No count tree!

[tree md]

Technically he has isolated his rope, it tends fair through the tree, just going through the TIP. Though i understand that you mean his TIP is not safe due to wood diameter he is on. I need to pick the nit that you are using isolate in the wrong context....along with disagreeing with his being unsafe in practice

Not going to debate terminology. That is the term I was taught in this situation and could be less than accurate. I will agree to disagree on the safety of the TIP though. Any climber I have ever learned from has said to go around the stem, as does the TCC. It is what I learned on day one and what I teach all new climbers that come to work for me.

 

[tree md]

From the TCC on "Tying In"

Natural Crotch: To tie in to a natural crotch the climber passes the climbing line around the larger limb or stem of the tree and over the smaller branch. If the smaller branch should break off, the climbing line will slide down the main trunk and catch on the next branch instead of coming out of the tree entirely.

 

[treeclimber101]

Hey man nice job , if you tie around the branches and you feel comfortable than that's your choice , I think you did a fine job and if it was me that tree would have been done two hrs. faster ,lol , thanks for the pics and I think you would pass treeclimbing 101 in a heartbeat..

 

[treemandan]

How many guys on the ground?

 

[tree md]

Yeah, I agree NCTREE, You did a good job here. Didn't mean to derail the thread with nitpicking over the TIP. It is just a pet peeve of mine. Every climber has to make his own judgment call on what he thinks will hold his ass. In all honesty, you look fine on that TIP but it's still a bad habit. And one that I harp on to my guys. And not just to hear myself talk, It can be unsafe and I want them to make it home alive.

And JPS, I hear you on the diameter. I have used the smaller limb when it was better suited as well. It doesn't matter when you get to 6" limbs on a fork. 3" is a little iffy though buddy. Especially if you are shooting lines and working in damaged trees that have nasty surprises like split limbs.

 

[NCTREE]

I sensed this coming, I edited my comment right after I hit the post button. After looking at the pics posted I would have probably used my f/s instead of having it clipped to my belt like nctree. I have read a few posts about tying in around the main stem and it's not practical for the everyday climber. This is the commercial forum and it should be geared towards safety and PRODUCTION.

I did not work the tree from that TIP I was tied in to the main stem with a friction saver. I only used that TIP to decend out of the tree.

 

[NCTREE]

Well at least we now know that he can count. Let's hope he figures out the math on tying in to a limb that has not been isolated...

LIke I said to Holden I only used that TIP to decend from the tree. I actually was tied in to a main stem crotch with my friction saver. I took it off when I had to make my last couple cuts.

I only weigh 145lbs. i've been climbing long enough to know whats safe to tie into and whats not.

 

[NCTREE]

How many guys on the ground?

It was supose to be a clean-up and trim job but at the last minute the HO decided she wanted it down. At first it was me and another climber, he went up to trim it and then she changed her mine. So I got up in the tree and knocked her down. I had my second helper come later. The yards all fenced in no way to get the wood out in a fast manner. All the brush had to be dragged out front and chpped. To far from the road to get a crane to it anyways it was to late for a crane at this point.

 

[tree MDS]

Looks like a nice one.

I hope you got enough dough for it.

 

[NCTREE]

Looks like a nice one.

I hope you got enough dough for it.

Oh yeah I made out pretty well. The HO had a hard time getting other tree co. to give her an estimate, no one wanted to deal with the wood cituation. She was just happy that she found someone willing to do the the job and she payed for it. I put the log dolley to work along with a 12ft dump trailer. I tell you i'm quite impressed with the dolley, it def cut my time down. We were carting 600lbs pieces with that thing. Minimal impact to the ground too. I found that log dolley on craigslist for 200 bucks. It was a year old and still had the spikes on the tires.

 

[lone wolf]

I have come across an efficient climber who tore out the low friction limb he was crotched on and fell.

Unfortunately, he wasn't as efficient after that.

Friction can be managed without compromising safety....even minimized more than using a small limb, and still be tied around the main stem.

i have also witnessed the same he was tied in to a locuct branch it had ants inside and the rest of the story is broken ribs ruptured spleen broken hip punctured lung well that slowed him down.

 

[NCTREE]

My T.I.P and rigging setup for ya'll

 

[mpatch]

LOL, looks like a good job.

I'll give you the same constructive criticism I gave SOM though:

Tying in to the limb and not isolating it by going around the trunk is a no no. If for any reason the limb should fail you are going to want the next limb or fork to back it up. Also, it's not too hard for your climb line to roll out of a short stub. Not very likely here but it's still a bad habit. Tree climbing 101.

All in all, good job.

that was the first thing I noticed as well. Always around the stem, if the limb fails and you are around the stem you wont hit the ground just fall a few feet.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you are in the crotch of a stout limb that has an upward angle, then you are very safe. The added effort to work with a larger stem is just as risky when working larger trees.

Any time I tie in from the ground, I will work my way up to give my TIP a close inspection. On heavy wood, I'll tie in out several feet from the stem, if I am only working in a small area of the tree.

I will agree that it is a good thing for a new climber to tie in as others state, and seasoned climbers who are working on wood that they do not understand. I do not tie into ailanthus or many willows except on stout stems. Even with heavy lateral stems I will test, because they can break off in big chunks.

 

[tree md]

I had to tie in to a fork in the top, away from the stem yesterday to center myself as closely as I could over my work area. I climbed to my TIP to inspect it first as I think it prudent working these trees that were storm damaged a couple of years ago. So I do it as well. When tying in on the spar though I always go around the stem. If I need to install a friction saver I will do so. I think it is always best to err on the side of safety. I feel that this work is all about reducing risk factors and playing the odds in your favor. Odds are better that you TIP is not going to fail when you do it by the book and tie in around the spar. Given a choice, I will go with the safest route and reduce the risk factor.