Jump to content

Log in or register to remove this advert

The avantgardener

Veteran Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,180

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

 Content Type 

Everything posted by The avantgardener

  1. The avantgardener
    Spirit level and a timber crayon with a true cutting chain should do it.
  2. The avantgardener
    I met a Canadian guy recently, the 5 day course over here is 30 over there, then 180 hours on the saw with mentoring from an experienced cutter before you are allowed to work independently.
  3. The avantgardener
    This is totally wrong. No NPTC Assessors or LANTRA Instructors have to be FISA approved or even a member. LANTRA did an external Technical Evaluation on some of their Forestry based Instructors to deliver refresher training that FISA would recognise. No one has to be a member of FISA, just compliant with tickets if working in sites that have signed up to the FISA agreement, FC sites for example.
  4. The avantgardener
    There seems to be a focus down in the SE on using excavator mounted tree shears to deal with dismantling large plantation/roadside Ash with ADB, the Woodland Trust had a recent demo using a Westec Woodcracker 350 shear on a 14 tonne machine. I am not totally convinced that the power of the grab may not just shatter the limb apart depending on how brittle the timber has become. Some of the firewood merchants down here are starting to reject Ash with ADB, the processor is cutting the log and dropping it into the pit to be split, but the log is simply smashing into pieces when pushed against the splitter.
  5. The avantgardener
    I have never heard of tree blasting in the UK but they used to use charges to split/cleave large butts. If you hear of anyone doing this, count me in.
  6. The avantgardener
    Anyone else remember Derek Macintosh Bates aka Blaster Bates? My god, that names a blast from the past, he used to blow drainage ditches on the farms up North before everyone had excavators.
  7. The avantgardener
    Just to add a completely new dimension into the mix, I came across this for the first time today. The background story is. I was asked to plant several types of Ash from various parts of the world as a controlled experiment to monitor species resilience to ADB on an FC site known to have ADB present. I have been monitoring them for the last 5 years, until now, all good. Today I inspected some of the Syrian Ash, as I approached I noticed the dreaded tell tale sign, die back of the crowns resembling hedgerow trees. What I found surprised me and I have never seen it in 26 years of Forestry. These are native Hornets completely ring barking and stripping bark causing the tips to die back, anyone seen this habit before, and why only the Ash? 1D07C2C9-505F-4E59-8B6B-1DA6BF2E47A0.MOV 1D8845EB-9A1A-4762-BEC7-52F6901FA546.MOV
  8. The avantgardener
    If your brother can collect/has a trailer, Copford Sawmill in East Sussex took some large slabs of Oak and Elm out of the kiln this morning. They should be able to offer delivery but I don’t know the costs involved.
  9. The avantgardener
    I get paid an agreed day rate or on tonnage depending on the job. You could get on the FC tender list and bid on standing timber. The way they are doing it has changed recently so you give them a price to cut and extract the timber, they then take bids on the timber at roadside.
  10. The avantgardener
    Those German boots are bombproof, continental soles if I remember right. The Argentine soldiers had them in The Falkands, until the British guys nicked them off em.
  11. The avantgardener
    I have heard an alternative ‘squaddie’ technique of filling said boots with piss, leaving overnight then carry on as Kriss says, works a treat apparently, although you do stink of piss..,
  12. The avantgardener
    I think it will serve its purpose until the Stihl is back up and running. You will probably find that it is okay with the grass head on but will not so good with the blade, the vibration will increase dramatically and the harness will probably be shit and you could end up feeling like your left collar bone has been karate chopped. Use the harness from the Stihl and adjust it so the machine balances well. With a full tank, the grass head should just hover above the ground, the metal blade a little higher because you might want to be swatting things down.
  13. The avantgardener
    If you have the storage room, have you thought about a second hand rough cut mower like a pedestrian SCAG?
  14. The avantgardener
    I’ve used both Stihl and Husqvarna for years, both make excellent machines but the 555rxt is the best I have used, loads of grunt, I find I can blast through large areas without having it flat out, so good I ordered a 555fxt Clearing Saw for plantation thinning, it has a shorter shaft and thumb throttle control, unfortunately had to get it sent over from Sweden.
  15. The avantgardener
    I visited an estate in Rye, East Sussex today. 30 plus very large Horse chestnuts in stunning condition, showing no leaf miner damage just the first blush of Autumn. It has been very dry down here since early Spring and we have had record temperatures throughout July and August, what’s the weather been like in your parts Mick? I have certainly seen heavier infestations in the wetter Summers.
  16. The avantgardener
    Forestry Commission would require EFAW+F as well as tickets on their sites. I wouldn't expect anyone without tickets to be employed, possibly subbies, it still happens. Who is this large company and is it FC land?
  17. The avantgardener
    From my understanding the newly completed and HSE approved LANTRA SRWP course standardises and removes any grey areas on what is and isn't acceptable to HSE in regard to access, work positioning and rescue, and in what situation single rope can be applied. Contact LANTRA who can give details of Instructors who are available to run it in the area that you live. The workbook is only available on LANTRA courses, the ink is still wet. edit: I have nothing to do with running these courses or have any vested interest in them.
  18. The avantgardener
    I have connections and get my information delivered by Ninjas.
  19. The avantgardener
    LANTRA have just published a HSE sanctioned workbook which covers the use of two ropes as well as when one rope can be used after extensive risk assessment has been carried out. Rather than SRT they are calling it (SRWP) Stationary Rope Work Positioning and Rescue.
  20. The avantgardener
    The best I have used is the Greenmech CS100, not used a jobeau. It is very well engineered but with that comes weight and I have struggled with access but used a Tirfor and ramps before. I live in the coast, there are lots of houses with shared, little or no access so have hired one in for some jobs. Useful also on long drags where you can persuade the customer to keep the chip in a pile, compost heap or spread on the flower beds, lots of customers are happy to keep the chip, they just don’t want a transit tipper full on their drive when they come home and have to spend the weekend wheelbarrowing it round the back.
  21. The avantgardener
    I have mentioned a few posts back the observations we found when recently felling 550+ Ash with ADB, some with poor crowns, some completely gone. I would estimate that 50 percent had some basal decay but no external sign/fungus present on the butt, these are plantation trees, not coppice stools and drawn up well in a mixed Beech compartment, no drought issues have been noted in any other tree species in this compartment, so why would drought only effect the Ash?
  22. The avantgardener
    Been at the RSPB site near Canterbury today, they had been out trapping moths last night, this one was a particularly rare species in the UK, sadly can’t remember its name, blue stripes on its back.
  23. The avantgardener
    CEP, great served up in an omelette with a little garlic.
  24. The avantgardener
    Ask Shavey about the 50cc Dolmar range and price, bombproof saw for firewood.
  25. The avantgardener
    I have seen very little signs of it in East Sussex this year, I was looking at some beautiful pollarded ones in Normandy two weeks back that where untouched also.

About

Arbtalk.co.uk is a hub for the arboriculture industry in the UK.  
If you're just starting out and you need business, equipment, tech or training support you're in the right place.  If you've done it, made it, got a van load of oily t-shirts and have decided to give something back by sharing your knowledge or wisdom,  then you're welcome too.
If you would like to contribute to making this industry more effective and safe then welcome.
Just like a living tree, it'll always be a work in progress.
Please have a look around, sign up, share and contribute the best you have.

See you inside.

The Arbtalk Team

Follow us

Articles

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.