# Trimming



## dhuffnmu (Mar 16, 2005)

When trimming and pruinning like some call it what is your guys method to getting out to the ends of limbs without spikes. For example: the limb has not branches or nothing to get a hold of and it is on a angle so that you can just walk out backwards and balance yourself on it???? I know to tie in as high as possible but for me that is just the hardes thing and somethign I really need to get better at to make my work faster and easier on myself. I hope you guys understand what I mean.


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## MasterBlaster (Mar 16, 2005)

Have we talked already? :Eye:


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## dayman (Mar 16, 2005)

Experience will be the best way to get out to the tips. A floating dee saddle helps too, one with leg straps not a butt strap. 

Sometimes girth hitching slings to use as stirrups is necessary. 

Redirects and two ropes. Using another tree for a second tie in point.

Boots with grippy soles. Either a soft rubber to grip or ones with a hard, square welt so that you can edge like rock climbers.

Leave your chainsaw hanging in the center of the tree. Use a handsaw along with a pole pruner. Leave the polesaw, you'll become a better climber, quicker, without the polesaw.

go to tree climbing competitions and watch how the climbers solve the problems. If you think you can't afford the time off to go to a comp then you'll never have enough time to learn how to be a good climber. 

Have you read The Tree Climbers Companion? The best money any climber ever spent.


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## treeseer (Mar 16, 2005)

dayman said:


> Leave your chainsaw hanging in the center of the tree. Use a handsaw along with a pole pruner. Leave the polesaw, you'll become a better climber, quicker, without the polesaw.


Amen to all that, except that once you can scoot around in a tree pretty well the polesaw can be very useful. For me a telescoping pole saves a lot of time and damage to inner laterals because climbing out to skinny ends is not required.

And yes, pole tools can make well-angled, clean cuts. A pole pruner for smaller cuts is worth the hassle of keeping up with that silly little rope.


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## clearance (Mar 16, 2005)

Wear caulk boots, they grip real good!!!


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## tnttreeman (Mar 16, 2005)

Buy an extendable power pole pruner.


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## tophopper (Mar 16, 2005)

tnttreeman said:


> Buy an extendable power pole pruner.


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## Lumberjack (Mar 16, 2005)

Another method is to use a throwline to set a second TIP at the end of the branch, and use it to pull you out there. Thats what I do on limbs i cant walk because they are too steep near the trunk, normally they level out to a walkable condition on out a little bit.

Caulk boots. Sure dont use 1 spike use dozens, dont worry about becoming a better climber.

The only time i use a polesaw aloft (wanna get a power pole saw sometime) is when the limb wont hold my weight, and I cant put my weight on my TIP for whatever reason (like the angle is too shallow on my climbing line). Cant think of the last time that happened.


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## tnttreeman (Mar 16, 2005)

tophopper said:


> You can't be serious


Ever tried it? Found it to be very worthwhile today. The limb I was on was almost completely horizontal, no TIP above, and the branch overhung wires. Oh, did I forget to mention that it was split and rotting in the middle. Would like to see you limb walk that one. Not me, I just reached out with the power pruner and nipped the limbs off one at a time so as to not knock down the wires.


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## Lumberjack (Mar 16, 2005)

For that purpose I think a powered pruner would be nice. But thats not what I think about when I say trimming, thats a targeted limb removal.

I want a powered pruner for just that, being able to drop peices I cant get at without rigging, as well as having another toy.


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## tophopper (Mar 16, 2005)




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## tnttreeman (Mar 16, 2005)

You might be surprised how much you'd use it if you have it. Just like anything else, hard to justify it until you've used it. Then you wonder how you did without it in certain scenarios.


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## dhuffnmu (Mar 16, 2005)

Good replies guys. Just the kind of answers I was looking for. 

When alot of you get to a tree to trim it and you see a limb such as the one I was talking about and you think it is going to give you a problem will you set another line in it before even going up for the first time? That way when you are in the tree and it comes time to get out on that limb the rope is already set.

Also how do you go about using the loops for foot holds. Do you just girth hitch it around the limb and keep adding them out in front and moving your feet until you get out there?


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## dhuffnmu (Mar 16, 2005)

I have a copy of the tree climbers companion. I was just wondering if there was any other tricks of the trade that maybe some of the knowleadgeable guys that post on here would share. That's all. I really do appreaciate everyone taking time to post. 

Thank you everyone.


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## Old Monkey (Mar 16, 2005)

CLIMB UGLY!
I trim without spikes and sometimes without dignity. When I climb, I see the places I need to go and I go there. I have every confidence I can get there. Sometimes I do it gracefully and sometimes I scratch and claw my way were I need to go. This is of no help to you so far-- but I think your mindset is just as important as your skills and technique. I use Sherrill's glide saddle which is much like a floating dee saddle with individual leg straps. It allows me to lean out while I'm climbing. If I can't climb the top of the branch, I slide the rope to one side of me and climb the side of the branch. I've never had to use slings. I don't recommend a power polesaw for climbing except in very specialized situations. I like pole pruners and have had good luck with corona bull loppers or "big bites" and Marvin head pole pruners. Someone needs to invent a pole pruner that cuts at 45 degree angle to the pole. Blah, blah, blah... Don't be afraid to climb scrappy! Oh, and the more of your weight you direct back toward the trunk by leaning out, the farther out a limb you can climb.


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## MasterBlaster (Mar 16, 2005)

Good post, Old M!


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## clearance (Mar 16, 2005)

You say you want to make your work faster and easier on yourself. I think for those special times like what you are talking about you could put on the evil hooks and ask to be forgiven later. I climbed a massive twinstem cottonwood that had huge limbs spreading like crazy, like 40 feet away from the stem. Truthfully, I didn't climb it from the base, I climbed out of a 65 ft Hi-ranger and then went up another 50ft to tie in. I went out as far as I dared to piece it apart. At one point I was on about a 45 degree angle, a bad swingfall hazard to be sure. Anyhow, if I was asked to trim it instead of nuke it there is no way I would'nt use spurs and 2 steelcores. That would be just retarded, like who is #1, you or the tree?


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 17, 2005)

I have on occasion set a ssecond line where I knew I would need it, ot left a throw line in over a crotch.

Another way is to use a "jam knot" transfer. Using a monkeyfist on your rope end to catch hard in a crotch on your target limb, then use a hitch or ascender to pull yourself over to it.

Another way to traverse, that I use maybe once a year, is to run the rope end through the crotch, as if doubele crotchin, move the hithc off my saddle. The rope now looks like a loop going through two crotches. The tender pully goes on the top run of rope so it all pulls down to you, looking sorta like a big M.

A bit complicated, but better then trying to get across a wide traverse while tending two hitches.


Clearance- There's more then one way to skin the cat, very rarely do i need to spike anything that's staying. I cannot remember the last time I did it.

TreeSeer- Have we met? you remeind me of a guy I've worked for.


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## treeseer (Mar 17, 2005)

clearance said:


> Anyhow, if I was asked to trim it instead of nuke it there is no way I would'nt use spurs and 2 steelcores. That would be just retarded, like who is #1, you or the tree?


You shouldn't have to choose; use creative ways like JPS described to get around; there are dozens of other ways too. Spiking a sp. that's ready to rot, like cottonwood, should be avoided.

Met before? Doubt it; I haven't been in b.c. for 20 years.

Guy Meilleur


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## VTMechEng (Mar 17, 2005)

1. Learn from others whenever you can and try to watch more then one climber all day. Where I used to work the head climber picked crews, including his own, and every day he and a newer climber/groundy were out together (and I mean every day). While our head climber was good but he had a few bad habits and techniques. Three guesses as to how that new climber looks when he climbs, exact same bad habits and techniques (it doesn't help that the head climber holds his hand through everything, kid has become a pu$$y). No one arberist will be really good at everything so try to learn from different guys, watching how they get past different obstacles.
2. There will be times where you look like a beached whale, it happens and you will get laughed at. If you are with some good guys they will laugh at you and tell you good job for gettin' the piece.


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## dhuffnmu (Mar 17, 2005)

GOod info. Yeah I try to watch as many climbers as possible. You can definatly pick out the bad habits of each. Those are what I watch for alot so I don't duplicate those. 

Thanks alot everyone for the info. Very much appreaciated.


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## clearance (Mar 17, 2005)

treeseer-I did not type anything below the line that says retarded and #1. I do not understand how those words got there. Anyways, in regards to not spiking cottonwoods, they are garbage trees, absolute sh%t. I make it one of my missions to kill them. They are the devil, real hard to make them stay dead after they are a stump.


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## treeseer (Mar 18, 2005)

clearance said:


> cottonwoods, they are garbage trees, absolute sh%t. I make it one of my missions to kill them. They are the devil,


We all appreciate your input, though I don't see how it fits on a Commercial Tree CARE forum. :alien: 

If you kill a tree and leave it standing, it may fall down on somebody. That somebody's lawyer may sue your grandchildren blind.  Please consider this next time you butcher someone else's asset.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 18, 2005)

clearance said:


> treeseer-I did not type anything below the line that says retarded and #1. I do not understand how those words got there.



Oops, that was me, I edited the wrong post.

Welcome back Guy! Has Tom D. found you yeat, he called for contact info a few days ago.


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## clearance (Mar 18, 2005)

Treeseer-I really do my best to kill cottonwoods, to the happiness of all but the biggest tree-hugging, do-gooders out there. The only people, and I mean this are I.S.A. arborists that work for a nearby city. "oh, just go up there and take some weight off, deadwood it, try to pretty it up a little" Me "the roots are undermined, its leaning heavily towards that house, were here, lets do it right and nuke it" Can't do that, they would rather waste taxpayers money to have the thing fagged out (term for working on a tree that should be cut down) Everyone else, from homeowners to the utility company see these trees for what they are, a fast growing weed that is best killed young. As far as the killl a tree and leave it standing, when I kill trees they are on the ground. I call b.s. on this idea some of you have that spuring trees kills them. There are fir trees by powerlines that have been climbed every 3-5 years since I was a kid. Still there, green as grass. I have climbed lots of conifers and ground to sky sidelimbed them wearing spurs, I haven't seen one decline yet. Not saying wearing spurs is good for trees, but its good for me, and from what I see no big deal.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 18, 2005)

Clearance, your comments suggest a lack of climbing skill, that cannot be argued, but what is more troubling is a total lack of respect for trees. You my friend, are also a tree bigot.
You dislike "cottonwoods", but I wonder if you could even identify one. Given a sample from each of these: Populus deltoides, grandidentata, and tremuloides (Cottonwood, Largetooth Aspen, and Quaking Aspen), could you tell the difference? If you could tell the difference, would you know the difference in terms of desirability?
My point will fall on deaf ears with you, because you don't care, that's obvious from your posts. Will you ever be successful in tree care? I can only hope your career choice leads you far from tree care.
Consider finding something that you feel passion about. Only then will your work be satisfying to you. This thing you're doing, working with trees, you do it because that's all you know, or the only work you can get, but you must have some other angle you can work, gad, the trees need the relief from hacks like you and your buddy kid56!


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## DDM (Mar 18, 2005)

Hi Mike!


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 18, 2005)

Hi David, who needs Rocky when I'm around?


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## MasterBlaster (Mar 18, 2005)

10-4 on that, good buddy.


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## MasterBlaster (Mar 18, 2005)

No way.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 18, 2005)

While I may be like minded with Rocky, and share his disposition, I am not him. The regulars here know that, but the rest of the readers may not, so I mentioned it.
Trees are cool, especially "Cottonwoods"! 
Think about how they not only grow where other trees can't, they grow huge and beautiful. Ever spent a hot summer day resting under the shade of one of these beauties as the gentle breeze lightly fluttered it's leaves?


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Mike- thanks for the insults, the cottonwood I'm refering to is black cottonwood, I think the latin is something like populus negrus. Cottonwoods do grow huge, huge and scary, I have seen them after they damaged houses, ripped down powerlines, beautiful. You are right, I am a tree bigot, I love all conifers, some deciduos and dislike garbage like black cottonwoods. I love it when I cut down a tree that is causing stress to someone who is trying to sleep underneath it. Your condescending and insulting attitude reveall yourself to indeed be a tree-hugging, do-gooder, preservationist. I like my job (primarily line clearance, land clearing) and lump you with the people that drive past us with dirty looks because of what we are doing. People that just can't seem to grasp the concept that to make an omelette you have to break a few eggs. The people I work for, employer, utility, customers are happy with me and my work. I make omelettes, do you?


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 19, 2005)

Clearance
You called me a "do-gooder". 
Shoot. 
Then you said I was a "preservationist". 
What will you insult me with next? 
That I'm in favor of a sustainable environment?
*IDIOT!*
Will those few arborist who care, who are left here, please back me up on this?


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## Bradley (Mar 19, 2005)

Backing you up. Strange rash of hacks on the board at present moment.


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Treeco-people don't plant cottonwoods beside thier house, they just happen. You should know this. Read my post again and tell me about what sturdy, strong confidence inspiring trees cottonwoods are. You can give it but you can't take it. Mike, why take what I called you as an insult, if it's true don't be ashamed of it. Tree-hugger,do-gooder, preservationist-explain what is wrong with someone who wants to do good, preserve and hug trees?


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 19, 2005)

Those huge scary trees would be like a shrub if you were to place them in the Pacific Northwest, wouldn't they be? Cottonwoods are fine with me, the bigger the better.
You haven't told us yet, can you identify one? I mean before you spike up it and damage it without the clients knowledge.
Honestly, I think not.


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## NeTree (Mar 19, 2005)

Mike Maas said:


> Will those few arborist who care, who are left here, please back me up on this?



Can't. We're too busy "fagging out" trees.


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## treeseer (Mar 19, 2005)

Mike Maas said:


> Clearance, your comments suggest a lack of climbing skill, that cannot be argued,
> Consider finding something that you feel passion about. Only then will your work be satisfying to you.


Mr. Maas, you said the truth here. Reducing weight from branches in a way that's not bad for the tree takes skill in tree care. Clearance talks like a vegetation manager lost on a tree care forum.

Spike damage no big deal? Every hole is a wound that the tree sends resources to close; enough resources wasted and the tree declines. this decline is visible to those who look at trees as something more than an obstruction. Decay in spike holes is tangible to anyone who cares enough to put their finger in one.

Utility arborists can be responsible tree care professionals. For anyone to succeed in that field, they need to respect what they're working with.


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## topnotchtree (Mar 19, 2005)

This may be the sissy thing to do but I kinda sit on the fence on this issue of "cottonwoods". They are a much hated tree in my area too. Mostly in residential areas. I am not going to say I know all the scientific names or even going to say I understand them. I just know people don't like the huge trees that shed gobs of cotton in the spring that plugs up air conditioners,swimming pools, window screens, and drop sticky green balls on their decks and driveways. These trees also seem to have a pretty evasive root system that seems to effect sewers, building foundations, and concrete driveways and sidewalks. These trees are beautiful, huge, and impressive to everyone, myself included, that does not live near one, or has to experience the mess they make. In my 12 years of line clearance I have not met one homeowner that doesn't regret planting, or at least removing a cottonwood in their yard before it got to big and expensive to do so. I have even heard of entire neighborhoods pitching in to remove a tree at one house, because the owner of the tree couldn't afford its removal. All trees have their own way of making messes and disturbing neighborhoods, but at least around here, the cottonwood seems to top the list. As I said I believe they are an impressive tree, but like most trees, they have their place, in parks, forests, fields, anywhere away from residential neighborhoods.


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Mike, Treeseer, Netree, Bradley-check out what Topnotch has to say about your beloved cottonwoods, ha, ha, ha. Treeseer, as far as utility arborists go, the definition of success is keeping the power on. My work doing this is very satisfying to me. That is our job, not to satisfy the tree huggers and other bleeding hearts. Mike said on another post that he got a clearance crew to start spurless climbing after indentifying himself a an i.s.a. arborist. That is funny, if someone came up to us and said "I am an I.S.A. arborist and I have a problem with your work", they would be leaving the work area promptly. Every one from Asplundh to Davey would send them down the road, I have to print this and put it on the wall at work, funny, funny.


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## DDM (Mar 19, 2005)

NeTree said:


> Can't. We're too busy "fagging out" trees.



LMAO!


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## NeTree (Mar 19, 2005)

Clearance, believe it or not...

You CAN practice good (or at least decent) arboricultrue AND do effective line clearance. 

Coming here spouting off the "mile in my shoes" doesn't cut it with me, because I HAVE walked in those shoes, bro. From the yuppie neighborhoods to Ice Storm '98, i did my time in bucket and on gaffs keeping the juice-a-flowin'...

and STILL followed PROPER pruning practices nearly 100 percent of the time.


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)




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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Netree-never once have I advocated improper pruning practices, only that I climb with spurs. I only top trees when I have to, make proper cuts and I don't leave stubs. I sure hope that you were not trimming using gaffs! Tophopper, is that the best you could do? Guess you couldn't find fault with what I said. Topnotch kind of thinks my way about cottonwoods-why don't you guys whine at him too?


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## NeTree (Mar 19, 2005)

No... no trimming on hooks. Wasn't allowed.


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## Newfie (Mar 19, 2005)

I don't know why you insist on arguing such an obviously flawed case. Cripes, I'm a landclearer and have more respect for trees than you do.

You might have better luck spouting nazi propaganda in a synagogue. Get a real clue.


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Newfie-thanks for your support. You guys feel very strongly that trees are #1, so here is a suggestion. I.S.A. arborists work for our utility (B.C. Hydro) and also work for municipalities and cities around Vancouver. I have never, ever seen anyone spurless climb in front of them, ever. I am not talking about removals, just trimming. They advertise the fact, and probably got these easy jobs they have because they are I.S.A. certified. As we all know, the I.S.A. is the authority on tree work and they rank spurring trees along with devil worship. Why don't you guys lean on your fellow tree huggers here to make sure hacks like me do the right thing, I'd love to see them ask us to spurless climb. C'mon-do the right thing-put your money where your mouth is.


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## dayman (Mar 19, 2005)

Why do you hate the ISA so much? They have no authority to enforce anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm a life member and proud of it. Your anger seems misdirected. Are you mad at the organization or some of it's members?

Sounds like a new -ism forming. Would it be ISAism or maybe organizationism? Whatever it is, don't worry about getting a visit from the Champaign Cops. Do the right thing, keep spikes out of pruning work. 

Here's a put up or shut up bet Clearance. You claim that spiking doesn't hurt trees. If we were face to face you'd be presenting a stack of papers, articles or any written material that "proves" your point. Go to professionals to get your answers. Scientific literature, trade journals, heck, even websites. Then, I would be gathering my info about why spiking is harmful. In the end, we'd weigh, literally on a scale, the stack of literature that we both collected. The winner talks the loser walks. 

Care to take the bet? 

We can do it via forums too. We can count webpages. I'll chum your water for you and give you the infamous McPeak 

http://www.cuttree4u.com/facts.htm

If you dare pick up the gauntlet, I'll let you set the time when the gathering period ends. You can have as much time as you need, I only need a few minutes to bury your arguement. If you choose not to take the challenge I'll let the rest of the people in this thread pass judgement and impose a penalty, or not.


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## NeTree (Mar 19, 2005)

I go spurless on removals, too, whenever I can. It's just so much more comfortable!

Try it!


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)

[


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## Newfie (Mar 19, 2005)

*Dude... you are confused...*



clearance said:


> Newfie-thanks for your support.



Huh? That wasn't support for you, rather directed at you. You need several clues apparently.


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Couldn't really care less what you think about me, climb how you want. Everyone that climbs with spurs is lazy?, call me a hack, uneducated but lazy? Incompetant? I get the clearance, the utility supervisor and my boss are happy with me and they are both i.s.a certified. At the very beginning of this thread I said it was o.k. for you spurless types to use spurs once in a while, thats all.


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)

:Eye:


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## glens (Mar 19, 2005)

clearance said:


> At the very beginning of this thread I said it was o.k. for you spurless types to use spurs once in a while, thats all.


You would have done very well to have left it at that...


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Tophop-I have been called worse by better people. Anyways thanks for all the love and support you people have showered on me.


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)

:Eye:


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Probably right, I think i.s.a. people here don't believe all that stuff, they just use the i.s.a. tag to sound important. I am sorry, not being very good on a computer, I can't make a website come up on my post. Here is the local utility website, I think you could find out who to ask for a policy statement on what we are so pleasantly discussing here. www.bchydro.com


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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

cool-thats how its done!!


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)




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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Thanks Glens-guys-instead of taking it out on a lowly, lazy hack, go right to the top right hand corner of the site and question away at the evil ones who are letting these spur atrocities happen. Who knows-maybe you can change our evil ways, or maybe even get me fired for bringing heat on B.C. Hydro.


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)




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## clearance (Mar 19, 2005)

Tophop. Specs are, in your words a bunch of bull to make themselves look good. Do like I said and contact them-show no mercy.


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## Old Monkey (Mar 19, 2005)

This is interesting, line clearance workers seem to be a necessary sub-class here. Kind of like the "untouchables" in India.


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## glens (Mar 19, 2005)

Clearance, you could move here and get a job with Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power.&nbsp; There will be plenty of clearance work in about 15-20 years what with the several hundred ash trees they just planted under/around the newly-relocated three-phase lines when they widened the highway through town.


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## glens (Mar 19, 2005)

Too technical?&nbsp; Nah, that's basic stuff.&nbsp; A URL contains <i>protocol</i>://<i>resource</i>.&nbsp; Without both basic components it's <i>not</i> a URL, by definition.&nbsp; I provided the <i>basic information</i> necessary to post a raw link or one with "pretty" captioning on this (and most other forum) sites.


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## tophopper (Mar 19, 2005)




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## Ax-man (Mar 20, 2005)

glens said:


> Clearance, you could move here and get a job with Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power.&nbsp; There will be plenty of clearance work in about 15-20 years what with the several hundred ash trees they just planted under/around the newly-relocated three-phase lines when they widened the highway through town.


_________________________________________________________________

Glens, Which would be the lesser of two evils for these trees, the Emerald Ash Borer that is headed our way or Clearance hoofing his way to the top with his long gaffs, flipping his wire core ahead of him. Both are guaranteed to be the demise of these trees.

Larry


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## treeseer (Mar 20, 2005)

Ax-man said:


> _________________________________________________________________
> 
> Glens, Both are guaranteed to be the demise of these trees.
> 
> ...


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## Ax-man (Mar 20, 2005)

Clearance this one is for you, I hope this comes out as I had to scan it, instead of using the camera.

The picture is was taken in the late 80's, pre ANSI and modern day gear.

The tree was the largest Cottonwood in the US at that time, this tree was located in my home town. The Illinois Arborist Assoc. donated a day to prune and cable this monster.

This tree was done by the book, no spur climbing, no attitude about who is #1 the tree or me, this tree was not what I would call a safe tree either, it was literally half rotten because of it's age, well over 100 yrs old, but we did it, not easy by no means but it can be done to climb any tree without spurs.

The guy in the pictures was a vetern climber and a very good one, take a close look no spurs here. I am not the one in the picture, but I did have my little part in doing this tree. After that day was done, no one is ever going to convince me that to trim a big tree, you got to have those spurs to get the job done, that person is just plain wrong.

I have other pics of this job, but don't know how to get them reduced to fit the scanner and get them posted.

Larry


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## glens (Mar 20, 2005)

Come on guys, let it go.&nbsp; Clearance is not saying it's okay to prune trees in general with spurs, but that it's okay to use spurs on occasion when the situation warrants it.


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## clearance (Mar 20, 2005)

Guys-why plant tall growing trees under a new three phase? Why waste time saving an unsafe, half rotten tree? Why can I wear spurs www.bchydro.com


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## NeTree (Mar 20, 2005)

clearance, I suspect most of the big trees under the lines predated the lines.

As for why anyone would plant one when lines are already there? Sheer stupidity.


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## Tom Dunlap (Mar 21, 2005)

So...Clearnace, I don't see you taking up Dayman's challenge...


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## topnotchtree (Mar 21, 2005)

Most trees that spring up under wires are planted by birds. They eat the berries/seeds and when they are sitting on the wire they open the poop hatch and bomb the seeds to the ground. Along with a healthy dose of fertilizer.


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## clearance (Mar 21, 2005)

Tom D. I'm too busy spurring, hacking and removing trees to take up a that kind of challenge from some tree hugger. Today I was working many miles away from the do-gooders in a logging town where people smile and wave, instead of scowling at us, nice change. Any of you guys sent an e-mail to my utility, so you can get a good answer on why its o.k. to wear spurs? www.bchydro.com or are you scared you will get an answer that you can't argue with?


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## Tom Dunlap (Mar 21, 2005)

You have plenty of time to spout off about your view but no time to back up what you say. 'Nuff said, time for you to shut up, your credibility is gone.


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## clearance (Mar 21, 2005)

weren't you banned? Never had any cred. with tree huggers like you anyway.


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## Tom Dunlap (Mar 21, 2005)

To me, Tree Hugger is a compliment  Thanks!

Take just a minute and go back to see what I had to say about line clearance work. Nothing, to me and others, our two disciplines are, at best, second cousins. I never attacked your work. I'm asking you to substantiate your claims. You say that spiking is OK, now you're blathering. If you want to talk to me, do so, don't talk about my credibility because of being a Tree Hugger. Before I started to really learn about trees I spiked and topped. then I learned that neither of those practices are accepted so I changed my ways and have become a much better arborist and climber because of it. How much have you learned about trees?


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## clearance (Mar 21, 2005)

Tom-you are right, name calling isn't good especially if you take tree hugger as a compliment. Wearing spurs is an accepted practice (for utility guys here), I really don't like to top trees but if they compete with the line, so be it. Mostly what I have learned about trees, is how they respond to work done on them. Probably the most important thing I have learned is the strength of holding wood in trees, like fir, birch its good, maple, cottonwood its bad. I make proper cuts, don't leave stubs, not a total hack. So many people have hacked on me here, but I can take it, just like a tree beside the line. -joking guys


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 22, 2005)

clearance said:


> So many people have hacked on me here, but I can take it, just like a tree beside the line. -joking guys



I was starting to roll my eyes and disregard your posts, but your input on electrical hazards has been well thought and professional. We disagree on maythings, but agree on those that are truely important. I'm sure Tom does too.


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## clearance (Mar 22, 2005)

Thanks J.P.S., regardless of our differences, I still wish all of you spurless guys good luck and hope you get to go home every day.


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## Schultzz (Mar 24, 2005)

Hey JPS Are you an April Fool?


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## Ekka (Mar 26, 2005)

Crikey guys, by the time I got to the end of reading this I forgot what the topic was.

I got a warning from JPS for much less than this, what a mud slinging slagging match. At least I only pick on 1 guy, well used to is better.

Some other answers for the topic are, double wrap your pole strap on the limb you wish to go out on, the extra friction will keep you there. 

Also, always carry an extra prussik and biner, you can use the other end of your life line, so if you don't have 2 ropes you still have 2 working ends on the existing rope. If there is no crotch out on that limb to run your rope thru you can use a running bowline etc to choke the branch and advance out on the single rope with the prussik keeping the gains you've made. Then just slide the bowline out further and same again ... your polestrap double wrapped to hold you there.

Use the two methods in conjunction.


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## dhuffnmu (Mar 27, 2005)

Thanks Ekka,

That was some good info. Very useful. I will give it a try.


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