Thesnarlingbadger

Cheers Mark, I'll make sure I get some pics. It'll be a fun job but I'm going to have to sort an 88 out for it. The Job will pay for one so I might invest as the 66 just isn't going to cut it, no pun intended. I'm just dreading the sawdust pile afterwords (not going to be able to loose that under the hedges).

Thanks Erik, Yes I will try and get a mill involved and keep the tree in some nice lengths. I'll try and get some pics and vids to put up once the Job is done. Its funny, seeing some of your videos makes the job look so simple but I know after a couple of days rigging that tree down my back and legs are going to be killing. I'm much more adapted to doing light reduction work on things like Ash and Beech. Keep the pics and Videos coming mate they are very enjoyable to watch.

Unfortunately there is no access for a timber trailer as it’s down a narrow lane. It looks like it’s going to have to go for firewood I know someone who will take it from site so that makes life a little bit easier. I may try and get a mate with mobile mill in to slice the 20ft of stem but he will probably want the timber for himself.

I know. I think the guy may have just brought the house and he obviously thought let’s get rid of that first. I don’t blame him it’s a beautiful tree and will be a shame to see it go but I can’t argue with the logic. I’m really looking forward to the job just hope the weathers alright for some pics.

Erik I have just read this thread fro start to finish and there has not been a dull moment. Your work style is very smooth and calm. Your life style is what many could only dream of over here. You have what you need and that’s enough if you enjoy what you do. I especially like the fact most the timber is milled and used. Are you mainly felling so you can mill or is the milling a by product that is wisely used. I’ve been climbing around 10 years maybe a little less but mainly deal with hardwoods over here in the UK and 9 times out of 10 I get called in to take a tree down or reduce it because it is an obstruction in some sort of way so it’s a different kettle of fish. However I have just won a job to take down a Sequoia (my fist one to completely remove) it’s slightly over a house and has a lean towards the house, 6ft at the base and about 80-90ft in height. Any tips you could give? I’ll be fine doing it but if someone like yourself has any advise I’d be happy to listen. Cheers from Eric with a C An idea to show you what I’m up against.

Haven’t snapped one myself (always err on the side of caution when rigging) but I’ve seen it happen. Big beach stem ringed off a co-Dom luckily the peace being rigged dropped butt first and wedged in the ground and against the tree. Again to many raps on the bollard and the 16mm rigging line just snapped like a bit of sting. I can’t remember if it was double brand or not because we were more concerned about getting the unattached stem down safely. I was knocking over some smaller ash down the other end of the garden and turned round to see it happen followed by the climber shouting just about every swear word under the sun. No one hurt and nothing damaged but a heart stopping moment non the less.

I wore Sthil hi-flex for years and loved them but now they don’t make them I’ve gone for the Pfanner gladiators in red because they make me look like a fireman and that is the most important thing really

There is an absolute belter of a dead oak in a field on the M4 eastbound just before Leigh Delamere Services. I’ve taken a photo in the past while in a passenger seat but really want to take a closer look. Anyone else seen it? Even better got a picture. I’m assuming it’s in a farmers field. I’ve got the drive by photo somewhere but it’s in amongst 5 years of phone photos of trees and the kids (needle in a haystack).

It could well be but I just wanted to double check before I spent 30 grand on something. To be honest low profile tyres would just be more costly and worse off road so I’m not that bothered about them.

One thing I have noticed is that the Invincible and the Icon have different sized wheels. The Icon have 17” wheels and the Invincible have 18”. Other than that it is just mod cons like led lights and lane departure sensors. Will larger wheels make a difference when off road? I would assume you would have slightly better response on roads but not enough for me to worry about 2k over. But if there is going to be a difference off road (where I need it to preform) then I may consider the extra money. Cheers

I do not disagree with this what so ever and it looks like I have to go out and get a CS32 at the end of the day. Not an issue at all, I with phone up the company who I have done most my training with on Monday and get a course booked for early next year. I think that the only way to keep your head above water in a industry that is getting swamped by door knockers and flyer droppers is to adapted and get more tickets and more accreditation’s. As previously mentioned by David you can then price for this with the outlook that you are a professional outfit. I’m happy to do these things to a degree but what I don’t want is to go out and obtain CS32 and for them to turn around and say well we would now like to see a CS34&35 because once you fell a tree it has tension and compression on a large scale, so could you just beep off and get that one. This tickets are great and it’s never a bad thing to have in the arsenal but a ticket is only a bit of paper saying you have done this and isn’t as useful as 10 years working on the tools being put up against these situations on a regular bases.

X27 here also. I pick up the. Fiskars splitting maul if I have a gnarly lump to try and power through but to be honest the 27 gets through most things. They are also the most ergonomic axe I have used so far.

Thanks for all the reply’s here guys. I have been told that I need to get a CS32 before we can work on that tree. I have asked if I can sub someone in with a CS32 and am waiting for a response. I’m not pissed off I know they are just trying to do what’s best for the school. Just a little frustrated as I am allowed to go and Monolith another tree of the same size for them. I could literally stand on spikes 6” off the ground and fell 40ft of stem out because that is complying with H&S but doing safely from the ground is not acceptable. I will go out and do the CS32 hopefully in the first month or two of next year (if there are any courses). I’m happy to do that like I said because at the end of the day it’s all knowledge and helpful in the long run. Mark I have had a few drinks over the past few nights trying to resolve this.

Hi Paul, thank you very much for this it’s really appreciated. I have had a couple of teachers tell the H&S that I would need CS32 unfortunately but I will see if I can get hold of her and ask her to ring you. So you may get a call shortly. Thank you again this is greatly appreciated. Cheers Eric

I had flu when I was a teenager. It had me on my back for 2 weeks straight and I couldn’t eat a thing and could barely drink. My body felt like it was 100 years old and I couldn’t even lift the kettle to make a lemsip type drink. I still think about that flu 18 years on and it worries me that I could get that I’ll again, back then I was just off school, now with kids and a business I don’t know how I would manage especially is the misses was down with it as well. I don’t envy you and I wish you a quick recovery.

Thanks Spud but I think they are after a more legal proof side of things but I will ask them to go on my website and view previous jobs. it may help.

Surely if you were dismantling a tree then it doesn't matter. I get what your saying and I'm not trying to sneak around something, if I have to do a CS32 then so be it (it will only be a befit at the end of the day) but I would rather try and do this job and then get one. I'm just a little frustrated as it was something I didn't think would be an issue and now has become a thing that I am having to try and sort out in a short period of time. The joys of running a business.

I see what you are saying and to be honest if I could get someone with a CS32 for a couple of hours then great but its finding someone who will be willing to do that who lives close enough. I will look in to this idea but I would not even be felling the stem.

Hi guys thanks for the input. Ralph I am based in Bristol so maybe a little far for you. But if you're keen inbox me your details day rate, and if you're available on the 3rd and 4th of Jan. I will be happy to get a CS32 but I wouldn't be able to do it before the job is planned. The frustrating part is this is a very basic job and the kind of thing I do day in day out and I wouldn't be felling the tree at any point. It will have to be chogged down and I don't want the weight of the stem to damage anything.

I have a bit of an issue with one of my jobs I am planning to do at the moment with regards the health and safety. The Job is for a school and I have had to send over copies of all mine and the lads tickets to prove I am competent. All very well and not a problem. However I have been to quote for a job and one of the trees is to dismantle and cut right down to ground level. Now the health and safety at the school seem to think that because I don't have CS32 I can not climb and take down trees with a diameter larger than 380mm due to the fact CS31 states that you are capable of felling trees with a diameter no greater than 380mm. All very frustrating and I have spoken to the H&S lady over the phone and she seems like she is trying to find some information to prove that what I am saying (that I can climb trees of any size with a chainsaw) is correct but she has not had a response from the AA or can't get hold of anyone else to set her straight. I am just looking for something I can hand over to them to show them that I am competent. The job is suppose to go ahead before the kids get back to school to minimise disruption, so I'm on a bit of a timescale with it. If anyone can point me in the way of some official wording that proves CS32 is to fell a tree and ground level and CS39 enables you to climb a tree with a saw regardless of trunk diameter I would greatly appreciate that. And Just out of curiosity how many arborist companies out there actually have people with CS32, as I don't know many, other than much larger or forestry firms maybe. Rarely do I come across jobs where I fell a larger tree as most my work is in built up areas and there is no way you could fell this tree as it is leaning towards a building. Thanks in advance people.

You know your in Bristol when you see a man pushing a shopping trolly filled with old porn mags, drinking a can of special brew with his old fella hanging out because you need to carry on walking whilst having a piss if you need to get somewhere fast. It was a long time ago when I saw this but the image still hunts me.

Or has the misses bullied you in to putting up the decorations early this year? Mine is threatening me already. [emoji23]

If you want fairly cheep, use box steel to make a frame that sits on to the bed (paint with rust proof paint) use marine ply and cover it in varnish for the insides of the box and then use ally composite for the outsides. Investors done mine like this and it’s held up for nearly 3 years now. I’ll send a pic through if you like.

Every now and then, you lucky bugger my misses finds it hard going a week without looking for new shoes.

I would say marine ply covered in varnish and then build the structure. With some cheep plastic sheeting covering the whole of it, you could probably just staple it to the ply until you essentially have a plastic sheet box.