john87

Thank you very much indeed for your excellent advice.. I was thinking of getting an RC2000 purely as it is compatible with 16mm rope. Now, i doubt very much that i will do anything that requires such a heavy rope, but figured that the rope etc would be more resistant to my ham fisted foul ups... Having said that, a thicker rope would be more difficult to knot, so could i be going backwards there?? john.

It does not JUST apply to them [much as the HSE would like to have you think] It applies to everyone EXCEPT as provided for by law.. [Things like agriculture, railways, asbestos etc]

That does look like a very nice set, i must say.. john..

That would be me then!!! Would you go for a "proper" portawrap of one of the Stein versions?? john..

Here you go.. Self-employed workers - HSE WWW.HSE.GOV.UK From 1 October 2015, if you are self-employed and your work activity poses no potential risk to the health and safety of... Hope this helps... john..

I cannot get any links to work, but just google "self employed exempt from HSE law" and you will find all you want.. john..

Ok, i know NOTHING of this kind of thing really, but i will point out the obvious.. 1, Risk assessment and management is a balancing act. You cannot enforce "safety" measures that migth sound good, but for whatever reason, actually increase overall risk.. 2, The muppets that dreamt this up, have probably never been up a tree.. 3, What happens in other sectors of the "access industry" is irrelevant, going up the side of a block of flats is a stroll in the park compared to a tree.. 4, Best of all, if you are self employed, HS law was changed, so that if you are only putting yourself in danger, you are exempt from this sort of nonsense.. "In 2011, the Löfstedt Review recommended that those self-employed whose work activities pose no potential risk of harm to others should be exempt from health and safety law. This recommendation was accepted by Government. So, from 1 October 2015, if you are self-employed and your work activity poses no potential risk to the health and safety of other workers or members of the public, then health and safety law will not apply to you." Is YOUR rope holding up anyone else?? No??? then do as you like.. As you were.... john...

More great advice!! john..

Thank you!! That would indeed be a nice setup! john..

Thanks for all your advice!! You are great you lot are!! john..

Yes, i agree with everything you all say, If i have the money i would get one of them ones with a winch built in, as that would be very handy. I only need one for occasional use, as i would not be doing it every day like you lot, but if i started to do more, i could upgrade then i suppose. Not sure what rope diameter though and i do fancy one of them sling things with the rings instead of a pulley as i could install it from the ground if needed, although i would imagine that installing it from the ground is VERY far from ideal.. Left to myself i would have both, but seen the price of pulleys... john..

Cheapness!!! john..

Hi All, What would you go for if buying rigging stuff for general everyday use and why?? Portawrap, or one of the Stein RC1000 type things, and what rope diameter?? Is it best to go for 16mm or will 13 or 14 be fine?? john..

Ok.. Now this is something i know about!! Many years ago, i worked for, what was at the time, the largest, [i think] hirer of these things in the uk. My job was structural repairs to the things, and i can tell you that they are a load of shit.. No way on this earth would i go up in one.. The things used to have recalls all the time with cracks appearing. There was one type that went up to 70 feet. You would have large cracks where the axles were welded to the structure [the things weighed getting on for 20 tons] and worst of all, cracks in the bracket that supported the cage the operator stood in. It was a trully crap design, that i modified somewhat, and, as far as i know, details of my mod were sent to the makers to be adopted worldwide.. I was on a site once, and the operators of one were laughing at me because i refused to go up in the thing. Oh how they laughed.. They did not laugh quite so much when i showed them all the welding repairs that the thing had had.. Often, the operators are nuts mind. I went to one site to do some dye/pen crack testing to a cage rotate mechanism. Sure enough, large cracks.. I told the hirer this, showed them, and told them the machine was not to be used and a replacement would be sent out.. I went back to the site a while later, and there they were up in the thing.. I have seen idiots up in the things with oxy/acetylene burning gear, and also a machine at full height and then an extension ladder erected to gain more height. I have seen a clown drive a large boom type machine off a foot high drop and then seem surprised that he only just managed to stay in the cage as the machine nearly launched the muppet into orbit.. I think it is fair to say that many of the people that use these things are not the brightest.. Cannot help some people.. john..

Is it a lot harder now than when you were younger?? What if anything has changed?? Is there anything you cannot do anymore?? Thank god i am fairly slim though, i was 16 stone once, would not have got off the ground, never mind up a tree.. I am a far more sensible 11 odd stone now. It does worry me sometimes, what if a had a heart attack or something whilst up a tree... john..

60 in march... I do a lot of voluntary work, some of which involves trees.. happily for me, as well as the many other things i have done, i have worked with saws on and off since i was about 20 something, so not a complete beginner. Climbing is all very new to me though, and i am not good with heights, but i suppose that is a result of not being foolish or reckless and not wanting to hurt myself, know your limits and all that.. Being up a tree certainly concentrates your mind though.. john..

Yes, and that is what i am trying to do.. One thing i do have is common sense and an engineering background. I have managed not to maim myself with years of large bits of steel, but then they were not up a tree!! john..

Yes, what you say is right really, sorry for having the hump a bit.. I am a bit old to be off out with arborists though, would only get in the way..

You clearly know everything, so perhaps you might like to explain?? In my experience, those that seem to dislike sharing knowledge, take that stance as they know the least.. john..

To be honest, after LOTS of pondering, that is what i decided i would do in future.. Glad others agree!! You have cut the bottom [so the bark will not tear] and, with cutting directly opposite, the thing will break off with no chance of the cut getting overtaken and making a mess as Mick says.. The ONLY advantage i can thing of for doing it the "spaced out cuts" way, is, if you are cutting SHORT bits off, and want to be able to put the saw down before physically snapping the thing off by hand, so as to be able to throw it where you want.. Another thing i do not like about the "spaced out cuts" lark. Say you are cutting a vertical or fairly vertical branch off. You cut the one side, then the other, however the thing splits down the grain of the "middle" bit, before you are ready. The entire weight of the branch has now dropped vertically right onto your bar and chain.. That will work wonders for it/them, i am sure.. john..

Thank you!! john..

Hi All, Ok, newbie question here... What if the deal with snap cuts and why bother?? Ok, so there you are sawing a more or less horizontal branch off a tree. You do the undercut first, THEN the final cut.. Now, i always thought you did it a bit further out from the trunk.. I have seen others do it nearer to the trunk too.. What difference does it make and which is the correct way?? john..

The way i see it is, a saw is a lot of money, and, the harder you use it, the quicker it will wear out, so why make life difficult for the poor saw!! Be like driving your car round with flat tyres and wondering why the tyres do not last long and you use a lot of petrol!! Besides, who want to be up a tree with a saw that has not been properly maintained, not me!!! [bad enough just being up a tree!!] john..

Ah, yes, first time i sharpened a chain, all went well, flew through the sycamore i was cutting up. I sharpened it again, and i filed down the depth gauges using the jig thing you get in the sharpening kit. Result was terrible.. Chain was sharp ok and cut very fast, but very grabby... Bought a new chain.. Now, i mark one tooth with a marker pen, [so i do not get lost!] and give them all the same number of strokes with the file. As for the depth gauges, forget the jig thing, just a smidgeon off them every 3 sharpenings and all seems fine. Best guide seems to be; Does the thing more or less feed itself, AND look at the chips.. If they are more like flakes than saw dust, then all is well [i hope!!!!] john..

I always keep the chain well sharp, as, like all cutting tools, a little sharpen often, and they last loads longer than waiting until thye are blunt and then grinding/filing a load off so it more or less feeds itself into the cut.. john..