Humbling experience yesterday

[Stayalert]

I'm pretty new to climbing - been using spurs/flip line for take downs for ~ 6 months. Yesterday I topped a white pine and got rag dolled slightly. I was ~65' above ground level. I think a little slack allowed the top to fall further than optimal and the stem was ever so slightly leaning. These factors combined to put some good force into swaying the stem (with me at the top of it). The top had to be caught and lowered to prevent damage to a house. I think the "catching" of the top was the big factor in imparting the sway to the stem. I wish I could see a video of the event. End result? no injury no damage. I feel like I was doing some things right and the combination of these things helped reduce the impact. In the same situation again, what would I do differently? I would limb higher and have a smaller top.

It was a good demonstration of the forces that are generated and released.

ask away - I'm happy to share - could save someone some time/stress.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Sounds like your ground guy needs to learn how to let the piece run a little and then slow it down. It takes practice to do it right, and then you may still get beat up pretty good up there sometimes.

 

[KenJax Tree]

There is another thread and video on here right now and the same thing happened. Let it run.

http://www.arboristsite.com/tree-care-videos/201160.htm

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Personally, I hate hanging tops. If I'm in big enough wood to hang, it's big enough to go higher. Just my preference.

 

[beastmaster]

By the time you have 6 years of experience you'll be riding those like a pro bull rider. I make sure I turn my saw off and get behind the cut and brace my self before they pull. Even then I sometimes end up on one spike with my helmet around my neck.
Letting it run as everyone is saying is the key. Smaller pieces or tops too.
I have never used it but I am going to get some of that Dynasorb bull line, at lest in theory it sounds like it could really make a difference if your doing a dead catch, on purpose or because of sorry ground guys.

 

[KenJax Tree]

By the time you have 6 years of experience you'll be riding those like a pro bull rider. I make sure I turn my saw off and get behind the cut and brace my self before they pull. Even then I sometimes end up on one spike with my helmet around my neck.
Letting it run as everyone is saying is the key. Smaller pieces or tops too.
I have never used it but I am going to get some of that Dynasorb bull line, at lest in theory it sounds like it could really make a difference if your doing a dead catch, on purpose or because of sorry ground guys.

Agreed its a hell of a ride up there sometimes even when doing it right.

 

[Stayalert]

I have some old climbing rope that is more dynamic (less static) maybe that would be useful in some specific cases...

 

[tree md]

Larger diameter rope will absorb more shock and make for less of a ride as well. I went to a 5/8 bull line last Summer from 3/4. I was breaking in a new groundy who did not let the line run like I asked on a good 25' top that was around 12" wood. It rag dolled the hell out of me. Put a bark burn as big as a baseball on my forearm. I know I would have been in for a ride no matter what line I used but I feel that I could have rode it out without being jerked out of my gaffs with 3/4 bull line. I know I could have rode it out with the larger diameter line, I've done it several times before.

 

[Nailsbeats]

The higher you go up, the more the stem can sway if you don't run it. As you work your way down, you can hang a heavier piece each time. High or low, bottom line is it needs to run.

 

[MackenzieTree]

gotta agree with everyone here pretty much let it run, i have a block and porta wrap with 5/8 bull line some times smaller peices even with one wrap dont run great but on large peices with a wrap or two should run pretty good, and slowed down just as easly. sometime we learn the best though our mistakes

 

[KenJax Tree]

Nah you don't need to let it run just Murph that sum#####.

 

[MackenzieTree]

lol wwmd

 

[KenJax Tree]

lol wwmd

I said that yesterday i had about a 20ft spar and instead of blocking it i just came down and dropped it and my groundie said "what are doing" and i said "i'm just gonna Murph this thing" and he just looked at me and said "you're gonna do what???" uhh nevermind. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[sgreanbeans]

Isnt that "riding the bull" kinda a adrenaline high for you guys, it is for me, I am small enough that I have never been thrown outa position, but I have rode some wild ones, and I gotta steal someones saying "ahhhh, what a rush"

 

[oscar4883]

Its nice to finish some cuts like that with your handsaw too. It lets you get your chainsaw stowed away and get yourself braced well. Depends on the size top however but when I am hanging a conifer top it is probably not going to be a huge top.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Isnt that "riding the bull" kinda a adrenaline high for you guys, it is for me, I am small enough that I have never been thrown outa position, but I have rode some wild ones, and I gotta steal someones saying "ahhhh, what a rush"

Its a rush when you expect to go for a ride but the ones that sneak up on you aren't so fun i've ended up on one spur and my helmet around my neck a few times.

 

[Stayalert]

I was expecting a somewhat smaller ride in this case. I had shortened up my flip line and my second tie in and dug in deep. I was surprised and it was very much a rush. (especially when I knew I wasn't injured.)

 

[beastmaster]

I was expecting a somewhat smaller ride in this case. I had shortened up my flip line and my second tie in and dug in deep. I was surprised and it was very much a rush. (especially when I knew I wasn't injured.)

That feeling of relief after your back pockets stop touching and the trees still standing, priceless.

 

[Stayalert]

The next tree I topped, I went much higher and had a very small top. No need to catch this top....smooth.....

 

[flushcut]

How about leaving a whorl or two of limbs below you to help negate the paddle ball effect especially with a green groundy.