5thelement

Hornbeam is the second hardest wood in Europe and is one of the highest grade firewoods, but terrible in the ground or outside. Use your Oak or get some Sweet chestnut or Acacia for your outdoor build.

Hi Phil, Ben law does a few books but only covers the basic tools and techniques. Olly Moses was one of his apprentices and does workshops, he is based in Cambridge and is running a roundwood framing course shortly ( If I was in the UK I would be the first on it), I am doing one myself here in France over the next two weekends. Closer to home, Richard Ely ( Instagram- greenwoodcraftsman) is based in Robertsbridge, he has fantastic knowledge and skills with cleft chestnut products, he also does charcoal. You might be able to exchange some labour for knowledge. 👍

My mistake, 250kg not 500kg, it was tested to 800kg though, the company is based in Bordeaux.

I generally only use it for lighter stuff over buildings, I can control the swing and then let it run/or lock it off then lower it with a tag line attached for the groundy to control, not used the type in your image.

I use one of these for self lowering, rated up to 500kg but tested at 800kg, friction easily adjustable or it can be locked off

Looks like Tree of Heaven

I was standing in a the work zone of a coned off section of the A21 with the team, receiving the usual toolbox talk with the Highways Safety Officer. Night time shutdown, pretty quiet, a few cars had been waiting for a couple of minutes at the red light, lights changed, they took off at speed, front car threw an unopened can of coke out of the window, smacked the safety officer clean on the side of the head. There are some total knobheads about, it was funny as f**k at the time though.

I think you will get the most out of it if you have been climbing for a while and can see the options/possibilities for the techniques being delivered, maybe a bit lost on a newby. Probably best to do some research on who is delivering the course too, I don’t want last years college ‘star’ who has never done the job showing me the ropes. Arborventure in the New Forest do it, multiple world champion comp climber as instructor, Ben Rose or Dave Daniels of London Chainsaw Training , or the rope wizard that is Terry Barnyard would be my first port of call.

I know what it’s called as I have one, I quite like using it, it doesn’t have to be a karabiner, I have plenty of those if I need them. Each to their own.

Have you actually used this for rigging down anything substantial?

Crack on with what you prefer then. I have steel ones similar, but mine don’t look like they are already bent out of shape.

There is a certificate claim form for all Lantra courses. The certificate is sent or emailed directly to the candidate. I always stress that the certificate belongs to them, not the employer, so the personal details on the form should be theirs, the candidate can then supply the employer with a copy for their records.

They earned the certificate with their own ability, not you, even if you paid for it, it’s not yours, you’re not paying for a hooker. A replacement certificate is about £50 and just an email to Lantra/City and Guilds away.

Because ‘the following thing’ already looks like a LOLER fail. Probably isn’t as easy to attach/disconnect with freezing wet hands either.