Jamie Jones

Hi Teccie Paul Can you give us an update on the ICoP please... Has it been finalised and if it has can we have a link to it please? I have been told (and it might just be a load of rubbish) that it is being re thought out because there have been issues in being applied to a working environment and that as a result of issues being raised HSE is back tracking on some aspects. Can you give us any clarification on if there is any validity on the above comments? Also when the ICoP if finalised will you be doing an ICoP on other aspects of the job: ie... Safe Use of a Chainsaw from a Rope and Harness Felling in sections (Process, Cuts for different tasks,) Pruning (Polarding, Crown Raising and Reductions) Rigging Skylining etc The reason for asking is because if the AA is going to claim to be the go to industry body all these documents should be in place... PS: I am not knocking the AA, but I would have thought all these documents / guides to good practice should be available. So I thought you as a man in the know would be able to advise on what is happening.

If you ever want rid of the makita 9010... I might be interested..

So for Harvey B Davison.... Here goes with a review of what I think on these two saws... Q1) Why am I buying Dolmar/Makita Kit? Let's make one thing clear I am a big Dolmar fan. They make Great chainsaws for a really good price. Compared to Stihl Chainsaws you can get two Dolmar/Makita chainsaws for the price of one Stihl Chainsaw.... When I first set my business up (five years ago) all my equipment was Stihl equipment and to be honest it is good kit. I have twelve items of Stihl Equipment. But I had some issues with their new strimmer heads and on two occasions the Stihl National Sales Reps have lied to me direct to my face, saying I am the only person with this problem. Even when another customer raised the issue with them in front of me, they still denied there was a problem. I have since found out that other dealers have also raised this with them and tackled them for a second time and they still lied to me.. Since then I have purchased a further nine items of equipment and none of them are from Stihl even though Stihl make the the items I have purchased.... So their loss. It is also a loss for my Stihl dealer who are excellent and give top service. But it has cost them sales as well... Q2) Firstly are these saws really Dolmar Chainsaw? Well no not really... I suspect that they are Makita Chainsaws and they are both made in China. So no they are not made in the Dolmar factory in Germany. Q3) Thoughts on the Dolmar AS3835 36v Battery.. (Rear Handle Chainsaw). Lets be honest when you put down your 60cc chainsaw and pick up a battery powered saw it is always uninspiring..... This saw will not set your world alight... But... I didn't buy it for forestry.... I purchased it to sit beside a chipper for when you need to take off awkward branches to get stuff in the chipper or for the odd bit of pruning. It was taking too much effort continuously pulling on a chord to fire up a petrol saw for seconds of action.. For this task it is a great little chainsaw and for what little use I got out of it on its first day of action, I was very pleased with it and it lived up to my expectations. My colleague also had a go with it and was happy with it.. So I had a play with his Husky Battery chainsaw and I felt it was certainly and equal, although I have not done a direct comparison. So as a comparison... Dolmar AS3835 or the Stihl MS211.... For what I purchased the Dolmar AS3835 for I would opt for the Dolmar.. But for extended running use I would go for the petrol engine. The good thing about the Dolmar/Makita 36v chainsaws is that I also have a load of other Makita carpentry tools and the batteries will be powering a whole host of other items. So all in all, I am very pleased with Dolmar AS3835 and would recommend it as long as you manage your expectations. I went for the Dolmar version over the Makita because of the Dolmar's colour as I don't like the Makita Teal Blue. I do prefer all my tools to be brightly coloured... Q4) Thoughts on the Makita DUC306 36v Battery? (Top Handle Chainsaw). I got this obviously for use while climbing... I hate the Makita Teal Blue but at this stage you can't buy it in Dolmar red/orange... Again it has lived up to my expectations and the reason for getting it was so I was not continuously pulling on the pull chord for seconds of action. So for that reason it is a big bonus when up in a tree and it does make life easy. The boost power function is also a good feature (The rear handle saw doesn't have this at the moment). I have been very pleased with it for working on limbs and pruning... So for a crown reduction it would be a great saw. For stem work... Yes it will do it but you have to let it go at its own pace.. Push it and it bogs down. When I compare it to my Echo CS360TES 36cc petrol saw I think the petrol engine has more guts and will go further than the battery saw. A great top handle chainsaw that I have been very impressed with. I also have the Echo CS2511TES 25cc Petrol Chainsaw... Again a great little chainsaw that I have been very impressed with... So which is the better top handle chainsaw and which one would I pick up first out of: Makita DUC306 36v Battery, Echo CS360TES 36cc petrol, or the Echo CS2511TES 25cc Petrol? 1, If I could only have one saw... Well it would have to be the Echo CS360TES 36cc petrol for doing everything. 2, For pruning, crown reductions and dealing with smaller branches? As long as it is not endless pull chord pulling it would be the Echo CS2511TES 25cc Petrol because it is so light.. But if it is lots endless tugs on the pull chord it would be the Makita DUC306 36v Battery saw. 3, So how do you plan on using the Makita DUC306 36v Battery saw? For jobs where it will get lots of on/off use it will be the Makita every time. Them switch to the Echo CS360TES for the more chunky stems in the top handle saw range. Will all these battery saws you have to let then do their thing and you can't push them as they will just bog down. I hope this helps answer peoples questions and in reality all the saws will be getting plenty of use.

Ooh interesting, I've just enquired with shavey about a price for one of those. How do you find it. I have only taken delivery of it today.. Will be using it tomorrow so I will let you know... I also have the 36v new Makita top handle saw.... It is a good chainsaw but you can't push these saws hard... you just have to let them do their thing

A big Thank You to Shavey for the Delivery of another Dolmar... This time it is AS-3835 36v... As it uses the Makita batteries it works great with all my carpentry kit... I have got this saw for being by the chipper to trim awkward bits so I don't have to keep starting up a petrol saw. Press on an go.....

Looks a bit of a wild day out in that wind.

Thanks for your advice...

Thanks for the reply..... What is the key idea of it in SRT? Is it to just tend the knot up the line and to help reduce the knot from locking up tight on the rope by reducing the load on the knot due to applying friction.

After some advice regarding the ISC Rope Wrench device.... I climb using DRT all the time. I ether used a Petzl ZigZag (With Petzl Karabiners) or the DMM Hitch Climber (With DMM Ultra O Karabiners). Having never seen a ISC Rope Wrench device in real life.. I have only seen it used with the DMM Hitch Climber device on youtube... in Both SRT & DRT.... But they don't say what it is actually doing for them. Question 1) I was therefore wondering what the benefit would be of adding a ISC Rope Wrench device to a DMM Hitch Climber device system in DRT climbing? .... Question 2) I also understand that there is different set ups of the ISC Rope Wrench device... So which one would I need when climbing in DRT with a DMM Hitch Climber device? Question 3) Or is there a better system ISC system to use instead of the hitch climber device when climbing in DRT? All advice welcome..

thanks... will google it

Just looking around at big chainsaw options and I note that the Stihl MS 880 MAGNUM that took the 48" bar is no longer in production... The biggest option you can get is the Stihl MS661 with a 36" Bar. Husqvarna's biggest offering is the 572XP with a 28" Bar.... Dolmar's biggest offering is the PS7910 with a 28" Bar....(might take a 30" at a push. But there is now no big boy saws... So how will the industry deal with big stemmed trees in the future... Especially if they need to take a stem down in sections?

Safe block??? Couldn’t see it in the view do you have a picture please

Thanks for the reply.. I already have a ps7810 and in fairness to the kit I would not put a bar longer than 28-30 on it for oiling reason. but interesting comments on the 7910. thanks

Starting to build up a rigging kit and wondered what people would advice... I am looking at getting the right sling set up for up in the tree... What would you guys advise? Dead-Eye Sling and rigging block?https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/forum/31-rigging-and-roping/?do=add# X-ring Sling Whoopy sling? HBM Whoopie sling adjustable with SafeBloc (Three eye friction block)

I am needing bar length... Took down an big ash tree the other week and the 7910 on a 28" bar couldn't deal with the stem... So a my oppo' had to get his Stihl ms660 out to do the job.. I have a possible job coming up where it has a big stem that will need chogging down while I am up there in a harness. So I will need the longest bar I can get and a 36" bar would be a big benefit..

Hi Big J But isn't there a longer piston travel on the 9010 over the 7910 as well as slight increase in cc to give more torque that will prevent it from bogging down and will run a longer bar? I am running the 7910 with a 28" bar and need something with a bit longer bar for chugging down stems while off the ground.

I am currently looking at getting a Knee Ascender... The Petzl one seems rather expensive and the only other one that seems to be about is the Stein Knee Ascender? What Knee Ascenders are people using and is the Stein one any good?

Would I be correct that with the Twin Line Version.... The second line is SRT? and is purely there for rescue or do you use it now as part of the new two rope climbing? As I thought that you needed separate anchors for that.

Just been looking at the Stein RCW-3001 Lowering Device and the additional Winch Kit. Does the winch bit get used that often?

Anyone using the 'ART RopeGuide 2010 with Cocoon Pulley' or the new updated 'ART RopeGuide Twin Line'? If so can you give me some feed back as to how you have found it and what it has done for your tree climbing? Any Pro's & Con's between the two? Which would you choose and why?

If you had to replace your impact block which would you go for out of the DMM & ISC? Also if you was to get two impact blocks, what size blocks would you buy?

Thanks?

Just starting to get in to getting a rigging kit together and I have been looking at which Friction Lowering Devices to get? The only one I have used to date is the Tree Runner P500 Rigging Device / Abseil Brake that is attached to the tree with a Ratchet Strap. The Device has rubber feet so you don't damage the trees stem... Do people rate this device? I was wondering what Friction Lowering Devices people use and what they would recommend getting?

Just starting think about getting in to rigging having just done my chainsaw from a rope and harness.... I am looking at rigging impact block pulleys.... It seems that the two key competitors are the DMM and ISC... The DMM is the more expensive of the two with a good saving over the ISC versions... But the DMM looks better built... Having never used ether make what to people prefer using out of the two brands and why? And what are the main pro's & con's of each brand?

They don't have the discretion to make that decision anymore. If you have warning lights then they have to fail the vehicle... If they don't adhere to the rules they can be fined and stopped from having the MOT facility..