Mick Dempsey

I was wondering. I was thinking, middle age has really hit Mark like a train, the man is falling apart in front of our eyes.

Dunno if this’ll have legs but it’s something I think about a lot, it’s an underrated skill, but can make a hell of a difference to the bottom line. I’ve worked with and for some great and some terrible guys and feel I have gleaned a few bits over the years. Even from up a tree, I’m like the Eye of Sauron, judging, always judging. There’s nothing I like more than going home in good time with the job done, so to this end I thought I’d throw a few tips in and see if anyone else has any. 1: If it’s a job with multiple trees over different areas, but don’t get tempted to move on to the next bit before you’ve finished where you are. Younger, eager climbers often browbeat you with ‘I’ll just go and strip that tree out round the back now shall I?’ When there’s still work to be done in the front. It just spreads the job out and you lose control. The correct answer is ‘no, stay here, we’ll finish this, then we’ll all go round there together’ 2: In the afternoon when everyone is losing energy try to set a target ‘look, let’s get this done, then that’s it for the day’ give the poor bastards something to aim for. 3: People (who work with or for me) often comment on my reasonable and friendly attitude, however when you’re in the middle of something really gutty try and encourage with ‘I know this is a nightmare, but once we’re done with this it’ll be easy street for the rest of the week’ 4: It’s ok to be a ball breaker about always raking towards the truck on the final cleanup, that sh#t is serious, and they will thank you in the future (this is true)

I can’t understand why there’s confusion here. Bloke does gardens and bits. Wants a climber to do some bigger stuff his clients has asked for, he can ground and run the ropes. Seems reasonable.

Well you can waste your time trying to disabuse him of that view, or do it anyway.

Is that such a big deal? Don’t those rubber tracks have steel reinforced bands in them?

No, I think he’s after one.

You’ve put some work in there @Ty Korrigan!

Wouldn’t have thought a dry spell in Berkshire would trouble eucalyptus.

Depends if you’re gay or not.

Broad beans grown in the chip pile. Mahoosive!

Reinforces my earlier opinion, just have out what’s on your side, don’t get bogged down in pointless discussions with the bloke. But don’t (as someone suggested) poison what’s left.

Got any other pictures, further back? give us some more context.

Just put all the teeth on the blade on the end where you need them, job done!

You’re not going to kill it.

Often with neighbours it’s best to fall out early, saves embarrassment later on.

It’s a sycamore, so killing it would be difficult. Given the info supplied thus far, I’d cut anything on your side and bollocks to your neighbour.

Here’s the thing. In order to move the wood it needs to be stacked across the trailer so when I tip it it rolls out, so has to be approx 1.7 mètres length (not much use for milling) If I put it length ways it’s difficult, though not impossible, to tip out. I use the trailer to transport the machine so if the Avant is on site I can’t use it to unload back at base. You have made me think about the possibilities though, so fair play.

No, onto the waste log pile it went!

….

This large and rather awkward cedar met it’s maker this week. Electric line, buildings, and most irritatingly, a underground ancient rain water collector just in front of the only felling zone. No rigging pics because you sort of get caught up in the moment, but a few others. We had to fell the stick across the aforementioned tank, but use logs to ‘span’ it to avoid its collapse. Slight back lean on the stem, but Dave put it where it was needed, no drama. Slightly underpriced but happy clients anyway. IMG_2956.MOV

Still got my Arbtalk T-shirt in the bottom of the draw. Can’t bring myself to use it for rag in the workshop just yet Of course, if there was a new run and a competition for the design…

Not inconsiderable oak over hundreds of years old bridge and historic walls blah blah. Ziplining and ringing down, big and small. IMG_2954.MOV IMG_2953.MOV

Silly, but I like silly.

If he had left his missus for an 18 year old girl his career would have been finished there and then. Everyone knew about this lad, it was all over Twitter at the time.

R.Kelly and Tim Schofield.