super glue in your kit, it will save you a trip to the hospital!

Larry Last Monday I had a phone call last week from one of our ground maintenance team while they were out cutting grass. He said " there is a bloke climbing one of our trees using a ladder and cutting branches off making hell of a mess". I arrived at the tree about 30 minutes later to find a crowd of people and branches around a lime tree, with the bloke now stuck half way up the tree. I was told that a little girls cat had been stuck up the tree all week end, the RSPCA and fire service would not attend so they were tring to rescue the cat themselves. I phoned my climbing colleague Craig and within 30 minutes we grabbed the cat and brought it down safely returning it to the little girl. Every body there could not thank us enough and were very grateful we could help.

They are shiny pulleys though aren't they!

Thanks for all the advice Guys, to be on the safe side I will advise the resident to have the tree felled.

Would you recommend removing this willow? It is about 18 metres high and 12 metres from the house.The residents are concerned it may collapse into the garden or onto the house. In the pictures you can see a bark wound at the base of the stem with the timber decayed to about 100mm deep. On the other side there are about 30 growths from the base up to 3 metres high. I gave one a kick and it came off quite easy leaving a cone shape recess 50mm deep.

You can do it, take your time and get it right first time, if you dont rat boy is waiting for you! Ha Ha

Thanks guys for all the advice and yes Lee the concern was the roots physically damaging the wall. I know some tree roots are more invasive than others eg ash and cherry, but what species of trees are suitable for planting close to buildings and what trees should not be?

Thanks for the advice, the tree is in good condition growing 5m from a house and leaning slightly towards it, with some of its branches contacting the windows and roof.

The wall is built of concrete block faced with brick, 1.5m high, 500mm thick

with concrete foundations. The tree is growing on a bank at the top of the wall. The sub soil is boulder clay, there may be loose fill behind the wall to help with drainage.

Thanks Carlo

Hi we have just had a new 441 with 20" bar can't wait to try it out, the biggest saw we have use so far is a 260

Hi can any one help me with a tree assessment?

I was asked today if the roots of a 15m high birch tree growing 1m away from a retaining wall would damage it. There is no evedence of any damage at present, the tree was planted shortly after the wall was built 35 years ago.

Cheers Carlo

I started climbing last August at 53 done cs38/39 with proclimber and plan to carry on untill I retire at 66 +.