# Some removal vids



## Kottonwood (Nov 27, 2010)

Well, I am new here so I figured I'd post a few vids and introduce myself. I got out of the army in 2009 after serving six years with 7th special forces group. It was tough to find a job but I stumbled into tree work and I will never turn back. I study horticulture and arboriculture at a local community college and I subcontract as a climber. I am looking to buy a dump and chipper in the spring and start my own company. Here are some vids of some recent removals I've done. They aren't really edited very well so I hope some of you have the patience to watch them. Like I said I am fairly new to this so any criticism and or advice is absolutely welcome.

Nasty siberian elm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AXlZJDee5c

Big backyard cottonwood, if the homeowner didn't want to keep the wood I would have gotten a crane for this one.

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIK9Oa2pF5s

Backyard silver maple, a little bit of lawn damage on this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsDQDztp-0k


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## CWME (Nov 27, 2010)

Thanks for sharing

How are you climbing the tree? First vid looks like ropes and last looks like spikes. Just curious, learning how to climb myself is why I ask.


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## mic687 (Nov 28, 2010)

Welcome to the site. It looks like you have the basics down pretty well but I would let those tops run and take the shock out of the line to reduce the movement on the spar. Watch some of Reg Coates or Danieal Murphys vids.


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## Kottonwood (Nov 28, 2010)

CW, I use both ropes and spikes. I tie in the same way I normally would but use my spikes to help get around the tree and for ascending into the tree. Usually for a removal I set two false crotches as high up in the tree as can safely be done. One false crotch is for a pulley and rigging line and the other for my climbing line. I then limb the tree up starting from the bottom. Once I make it back to my TIP I untie, top the tree, and start chunking my way down.

Mic, 
That's a great point I have seen some of Murphy's videos and he must have some really well trained groundies. My two guys are brand new to tree work and I have had to teach them everything. They are getting pretty good now but these vids were some of their first times using the porta-wrap and they didn't quite have the hang of it yet.


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## beowulf343 (Nov 28, 2010)

"I think we're in the power lines!"
"What power lines?"


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## Kottonwood (Nov 28, 2010)

haha... yeah classic moment


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## Kottonwood (Nov 28, 2010)

We also always say "perfect!" no matter how perfect it is. I try to tell the guys not to say anything negative on the videos.


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## treemandan (Nov 28, 2010)

PatriotTreeCO said:


> We also always say "perfect!" no matter how perfect it is. I try to tell the guys not to say anything negative on the videos.



I wondered what the #### was going on over there. But it looks like you are off to a good start personally. Good job riding those convertables. The Tree Worker's Convertable that is. Look it up, it can convert a regular guy into pulp wif no teef pretty quick. This stuff ain't like the Special Forces, you are pretty much on yer own up there most of the time but like I said you look about ready to rock and roll.

Don't let it go to your head, you made more mistakes than I could count. One was reaching over that bar. Was the brake on?


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## beowulf343 (Nov 28, 2010)

beowulf343 said:


> "I think we're in the power lines!"
> "What power lines?"





PatriotTreeCO said:


> haha... yeah classic moment



Oh, sorry, i wasn't laughing about it.


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## Kottonwood (Nov 28, 2010)

Dan,
That's some good advice, I have some bad habits I really need to brake. One of them is not using my chain brake. I was trained by a climber who wasn't exactly a fan of OSHA. He would climb with no helmet and have a cigarette in his mouth the whole time. He called a lanyard a "scare strap" and refused to use it. 

Gotta love the convertible though, it's always the highlight of my day.

Beowulf,
#### happens. If I make a mistake as long as no one is hurt and I didn't lose money on it, then I'll laugh at it. At this point everything is a learning experience. I think if I had to do that top again I would take it out in three smaller pieces or just have the ground guys really let it run to eliminate that backswing that knocked the service drop.


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## treemandan (Nov 28, 2010)

PatriotTreeCO said:


> Dan,
> That's some good advice, I have some bad habits I really need to brake. One of them is not using my chain brake. I was trained by a climber who wasn't exactly a fan of OSHA. He would climb with no helmet and have a cigarette in his mouth the whole time. He called a lanyard a "scare strap" and refused to use it.
> 
> Gotta love the convertible though, it's always the highlight of my day.
> ...



When you have a wire like that toss a rope over it so you can either pull it away or tie it to the trunk.


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## Rftreeman (Nov 28, 2010)

PatriotTreeCO said:


> Dan,
> That's some good advice, I have some bad habits I really need to brake. One of them is not using my chain brake. I was trained by a climber who wasn't exactly a fan of OSHA. He would climb with no helmet and have a cigarette in his mouth the whole time. He called a lanyard a "scare strap" and refused to use it.
> 
> Gotta love the convertible though, it's always the highlight of my day.
> ...


so what will you learn when someone gets killed or ####ed up really bad, better watch out for them lines, they don't care who you are or how much money you didn't lose....


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## Kottonwood (Nov 28, 2010)

You guys are a tough bunch. But that's why I didn't edit out any of that ####, for criticism.

But, yeah using a rope sounds like a good technique. I also just bought two eight foot fiberglass extensions and a line hook just for that purpase, it also makes a great pole hook for pulling hangers.


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## murphy4trees (Nov 30, 2010)

*the difference between good and great*

First off thanks for sharing.. takes some guts.. and remember people on line love to talk chit, so take nothing too personally..

The video was good for and early effort. I don't like sitting through a 2 minute cut though, so I didn't watch too carefully... 7 SECONDS is the average attention span for watching videos, though the tree crowd has a bit more attention cause they expect a good payoff, when the action comes.. So you get to edit it down quite a bit, or you'll lose a lot of people..

AND this is for everyone..................

what's the difference between a good climber and a great climber?










A great climber manages time and energy efficiently...

Don't cut, then just stay there and watch the groundmen... NO No no..
always think a few moves ahead, cut and move, reposition, get ready for the the next cut or to tie the piece off etc... Streamline. make every cut and move as efficeint as possible. always think of how things can be done faster, safer, easier... it becomes a game, and getting good at it makes you lots of money..


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## ozzy42 (Nov 30, 2010)

treemandan said:


> When you have a wire like that toss a rope over it so you can either pull it away or tie it to the trunk.



I've done that a few times.Probably not OSHA approved though.
Whatever you do,don't tie any kind of cinching not,use a bowline,not a running bowline.


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## treeclimber101 (Nov 30, 2010)

Hey I think ya did fine , and its seems that your humble enough to take advice , which I never offer if I am not asked , its experience that will be your best teaching asset and nothing that someone says here will change how YOU remove a tree tomorrow ...


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## murphy4trees (Dec 1, 2010)

Couple suggestions:
start your notches with the top cut first...

get a little better set for your cuts.. make them a little lower and maybe tighten up the lanyard just a hair. you'll have better control of the saw. Looks like you're reaching a little. 

learn to use a friction saver and adopt the advanced friction hitch, with a spliced eye climbing line and caribeeners.. Real easy to use a double tie in with the climbing line set up like that.

Don't trust your groundmen to lower anything if you need them to let it run. Don't put your safety in their hands. They don't look like they can handle it.


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## Kottonwood (Dec 3, 2010)

Thanks for the responses and all the advice from everyone. I am sort of fast tracking into this business so I'll take any advice I can from people with experience. 

Murphy, I have actually been showing some of your videos to my ground guys so they can see what is possible and what I mean when I say "let it run". We're getting the hang of it, for now I'll continue to take my time and take smaller pieces.

One thing to mention for anyone else is that I've learned when letting it run it is important to not have any stubs on the tree. I used to leave small stubs but even something as small as two inches can hang up a falling top. Now before I top the tree I make sure that all my cuts are flushcuts.


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## NCTREE (Dec 7, 2010)

murphy4trees said:


> First off thanks for sharing.. takes some guts.. and remember people on line love to talk chit, so take nothing too personally..
> 
> The video was good for and early effort. I don't like sitting through a 2 minute cut though, so I didn't watch too carefully... 7 SECONDS is the average attention span for watching videos, though the tree crowd has a bit more attention cause they expect a good payoff, when the action comes.. So you get to edit it down quite a bit, or you'll lose a lot of people..
> 
> ...



Thats true but the ground guys have to be able to run the ground efficiently too...

His ground guys are terrible at getting the peices on the ground and ready for the next cut. 

Quit frankly I see lots of things him and his groundies need to work on. Hows he gonna learn though if he doesn't have someone better than him teaching the right way to do things?


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