Another newbie

[joesawer]

i found that cutting the top out with the Humboldt notch and a back cut level with the face cut leaving a small hinge leaves less abrubtly than the traditional felling techniques.

Good job, grass hopper.
I do not use a humbolt up in a tree very much, but some times it has its advantages.
The big wide open face cut and the big hinge some people use can cause a big ride.
What happens is, as the weight of the top moves the direction of the fall it pushes the uncut tree in the opposite direction (one reason the back cut should be slightly higher than the face), then as the face closes it pulls the part you are attached to along with it until the hinge breaks. The hinge breaking suddenly releases the tree and can cause a pretty violent action in the remaining tree.
Another good one is cutting a lot of weight of a horizontal or leaning limb. and having it snap up as the load is suddenly released.

Ummm............. Most modern techniques are not very traditional.

 

[gremlin]

gear

Thanks masiman for the input. I just bought these spurs and they are buckinghams with T pads. I honestly never bothered to check if there was a left or right. Im gonna feel pretty silly if there is a difference. I will be looking into a different set of pads. Just not enough padding there for me. As far as the tops of the trees go i just didnt feel confortable. Not so much with the hights or the tree moving but my body position. I felt like i was walking on my own feet. Spurs were so close togethere that i didnt feel stable. The pro that was working with me said i was doing a great job when i decided to come down. Just didnt have a good feeling ya know.

All in all it was a successful job. Im happy with it and proud of myself. And very very sore today.
Thanks again for the input

 

[woodchux]

I've got the cheapest set of buckingham spurs and pads that they sell. They are VERY uncomfortable to say the least. Last year I started using soccer shin pads under my pant legs and the difference is like day and night. I can stand on spurs all day with little discomfort.
As far as feeling unstable on a small spar, I'll take my life line and cinch off SRT to the spar and lean against the split tail for stability.

 

[clearance]

Unstable? Wrap your steelcore around the stem and stomp in your spurs.

 

[masiman]

Unstable? Wrap your steelcore around the stem and stomp in your spurs.

You know, I have seen them do the extra wraps many times in the ISA training vids but they did not mention the reason. I assumed it was for better fall protection, I did not think of the extra bracing that provided. I will have to try that out next time. I have been stomping in the spurs though.

As far as feeling unstable on a small spar, I'll take my life line and cinch off SRT to the spar and lean against the split tail for stability.

Woodchux, are you saying your cinching your lifeline using a running bowline or some other method? When I get to where I can start chunking down the spar I tie my safety to my harness with a butterfly knot (any other suggestions?) and then put in a running bowline around the spar as my second safety if I can't get a nearby tree TIP. I have seen the short pieces of rope I think at Wesspur that you can use to tie both sides of the lanyard together creating a tight loop like what clearance described, but you don't have to unhook to take the wrap. Not the best description but hopefully someone can clean that up for me. I was asking about the bowline because if what I described is what you meant then that is not quite working for whatever reason.

 

[masiman]

Gremlin, one other thing about those pads gremlin. The only reason I was able to move on from those L pads is because of another AS member. I wrote my tale of woe like yours. Someone PM'd me out of state and out of the blue and offered to send me an extra pair of their Cushion wrap. I had never interacted with the man before. Wanted to send them to me on his own dime. Try them out a few times and send them back to him. Heck he even threw in another set of pads that he told me to keep.

My next tree using those things was far better than what I had been able to do before. I still had some pain, but it took longer and it was not nearly as sharp. Not to mention it was less dangerous. I can't thank that guy enough. Others have imparted hard earned experience and guided me to different techniques. Some directly from my questions others from past posts.

If you keep doing this kind of work, you will have plenty more pieces of equipment that you will make mistakes on. And hopefully they will only be financial mistakes .

Check your PM's.

Thanks B.

 

[gremlin]

thanks

Thanks to all who have offered advice. I am deffinately looking into something more confortable. Those spurs liked to have killed me in the few hours i worked up there. I must find something diff.

 

[woodchux]

Woodchux, are you saying your cinching your lifeline using a running bowline or some other method? When I get to where I can start chunking down the spar I tie my safety to my harness with a butterfly knot (any other suggestions?) and then put in a running bowline around the spar as my second safety if I can't get a nearby tree TIP. I have seen the short pieces of rope I think at Wesspur that you can use to tie both sides of the lanyard together creating a tight loop like what clearance described, but you don't have to unhook to take the wrap. Not the best description but hopefully someone can clean that up for me. I was asking about the bowline because if what I described is what you meant then that is not quite working for whatever reason.

I use rope snaps on the ends of my lifeline and cinch the spar with the rope snap. Like clearance said take a wrap with a steelcore stomp in the spurs and cinch down your lifeline tight( running bowlin is fine ) . Leaning on the splittail gives you a third point to lean against and helps stabilize you.

 

[clearance]

I use rope snaps on the ends of my lifeline and cinch the spar with the rope snap. Like clearance said take a wrap with a steelcore stomp in the spurs and cinch down your lifeline tight( running bowlin is fine ) . Leaning on the splittail gives you a third point to lean against and helps stabilize you.

That setup is more than I use. I just climb with a steelcore scare strap (lanyard), thats it. On removals I usually keep my rope coiled up, clipped to my saddle. If I have to come down, or get gas, my rope gets used, if I can strip and chunk back down to the ground it stays coiled up. This way it doesn't get branches on it, pulled through the chipper or cut. To avoid getting flung about I cut leaning tops just like I fall leaners on the ground. I also use a shallow undercut for tops so they land flat. My spurs are Buckingham straight shank with 3" gaffs, they have the aluminum pads. When you are cutting or tying knots, as others have said, think about it and take your time.

 

[gremlin]

soccer pads

I've got the cheapest set of buckingham spurs and pads that they sell. They are VERY uncomfortable to say the least. Last year I started using soccer shin pads under my pant legs and the difference is like day and night. I can stand on spurs all day with little discomfort.
As far as feeling unstable on a small spar, I'll take my life line and cinch off SRT to the spar and lean against the split tail for stability.

woodchux i gave the soccer pads a shot over the weeken and it worked very well. i was able to stay in the tree for two hrs before i got unconfortable. It was a huge inprovement but when the pain hit it really hit. But anyhhow thanks for the advice it worked very well!!!

 

[Fireaxman]

I use rope snaps on the ends of my lifeline and cinch the spar with the rope snap. Like clearance said take a wrap with a steelcore stomp in the spurs and cinch down your lifeline tight( running bowlin is fine ) . Leaning on the splittail gives you a third point to lean against and helps stabilize you.

Amen. Using a setup like woodchux' made a BIG difference for me in how comfortable I feel on small spars, and in how well I take the ride removing a top. I use a running bowline instead of the snap woodchux has chosen, just because someone warned me about loading a snap across the axis. Smaller the spar, more the load against the axis of the snap - but, a 170 lb climber on a 6000 lb snap probably would not be at risk. I also use a Petzle ID or Stop instead of the Blakes, thinking the mechanical descender is less likely to jam if I get cut or stung and need to bail out. Woodchux, does the Blakes give you any trouble in that kind of SRT descent?

 

[hornett22]

spend the money on Geckos .........

unless you are into the pain.i have the buckingham titaniums as well and the aren't bad with the velcro wrap pads.i think the geckos are the way to go though and they are alot less than the buckinghams i have.

 

[gremlin]

gaffs

how well do the velcro wraps work. are they stable when the pressure is on. velcro just kinda scares me a little

 

[woodchux]

Amen. Using a setup like woodchux' made a BIG difference for me in how comfortable I feel on small spars, and in how well I take the ride removing a top. I use a running bowline instead of the snap woodchux has chosen, just because someone warned me about loading a snap across the axis. Smaller the spar, more the load against the axis of the snap - but, a 170 lb climber on a 6000 lb snap probably would not be at risk. I also use a Petzle ID or Stop instead of the Blakes, thinking the mechanical descender is less likely to jam if I get cut or stung and need to bail out. Woodchux, does the Blakes give you any trouble in that kind of SRT descent?

I use a figure 8 just below the blakes so there is no binding. The blakes is just a backup.

Try a biner on the end of your lifeline if you dont trust a rope snap. It makes it soooo much faster than retying the running bowline as you work the tree.

 

[woodchux]

woodchux i gave the soccer pads a shot over the weeken and it worked very well. i was able to stay in the tree for two hrs before i got unconfortable. It was a huge inprovement but when the pain hit it really hit. But anyhhow thanks for the advice it worked very well!!!

I use the pads that dont have straps. They come with a sock that holds the pads in place. The pads with straps move around much more.

 

[gremlin]

so the velcro wraps are pretty stable?? do they move around like the T or L pads?? I just dont wanna be that high in the air and have to worry about my gaffs moving. there is enough to worry about as it is

 

[hornett22]

they never scared me but now that i think about it............

how well do the velcro wraps work. are they stable when the pressure is on. velcro just kinda scares me a little

i can see where you'd be coming from.never had a problem with them other than the price.

 

[changetires]

I use the super pads on a set of buckinghams 3". I havent climbed in 5 months and was able to stay in the tree for 3 hours without my feet and legs hurting. Found out after touching down that I was severely out of shape and that I really need to do some rec climbing on the days off to keep in shape. The lower humidity on Saturday morning here in south Alabama was a big help also. But I still try to keep on hand a set of padding or foam to put in my socks to help with the rubbing.

Ed

 

[jrparbor04]

kills my knees when i come down

 

[Magnum783]

I second some of what clarence said double wrap your flipline. I do use a rope too but I use an friction saver they show you how to do it in the tree climbers companion. Also as far as pads I use the velcro pads and I a big dude and they never seem to give me any fits. My buddy is a lineman and climbs on straight up bashlin pads and tried mine one day and fell in love with them. Also my wesco's help a ton too. I use one knee to help stabalize when I am working. When I fall a top finish the top with my hand saw that allows me to brace myself with the other. I do this only when it is going to be a bumpy ride. I do a lot pines which require lots of hight so if it is tall and I need to rope it down I make sure to tell the guys to let it run and brace myself good. Keep posting your questions make them specific and we will be able to help answer them better.
Jared