Climbing Techniques

[treeclimber101]

It used to be if you can't foot lock, you were not hired.
Jeff

I can foot lock single and double line , can I hang????

 

[treeclimber101]

I like your style 101, That is pretty much how I operate, except I use a ten foot lanyard to redirect or pull myself around, also for safety because I usually free climb to enter the tree. I can use my climbing rope as one lanyard and the 10 ft as another so I am never untied. I just changed over to a spliced rope though, so now I can quickly unclip and reset my rope without having to untie anything. It's nice but I still trim most if not all of the tree from one TIP, and I don't really use a pole saw or pruner in the tree. I walk out and use my handsaw. I find with a pole saw I always seem to leave it behind and have to go back for it. I know my technique is old school, but it's how I was trained and I am fast with it, so for now it works.

The quickest way to get someone hurt is to over teach , I also carry a long lanyard but I hate when the loop fools on a branch below me or along side , so I keep it hanging long from my belt ... I was taught with a saddle and rope and pole thats it ... Even a throwline if needed but all this crap they have out now is a joke by the time these fancy new climbers get workways for the I am tossing branches towards the chipper , I do like a nose bag for a drink and my phone ...I carry a short throwline sometimes there too..

 

[Kottonwood]

Agreed, Often times I am up the tree and working by the time other climbers are still messing with their throw ball or big shot. But I will say that if I was climbing some 150' tall monster I would probably try something else. most of the trees I deal with are 50-70 ft.

 

[TreeAce]

I often use my wooden poles (cuz they are lighter) with a pole saw head minus the blade. I use that hook to keep setn my rope . I also tend to use both ends of my rope n kinda "leap frog" the ropes . Hint-Tie a "monkey ball" or "throwing knot" on the nonworking end of your climbn line n clip it to yo saddle BEFORE you start up. Saves time n effort later. I am sure lots of people already know that but I feel like I invented it cuz nobody showed me. I thought it up myself. When I first started climbing back in the day, an old timer told me that the best thing about about a throw bag n string is that they fit nicely in a purse. Not sayn I totally agree with that but I think it's funny n he did have a point.

R.I.P John Bradstock ...A fine teacher n a hell of a TREEMAN.

 

[Tree Machine]

When I first started climbing back in the day, an old timer told me that the best thing about about a throw bag n string is that they fit nicely in a purse. Not sayn I totally agree with that but I think it's funny n he did have a point.

Here's a modern approach to the same point:

the best thing about a throw bag n string is that they fit nicely on a self-deploying, tangle-free reel.

I'm passionate about a few things. Advantages that make an Arborist more money, and save time or effort, or do whatever he's doing more efficiently, I am all about these things.


Setting a rope is really, really important, because as soon as that is done and the line put away, you can get on with your ascent. Fast, efficient high sets in one or two tries is your goal. Actually ace-ing the shot or throw is always the goal. I like eye terminations on both ends of my climbing line, I really avoid knots in repetitive places and favor the instantness of using some connector to both the shotline and the climbing rope.


Kevin Bingham, will my dual rope wrench allow eyed terminations to pass through it?, or have you figured out how to attach the wrench midline?

 

[TreeAce]

Here's a modern approach to the same point:

the best thing about a throw bag n string is that they fit nicely on a self-deploying, tangle-free reel.

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=159706&stc=1&d=1290905388


I'm passionate about a few things. Advantages that make an Arborist more money, and save time or effort, or do whatever he's doing more efficiently, I am all about these things.

LOL..Ahh Tree Machine...He was being sarcastic. Ya know..like they are for girls. It was along time ago n I AM NOT SAYING I TOTALLY AGREE.

 

[kevin bingham]

the line winder reel is sweet. Throwline is the highest paying skill I have. I make more money per hour with the throwline than anything else I do.

The dual rope, spliced eye havin midline attachable,rope wrench has been designed and is ready for production, I know what it looks like. You know how that is. Ill try to give you a call later this week.

 

[Tree Machine]

the line winder reel is sweet. Throwline is the highest paying skill I have. I make more money per hour with the throwline than anything else I do.

Duuuuuuuuuude!!!! It's so true! OMG I'll bet you ACE a par 4 and just smile and say cha-ching.

you hop a little horizontal branch let the bag drop, dropppp, in-hand, unclip bag, clip on rope eye and pull like XXXX, pull,
the rope is traveling up, up, about to the top, a mighty, YANK,
up and over.

Keep pulling, baby steps backwards, pull, faster you shmo, pull, pull, pull, pull YEA!




Unclip rope, clip shotbag back on, and reach down and pick up the shotline reel.


THIS moment, right then, you reflect ever so briefly that placing this 75 foot shot, and getting a rope up and over the tie-in point has all taken place in the span of the last 45 seconds; just about the same amount of time that it has taken you to read this passage.

But the clock is still running

46, 47, you take the shotline winder and grip one of the stainless steel swivels, place the line behind your knee to control tension, and
Wind.

Go!

10 seconds, nine....reel it mo fo, GO MAN wind it

Wind

WIND,

8


7

reel in , go go goi go


4



3



2
put the bag over,
under
DING!!!


YOU WIN!!!!! AHHHH HHAAAA!!!!!!

You did some DAMAGE mister, think about buyin your az$ a PIZZA!



THAT is how we make money with a bigshot and a reel, what under $200 total?

That makes your bigshot and reel combo an investment. I call it the poor man's bucket truck.


But unlike the bucket truck we can go anywhere, to any tree, under pretty much any condition.


Yea, $75 for the shotine winder, comes with 200 feet of orange Fling-it and a wiregate micron clip for rope or bag attachment, da bomb.



He who can sink consistent shots and set ropes with swiftness like, well,, like the one minute example up above is what I call an excellent set. One minute, beginning-to-end, ready to put the reel away, ready to climb.

The bar has been set. This is what Kevin Bingham does. That is exactly what he's talkin about, how highly profitable you are to your own self if you can set rope and manage shotline duties in, well, in average any more, I am consistently under two minutes, line reeled in rope set and ready to climb.

cha

ching

 

[Tree Machine]

Throwline is the highest paying skill I have. I make more money per hour with the throwline than anything else I do.

I had to read it one more time. That is pure poetry.

 

[TreeAce]

That was beautiful man.

 

[Tree Machine]

There are things I want for my fellow climbers, and having things be as easy and profitable as possible for you, so you can be more efficient and be easier on your body and make more money.


THAT is what I will go out of my way to share.

 

[Tree Machine]

But not to derail this thread on 'Climbing Techniques', we mentioned the affordable price on the shotline winder,
I have a question.

What will you be charging me for this commissioned piece, a custom dual rope wrench?


Honestly, I think it should be treated as art, as it is a one-of-kind creation, and you are the sculptor.

How much, 12, 20 thousand?

 

[Tree Machine]

Kevin, yoo hoo. How much to buy a dual rope wrench?

 

[Tree Machine]

Hey, I checked at Treestuff.com , a paying sponsor here at this fine forum.

They are offering both the single and the dual wrench.


The single wrench is made of classic hardwood, hand-crafted and set up as ready-to-use. It is whatever price that Treestuff.com lists it as.


Now the double|elbuod , this one will be made of steel. It has side-cheeks and opens up much like the side plates on a pulley, allowing to attach to the single, or the twin line, MIDLINE attachment, allowing a very instant on/off wherever you happen to need that. No feeding rope in from the tail. Clip on and go.


This steel, dual rope wrench, I have been told by treestuff, will retail for $400.

I will buy it, but I have to assume the price would drop like a rock once a manufacturing setup is devised. I think a fair price would be in the range of $250 to $300.

So build on, Kevin. I give you permission to continue with the commission for the first-ever, dual rope wrench.


ps Treestuff.com is very excited to be working with you on this project.
The entire climbing community is looking very seriously at your innovative approach.

 

[Kottonwood]

the line winder reel is sweet. Throwline is the highest paying skill I have. I make more money per hour with the throwline than anything else I do.

Yeah I am starting to think that's a great point. I was thinking that it's a waste of time, but if you are good with it and always get your crotch on the first shot then it is definitely worth it. I haven't seen to many guys that are actually good with a throwline though, in that case it's faster to just climb the tree.

Looks like this weekend I'll be spending some time in the park with a throwline.

 

[Tree Machine]

Looks like this weekend I'll be spending some time in the park with a throwline.

Good on you.

The importance of this point can not be overstated. Just accept that this is the case, that if you're a tree climber, commercial or recreational, the only thing that stands between you and getting up in that tree is having a rope in it.



Now think about this.










Go ahead.















Keeeeeeep thinkin.






















what were we thinkin about....???











OH!













YOU GETTING INTO THE CROWN.



And you need a rope set pretty much exactly where you want it.




How do you get the rope set???




Guys. I 'll spell this out out in detail because this is Arb 101: You throw, or you bigshot.


That's pretty much it. The Aussie site has the http://www.#########.info/f18/12-guage-line-launcher-1533.html
12-guage line launcher, the crossbow thread, etc,


But every person reading this thread is a climber. A TREE climber.


And the only thing standing between you accessing the crown is getting a rope set. Do you see how critical this is??? Everyone, collectively,.... tree bretheren and sisterthen, how do I put this best? No rope set, no climb.

 

[Tree Machine]

Setting a rope is this critical. It is the door to entry.


You set a rope in one minute, you are a valuable man. Or woman, Hi Bermie.

If I may derail this thread for just a moment, I will punctuate the importance of rope setting. I had a climber in for the day, we looked at the tree he would do, 60' tall tree up between two houses. He said he could do it, no problem, I'll take it from here. I go and get my saddle, chainsaw, climbing line, rigging rope everything any of us would grab if you're gonna rig down a tree. But I have a secret weapon.

I have a shotline winder and a Bigshot.

 

[TreeAce]

Well....there has to b more to this story . Feels like someone tore out the last 2 or 3 pages of a good book .

 

[Tree Machine]

I drop all my stuff, saddle up, lay my climbline at the base of the tree, ready to uncoil.


The shotline winder looks like this:

Holding it, you drop the bag through, come around and over, and flick the reel to the ground with a swift frisbee spin, you are holding the shotline bag and line. This takes, literally, one or two seconds.

You put the shot bag in the Bigshot pouch, pull back,....



aim.....


That looks like this:

Anb, Ka POWWWW! you let it fly.

An easy par-two shot, but when you drain it, it's now time to focus, guiding the bag down, near the climbline, OK, it's down, unclip bag clip on eye, GO!,

go, go , go!

pull,

pull,



up over!


Pull,

pull,

3


2



1


Unclip rope, clip on shotbag, toss to ground.

Pick up the shotline winder.

Pinch the line behind your knee, now reel in as fast as you can, GO!


Reel in,

fast!


You are reeling in shotline at a rate of, are you ready for this, and you can measure and time this out yourselves,
Ten feet per second. 3 meters per second. Say you nail a 75 foot shot on the first try (which was the case this day), get a rope up and over in one minute. 150 feet of shotline lay flaked on the ground, wherever you chose to put it. Personally, I pull as fast as I can wearing grippy gloves, and walk in baby steps backwards, shelling out line in a light pattern.

Reeling in 150 feet of line at ten feet per second, you do the math
but whatever way you look at it, the answer is money. One and one half minutes and my line is put away and I'm ready to climb. So I climb.

I attach my saw, the rigging rope and I head up. It wasn't until I got to my tie-in point that I could see over the house and in between, the other climber, still throwing and trying to get a rope set. I set a couple slings and friction control, rigged my rope to this snapped-off, dangling 8" diameter limb hinging precariously over a boathouse and boat and dock. Just doing what I do, I make the cut and lowered it a few feet, and then locked it off. I was going to rappel down, then belay the limb down, guide it off the dock and up onto shore, but I saw an opportunity. Plus I had slings set and would have to climb back up and get them.

I always like to take the path of laziest resistance, you know making good decisions to have things go easier than they otherwise could. I just let the limb hang a moment,
"Hey, climber, knock on the door for me please."
Pound, pound, pound
"He needs you" (points to me)

"I need your help or your boat could be smashed."

I giggle. I'm thinkin I'm pretty funny. The guy is paying me $150 for this technical little piece, and I'm putting him to work as my ground guy.

"Hey climber, give him your helmet when he comes out."

So as he's putting on his shoes, I'm slowly lowering the limb, lightly touching the tip to the dock and locking off. Owner arrives,

I boom out, like the man from Oz, "You are going to pull, and I am going to pay out line. Get a good hold." I lower another couple feet.
He takes the suspended limb in hand,
"OK, I want you to summon every molecule of testosterone in your body.
When you start to go, commit to going with authority, are you ready?
You let me know when you are ready." I lower another couple feet, perfect.
"Ready." he says.

"OK, so am I. See your chain link fence ahead? You are going to set this limb next to that fence."
"No way,"
"Way."
"No wayyyy."

"Way."

"READY, AND, GO!

This is where I try to keep my laughter in control.


"GO, GO, GO!"

And before you know it. It is over. I graciously offer 'my boss' a job as my groundguy. I rappell out, and his 6 year-old thinks this is all the biggest hoot, so I stop, suspended right over top of the boathouse, feet touching, I did a tapdance, and then a ballet and had this kid laughing til he peed himself. When I got onto dry land, my hired gun had still not gotten his rope set.


That's what happens when you take 15 minutes to set your rope. It's called shotline nightmare. His experiences with the shotline and my experiences with the shotline are remarkably different experiences. It all boils down to the gear; a launcher on a pole, and a way to manage your shotline and a shotbag. Under $200 bucks. The guy I'm paying $30 an hour is still fuddling with an antiquated throwline system and I'm starting my cleanup.

This is what is meant by the shotline / linesetting being a high paying skill.

 

[Tree Machine]

This is all very much on-topic.