Ledburyjosh

I'm into that. Prefer my HARS mind, but that would get many people out of a sticky situation

Look for a US forum. This is predominantly UK based, such treatments aren't common place here so no one will be able to offer much advise

Not very light. Under 80kg probably ain't gonna move very easy. Depending on how close you are to the thing you can collapse the wrench easily to get things moving. It's better to plan the dismantle it pieces that'll be on the heavier side. Yes you can pull slack, it's obviously harder but just pull consistently and be patient rather than yarding on it. I tend to stop the line with as much slack as I think ill need when it gets passed back to me.

No just made one with my unused rope wrench.. It's very good and can be taken off the pinto easily if it's not required. It works very well with my harken with one groundy to lift branches away, then I can take control in the tree and lower it. At a guess it takes about 50% of the load meaning it's possible to lift 100-150kg branches on the harken and then release It off the harken to lower it by hand. I'd recommend giving it a go

One of these (DIY or an actual rigging wrench) is invaluable for rigging in the tree or working with only one grounds man as you can readily control it as they land it.

Cumbria had some excellent birch trees

In this country yes. In others no. It's an interesting topic, the UK is very much a about wrong tree in the wrong place. However if you visit Sweden or Canada there are much larger trees in higher numbers in proximity to building without issue. So perhaps it's more 'right tree wrong attitude'. I do understand that I am in the minority thinking like this in the UK. But I do find the differing views of what's considered as appropriate sized trees to proximity to buildings based on geographic location and social norms interesting.

From the TMA webpage: 'Associated with a selective white rot of the wood. Causes cavity formation. When found locally, decay is more likely restricted to this area. Multiple brackets over larger areas suggests widespread dysfunction. Associated with the decline of trees, when found in abundance. Associated with stem and limb failure – notably in species with weaker wood qualities (horse chestnut, poplar).' I'd suggest at present it's localised in the dysfunctional wood from where the fruiting body is emerging. Something to keep an eye on though as any significant decay at the base will increase likelihood of failure.

900mm! I reckon you need a more accurate tape measure.

Looks like it was a fine tree with the only defects being from poor work previously with to harsh a crown raising. The wound below the crown break isn't a concern currently, but seems freely used to sell a removal. The crown break all appears normal with unions that do not indicate any significant weakness. The reaction growth you mention at the crown break will likely have come as a response to excessive crown raising and the rasing of the central force of the wind as well as increasing the bending moment. Little else for it though if they want it smaller there is no longer much to reduce it to... so another one bites the dust and another contribution towards urban deforestation

I do not understand the customer not being willing to pay for a groundsman as a valid excuse for not having one. Curious of what you charged for thos job and what the difference would have been to have a ground man's?

It's a basic Box ticking certificate with some good information. (Not actually done it mind but have read the syllabus, spoke to people that have) Being mentored and time to practice is the only way to becoming good at rigging

Get your groundy to put the phone down and work the lines..

Just download the stihl app, it doesn't ask for any detaild

A flat wound that size ain't healing anyway. Either leave it as is or cut it in a way to harbour insects etc to give them somewhere to live. Flat tidy cuts are irreluvant when the thing will never occluded.

Presumably a more mellow taper on them being the thing there?

Stihl 261 or husky 550 as above are the standard for that size bar. Beyond 16" bars they are under powered. They are good on 13-16"

Blunt spikes are dangerous and hard work. Sharpen them your self with a flat file on Buckinghams I just file two edges and remove the burr from the third edge.

You can really go wrong... cut it down leave 150mm stumps and it will regrow.. you could cut higher or lower if you wanted. Chances are it will regrow fine regardless

Seems no one is clever enough...

I have titanium Buckinghams with the off set uppers. The titanium is erralavant, they are heavy relative to new carbon ones. The angle of the spike though is far superior to the distel type as they point forwards aswell as downwards. But leather foot straps.. no bother to me. I have some guchi distel ones for a bit with webbing straps, the straps did seem better. But not the overall spikes.

Sounds like there is little improvement with the version you had then. It's a shame, the compactness and ease of on and off is great, like a BDB. But the frustration of ****************ing about with settings is no good. Atleast it's got replaceable bits so isn't a throw away device after a year like the first version.

Has anyone given one of these a good go? Curious if the mk2 works reliable unlike the first one.

Is this still possible to get done at Alice Holt? If not does anyone know other places that do this?

Removed a dead Beech. Quite interesting thinking of how to achieve it with a big enough safety margin. The tree was dead, Kretz, Ganoderma and HF around the base. With a sounding mallet it was apparent there was no sound wood in the base. We have a large drop zone, with collateral to the rhododendron underneath being accepted. Some stone gate pillars and a post and rail fence on the drip line of the canopy on one side. I was happy climbing the upper canopy the wood was clearly dry and dead, but big enough to take my weight. The unknown was regarding the base and the extent of decay/strength of the wood. Considerations were predominantly around knocking big bits and altering the weight bias of the tree without knowing what margins we had before the tree may fall. My final choice on how to deal with it were concluded by not wanting to be in the tree for any big cuts. So the plan was set a winch line for the eder 1800, and another to side line against the weight attached the a 3t digger. Set the cuts at 1/2 height bail out of the tree and let the winch do the work whilst everyone was safe a clear Incase the tree failed at the base. It still took a suprising pull the get it over, the hinge held for more the I anticipated. It worked just fine, I left a bigger hinge than normal as the wood was dry where I put the cuts in. Got out the tree and let the winch do the work. It landed in the right place as planned with minimal risk to anyone. VID-20250909-WA0028.mp4 The remaining lower stem I went back up, stripped the remaining branches and winched it over.