# Palm Tree "DE-booter"?



## Pineapplepalms (Jan 18, 2007)

Hey guys... I own a small tree service in central florida doing a lot of work with palms and a lot of requests to take the boots off of sable palms... a friend of mine that owns another tree service told me a while back he saw someone using a device that appeared to be manufactured, not a custom made device, that snapped around the palm like a collar and worked its way up cutting off all boots on the way up, it was believed to be remote controlled. Has anyone seen one of these? I searched google and came up with nothing. Any help would be appriciated... Thanks
Kevin 
Pineapple Palms


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## vharrison2 (Jan 19, 2007)

Wow, that sounds like a wonderful device. I hope someone has some info on it.


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## Kate Butler (Jan 19, 2007)

vharrison2 said:


> Wow, that sounds like a wonderful device. I hope someone has some info on it.



Me, too!! I'm struggling to visualize how it could take off the 'boot' without damaging the exterior of the trunk. Some of 'em are so intrinsically connected - they can be awfully hard to remove

Perhaps it's just an adapted 'climbing limber' (I have no idea what they're really called). I've seen them in large logging operations (stripping the branches off) as part of some HUGE automatic harvesting equipment.


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## Monkeywitha_saw (Jan 19, 2007)

i have something kinda looks like an oil wrench tha i built with single sided razor blades and as you climb just keep ringing the palm


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## Kate Butler (Jan 19, 2007)

*single-edged razor bladed*



Monkeywitha_saw said:


> i have something kinda looks like an oil wrench tha i built with single sided razor blades and as you climb just keep ringing the palm



Do you mean installed sideways so that the blades sort of scrape under the boot as you wrestle it around the trunk? How do you adjust for tree diameter?


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## NickfromWI (Jan 19, 2007)

What is the boot?


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## Davey Dog (Jan 19, 2007)

vharrison2 said:


> Wow, that sounds like a wonderful device. I hope someone has some info on it.



I'll second that... That would make life so much easier...


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## vharrison2 (Jan 19, 2007)

NickfromWI said:


> What is the boot?



Nick, the boot is the material that is left after you trim the palm frond. Look at this picture and what is below the fronds, on the trunk are the "boots"

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Palm/Sabal_palmetto.html


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## NickfromWI (Jan 19, 2007)

Thanks, V. I never knew that had a name. I'm new to the whole "palm" thing!

love
nick


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## ASD (Jan 19, 2007)

don't know who makes them but i saw one in use in so. ca.


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## justoon (Jan 21, 2007)

I have heard about them ages ago but havnt seen one


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## Kate Butler (Jan 22, 2007)

*not to harp --- but*

I'm now having some secondary visualization problems. Single-edged razor blades are really small. I can't fathom how any combination of 'em would de-boot any palm larger than 6" diameter. 

The boots I'm thinking about are hard and woody and 8" or more from edge to edge (horizontally around the tree). I can see something the thickness (and ruggedness) of a machete blade and plus or minus 4" in length doing the job ... think of a very sharp draw shave being pulled sideways around the trunk.

http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q="draw shave"&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi


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## vharrison2 (Jan 22, 2007)

Kate Butler said:


> .
> 
> The boots I'm thinking about are hard and woody.
> 
> http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q="draw shave"&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi



Kate, they are very hard, not sure most folks know that.


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## LightningLoader (Jan 22, 2007)

seems like somone who had a tree farm would know. WHenever you get new trees in they're usually boot-less. Can't imagine that they're doing all that by hand.


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## Monkeywitha_saw (Jan 22, 2007)

kate the razors are affixed to a metal strap that goes around the tree and locks back by the handle and hold about 5 blades and can skin palms up to 30 inches around


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## Kate Butler (Jan 22, 2007)

*I can hardly wait*

to see a picture! I hope you don't have as much trouble posting pictures as I do. Bated breath...


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## l2edneck (Jan 22, 2007)

I know they used to burn them off back when,i just cut upward and the come right off.

some think like whats described would be awesome though.:hmm3grin2orange:


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