Did my first climb today!

[Plasmech]

(sorry guys, I didn't die, hate to disappoint some of you)

I did it! After all the reading, research, talking to "real-life" pro's (NOT on the internet), I geared-up this afternoon and limbed a 50 foot pine tree. Didn't have enough daylight left to block it down, and my legs were getting tired, so I played it conservative and called it a day. I had a huge smile on my face when I got down.

I practiced with the spikes on another tree marked for death. When I took my first step, I was like OK this does NOT feel right, this is ridiculous. But after only a few more tries, I quickly got the hang of it (no naysayers, I am not saying I mastered it) enough to go up and down with a fair amount of confidence. I used pre-made non-wirecore lanyard, which sort of turned out to be trial by fire. It was a lot of work moving it up and down the tree and over nubs. It was very hard to adjust, I had to thrust toward the tree and tighten or loosen it very quickly, obviously I have more research to do there. but anyway, during the entire climb, I felt quite safe. There was definitely a healthy level of fear and respect, don't get me wrong, but I felt pretty comfortable up there. Well, let me stop there and say that I did not have steel shanked boots (partly because when I posted about them yesterday all I got were spam replies), and the top of the Klien's started to dig into my leg right where the bone is...that got old real quick but I pushed through it.

Making the limbing cuts was the least of my worry; it was a non-issue. No drama there at all, the Stihl 192 TC was great. All the branches snapped cleanly and fell straight down. The tree is not at the point where it's ready to be topped and blocked down. Unfortunately I do not even have a saw for that yet...not lugging my heavy Farm Boss up there either.

I do have some questions for the few who will reply seriously to this post however:

1. At times I didn't feel like my body was making the right angle with the tree, in other words not sure if my lanyard length was idea. Is there a general rule about this? Too close to the trunk and you can't really work, too far away it doesn't feel as safe. What's ideal?

2. What is the trick to adjusting the lanyard I described? I can't seem to find a picture of it online. It's a one-piece design...the Prusik itself is part of the lanyard, it's all the same rope. It was really hard for me to adjust.

Thanks for any answers!

Really felt good man, sense of achomplishment for sure.

 

[Nailsbeats]

The distance from your waist to the tree should be the same as the distance from you elbow to your fist. Put your elbow at your waist, your fist against the tree and adjust the flipline as needed. Also, you must maintain a 30 degree angle between your hooks (climbers) and the tree. While climbing lock one knee out all the time at that angle, or both when standing. For long stands alternate locking knees.

 

[squad143]

Glad to see you were able to get away from this site to try climbing. -Just ribbing ya.

It's hard to tell (without pictures) on where your problems may be with adjusting your lanyard. Did you make it yourself or buy it that way? Maybe you have too many wraps on the prussick?

Cut your nubs flush with the trunk and they won't be a problem.

I have to ask why are you starting a removal that you don't have the equipment to finish?

Get yourself a pair of aluminum pads or you'll have to put up with the spurs digging into your legs.

Take a climbing/rigging course. Go back to the spar you left and practice climbing it. Stay low and go slow. Practice circling the trunk and moving up and down until your more comfortable with your equipment. Hopefully your fear will keep you safe.

Have fun.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Plasmech]

Glad to see you were able to get away from this site to try climbing. -Just ribbing ya.

It's hard to tell (without pictures) on where your problems may be with adjusting your lanyard. Did you make it yourself or buy it that way? Maybe you have too many wraps on the prussick?

Cut your nubs flush with the trunk and they won't be a problem.

I have to ask why are you starting a removal that you don't have the equipment to finish?

Get yourself a pair of aluminum pads or you'll have to put up with the spurs digging into your legs.

Take a climbing/rigging course. Go back to the spar you left and practice climbing it. Stay low and go slow. Practice circling the trunk and moving up and down until your more comfortable with your equipment. Hopefully your fear will keep you safe.

Have fun.:greenchainsaw:

Thanks for the constructive post man! Nice to get one of those. I'll tell you what, I learned a LOT on that first climb. Every foot higher I got I learned something. I have to be careful not to become over-confident now, that would be very bad. As far as not having the saw to block down...I'm in no rush. It's a learning experience, a non-paying job at my uncle's house. But yes, it would be nice to have a good block-down saw.

Oh yea, I left the nubs on there so if I gaffed-out, I'd only slide down so far. I AM a noob remember

 

[ropensaddle]

Nubs are good!

Ehhhhhhh show us pics please nubs are not good if they are impaled
in yer :censored: Congrats playsmec but take your time and learn each
aspect before getting hurt.

 

[Norwayclimber]

Nubs are good!

Not when your balls stop against one on the way down :jawdrop: (if you hypothetically should gaff out)

Good work elsewise. Keep it slow and safe, and block it down when you're ready for it.

 

[tomtrees58]

Not when your balls stop against one on the way down :jaw drop: (if you hypothetically should gaff out)

he he tom trees

 

[Plasmech]

Nubs are good!

Yes they are. As far as ripping my balls out on the tree, I actually had the foresight to purchase an athletic cup at Wal Mart the day before just for that reason. In tree work you just can't have enough protection, I know that much!

 

[TDunk]

I try to leave nubs on the opposite side that i'm climbing on just incase. Then you don't fall far and your b@lls won't hate you, in most cases.

 

[ropensaddle]

I try to leave nubs on the opposite side that i'm climbing on just incase. Then you don't fall far and your b@lls won't hate you, in most cases.

The only time I have not stopped myself without stubs is on a pole because I knew better than to grab so, I just rode it down. It did not even hurt I just laid back kept my spurs on the pole and burned down letting friction slow my decent. If I had grabbed like you will on a tree I would have had some bad splinters.

 

[squad143]

Plasmech, here is the system I use;

Another shot without the wire core flipline.

I use a 3/8" (10mm) Bee-Line Eye&eye prussik Cord (from Sherrill) tied in a Swabish knot (loop) onto my "climbing" line that is tended by a micro pully. I've attached mine with a loop of spectra, but a dog's leash snap works too. I like the swabish because it only loads one way.

Along with my wirecore, this becomes my secondary tie-in. There are alot of advantages using a climbing line as a flipline. Some are, but not limited to;
As the working end gets worn, you cut off the worn end & have a fresh line.
You can set this higher in the tree and work off a higher tie in point (sometimes even hanging off it to give your "sore feet' a bit of a rest).
You can descend on this if you need to.
You can haul up or lower equipment/rope on the standing end.
With this set-up I can adjust (lengthen or shorten) with one hand. (Even with a load [me] on the line).

-Just what I could of think of at the moment.

With the wirecore you will have to take some of the weight off the micro-cender to adjust it.

 

[squad143]

Here are a couple of shots of it in use;

And

Kinda hard to tell but I'm using a lime green climbing line.
If (on a nasty cut) you are worried about gaffing out, you can always put a double wrap around the tree with your climbing line. -not always possible to do that with the limited length of the wirecore.

 

[Plasmech]

Here are a couple of shots of it in use;

And

Kinda hard to tell but I'm using a lime green climbing line.
If (on a nasty cut) you are worried about gaffing out, you can always put a double wrap around the tree with your climbing line. -not always possible to do that with the limited length of the wirecore.

Cool pics man. OK here's a question...when you are blocking down, what it your climbing line attached to? I mean obviously it can't be attached above you because that section is going to bomb out. So where do you put your cinch with biner?

Oh yea, what saw are you using in that pic? Thanks.

 

[squad143]

Guess I left a few stubs on this one;

If you look closely you can see my secondary tie in (climbing/flip line) just above my head. The rope hanging off my rear is 5/8 Stable Braid that we were using to pull the top.

Yes you can get the lines over the stubs, just takes more work. The branch collars were fairly large and would have required more cutting to make them flush. I'll occasionally leave a stub to help support a line (in case of slip) however, as been mentioned, they can possibly bite you. Plus snag branches/lines later while your lowering/bombing limbs if you leave the stubs too long.

 

[squad143]

Cool pics man. OK here's a question...when you are blocking down, what it your climbing line attached to? I mean obviously it can't be attached above you because that section is going to bomb out. So where do you put your cinch with biner?

Oh yea, what saw are you using in that pic? Thanks.

My flipline(orange) and climbing line(lime green) are above my sling & pulley but below my notch and eventually, backcut. This is where you want your lines when you drop the top, that way the pulley does not swing down and cut your lines.

I'll try and find a different pic. of a different method for tie in while making the notch.

The saw in the picture is a 046 magnum with a 24" bar. The maple grew into four stems (above my head) and since it was adjacent to his septic tank and house, everything had to be rigged down. This piece was big and only about 15' (at cut) above the ground so it really put a strain in the lowering line.

 

[SLlandscape]

Another shot without the wire core flipline.

Squad, I have a question if you don't mind. Instead of using the micro pulley as a slack tender, could you just use the biner? Or does it cause to much friction? My thinking is that the biner will serve the same purpose as the pulley, and would save money by not having to purchase the pulley latch or loop.

 

[Plasmech]

My flipline(orange) and climbing line(lime green) are above my sling & pulley but below my notch and eventually, backcut. This is where you want your lines when you drop the top, that way the pulley does not swing down and cut your lines.

I'll try and find a different pic. of a different method for tie in while making the notch.

The saw in the picture is a 046 magnum with a 24" bar. The maple grew into four stems (above my head) and since it was adjacent to his septic tank and house, everything had to be rigged down. This piece was big and only about 15' (at cut) above the ground so it really put a strain in the lowering line.

Currently I don't have the arm strength to carry 460 up in a tree...need to work on that. I'm considering a 260 Pro for smaller trees, what do you think about that saw?

 

[(WLL)]

Here are a couple of shots of it in use;

And

Kinda hard to tell but I'm using a lime green climbing line.
If (on a nasty cut) you are worried about gaffing out, you can always put a double wrap around the tree with your climbing line. -not always possible to do that with the limited length of the wirecore.

+1 squad, good post with good pics. do you ever use your center loop?

 

[squad143]

Not the best picture but;

I left my climbing line as a high anchor point while I wraped the sling around the trunk (made it easier for working arond the tree). It is kinda difficult to see. The green line is my sling and the oange is my wirecore.

Here is a hemlock chunk ready to be dropped, just making the back cut. You can make out the climbing line and the wirecore flipline above the sling and below the cut.

Another picture showing the system with the port-a-wrap in place. The groundsman who tends the rope on the port-a-wrap was taking the pic. Once again, another tree and another septic tank (not to mention buildings) in the vacinity.

 

[squad143]

Squad, I have a question if you don't mind. Instead of using the micro pulley as a slack tender, could you just use the biner? Or does it cause to much friction? Thanks

I imagine that you could, but there would be some friction, not to mention that it may rub against the eye of the bee-line, causing even more friction. I have had (on a few occasions) to haul myself up using just this 2:1 advantage and the least amount of friction, the better. Besides, a micro pulley is not that much.