how to do limb walking with nothing above to tie into?

clifforion · Nov 18, 2012

wow i gota get on here more offten

I guess I have to get on here more than I do. Tons of new responses. At this point the cherry tree just won't get done by me. I am not in good enough shape and there won't be much of a financial gain to make me do the butt scootch out there. The oak tree really isn't all that bad I have a few ideas and the loop runner idea I think will work really good on that cause once I get out there I can actually kinda tie into something a tad more vertical so that will work. At this point I am just soaking up ideas on what people do in these situations. Still relatively new to the game, and really don't want to make that one bad (or stupid) mistake.
Thanks again for your help, Fyi I prob. won't get to the oak till this coming weekend ( after thanksgiving) I will give you all an update. I will try hard to get pics for you all I know pictures are worth a 1000 words its just that my dang camera died and I haven't got a new one.
Thanks!
Keith

Goose IBEW · Nov 19, 2012

I use my cell phone for pictures most of the time. :laugh:

The oak sounds like it may be a good tree to practice using two tie in points. Good luck, be safe. :rock:

treemanbrisbane · Nov 23, 2012

The main problem with being a newbie for challenging jobs is you aren't confident enough to charge enough for your hard work. Trust me, when you are worn out and broke you regret it.

Try to charge the same as your old boss would.

As for technique, we've all done that butt-scooting enough

though the underside is faster. It depends who's watching

If it's just you and the tree do what you like. If you have groundies, keep your pride and hang from the tree branch.

Of course, you still have to get the tree carved up. I'd start thinking about how you're going to get it to your drop zone. Can you get out far enough to take a small enough section that you can throw it safe? Good luck, mate. And don't be embarrassed to walk away from a tree removal you can't do safely.

Better to be a live dog than a dead lion, as the good book says.

clifforion · Nov 23, 2012

Thanks for all your help

Hi there everyone thanks for all your suggestions, there has been some great advice. I am still new to the game (of climbing) and I don't climb enough so my skills and stamina are not yet there and that plays a huge part. Both these jobs were not money makers from the start, but that didn't matter I knew that going in. The cherry tree I already told the people to get someone else, someone willing to climb or a bucket or what ever. The oak I did today. It worked out good. I spiked up to the only branch left on the stem ( again it went out horizontal then vertical just like looking at someones arm straight out to elbow then straight up). I then thew my climb line out to the branch about halfway up, found the biggest crotch I could, let the end down and had the ground guy tie off on to the base of the tree (yes I trust my ground guy enough for that). Wrapped my lanyard twice around the horizontal part of the branch and did the butt scootch out on the horizontal part. Spiked in when it went vertical up to my climb line...it got thinner than I than I thought out there but it worked out good. I cut and threw everything. I should have thought more about coming back. I had the ground guy untie the line and I pulled it back up. I didn't have anything to tie in to higher than me though. But I used my lanyard and climb line wrapping both around the branch..not really sure why I used both but I had them with me, plus I could slide down my climb line if I had to get out in hurry. I did the same butt scootch back in, but backwards, cause I had to cut manageable pieces as I went...kinda awkward though with out the branch in front of me. I just placed an order for some more webbing slings so I can have something to put my feet in like suggested earlier, that would have helped a lot. It all worked out well enough the way I did it though, thank you again for all your help. At least I know now in the future what options I do have other than the butt scootch.
I know I really need a camera next time. My camera died like I said and my cam on the phone is really scratched up I tried with that but it didn't work.
Thanks again!
Keith