john k

I'll be there too. What's the Arbtalk secret sign?

Do you have a Pirtek depot near you? They carry a good range of fittings and will make up hoses/connectors/adaptors as necessary.

Well that didn't feature any cambium savers either as far as I remember

Here's hoping that the latest 560s are sorted because I bought one yesterday! Fingers crossed that it won't turn out to be a bad decision...

The largest of a bunch of conifers in the snow at a mate's farmlet in the geographical middle of nowhere, France. Not a 10, but I was very happy with it!

Here are a few from my CS38 a couple of weeks ago

OK, time for a bit of an update. The college year is divided into two semesters, and we're now about half way through semester 2. In semester 1 the modules that I took were Dendrology 1 and Research methods. I automatically got Forestry & arboricultural practice 1 as I already had CS30 and 31. Dendrology was good, but does take some determined learning. We had to learn to identify trees from samples of twig with or without leaves, and know the scientific names. Lots of them are in the college grounds but we also went on trips to Abbotts Wood (FC), Bedgebury Pinetum (FC) and Wakehurst Place (Kew). These are the trees: Common Alder Alnus glutinosa Grey Alder Alnus incana Italian Alder Alnus cordata Silver Birch Betula pendula Downy Birch Betula pubescens Hazel Corylus avellana Hornbeam Carpinus betulus Ash Fraxinus excelsior Field Maple Acer campestre Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Norway Maple Acer platinoides Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum Beech Fagus sylvatica English Oak Quercus robur Sessile Oak Quercus petraea Turkey Oak Quercus cerris Holly Oak Quercus ilex Red Oak Quercus rubra Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa Dogwood Cornus sanguinea Elder Sambucus nigra Wayfaring Tree Viburnum lantana Spindle Euonymus europaeus Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata Whitebeam Sorbus aria Swedish Whitebeam Sorbus intermedia Rowan Sorbus aucuparia Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Midland Thorn Crataegus laevigata Wild cherry Prunus avium Blackthorn Prunus spinosa Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus Holly Ilex aquifolium Common Walnut Juglans regia Black Walnut Juglans nigra English Elm Ulmus minor var vulgaris Wych Elm Ulmus glabra Goat Willow Salix caprea Crack Willow Salix fragilis White Poplar Populus alba Italian Poplar Populus nigra var italica Aspen Populus tremula Grey Poplar Populus canescens Crab Apple Malus sylvestris Wild Service Tree Sorbus torminalis Box Buxus sempervirens Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum Lawson Cypress Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Leyland Cypress X Cuprocyparis leylandii Monterey Cypress Cupressus macrocarpa Coastal Redwood Sequoia sempervirens Giant Redwood Sequoiadendron giganteum Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides Swamp Cyprus Taxodium distichum Western Red Cedar Thuja plicata Japanese Red Cedar Cryptomeria japonica Noble Fir Abies procera Grand Fir Abies grandis Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Atlas Cedar Cedrus atlantica Japanese Larch Larix kaempferi European Larch Larix decidua Norway Spruce Picea abies Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris Monterey Pine Pinus radiata Corsican Pine Pinus nigra subsp laricio Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla Yew Taxus baccata Research methods isn't particularly about trees but is a basic grounding in how to write and reference a scientific paper or essay. It also covers things like different types of research and very basic stats. A bit dull but worthy, and useful for all the other assignments. We ended up doing a mock proposal for a tree-related research project of our choice. The full timers also did Soil science and Botany. I have those to look forward to in September.

Well, just for the record and to get this thread back off track, I had my assessment last week [1] and there was absolutely no mention of cambium savers. NPTC are apparently planning to ditch the spiking elements of CS38 soon - maybe that will free up some time for a bit more advanced (or just up to date) climbing techniques. [1] Passed with just 2 minors by the way

Looks like a good bit of kit, what make/model/spec is it? Front loaders seem to be unusual on alpines. How do you get on with it?

Which is that?

Any recommendations for a small forestry tractor that can be towed behind a 4x4? Realistically I reckon that this means a max weight of around 2 tonnes. It will be used for winching, towing a timber trailer, maybe some flailing. A front loader would be handy too. A 50hp alpine would fit easily and do all this, but at a premium. What other options are worth considering?

No, and I blame the iPhone keypad! It should have been DMC-FT3, sorry.

I'm using a Panasonic Lumix DMV-FT3 which is waterproof to 12m and shockproof to 2m. It's a dinky little thing and takes some decent photos. It has geotagging and HD video too.

Do you reckon a 50hp alpine would handle it OK, or does it need a more substantial tractor?

I'm doing CS38 at college at the moment, and there has been no mention of cambium savers. We're not really being taught how to be climbers, just how to get through the assessment. Cambium savers don't appear in the assessment schedule... Edit: Actually there is a brief mention, but only as a consideration "if appropriate"

OK, so useful if you're going anyway and the timing is right. But not a big deal if I just want it now and can't wait!

Excellent, thanks!

Are bars and chains interchangeable between a 346xp and 560xp? Looking at the specs I think they are, but not sure if I've missed something!

I'm planning on buying another saw and some others bits and pieces soon. Are there genuinely good deals to be had if I wait for a show or are the likes of Jonesies as good as it gets anyway?

Thanks, I've been meaning to post asking this for a while now but never got round to it. I was surprised how quickly a file gets dulled, and trying to sharpen with a worn out file is about as much fun as cutting with a blunt chain. It's early days for me, but I reckon that at least one file per chain is about what I'm getting too, possibly 2. They're only 15" chains as well!

I'm in a similar situation, and agree that a second saw is worth having for exactly the reasons that normandylumberjack gave. I've currently got a 346xp with a 15" bar. I'm very happy with it, and it's big enough for most of what I'm doing at the moment (mostly coppice cutting and thinning jobs). I could get something similar for the second saw, but it would seem to make sense to get something a bit bigger for occasional use. What size would be a sensible step up? 60cc, 70cc? 18", 20"?

And upgrading can be very, very expensive!

I use Kashflow. It's web-based and really easy to use. You can email quotes and invoices straight from the system and even send them by post if you want to (completely hands-off using ViaPost). Cost is £15.99 plus VAT per month which includes regular upgrades.

Any news on this? I'm just doing my CS38 now and I'd be interested to come and say hi and have a look at how different people do things.

Or you might be better off contacting the Surrey and Sussex Coppice Group who may be able to give you and idea of the going rate (if there is such a thing).