Marula

Well it's a black decayed puddle of ooze nearly, it could be a variety of fruiting bodies which is now decaying or it could just be the remnants of the local junkies stomach after a particularly strong hit. It could be a trampled Grifola or Meripilus or Armillaria? Hard to say.

And how many years you been climbing now?

That sounds like a fair and good team setup, how many years are you doing this now?

So you're a lead or second climber now? After how many years?

28 is fine, make sure you look after your back, this is advise I never took seriously but in this game it is the one career "ender" quite often. Also, don't let bosses rag the sheet out of you, they'll use you and toss you aside the moment your elbows or back go. Merrist wood is an excellent college if you're looking for one.

Are there any cows in the area? [emoji38]

I think you've misunderstood what I was saying.

Really interesting[emoji1360]. Perhaps it evolved that way so that once inevitable failure occurred the spread of the pathogens spores wouldn't be effected?

Best reply here. If you're 35 now you'll be about 40 by the time you can say your pretty much well rounded in the game. Well where to next from there? Most of the posters on this thread aren't even full time climbers or have only just stepped into the game, their chipperness is basically worthless as advice. Your body WILL take a beating in this game, your back will go and so will your elbows. The remuneration in tree work really isn't that great, equipment is expensive and there's a ceiling on what you can charge as a good climber. If you want to do tree work then go study, that way you can still dabble in the hands on aspect but you'll have a full back in a disciplined area of expertise.

You'll need to put pictures of the tree up as a whole, some pics of the base and any wounds around the main stem too. Is there black ooze on the main stem anywhere?

I agree with the other lads on here, who owns it? Why did the LA come round? And what is the distance between the tree and the building? Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Thanks hawkes, I'm still visiting if the idea is a nostalgic trip or not. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

You obviously don't have insurance? Because insurance companies don't like "alone" in the arb business. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Cheers Mick, good advice that, I'll be going along with my tool kit. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

I was thinking of a timberwolf 190 or a Jensen. I've seen a few for about 8k with roughly 1100 hours. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

If I was to buy a second hand chipper, what sort of hours would you say is a no go area? 1100 plus to many? Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Ears or wing cuts, they primarily used when topping something out that you are roped around i.e. The stem, to prevent it splitting and opening up thereby squashing you against the stem. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

It's great for those of us that like "nerding out" about mycology, much appreciated[emoji1360]. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Who cares about the height of the gob cut, look at the arms on that bloke! He could just pull the thing out at the roots! Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Sorry but that's ridiculous! It's not just fuel they need to cover, if you're towing then it's wear and tear on the clutch and gear box, plus discs and break pads and then there's the damaging of bodywork which needs to be recovered! Doesn't sound fair to me. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

David Humphries, you post some really interesting stuff[emoji1360], always a pleasure to read. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Never been hot enough in the uk to stop work from my point of view. Anyone who thinks the high 20's is hot should take a stroll down under and give 45 degrees Celsius in chainsaw trousers up a 100 foot lemon scented a go. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Your love of this tree is admirable, it's not often I come across someone trying to keep a tree no matter how much I protest, however that short squat crown and internal structure tells me its apical bud was damaged or maybe even a centre leader was broken off etc at some point, so you now have co dominant stems competing, this means they just keep getting further apart with more weight until it fails and by the evidence it's not long until d-day. Your other option is to leave it, don't park under it and make the household aware to stay away from it, one of the leaders will eventually fail and one will remain, the tree will enter a stage called veteranisation, at that point it will become a great habitat feature. The down side is it will be unsightly and might then fail due to prevailing winds if in the correct direction. Ps. Unless someone has come in and thinned it I'd say the stem over the garage will go first, something not great going on internally there. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

Take it down and start again, that's never going to be a decent tree, it'll have to be reduced to stop it from falling apart and that will only be a temporary solution. There's rot in the main stem by now and there's compression forks all over it. Fell, replant. Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

For the love of the tree gods man, get a professional out to see it. Body filler? Steel rods? Damage points? Drills? [emoji15] Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk