Mr. Squirrel

I'm not using Norway as an example of what Scotland will become. I'm saying that in terms of wealth, Norway far exceeds that of the UK, but they don't really seem to, or have any desire to 'hit above their weight' as some word it. Now obviously if it comes to throwing bank balance and they'd blow us all out of the water, but otherwise Norway, to me, seems fairly focused on self development where Westminster seems too eager to maintain an image to the rest of the world, an image which is long dead. With regards to the monarchy, I imagine it's very hard to put a number on how much they actually bring in in terms of tourism. Almost as hard as it is to put a number on their income from all of their estate since its some sort of royal secret apparently. I think it's pretty twisted to invest tens of millions into a single family though, while telling others that there just isn't the money for their benefits anymore, and so I'd be happy to see the end of that archaic facade. I suppose, looking at it, all of my points seem to boil down to images, which is pretty ridiculous really, but once you accept all of the numbers, promises, counter-arguments, coalitions, world wide stance etc. are largely hypothetical I guess it's all your left with... I must stress I'm really not decided, though I kinda feel like I am. Salmond is just as slimey as Cameron, but at least he's a crook from my neck of the woods, y'know? That business with Trumps golf course and the destruction of SSSI sand dunes was pretty unforgivable in my opinion. And how successful did it turn out?... maybe this is just another 'super golf course'...

I've not read this entire thread, though quite allot of it. Got to credit it really, for a bunch of tree choppers there are some very good points here. Far more realistic and far less bs than you see elsewhere. I was thinking about the money thing when it occurred to me that most of the times I've arrived in London with Scottish money shop keepers/bus drivers/bar renders have looked at me like I'm simple and refused my 'foreign money's so maybe that wouldn't change so much... There really needs to be more clarity I think on the EU position, borders, currency etc. Currently it seems to add though one side dreaming, the other side talking those dreams down and nothing really being achieved. I know some will call me an English hating fool but to me it comes down to some pretty basic feelings; I don't agree with all the wars that have been waged under the Union Jack, and I don't want nuclear weapons stored down the coast from me. It may be sort sighted but I don't think the current UK government are particularly in touch with the real world (though admittedly salmondland is pretty far fetched too), and I don't like that a crowd of lying, cheating politicians in Westminster call the shots for a place I see as being far removed from the south east, not so much physically as ideologically. I see the royal family as the nation's most successful benefits cheats (I believe they cost 31 million in tax payers money annually?). No matter how much they bring in tourism, that's 31 million for being born into the right family, which is wrong on every level. Why would a country strive to 'hit above its weight' as some put it? And what grounds does the UK have to do so? Norway for example, I can see having reason to, but they don't really. They keep to themselves and get on with it. The UK isn't a colonial power anymore, it's a small island with very few exports, very little manufacturing and really very little going for it on an international level. It's like a potemkin economy and something HAS to change as far as I'm concerned. Most people I know are leaning towards a yes vote, and they're not all working class/neds/racists. They're mostly good, successful people who, similar to myself and many others are thinking 'yeah, this'll bring about problems, but there'll be problems regardless, and at least we made some of these for ourselves. Perhaps we stand a chance of sorting them ourselves' For the record I'm undecided, though I guess it's fairly clear which way I'm leaning...

I was at college for 2 years and they never once even bothered with cambium savers. I understand the argument that when starting out simple is best but there is such a thing as over simplifying. Even something as basic as using a hitch climber would be an improvement. It's not as though you're particularly great fresh out of college anyway so having to learn a whole new set of techniques while also learning to be productive is a bit of a pain. My first employer often asked what on earth they actually taught us?

A guy I freelance for doesn't charge the church, I bill him as normal though...

Oh! Shut up silly man and call the darn ambulance!

A good friend who is a personal trainer/sports coach/diet boffin reckoned I should be getting 5000 calories a day to maintain healthiness. Protein is the major thing my diet was lacking in though, especially in the morning. Seems to work pretty well for me, I'm a little under 6ft and 70kg.

Yeah I can see that, they're a great idea like, no doubt much better at keeping dust out of your eyes than lots of little holes in front of your face. Just seem a little, fragile? I almost always wear glasses these days though after having a wee piece of holly stuck on my eye ball for 8 hours. Too much, however you do it, look after those eyes...

I had an Alveo for a while but don't think they were designed with tree surgeons in mind... Now have a super plasma which is a big step forwards, it actually feels as though it might protect your head! Would prefer husky muffs but the peltor ones will do. I've tried on a protos since I bought the plasma and that'll probably be the next cutting hat I buy, even if they do look like a bit daft. Edit: the clear visors for the plasma seem pretty pants, I've never met anyone who uses it regularly and hasn't just scratched it to bits...?

Stihl dealer was saying the other day they've found whatever was at fault making 201's useless and they can sort it out for you no problem. I'm sure he's told me that before though... Used a new 442 or what have you craning out a bunch of oaks a few weeks ago, it was nice.

I made one from 8mm sirius and it was really nice. Until I misplaced it somewhere Pretty easy stuff to splice and plenty tough enough for footlocking. I tried splicing using various fid things and didn't get along well with it, in the end I stole a few wires from a mates piano and it made the whole process a total breeze in comparison!

I broke one once too, nae idea how though. Just buy a new blade, problem solved?

Your hand ascender is there as a backup too, should your croll etc. fail. That could be just a twig poking the lever open, stuck in the cam etc. your foot slips out loop and you're shock loading your back up. Your right it isn't much really, but the dynamic rope's elongation + tightening of knots under shock load will absorb some of the fall. It's like you say, if you actually do get in these situations you are really scraping the barrel for some good luck, in which case it might not be a bad idea. That was more of a personal thought, I figure if I was 20m off the ground and I shock loaded my access line I'd rather end up hanging from a relatively intact, very strong core than a climbing line with a shredded sheath. As I said, it'd be interesting to know what the comparative strengths post test were to clarify that.

Yeah it was a cam angle issue or something perhaps, strong things but they'd just jump off. Could be handy if you ever did misplace it on a site, just wait until darkness...

Sorry Softbank, as the madman said it was a reference to their old ascenders which jumped off ropes. I wouldn't be taking those rivets out, sounds simple in theory, but I wouldn't be playing with life support bits like that.

CMI do one, if you can find it. I think Kong do/did on too, but then I hear their name comes from the noise you make when their ascenders fail and you hit the ground... Been using a simple ascender the past 6 years, always found the handle just got in the way and I prefer to leave all that ascending work to the legs... Expedition Ascenders -- CMI Corporation

Technically you really should be using a dynamic attachment to your hand ascender anyway. Basic caving SRT setup. Good point though. I vaguely remember an article in the ISA magazine where they looked at backing up ascenders with a hitch. Now I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure their findings were that since it's being advanced by your ascenders the knot is generally very loose and is unlikely to arrest a fall should the ascender fail. Though it wasn't the focus of their investigation, since the knots weren't doing much and all the shock was put on the ascenders they ended up snapping a number of ropes. I'll have to dig it out, as their findings were somewhat relevant to this. It's be interesting to see the breaking strain on those ropes post ascender mauling softbankhawks. Obviously the advantage of the kernmantle is that it's just the sheath that's ripped, the core is still largely intact and the rope retains most of its strength. Not so with a 16 strand.

Beat me to it. How do you get to their English site though? I've been puzzling away on it auf Deutsch the whole time...

Decathalon do a great pair of stretchy trousers for about £40, have a couple of pairs, as well as a pair of the Pfanners and a pair of Francital climbing trousers. Francital are my favourite, Decathalon next best, don't really rate the Pfanners though...

I must be doing something wrong. I use mine all the time for coming down my access line, only reason it comes off my harness is to put it on a rope.

I'm using dmm ovals on mine at the moment, with dmm sentinels as the top karabiner. The ovals work, not amazingly but it's ok, and means it works with a dmm swivel. The dmm fatboy has to be the best from my experience, I have a small collection of them from when they decided to stop making them...

You don't need a friction hitch/pulley to anchor onto a pole, a choked sling, whoopie sling, even a strop will work with a karabiner in it. And since you've made that anchor, why faff about making a second while your mate's bleeding to death? Besides the NPTC schedules suggest the use of a belay line in conjunction with your own system so you'd have to make two anchors anyway... rendering that explanation void. As I said, hate to divert the thread but that just doesn't make sense to me...

What are you using it for? I bought a new cutting helmet recently, kask (stein) with peltor ear defenders & visor and tbh it's crap. The visor pivots so far down it generally touches my nose and leaves big gaps to the side, the ear defenders have a rubbish seal. The helmet's ok, but I wish I'd bought something better. I'd say go for a husky if I was you.

Ah, sad. Thanks anyway. I use a spiderjack and a swivel, and it doesn't work as well as I'd like...

I get that much, I just don't understand why the system you put in place for yourself is insufficient for the rescue. You wouldn't put a belay line in when the climbers system is compromised in a regular rescue, so why on a pole?

Honestly never even heard of this belay tactic before, how does it work and what's the point of it? I can't imagine where the added setup time and potential for a f*** would be worth while. Not trying to divert from the original topic, just trying to learn something too.