45' cabbage palm......

[budroe69moni]

what's the best way to go about trimming a 45' cabbage palm???
the loose boots start at about 30'. they haven't been trimmed in years and i've got a chance to do 5 of them. any advice would be helpful!!!
thanks,
budroe

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Bucket, sub it out or ladder up of choked slings. Or 'flipping' Etriers up, end over end after laddering up high as possible.

i think RobDawg was one that suggested using FS, that didn't reach all the way around spar for descending.

Check anchoring, and make sure have been in ground a while.

 

[treeclimber165]

NASSSSSSSSSSS--TEEEEEEEE!!!
I hope ya have a helluva big truck or trailer to haul all the debris, yer gonna have a LOT! Gotta shave the boots as you work your way up, all that rat poop and dust falling all over your head! I usually run my ladder as high as I can, then work off gaffs and lanyard like a lineman. Once you get it trimmed, you can tie your lifeline into the head and rapell down. Makes it easier to clean up the trunk all the way around, you can swing around to see the backside. Use an older lifeline- it will bind somewhat and really trash a new one. Wear a high collared shirt and DON'T tuck it in! Watch out for rats, wasps and fire ants. The palmetto bugs are only annoying- they won't bite.
45' with 2 years growth would be worth $50-$60 each around here. If boots are loose from 30', they probably haven't been touched in 10 years. I wouldn't sub them out for less than $100 each. Unless it was to someone who I really hated!

 

[budroe69moni]

what's the best way to shave the boots???? i've been using my little corona folding saw, it's been working out just fine. i did trim and shave 14 20' today at 15.00 each but couldn't get at those 45 footers. i've got a 28' fiberglass extension ladder and thought i'd try to bring up my ppt-260 up w/ me, bad idea trying to swing a 20' power pruner on top of a 28' ladder to prun the frons!!! live and learn. where in the head should i tie my life line????
peace,
budroe

 

[treeclimber165]

Just run your lifeline around the head, above 2-3 fronds that you will leave. Not to worry about the fronds holding your weight, the majority of the force will be the opposite direction- against the head of the palm. I usually wait till after I have cut the fronds before running my rope through. Don't like running a saw that close to my rope!
I use my climbing saw to shave the boots. Hard on it, but about 50 times faster than a hand saw.

Power pruner on a ladder is a recipe for disaster! I have no idea how those things can be sold to the public with all the liability issues.

 

[budroe69moni]

treeclimber,
what type of climbing saw do you use?
i love my power pruner, i can zip through palms 20' and under in less that 5-10 minutes each and at 15.00 a palm, i can make a pretty good chunk of change in a day, especially if i'm not cleaning boots. i'm doing a jobs sunday trimming up 8 queen palms about 15-16', each one only has 3-4 frons to take off, that's a quick 120 for probably about 1 1/2's work!!!! i love this business.
budroe

 

[treeclimber165]

Been running Echo cs-3400's with 14" bar for about 6 years. I always use the dealer's tools and remove the screen from the muffler and the 'safety' tip on the bar before leaving the shop. Leave that junk for THEIR garbage can.
People claim that the echo's lack power, but I've had excellent results with mine. Keeping it razor sharp so it requires less horses to cut helps a LOT. But I can still bury 14" into laurel oak and keep going easily. I run Stihl chain and oregon bars.

As to only pruning fronds and not cleaning the boots, I consider that half a trim. Loose boots falling off palms look like poop. Many people get away with it, cut all the fronds except 3-4 and never touch the scraggly boots- leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Queens are easy, loose boots pull off without cutting. If it doesn't pull off, it doesn't need to come off.

 

[Treeman14]

I did one like that a couple years ago. Luckily, it had a tall cypress growing right next to it that I tied into. I attacked it from the top down. Still took over two hours to clean all the boots off. Almost filled the chip truck, too. Charged $300, shoulda been more.
Since you probably don't have another tree nearby to tie into, you'll have to just start at the bottom and work your way up. Do as much as possible off the ladder, then spike the rest. I always use two tie-ins when working tall palms. A climbing line snugged up tight around the trunk and a lanyard on my side D-rings. If its a small diameter, I'll sometimes wrap the lanyard once for extra security.
The friction saver with a prussic(Page 15 in the Sherrill catalog) looks like it would work well on palms, and you wouldn't have to tie into the head. I never liked doing that.
Good luck. I hope you charge extra for those. Like Brian said, NAAAASSSTEE. You forgot to mention the bull ants, you know the ones with the giant jaws. When you try to pull the off, they hold on so tight their head pops off. Yuck.

 

[DDM]

Budroe, Post a picture of a Nasty Palm Im curious. If you can get enough of them rent you a towable Bucket like a Eagle they will reach 45' and around here they can be rebted for about 140.00 a day.
I thought about buying a Towable Bucket to save on Insurance,Personal property tax,Tag fee Ect But theres some places
ive worked i could hardly get the bucket truck into much less a towable and a truck.

 

[budroe69moni]

ddm,
i've got a line on a digital camera and will try to take a few shots and post them!!!!!
by the way, another job i went to look at today will involve the take down and removal of 3 30-35' cabbage palms. i've trimmed plenty of them but haven't taken any down yet????? any suggestions?????? what should i charge????? let me know.....
budroe

 

[DDM]

Budroe, Growing up in Miami or until i was 12 anyway i remember seeing palms but cant say i really ever paid any attention to them. Just figure how many hours it will take How much its going to cost you to dump debri and how many trips since you drive a jeep! And charge an hourly rate. If you screw up it will be a learning experience Weve all had them!