David Dobedoe

Done, like many others I use a rope runner most of the time. I've tried all sorts and settled on that for now and zig zag when i climb drt. Happy to talk through my perceptions of rr benefits and limitations if helpful.

Adam and everyone else, in regards to doing our own splicing I'm nervous about where we stand in terms loler and possible insurance claims if we damage anything or hurt someone. I fully acknowledge in the olden days doing your own splicing was part of the climbing tickets and the expected way of working to avoid the weakening that knots introduce. What are all your thoughts in this regard?

https://www.honeybros.com/Category/Whoopie_Slings Just found these

Thanks everyone, would seem that the rings are useful but as with everything in life not without limitations. I'll have a look round at the arbshow

Thanks, I would assume that a course would cover this but i contacted a provider and they had no detail. Timon, do you have any idea of the rough cost of the insurance?

I'm interested in becoming a Loler inspector for arb equipment. Before I undertake this i would like to know what insurance is required for inspectors and typical costs? Is the insurance part of a general arb/business insurance or separate policy? Obviously equipment can deteriorate significantly between inspections. Does anybody know of any claims made against an inspector when an inspected piece of equipment has failed and the implications? TIA David

I'm interested in trying some x rings or similar. Who is now using them in the UK, how you getting on with them? What are the differences in the various makes? I'm interested in getting them already in appropriate slings and fit for loler purposes so which uk suppliers are doing this and is the arrangement ce marked for inspections? Or do I wait until the arb show and see whats what there? TIA David

I have the winch and use it occasionally. It needs experienced teams with rigging knowledge. The main problems i have with it are its slow and inexperienced team members or those stuck in their ways find it hard to get to grips with. Its great that its not on the bollard most of the time exposed to being knocked about as the RC3001 is a bombproof piece of kit.

The Stein ratchet strap is rated at 10,000kg (when new) The device is rated for 3000kg working load limit when well mounted. At the moment I use a Yale 8 meter 24mm deadeye sling, as back up. Whilst it is heavy duty piece of kit it has similar ratings (12887 kg) to the ratchet strap and is therefore i think a real backup in the case of a problem or failure. I do acknowledge the greater loads generated at the pulley end and the implications of generating loads that would threaten the integrity of such a heavy duty sling! In my experience the most likely cause of failure with this type of device is the device and strap slipping on the tree rather than failure of the equipment. We have had problems with this on massive beech trees where strange shapes make it difficult to install even when we cut a mounting surface and lip for the device. the backup has played its part in keeping things under control.

I have been asked to do some work on an environmentally sensitive site. We will be cutting Rhododendron as an invasive species. We have been asked to apply glyphoshate to the stumps. Are there any environmentally sensitive herbicides - digging out the roots is not an option. Thanks in advance

Im interested in the practice of pre tensioning lowering ropes / rigging lines. I think / assume that a snug line reduces slack in the system and and therefore means that when catching falling loads the distance fallen is minimised. However when the rope is tensioned with a pulley system is it not the case that we are impacting on the elasticity of the rope which is designed to absorb the energy? If we are pretensioning a system, if there is a significant advantage, how do we know what level of tension is optimum? Does it change as the scale of equipment changes or the distance between the lowering device and pulley changes? I think that most of the energy absorption is the friction of the rope around the lowering device. This is also complicated by the choice of how much friction to use (wraps) I would guess that our lowering lines are designed to significantly absorb energy so what proportion of the energy absorption is in the stretch of the rope? What work has been done in measuring how pretension helps or maximises the effectiveness of lowering systems? Any references would be appreciated. What might I be missing? TIA David

I have a pair of Stein Werewolf. Great climbing boots. Some chainsaw protection but no toecap. Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

Stitching problem with mine. Supplier replaced and I have now backed the stitching up with a cable tie so. It's not pulled apart. Great piece of kit apart from that and use it most days I climb. Perhaps 20 days a month. Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

I'm looking for somebody to work with me on a self employed basis both locally (Stratford - Leamington Spa area) and on a national telecoms contract. Local work would be typical garden arb, the national work can be anywhere in the country and can involve anything from remote forestry work to tree removal / reductions in a city setting. The wide variety in the work means that a good all round competency is required but we would consider someone at an early stage of their professional development providing they are team players, hard working, reliable and prepared to learn. Basic climbing and chainsaw tickets essential. Rigging, chipper etc helpful. Work hours and travel time is paid as is a basic overnight allowance. Travel is usually from a base and then on in a company vehicle. In the first instance send me an email with your contact details including telephone number and I'll give you a call for an informal conversation: Thanks for reading David [email protected]

I have to travel with minimum kit for what ever job comes my way. Usually take 560xp with a 20 inch bar because it very versatile. I have bigger saws but if i can only have one for everything that I don't do with a top handle thats the go to saw for me.

I have been using a zillion for a while now. Mostly good, the rope is robust, mime shows inevitable signs of wear considering how much it's been used but the sheath is tough. Only down side in use is that it will suddenly slip when something comes in contact with the top of the mechanism. I think this is more likely than a prussik loop type set up. Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

The reason I'm asking about rope selection is that should a ground anchor be used we have a potential for twice the 'normal' load on the rope. Potentially if then used in this configuration for rescue it becomes four times the 'normal' load. One of my climbers said he had read an article about the working loads tree climbing ropes are designed for and that some of the lower specification ropes are not strong enough to have an acceptable redundancy for all SRT applications.. I will try and track down the article. Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

Thanks Paul Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

Why do you say it's twice as dangerous? It can put higher loads on the anchor point that doesn't make it twice as dangerous does it? Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

I'm writing a risk assessment and method statement to support the use of SRT. I am not aware of any national (FISA/AFAG type) guidelines for this. If there are any please point me in that direction. Non CE marked equipment eg the rope runner causes me some concern. As its not CE marked it can't be supplied/sold for the work we do in Europe. I am interested to know how others are managing the risk assessment and method statement in this and similar situations? Also I understand that not all tree climbing ropes are suitable for SRT. Is this the case and if so what makes a rope appropriate and another one inappropriate and how are people managing this particularly with sub contract climbers providing their own kit Thanks David

Opps, I was lucky, broke the lights reversing and no damage to the body work.

How did I do both! Borrowed a tracked chipper which slipped on the trailer. Not lashed down well enough. (Lesson to self check) Opps

Thanks gents Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

Good start to the day. Broken both rear light clusters on my L200. Anyone know a good /cheap place to get replacements? TIA Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app

Depends on size of trees normally worked on. These larger devices don't mount well on smaller trees. Sent from my D6603 using Arbtalk mobile app