born2trot

That little jockey wheel is brilliant but obviously could be quite dangerous if it gets stuck ... your only going one way and thats off !! , I think thats whats happened , the rig starts going over before the wood even moves . A bit puzzling is why he's trying to dislodge wood over a 2 foot stump when the faller / groundsman would have known its getting horse extracted , seems a bit odd that scene to say the least but there again there may well be a sound reason for it

getting a bit much this

Well said ff. ( could you post that on the christian thread aswell ?

borntotrot did the same with them both on wednesday at Thainstone and i would agree with you on that one i was very suprised in the differance in weight.

Hi NI, yeah i knew the 560 would be heavier but as you say there seemed to be quite a big difference imo. If we get a few more 550 reviews on here i think i would plump for that rather than the 560. Death knell of the 346 not far off me thinks.

Hi kenny, If you are not doing large trees everyday is the 550 the better option ? Had both saws in my hand today and the 560 felt a good deal heavier and obviously costlier.

A little raised tree length works well and allows the stumps to be gone over without problems. I should mention we never used "Blinkers" as dangerous and branches become stuck behind and can damage eyes. (helps the horses see the trees)

 

There are some double wheeled units which raise the back section.

Would the double wheeled units only work well on the flat ? The butt end on the ground is providing needed resistance when going downhill and is a good safety measure especially with such heavy timber.

I've watched his 'getting ditched ' over and over and I'm convinced he's staged it . He's obviously a bit of a showman ( in a good fun way ) and it just looks a bit acted , none the less its still very impressive the horses not batting an eye lid when the cart rights itself . The woodland is very open and has been well brashed so the blinkers not really an issue and the fact that the horses going so well with them on would be crazy to change them to an open bridle ? If it aint broke dont fix it so to speak

Hi Adam , there was a great post on the french ' voyageurs ' recently which may be of some interest to someone like yourself . Sam thompson on here is related to the legend that is David Thompson ' The Greatest Ever Land Geographer ' Hope you dont mind me saying that Sam

That is one massive pollard head ! What a beauty . A stunner

Dont know how practical it would be to start raising big logs higher off the ground than that, it would become very hazardous in what already is quite dodgy being seated high up in a vehicle like that. I wonder what other bits of kit he has for bigger dia. logs. Wonder if he can work them ' in-line ' and see them skid out massive limbs... I'm getting carried away now !!

...with these fellows

Will be waiting anxiously for the results kenny

You could use a fig8 as well as a blakes. Therefore backing it up & taking the pressure off you hitch

Hi Pete , could you tell me how i would use the figure 8 on a double line config. I bought one several weeks ago along with an extremely lightweight petzl tape harness and have been playing about rappelling down the trees outside but from a SINGLE line config. ( Its good fun ) . I'm just not sure what to do on my normal climbing set up ?

Thanks veg , but i'm not up to speed yet with the tree monkeys

Porridge , maple syrup and some blueberries

Worked on a blakes thousands of times in the rain, never had a problem with it. What rope are you using? are you just doing a basic 4 turn blakes? you could put and extra turn in the top for more friction. So 3 at the top then two at the base of the hitch.

Hi scotspine , I'm using honey bros 13mm xtc fire for my main line and the split tail is an edelrid timberblue 13mm aswell. Tying the basic 4 turn blakes and been very pleased with it so far up until a few weeks ago when it got soaked . Wasnt good ..

Geof thanks for the munter hitch idea , looks very simple and effective , will try that out aswell

Have any of you guys / gals been concerned with descending on a blakes hitch when your rope has got soaked ?. Seemed to ge gripping too tight and releasing too quickly for my liking . Any SIMPLE ideas i could have switched to for a safer descent ? thanks..

I know them as ' kerf cuts '

Lanyard, silky, fig 8, 1st aid kit, krabs with slings x2, rope guide if needed, large throw bag for climbing line , small plastic wedge & a saw to cut whatever size timber I'm working on. All bits & bobs fit in a bag so not much clutter

Pete , I've seen loads of photos in mags with tree surgeons with fig 8's on their harness. After a hairy descent on a wet rope with a blakes hitch , would a figure 8 be a much safer option and is it a case of just girth hitching it on to the main line ? Sorry for the derail button .

yep i run a 560xpg

You sod!!

I'm assuming if you order the xpg it will be the latest model with the fix. Has anyone got the xpg btw ?

its not that i necessarily feel safer not wearing them, but i feel more exposed without them and therefore take greater care handling the saw. the patch on the left hand only protcts that so if the chain snaps and takes out the chain catcher in the process, it won't be the left hand which needs the protection.

So you would rather a chain hit your hand without a glove than with one on ?

If i was to wear chainsaw gloves every day id be broke, they cost about £20 and last about as many hours before they go through at the fingertips. Also I feel that without them I have more control of the saw and am less likely to get blase (?) about safety because of the false sense of safety that the gloves offer. And as for climbing in them....

Its absolutely amazing me how many people on here complain about gloves being uncomfortable etc, i would say they must be wearing the wrong type of glove for the situation or are wearing the wrong size. I simply cant understand how you can feel safer not wearing them . I do agree that for the money they just do not last and dry out poorly. I seem to be standing alone on this topic for some unknown reason

There is only protection in the back of the left glove not the fingers isn't there?

I'd still take my chance wearing them than not. The saw doesnt have to be running to cut yourself with it , well mines certainly dont. Surely you must wear them when taking down old hedges etc, the amount of crap you come across is a hazard in itself . All the big arb companies there mandatory anyway so for the vast majority of operators they better get used to them.

Couple of things to clear up first . ' Difflock ' those are fly masks . Did you see the amount of mozzies/midgies in the film ? It would have been cruel for a horse NOT to wear them in that wood. ' Parker ' at 2.45 that is what separates a horse that pulls wood and a professional logging horse . ( that was my favourite bit ) . A horse cant be forced into doing that , this is teamwork based on trust.

The horses had massive tricep muscles , really impressive.

The icing on the cake was them being so evenly paired in size and colour, perfection.

Best arbtalk moment for me by a country mile....Thanks very much for the post

Signed ..

Here is a pic of my mates mate dog. I would not want to walk it! Poor little blighter has the mickey took out of it all day long

Cocker ?........sorry I'm out of here:001_tongue:

Good shout Trad, I played football with a guy that died from this . Very,Very important.

Recieved a kick in the chops from fr jones yesterday . After me gloating on here about getting a new 560xpg i got the dreaded phone call to say there would be none till the end of March. Went out on the pony to cheer myself up and got dumped twice within 5 mins , the second one face first into a big soft ploughed field Got in the house had a shower and a sit down when the cat jumped up on me with **** stuck to its arse . lucky white heather !