Ground-guy-friendly

[topnotchtree]

How many of you climbers try to make it easier on the groundguy? For instance, whenever possible I always try to stack the limbs in piles as I toss it from the tree. If I cut big limbs, I always try to manipulate the limbs to fall so the butts face the direction of drag. If I have to hinge a limb over, or down, I make my flushcut with the limb still attached to the stub with the hingewood. That way the groundguy only bends over once, instead of picking up the limb, and then also a small stub.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Good climbers allways work in tandem with the groundies.

It gives me a chance to have a smoke, and smell the pine sap.





But, sometimes I wish they would TCOB in a more timely manner.

 

[dbeck]

I can tell some of us have done ground work before! ALWAYS...try and help out the next guy. Remember, us climbers have gravity on our side. We can flip branches and peices of wood as they fall to help guys move them on the ground.

I work w/ a guy who gets our company's wood. he selld firewood. When ever I cut branches, I leave the stub in firewwod lentgth so he can use it for firewood...lucky him. (I don't load it)

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I started out draggin brush and feedin the hungry beast, so I usually try to get my branches as close to the chipper as possible. If I am removing a big spruce or pine I will sometimes use an old lanyard, clip on to the bough that Im cutting and then pull it up when its cut and drop it into the dz facing the direction of drag instead of roping every thing down to the ground. I try to also cut 16 inchers for fire wood when Im up in a tree, or try to make 32 inch chunks so they just need to be cut in half for the right size of fire wood.

 

[Jumper]

Some climbers are more groundie friendly than others. I worked for someone who insisted on leaving all the large chunks lying around so he could cut them up for firewood when he finished with the work up the tree. What a PITA, tripping over all these large chunks in the landing area. It was like the ground guys could not be trusted to cut up the pieces to get them out of the way less he lose out on a couple of $$$$ of firewood cut up to not exactly whatever length it was. Same guy that spiked all his prune jobs, not the swiftest.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

It depends. If I have one groundman and I'm doing a removal, you bet I'm doing as much as I can to help. If there are 6 guys standing there on the ground waiting for something to do, then I take a different approach!

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

good groundies and good climbers should work together like clockwork ,if they have worked together for several months or years they usualy become telepathic..tip to tree service owners [like i need to lecture lol] when you get a good groundie and good climber treat them well , nothing worse than replacing long serving crew

 

[treeman82]

I used to have a pretty bad temper when it came to what was going on down below. I have been working on that lately, and it seems to have gone away. As far as helping them out on the ground goes, I try not to bury them, but I also try to get the work done as quick as is safely possible.

 

[blue]

i always try to make it easier for my groundies because if they can keep up with me then when i hit the deck almost all the clearin' up is done and we can leave the job asap.


it sucks when you come out of a tree to be faced with a load of clearingg up still to be done especially if your pushed for time.
so be good to your groundies

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Like Mike says, it depends.

If I'm deadwooding a big oak and it's all cut and toss, I'll have them set out some tarps as targets and I'll pitch to the tarps as much as possible.

If I'm making a big mess. I may switch back and forth from sections of the tree to gove them a chance to clear the DZ.

 

[Reed]

Years ago, went to work for Anishinabe Enterprizes (an Chippewa Indian-owned company) taking down diseased city elms.

One of the benefits provided Anishinabe was the ability to draw labor from an incarcerated Stillwater Prison population - all the groundies were from there, paid very little - if any - for the day "off".

Third day on, before my morning climb a fellow drove to the site and hobbled out on crutches to watch us. As I was gearing up he approached me and told me to watch out and protect my climbing rope ends...these guys loved to yank and pull. He indicated his broken hip was the ground guy's way of having fun with the climbers. Okay then.

Topping out a giant elm, on gaffs but swinging in saddle too, I felt a tug. Looked down and saw three dudes pulling in unison - yelling "no" they tugged harder. I sent my Partner saw straight for them and they let go and scattered, ruined the saw of course, but came down later to the supervisor calling me a racist (my wife and kids are tribal members).

Had to resort to waiting for the super to split after my lecture, dropped my gear and it came to fisticuffs between me and four current convicts - felt I had nothing to lose and with that emotion, I didn't.

We became good friends after that, going the distance to help each other. I hate having to prove worth in such matters but whatever it takes to become an efficient group, so be it.

I'm older now.