Advice needed

olpace said:

My name is Brandon. I am 23 years old and self employed with a Lawn-care company. I am wanting to learn how to climb trees and take them down a section at a time. I have been having to sub the work out if I can't just cut it and let it fall. I have only had the opportunity to watch this done a couple of times and the gentleman doing it only used a belt and spurs that were tied on with a piece of rope. The spurs looked like what the light company would use to climb a telephone pole...... Didn't seem very durable or safe. From reading these forums I know I need to start with the "Tree Climbers Companion"... I Don't know of any conventions around here that I can attend to help learn some of this stuff. I was also looking for some advice on what equipment would be safe to get started with. I have some experience with heights, but not too much with cutting trees.... Wondering if the following would be good to learn with?? Thanks in advance.

(Standard Spur Climbing Kit
Here’s everything you need for basic tree removals. We start with a tough, well-proven Weaver saddle and match it with a set of long lasting Buckingham steel climbers. The climbers are matched with a set of velcro climber pads and a 5/8" x 12' wire core flipline system to get you up the tree.)

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Burvol said:

Go to the next town or two over, pay a climber to teach you, and maybe work with him on some jobs for payment as well. just stay away from the guys you will be taking business away from!

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Mikecutstrees said:

What you are talking about, ie (Removing the tree in chunks and lowering them off the tree) is the most difficult type of tree work. Knowledge of trees, ropes, static and dynamic loads, tree defects, etc etc is required. You must know the strengths of different kinds of woods, and the weights of different kinds of wood. Then you must be very good with a chainsaw, comfortable at height, and knowledgeable of forces on rigging. You need lots of gear, saddle, climbing rope, spurs, pulleys (Blocks), lowering lines, friction devise, carabeaners, etc. I'm not trying to scare you off, it can be done. You also need someone to assist you and if this person is also a rookie it makes it more dangerous. Have you done any climbing yet? I'd advise you to learn how to climb and prune in some simple trees, Around here small maples and oaks can be pretty simple. Rigging for removal is difficult dangerous work. With this all said, I taught myself how to climb, and I learned alot from guys I was working with at the time. Start small, low and always stay tied in!!! Ask lots of questions too!!!

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olpace said:

Thanks for the advice.... I knew there was a lot more to it than it looked like. I have never seen anyone lower sections down one at a time. I have only seen them cut say 2-3' sections and let em fall. I worked for a sign company for awhile and therefore have experience being up on top of cranes etc...., but have never climbed..... The pruning sounds like a great idea to me.... A lot of the trees I come across I would have room to cut 2-3' sections and drop em, but not quite enough room to drop the whole tree. This is mainly what I would like to learn how to do. I have seen some shows on TV however where a guy was topping out the tree and it kicked back and killed him..... Kind of made me leery of just jumping into it. I will try and find a climber that will teach me.... will the book "Tree Climbers Companion" teach me about different ropes and rigging etc....???

Thanks ,
Brandon

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Mikecutstrees said:

hey brandon, the tree climbers companion has lots of useful information in it. But it doesn't have alot of information on removals. It covers knots, climbing, entering the tree, etc. It has a little on using spurs but doesn't really cover how to make notches or rigging or removal. There are some great videos made by arbormaster. They are expensive but wespur has a cool deal where you can rent them. It's $45 to rent each one. A good deal. I havn't watched them but the one called the art and science of practical rigging looks good. I'm sure someone on here has rented or owns some of them and could tell you how useful they are. Also the basics for tree climbers looks good. Cutting and letting small pieces fall can work too if there is room. Plywood can lessen damage to the ground underneith. I think your best bet is to work with someone else though. The risk with that is that the person might not be safe or showing you the best techniques and you wouldn't know it. .... Mike

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reachtreeservi said:

You can't learn removals from a book. But some books can speed your learning curve up tremendously. Here are 5 books that every tree man should own.

1) The Fundamentals Of General Tree Work by G.F. Beranek

2) Professional Timber Falling , A Procedural Approach by Douglas Dent

3) The Tree Climber's Companion by Jeff Jepson

4) The Art and Science of Practical Rigging workbook by Peter Donzelli and Sharon Lilly

5) The TREE CLIMBER'S KNOT BOOK by Dirk Lingens


Get these books and read them before you leave the ground. After that , go low and slow for quite awhile.
Don't be in a hurry to start doing the work, and one day you'll be able to.

Get in a hurry and start working before you're ready and you will have a very short career.
This is a dangerous business and even experienced people get injured and killed every day.
It only takes one mistake and you'll never get a chance to make another.
Right now, What is the most dangerous to you is You don't know what you don't know.

Good luck !

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olpace said:

(Standard Spur Climbing Kit
Here’s everything you need for basic tree removals. We start with a tough, well-proven Weaver saddle and match it with a set of long lasting Buckingham steel climbers. The climbers are matched with a set of velcro climber pads and a 5/8" x 12' wire core flipline system to get you up the tree.)

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ropensaddle said:

Lots can be book leared but experience and someone with it can
keep you out of trouble in the shady areas books do not cover
it all! Also remember if you are perusing it for hire insurance for
tree removal is not cheap and based off practical experience
to some degree meaning little experience = high rates please
don't do it with out insurance.

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olpace said:

should the opportunity become available to remove a tree I would like to be able to do it myself.

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treeseer said:

why add such a high-risk, gear-intensive, hard-to-learn sideline? Have you considered adding tree CARE to your business--mulching, disease control, some pruning with pole tools, all can be done with much less investment, and built easily into your present business.

You can only remove a tree once. It's not a sustainable service to offer. If you want to learn to climb, learn to climb--leave the removals to the specialists.

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olpace said:

Thank you for the advice and the book references. I am going to see what I can do to get my hands on these.

Brandon

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gink595 said:

I believe Bailey's has most of the books you are looking for. I couldn't find them at Barnes and Nobles or Borders. Might depend on where you live.

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reachtreeservi said:

Between Baileys, Sherrilltree and Wesspur you should be able to find all the books.

It pays to shop around, some of these books are considerable cheaper from one source than another.

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