JBH

@peds@mitchel: Hobbs Lowering Device block rigging tree surgeon arborist WWW.EBAY.CO.UK Used but not abused, plenty of life left in it. With sensible use the block will handle anything a 3/4 lowering rope will handle. (Sorry Peds, it wouldn't let me delete your tag) @Dan Maynard This bloke spliced and certified me a safebloc on an ultra a few years back. Never got to use it before selling it on though. He seemed pretty open to commissions: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/natsmit-53

Here it is, had a rebrand - much like Treekit, where I got it originally... : https://www.elagage-hevea.com/en/approach-hook-arborixx.html Edit: I stand corrected. I've wrongly referred to my old hook as and Eppel when it was not. Sorry Ronny

I stopped using my Eppel hook after similar happened to me. Snapped back off a branch, the point of metal where you can tie the fishermans knot pierced my prescription safety glasses and hit just below my eye socket. It could of either blinded me in one eye or knocked my teeth out again. If you're grappling, consider wearing eye protection to deflect any mistakes.

After continued weird spring noises from my RRP and the bird failing to engage I've bought a metal wrench tether. Rope walking today was an absolute slog, the wrench doesn't flex down fully as it did with a rope tether. Does anyone else use one & can offer any tips/ shared commiserations? Running it on a wet and icy Yale Poison Ivy

Cheers Dan, mine is a 04/21. Seeing as the 03/21 and 05/21 are both recalled it doesn't fill me with confidence.

I'd bring two ropes and a galvanized ladder for those hourly rates...

Many thanks for all the help folks. I've forwarded it to Woody and Tom at HB as well It is the non-ce one also and I've had a lot of dirty limes recently so could be that. I've rinsed, air-lined it and lubricated it. Might buy one of those ultrasonic jewellery baths. Cheers Gand, hopefully they'll get some answers 👍

Anyone else experienced this unsettling noise? Noticed it a week ago Lubricated with WD-40 and 3-in-1 every week Maybe life on my hitch climber wasn't so bad..? VID_20241102_223909~2.mp4

Yes, I think he is just on about connecting the two anchors for simple retrieval. His American Clacker anchor is interesting for two rope retrieval. If the connecting ring had a low enough breaking load to separate the two systems in event of anchor failure then it might be a bombproof choice for UK climbing regs (if anyone actually bothers with two ropes)

I saw Paul Poytner discuss extension tethers on his website and it definitely is worth giving it a try

Like Mark says, the quickie is excellent for this Hank. I've found connecting it above the Alpine Butterfly instead of through allows it to "float" when retrieving. This helps reduce friction if you've gone through some redirects, just look out for the quickie on its way down. I agree with Dan , Drt up saves throwline faff when you're rattling off street trees (especially if you have a good set of ladders to get you into the crown) The RRP extended with a small tape sling is worth trying. Drt it is like a mechanical blakes with reduced risk of catching the bird, extra slack distance to feed through when scrambling around obstacles, more ergonomic tending the device, can swing it around your body/ swivel it, when coming back from limb walks you just use it in the style of a hand ascender. There are loads of resources online if you can't find anyone in your area. I've never seen them but Lawrence Shultz did a good series of video tutorials a few years back that might be worth finding

I am not sure what the query is? Yes, you can canopy anchor then retrieve and switch. You can leave a long tail and just clip into the tail to descend drt at the end of the climb. You could also use a cambium saver knot blocked to retrieve at the end of the climb and simply natural crotch redirect where you would have been re-anchored drt . You could just use it to access then switch over to DRT if you don't anticipate much up and down. You could choke your drt system and switch to srt for a quick redirect SRT definitely isn't just exclusive to base ties. Just use it as a tool to compliment your DRT climbing skills, don't get hung up on purism (if that is what you are questioning)

I dismantled the trees growing on the pipe work and venting at the backside of that site a few months back. Are you running the unit next to the spinning pool thing on the bottom side? I know some local lads who might be interested and able to stomach it if you DM me. You get used to the smell after half a day and that's coming from a vegan...

Is the an automated calendar system for booking subcontractors? Save any confusion, last minute calls, missed days or disappointed companies. The company follows a link I've given them or found on the freelancer map. They select the day I have availability, job type, select any additional extras (large saws, specialist rigging kit, ect), input the job location (which throws up any additional mileage charges), confirm and book. Both parties get a nice bundled up job pack. Reduce the back and forth, likelihood of human error. Last minute jobs can be staffed without scrambling around for peoples numbers. Less barriers to booking someone. Does it exist? Is it too tech bro? Should I just get back to my filofax?

You've figured it now AHPP but here is a video as promised 👍 20240409_112557.mp4

I think that's what originally got me thinking Dan I've even just had a small drop bag full of cord with me for canopy tie retrieval if pruning on the shorter line After years drt on a 35m, I've got used to having effectively around sub 20m useable of work line I might have to give it a go for a few months and report back Would be interested to see wooden hands take on UK w@h regs in reference to some of his ideas, I feel they align a lot, beyond using the unicender

Qualified but no experience? Go and work at a company It usually takes 5 years for a climber to possibly be worth hiring as a subcontract climber and capable of doing most things in tree work (possibly) You might disagree now, you'll agree in five years though I thought you needed a years experience minimum between cs39 and cs41? NPTC/LANTRA/ABA really needs an hours based sign off system like IRATA You'll be an asset to a company immediately because you fufil the arial rescue requirement Welcome and Good luck

I've mainly been using a 20m rope SRT for the past few months and not much else Majority of my work in dismantles My longer ropes only get an outing when I have to base tie for access and I can't be arsed hauling them out of the van, let alone the tail around a tree Does anyone else just carry two short ropes in their kit bag? I feel like having two 20m ish ropes would cover me for base anchoring and I'd be more inclined to climb to the wah regs Or does my kit bag just feel heavy after the bank holiday...

Give the all things arb podcast a listen, I remember the bloke from Thor had a successful leafleting campaign.

I'll pop you a quick video on next time I am ropewalking. Just a more streamlined storage system for the knee ascender bungee

Yeah, it is nice because you can get the ascender on and off without it pulling up the line like usual

Intellectual property rights aside... This was put together from bits around my house in 10 minutes. It works and isn't half as annoying to climb with on my harness as I expected it to be (although it has not topped a conifer hedge yet. Might save someone £50 20240318_085124.mp4

No, I've used it on crane work with rope slings and was rigging 20inch + diameter timber with it today with no isssues. Guys on the ground always comment how much they like it because the knot is ontop of the piece and undoes easily. I don't have the info on the reduction in strength due to bend factors though. It's just become my default now

I am on your side with that one Mick, it might just have to be a 6 monthly rotation as suggested by waterbuoy. That's a cowhitch with a halfhitch on the bite for quick release by the groundie. Thank you for the indepth response Waterbuoy, I'll take it all onboard. The rope is cheap, 1/3 the price of my cheapest double braid. Just saves carrying a load of extra kit when just tasked with protecting surrounding trees or avoiding rivers.

They stated that I should not go down the road of using dated tech, the rope is prone to excessive fraying, low abrasion resistance (contrary to Marlows own claims), and lower MBS than double braid. I respect the inspector and that they can only sign off what they're comfortable with. I am not negative rigging large sections of timber on this, just using it to strip out trees when appropriate. Seems like it is a knee jerk reaction usually from an industry weened onto the shiney things. I am not a luddite, I rig with fancier stuff when needed. Just didn't know if there was a UK equivalent of true blue or the like that people have found cheap and cheerful in natural crotch rigging.