Do you ALWAYS pre install a climbing line on all take downs?

[newguy18]

Wait till ya do it with a 2101

its gonna be much better with a 3120 with a 3' bar.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

kinda like the guys who say theres no need to one hand.you can tell they've never worked in a tree.

Actually I know several highly skilled people who have not onehanded a saw for years. They are people with integrity and have done it in private. One I work with on big trees several times a year and have not seen one hand saw use once. The latter says it has been over 8 years since he has had a situation he has needed to do it.

 

[newguy18]

Well good for them but i look at it this way.
i one hand.
i one hand at least once everytime i climb.
A piece of paper ain't my boss considering i'm the guy up top.
Now back on topic I just did a removal without pre installing my climb line i just hung it off of my dee ring and set it with a double wrap before I cut the top out.First time I've done it that way but probabley not the last.:biggrinbounce2:

 

[gitrdun_climbr]

hmm

:monkey:

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I just did a removal without pre installing my climb line i just hung it off of my dee ring and set it with a double wrap before I cut the top out.

You could make a simple false crotch out of carrabiners and a section of old rope. When I first started, I would cut a false crotch in my climbing spar. This was OK, but needed a lot of attention.

I fall I am doing is rap'ing down the spar, I'll use a munter on my pull rope. Yes is is counter to ANSI, I'm not 100% by the book, just more then others.

 

[ropensaddle]

You could make a simple false crotch out of carrabiners and a section of old rope. When I first started, I would cut a false crotch in my climbing spar. This was OK, but needed a lot of attention.

I fall I am doing is rap'ing down the spar, I'll use a munter on my pull rope. Yes is is counter to ANSI, I'm not 100% by the book, just more then others.

Yes the book will enhance knowledge and give different
perspective, experience however will show where the book
is practical and mostly is but there are situations that are too
complex to rule from a book. I will probably get a laugh here
bwtf here goes,I have been noticing I am not the man I was
at 40 and climbing a spar to piece down in chunks, blows anymore!
ankles and foot murder is how I see it I decided to try my own
way two years ago and wow the difference is night &day.
I will climb piece down to a stob sixty foot tall then set my
climbing tree stand to where it will be level at top and block
down from a platform I have got my flipline on and feel ok
about the setup I will cut two blocks set saw on seat and move
down to next two blocks until I reach ground my ankles thank me !
This is on removals and my alternative to spurs may not work for
everyone but I like it.

 

[beowulf343]

It has been my observation that people who routinely require high lines for removals are not comfortable on their spurs.

Really? Personally, on most removals, i'll run up on spikes, set any ropes i need and tie in with my climbing line. Then come down and start taking off branches. Most of my jobs are in tight areas so everything need to be roped off. I love being on my rope-gives me a much better freedom of movement. Makes it alot easier to tip tie a branch when you can walk out on it. But this may be just because too many of the removals around here are wide, sprawling trees (silver maple, willow, boxelder, etc.) Makes it easy to get around a wide tree when you are on a rope.

 

[oldirty]

could be wrong but i am thinkn DMC meant that the line will be set before going up. think training wheels.

unless its a pine i too go to the top or the best TIP i can find for myself and come back to the best working position(s).






oldirty

 

[beowulf343]

So would I. I would also like to know how you get informed on the "public comment periods" before these things become set.

I will tell you what I use on most removals. I use two 3/4" flip lines with hip Prusik adjusters. My climbing line is coiled and set on the left hip, saw on the right. When I am doing a large removal, the last thing I want is my climbing line buried under tons of branches. I also don't want my climbing line snagged by a large branch on its way down. Those of you who have experienced this know what I mean.

I have preset high lines on some removals (never say never) and will always try to set a separate line on a questionable or hazardous removal. But to have it mandated as SOP would be mistake. There is no easier way to spur out than to take your weight off your flip line and spurs and transfer it to your high line.

It has been my observation that people who routinely require high lines for removals are not comfortable on their spurs.

D Mc

could be wrong but i am thinkn DMC meant that the line will be set before going up. think training wheels.

unless its a pine i too go to the top or the best TIP i can find for myself and come back to the best working position(s).

I don't know oldirty-even reading his whole post, i get the feeling that he has no use for a climbing line on a removal. DMC, care to clear this up? Thanks.

 

[D Mc]

I don't know oldirty-even reading his whole post, i get the feeling that he has no use for a climbing line on a removal. DMC, care to clear this up? Thanks.

Beowulf, Certainly or at least try. It sounds like we are comparing apples and oranges, or in this case decurrent vs excurrent removals. Of course, on a large spread tree with targets spurs become less important than the high line that will give you wide range of movement and stability. Removal of the type you typically do requires a proficiency in the use of a variety of roping/rigging applications. I do this also when required.

What I have a problem with is too many rules that don't although flexibility for the many varied situations we encounter every time we go out to a different tree. Which appeared to be the case in the suggested ANSI regs stating that a highline should be preset in all applications. This is why I wanted to see the actual wording in the ANSI reg proposal.

The fastest, most efficient way to take out an excurrent tree in many situations, is to spur up limbing as you go, top out and buck down, without extenuating circumstances such as the tree being hazardous, targets, etc. In such cases preseting a highline makes perfect sense and is in fact the proper thing to do.

Regarding my comment on people relying on their climbing line to feel secure while on spurs stands. Without skill and experience, spurs are more likely to pop out when your weight is put on your highline as opposed to being applied at their proper angle with force redirected from your flip line. Sure you won't fall, but you will flail around in the tree.

I see this quite often with people setting the highline on an excurrent trunk to lower themselves four ft for the next section (that's 3 steps) try to do all of their cuts before lowering their high line to a set position before continuing . This method of working is encouraged by discomfort; i.e., foot pain, knee pain, mental anquish, whatever. (I feel the same way about leaving nubs on excurrent removals. They are not good hand holds or foot rests, they are just in my way.)

DMc

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Those of you who work the tree off a flipline as fast as possible, how often do you onehand and cut across your body, cut blind on the back side of the tree. Do you ensure that most of your cuts have optimal body position, gaffing around the tree so the bar is flus against the trunk?

I've seen guys who brag about their ability to run up and down a tree, doing a one hand cut and hold where there wrists are effectively crossed. (oh, yeah, I did that when I was first learnign 19 yeas ago, but it was always "high pucker factor", so I learned to do it other ways)

 

[clearance]

Those of you who work the tree off a flipline as fast as possible, how often do you onehand and cut across your body, cut blind on the back side of the tree. Do you ensure that most of your cuts have optimal body position, gaffing around the tree so the bar is flus against the trunk?

I've seen guys who brag about their ability to run up and down a tree, doing a one hand cut and hold where there wrists are effectively crossed. (oh, yeah, I did that when I was first learnign 19 yeas ago, but it was always "high pucker factor", so I learned to do it other ways)

I do many removals, most beside powerlines, I have only ever climbed with spurs. Most of the trees I cut down are conifers. We call it strip and chunk, you go up cutting branches, one handing often to throw them into the best spot for your groundman or to control them so they don't hit the line. I do not cross, I put the saw in my other hand. I keep my rope coiled up, with me unless I have to let it down to swing to another tree, get gas or a bigger saw. I don't like my rope on the ground, anyone who does removals knows why.

I don't brag about my ability to cut trees down fast and nasty like I do, but because I do it often and have been shown how to do it by some real productive guys, I can probably get it on the ground faster than others. Except for one handing, its all good, and compliant (here we only need to be tied in once if using a steelcore). So there you go, I kill trees the same as others in my trade here in this fine province and thats the way she goes. Each to his own, Cheers.

 

[treesquirrel]

Those of you who work the tree off a flipline as fast as possible, how often do you onehand and cut across your body, cut blind on the back side of the tree. Do you ensure that most of your cuts have optimal body position, gaffing around the tree so the bar is flus against the trunk?

I've seen guys who brag about their ability to run up and down a tree, doing a one hand cut and hold where there wrists are effectively crossed. (oh, yeah, I did that when I was first learnign 19 yeas ago, but it was always "high pucker factor", so I learned to do it other ways)

I personally find it very very easy to walk around a trunk in spurs to reposition for cuts. My one handing is really limited to situations where it really is a low risk cut and troublesome to reposition.
But I always have a backup lanyard is in place for all cuts once the saw is started.

For cuts across the body, always reposition unless you are just plain D.U.M.B. I did it for a while then realized the stupidity in such actions. Luckily prior to loss of limb.

 

[Jon Denver]

I juggle chainsaws for a living and that breaks all the regs.



I dont think it is fair to make absolutes. Sometimes I cut one handed, sometimes across my body, sometimes upside down on a backside fakkie with a superman seat grab flying over my head. One of my favorites is to start the saw, duck tape the throttle down and throw it up into the tree to slice limbs off. I have my ground man catch it on the other side. Then at the end of the work day when we are all stinking drunk we take turns dragging each other behind the truck through the clients landscaping.

 

[2FatGuys]

You do know that using duck tape is against OSHA and ASPCA regs... you should be using DUCT tape instead!!

 

[Jon Denver]

I love it, I cant spell either!

The quickest way out of a tree for me is to tie my climbing line around my ankles and jump, it takes a few tries to get the length right though. You should see these guys do it in Borneo with vines.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Canyonbc]

I love it, I cant spell either!

The quickest way out of a tree for me is to tie my climbing line around my ankles and jump, it takes a few tries to get the length right though. You should see these guys do it in Borneo with vines.:greenchainsaw:

Haha....

Nice.

LoL.