New Arborist tool

Thanks for your reply- points taken. Duranglow(pun intended refering to all the uranium mined and milled here) or more properly Durango is in SW corner of Colorado. I certainly DO wish you succes with this product.
 
Its been an eventful week for this project. I was supposed to pick up the first batch of these tools on Monday. They were long overdue the completion date and I have missed various opportunities because of this. The company that was making them gave me an estimate of 3 weeks to complete the first 10 of 100, and after hearing every excuse in the book, that was now nearly 4 months ago.

So I go down on Monday afternoon to pick them up. I am dreading it as I have a suspicion they are not going to be accurate to the drawings. At a first glance they look ok and are gleaming in their fresh zinc coating. However, after a closer inspection I find the same 5 mistakes on every tool, most are rectifiable but others are not. I suspected this might happen but had hoped I would be wrong. You know when you get that sinking feeling about something but you ignore it anyway in the hope that you are just being unduly pesamistic. And then it turns out you were right all along.

This company is a well established Precision Engineer’s and Metal fabricator. Their response to my annoyance was, ‘We’ve done our best for you’, ‘The lads probably just got pissed off with all the welding’.

So that is how they justified wasting months of my time to finally produce a set of tools that don’t even work.

And then to add insult to injury, he tries to charge me 10% extra because the job has taken so long! I now believe this was his plan all along, to get me that desperate that I have to pay extra or let the retailers down. Thankfully, Id had the foresight to find another, better Company, who are already on to the next order.

Engineer no.1 however, is now left with a bunch of crap tools that he is threatening to sell independently. Problem is, he has no permission to do so, he has no Risk Assessment, Products Liability, Manual, Stamps, this particular batch are inherently faulty, and he doesn’t even know what they do!

However, if anyone comes across them, ebay perhaps, please let me know, as the sales, distribution and use of these would not only be unlawful, but also a bad representation of the product.

It’s a shame when you don’t always recognize these parasites for what they are at an early stage, but you try to see the best in people and give them a chance to prove their worth. And although his cunning plan didn’t work, I still intend to punish him for the trouble he tried to cause me.

Let this be yet another lesson to me.
zbanghead.gif
 
Thanks for the encouragement Pete, I have things in hand but its been a difficult enough process without this kind of BS.
On a more positive note, the lever-bar on the video now has a big brother, in the form of a heavy duty felling bar. And a very nice piece of kit is is too.
 
Hmmmm....sounds familiar Reg.

At least you found out who you were involved with at this early stage.

Hopefully it all goes swimmingly now. Good news about the bar!
 
familiar story Reg. almost mirror's my own experience with my chippers. In the end, I decided if you want something done properly, do it yourself.
 
Bad deal, the first run invariably may need some reworks but not because the manufacturer didn't build to spec. big PIA good luck
 
Laz

Ive put some shiny pictures on my homepage for anyone who cares to have a look.

The production is on track, although the previous manufacturer is now threatening me with court. That’s fine but I could still do without it at present.

I am due to distribute next weekend, so barring any last minute hiccups, they will be available to purchace from that point onwards. I have a handful of very reputable retailers lined up but I can’t name them without permission or until the deals are done.

The retail price has not been finalized yet, although I know they won’t be as cheap as I’d hoped. However, I have persevered with the manufacturing in the West despite the temptation to go via the cheap Far East route, so I’m pleased about that if nothing else.

This little tool has caused me more trouble than what I’d ever envisaged over the last few years, it really has infringed on all aspects of my lifestyle, and I don’t even feel like I’ve done too much wrong! Will it have been worth it? Even if I claw back the cash defecit and make some on top, I don’t know. I haven’t enjoyed it really but we’ll see how it goes from here onwards.

Thankfully, the latest project, which has been running parallel for a while now, has been very simple, fast and cheap in comparison. I hope to post some footage in the next few weeks, wait and see, its cool!

That’s me out for the night, a good evening to all.

Reg
 
[ QUOTE ]

http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.asp?XID=15120&CID=61054

This product launches shortly in Europe. It does fall under various acts of legislation here, but now complies with all that are relevant. I would like to make it available in the U.S soon-after, but although I'm aware that there is a certification process that I must be adhere to, I'm not to sure where to start. Any info on this process would be greatly appreciated.

The development of this product for Europe has so far run up some hefty bills i.e prototyping, engineers drawings, patent fees, consultancy fees etc, so any free advise from the wonderful TB comrades could really help and might even save me some $$$.

The product 'The Blockdriver', although quite specialised (task specific) becomes relevant and a very useful option when undertaking large tree removal's, and is, as far as I'm aware, the only purpose built tool which adresses it's monotonous task.

Ignore the extended flipline and Seans commentary on the first couple of sections, they weren't planned. Footage is about 6 mins or thereabouts, and although probably not the best examples to display the tool's full working capabilities, you should still be able to grasp it's values. Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Reg!!!

What is the latest news on this cool device?

Is it for sale yet!!
smile.gif


I'm definately gonna buy one.
 
I’m not great with numbers, so perhaps someone could advise me if I’m working this out correctly.

Many have seen the Blockdriver video and will now remember the technique.

Although, not a great emphasis was put on the value of the small lever-bar in the thread. It is actually fantasic for step/bypass cuts before the BlockDriver is warranted, ie further up the tree. However, it is suggested in the manual that it should not be implemented in hinge-cuts. I took this measure so to avoid the bars misuse by overloading and inevitable distortion, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work.

It obviously does work very well, so long as you calculate/incorporate the SWL.

By my calcs 25 KGF on the bar handle (mechanical advantage 9.25:1) = 231.25 on the lifting plate, which would then tip an evenly weighted up-right stem (notched by 1/3) of up to 925 KG. This calculation accounts for the pull created on the notched side of the hinge but not the bending factor of the hinge-wood itself, nor the friction caused by the point of contact between bar and wood.

Am I working this out correctly?

The reason I ask is that as things stand at present, I will be exhibiting the Blockdriver and now this latest ‘heavy duty’ Felling lever (see attachment) at our UK Arborist Trade Fair next month, under the wing of Treeworker.co.uk.

And in a bid to sound semi-intelligent in putting across my own ergo/eco/techno babble, my formulas/factors obviously need to be correct.

I can’t upload videos of the big bar working at present due to a problem with my PC. But for now, I’d just appreciate some input on those calculations. Thanks

Reg
 

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Contract Climber,
I have just read through this thread and your projects show alot of innovation and thought!

The block driver looks like it really works. I like how it works like a crawler (tractor with treads) to force it's way under the wood.
I do have a comment:
When I am in the tree, I try to minimize the amount of gear I bring up. so what I do bring up, it must really do the job of making my job easier. Right now I have a wedge attached to a cord and a small sledge hammer attached to another cord.
I use these to lift the chunk up in order to push it off easier, and also to keep the saw bar from binding in the cut while cutting.

My thought on your device is, I would still need to bring the wedge and sledge hammer for the actual cutting and then also bring up the Block Driver. Also I would need to bring up a leverage bar to lift the chunk high enough to create the needed space for the Block Driver. (because the thickness of a standard plastic wedge is too thin to admit the Block Driver)

O.K. How can I eliminate one or more of those tools?
I am thinking of prehaps a screw welded onto the front of the Block driver's leading edge. By screw, I mean like a very large corkscrew metal point.
Have you ever seen that old lame/cheesy movie titled: 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' ?

The vessel they used would boar into the crust of the earth using a spinning screw located in the front of the vessel.
With this type of screw, a person could start the cut, get far enough into it so the bar of the saw was out of the way, insert the Block Driver, screw it in until it was stable and the housing for the 'walking teeth' were fully inserted, then finish the cut. Put away the saw and then start ratcheting the Block Driver so it creeps forward and pushes the chunk off.

This would eliminate hammers and wedges.

Dont know if this idea would actually work, but it seems like an easy modification without changing any part of the Block Driver.

The only draw back I could see would be that the overall length of the Block Driver would be extended prehaps 4"-6". So you would only be able to use it on larger chunks.
(bigger than in your movie)
But then again, pushing big chunks off the stem is what the tool is truly for right? :)


I also like your felling bar. Nice. Leverage is the way to go.

I am interested in your thoughts about this idea.

Frans
 
Frans

Thankyou for the input, although you forgot to comment on my calculations.

There is currently a corkscrew type ratchet wedge out there at present (rattlewedge), its doing well as far as I gather.
I will have to think about your suggestion.

Although, I wouldn’t recommend for an operator to have the blockdriver and lever-bar hanging off their belt while cutting. You can simply leave them on top of the section that is being cut, like a work-top. When the cuts are made, use the tools to dislodge a section, and then leave then on top of the next section while you re-position, make the cuts, implement the tools again, and continue as such. So weight and clutter is not an issue.

The wedge is simply for back-up (to eliminate the trapping hazard). It has no other purpose as the lever will slip straight into the cut. So no need for the hammer.

I’m aware that while cutting large diameter sections, accurate severance isn’t always achieved every time, for various reasons, and unwanted steps/ridges occur which could then obstruct the sliding of a cut section. Raising the load to BDriver height addresses this potential problem. However, as an extra measure, the two pivot points on the lifting plate were implement to shift the section over/off-set as it is being raised and by doing so further reduces the risk of surface contact.

The method obviously evolved over a period of trial and error, but at present wastes nothing and makes allowances for less skillful/experienced climber’s, ie the wedge.

It works as it should, every time. I also believe that many climbers will be taken-back by how much force is generated with so little effort.

Anyway, any thoughts on those calculations.
 
Ahhhh, calculations calculations.... Hey I did'nt forget, but I am not a brainiac. I am someone who has a hard time even balancing my check book, let alone figure out potential loads on a lever!

:)

Thanks for getting back to me. My comments are based on 3 min. of reading this thread and viewing your video. You have put alot more time and energy into your device and my comments are just my immediate impressions.
I would be interested in trying it out.
Looking for a U.S. tester? :)
 
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