Bing!

Had to look twice, I thought that was some weird knotty growth sticking out the top. I'll get my coat..........

But dont get rid of your DdRT kit as you will still need it.......

I have both the teufelberger tachyon and the tachyon. Berger tach is green and tach is orange, I prefer the orange, my knut runs better on it using 8mm ocean poly and there is very very little stretch, in either of them. If I was to buy again it would be tachyon orange, best rope I've had for ages but it all comes down to preferences, other climber on the firm had to have his old 3 ply rope stolen out of his kit bag, has had the same prussik for the last 5 years!!!!! Bing!

I'm waiting for one from Abby pro at this time, still waiting. The guy at Petzl at the arb show told me they have loads in stock, shops just didn't order enough pre show.

Will, If it goes pear shaped I can't think of a more fantastic place to live in a cardboard box. Hope you like meat pies.

I've got to do as many as poss in a day, as I come down one tree I go straight up the next. One of the guys has already put the ladder up the next tree for me. If you have to body thrust the first 10 foot of every tree, ten trees later you have thrusted an unnecessary extra 100 feet. I use a throwline but battling through a street of suckered up limes is a pain without adding throwline/rope throwing into it. But, each to there own. Having a long career in this job means making life easy for yourself, not lazy, as the boss would say, but easy. I use as much of the latest tech/gadget and techniques as I can to make the tree work easier, more efficient so it gets done quicker, more can get done, the invoice goes in earlier so the money comes in quicker. Spot on with marmite. SOOOO much of this job is personel preference.

I love my lovaros ( I think they make Eltens?), like slippers from the start, the sole is very soft rubber and though great for climbing they degrade quickly. I go through a pair a year.

Our boss was pinned to a willow he was attempting to fell out, not experienced enough and full of guff. End result was bruised kidneys and a lots of scrapes to his front as the limb dragged him down, the D ring was torn out of his harness, this is what basically saved his bacon. It was also his last climb....

Do you use a friction saver with rollers? I find this puts a lot of stress on the arm you lock off when ascending, I use a bog standard friction saver, no rollers, as it reduces friction (of course) but has just enough friction to reduce the effort required to hold your weight comfortably. Bing!

First job for the boys on site is tools off, including ladder. Straight to tree. Saws filled, climber up, thats me, very fit thanks. I don't waste energy getting to the first branch, I walk up the ladder. 80 ft tree with first branch at 40ft then ok, throwline to first branch, ladder at full extension and up I go on rope and harness for the first 30ft then thrust the rest. 30ft of unnecessary effort saved. The first bloke that says getting the ladder off the truck is a waste of time gets to put my anchors in every tree.. : ) The council contracts we do can involve streets of 20-30 + trees about 20-30 ft, sod throwlining them, ladder up, step in and get cracking. Just saying like........ Bing!

Carrying the ladder to the tree is all part of the trainees learning curve ; ).. If they wish to use a throwline, shinny up and put in my anchor then great, but they will still be putting the ladder up to save my ass from 15 foot of unnecessary hard work to the first limb.

I'm guessing the protective footwear involves pink fluffy toe caps? I wonder what the google search question would have to be to get you to this forum thread?

Go back 2 years and see what hedges you trimmed/topped, get in contact and see if they need doing again, return customer discount etc etc. Council: We do shed loads but by god they drive a HARD price, some days we lose big others we make big, you know which ones we hope for. It's this work that is currently keeping our firm going, laid off 2 chaps a few weeks ago... Treading water waiting/praying for things to pick up, TPO 6-8 week wait feels like an eternity.... Bing!

remember you are going to be given all the crap, saddle up and just get on with it. We have had the same subby on and off for the best part of 15 years, in fact he started his training with us. Ok, we know him, but he is a point and shoot type, "see that awful nightmare beech/ash/robinia etc etc, crack on", and away he goes without a grumble. Other subbys we have had have been a bit more vocal in what they willl and wont climb. We don't employ them anymore. We don't take the p*ss but we get our monies worth, we only bring in subbys when we have to much work not because we can't do it, so if they get a bit miffed one of our own will hop up, it tends to make them rethink how they should have got there point across. The point made about gardeners/landscapers etc building a buisness off of your skills, it can work to your advantage. As long as they have the insurence and a sensible groundy willing to learn, you could end up with a company who will come into plenty of tree work and know only one climber, you, who they know can "walk the walk". Good luck. Bing!

Thanks for the info/PMs. will phone round for some prices. Bing!

Hi all, Can any one recommend a chipper hire company who will drop off and pick up in the Peterborough area? It's got to be weekends though as I have access on a saturday. So maybe drop off friday and pick up monday. Have hired chippers before with 2-3 different companies with varied results, blunt blades, diesel fumes only in the tank on arrival. Generally poor machines which didn't make the day go well....... Cheers. Bing!

When are you chaps thinking of retiring? I'm hoping to kick back at 60, if the pension is worth anything..Pffff.

Cheers Mike, I feel better knowing that your back is fine now. LOL

Hiabs help.... I can work my buns off and get a monster down in quick time then spend the next day and a half sliceing the bugger into managble bits to hand load onto the truck, oh, then handle the stuff off at the other end as there is no room to "tip and tidy". Tight boss refuses to up grade to truck with lifting gear. Rant over.

Make sure you have a plan though Adam, either get your own buisness up and running with a view to have someone else do the climbing or get educating yourself so your ready for the switch to consultant/tree officer etc. I love the job but when you have kids and a mortgage to pay your choices later in life are very few. The jobs I have seen that I might enjoy mean I will have to start from scratch and take at least a £7000 pay cut, minimum........

My intention was to win the lottery too, the wife reckons I stand a better chance if I actually buy a ticket!

Does your competitor creak and hobble his way out or does he skip home on the sunny side of the street whistleing happy tunes? If you end up with the same setup as the opposition you will have to beat him on quality and efficiency. Easy really ; )

Do you run your own company Mark? How about you bring on a young climber, get him up to speed then kick back and concentrate on the buisness side of it? Climb when you have to but otherwise it's down to your team on site.

This is a question I have been contemplating recently. I am coming up on 20 years as a climber and have the usual injuries, bad back, tennis elbow(s), struggle to grip with my thumbs, knees that actually creak as I go up stairs, hell, my neck clicks when I turn it...! I'm 41 and I think I may not be climbing till I retire, what do I do? Looked at the usual, consultant, tree officer, but I'm not a paperwork man and groundsman is just as hard going. Slightly panicky at the moment as baby number 2 is arriving soon and we will be down to my one wage, it's not financially viable for wifey to go back to work after (day care @ £45 per day, minimum 2 days). The old boys that were on the firm when I arrived are now crippled at 55 and 60, one is a delivery driver, part time, and the other cuts grass part of the year, both for pittance. Any suggestions? Bing!