photos

[murphy4trees]

Here's a couple hours later on the same tree.
Big John's computer crashed a while back so he hasn't been on line much lately... he just got a laptop so we may be hearing from him soon.

 

[murphy4trees]

And here's a second big removal same day... he only had a few cuts left on this tree when his leg cramped up.
This pic also illustrates a nice technique on big removals... the lowering line is set high in the left lead with a block... he then moved it into different lower natural crotches as he worke around the tree, to spread the weight out and keep the rope positioned over the work... That tree came down as fast as the ground crew could get the rope back up to him.... He could have bombed most of it but lowering was faster.... It was much easier for the ground crew to clear the DZ when the limbs were lowerred rather than dealing with exploded tulip all over the back yard. Thise limbs were almost 100' up.

 

[Froggy]

topping

I'm going to say that topping a tree in poor practice, but topping a tree some times has to be done in storm damaged trees. Where there is no other choice and in certain pruning techniques where a view or other circum stances are at hand. Where taking the top out of a tree is required for the trees health or servival. Also it's to be done by a qualified arborist. If you take more than 25% of the trees foliage the customer should be told that the trees chances for servival have been greatly reduced. Also the customer should be told about what topping a tree can do to the trees health even if it does servive. I hope this helps you guys out. Climb hard and hit the ground running. Take care.....BB:angel:

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by murphy4trees
And here's a second big removal same day... he only had a few cuts left on this tree when his leg cramped

Daniel, I used to cramp up all the time until I started drinking LOTS of gatoraid.

Now, I can't remember my last cramp!

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[Eagle1]

I just read this whole thread and don,t have much to add except that there are always reasons to/and not to perform tree care. I didn't really like the looks of that pic personaly but, whatever. What did say it all to me was the statement " I did it all myself, I climbed the tree in less than 30 seconds with no gaffs." Well, climbing that fast is good if you are into miocardio infarction. And not wearing gaffs on a topping job. Congrats. You didn't harm the tree anymore than you did. Do you wear gaffs when limbing?


RJS. with you on this.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by murphy4trees
he then moved it into different lower natural crotches as he worke around the tree, to spread the weight out and keep the rope positioned over the work...

I like that too, I'll often use natural crotch redirects, but allso carry several blocks and pullies. You know me, lowest friction is optimal.

Another thing I like it for is 2 climbers tag-teaming a large removal. One side repositions as the ground breaks up the load, while the other side is prepping the cut. Most trees it does not pay, but when it does, it can go like clockwork.

 

[Steve Bunyan]

goodbye

I appreciate the pictures murphy4trees. I'm glad that my thread brought up alot of participation. It also made me realize I have no place posting on this site. My only training is a 2 week course for utility tree trimming. I never said I was an arborist and I've taken the point that I have no business participating in any forum on tree care. This will be my first and last internet forum I ever deal with. The only purpose it has served is to piss me off.

Here's one for the road.

 

[murphy4trees]

Steve,
Two pieces of advice FWIW....
1) Never take anything personally (especially anything in cyberspace)
2) Get a chin strap for that helmet when climbing

When re-reading this post the thought comes to mind.... what is it that makes Steve a "hack" in some minds for topping one tree, when there is no mention of Craig being a "hack" for topping 800 trees.... Just because its for an airport doesn't make it any better for the trees...
I suppose being able to top 100/day makes Craig an "expert hack" and worthy of hack respect.
My position is that if you don't do hack work, you'd have to walk away from the airport job... Yet that might be hard to do based on loosing some significant income.... I doubt there are many arborists that couldn't be considerred "hack whores"... the only question is what is their price???

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Hope a pic is attached to this

 

[MasterBlaster]

Whats he doing? Taking a break?

 

[MasterBlaster]

You all hate topping trees, you'll love this! About 20 years ago I was in a job that required topping 100's of trees on a golf course for an adjacent airport. Mostly pecans and oaks. We had to measure, starting at 25', going up 5' every 100', and stopping at 75'. Kinda hard to drop crotch a 75 year old pecan at 20', ya know?



I guess I should have told em to phuck off, huh?


Yea, RIGHT!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

So actually Craig was doing crown restoration/reductions

Why did I not jump on Craig? I asked him to clairify.

Steve said right off the bat, he did it because the customer wanted him to.

He's been here enough to know trhe recaction that would give. So I asked him if he was pulling our leg.

I've talked a good number of people out of all types of hackery that they misconstrued as pruning. Just by saying that is stimulates fast growth that is more likely to break off then what is there usually does the job.

That is tree care (or maintinance). Hackery is doing whatever the payee wants, just because they have the money. Wheather it is topping, raise and gut, removing an entire side because it might fall on the roof...

Any other ideas?, oh Mike would say anything that is not deadwooding or removal (this is an example of hyberbole)

 

[geofore]

justify topping

Steve Bunyan, it's not worth leaving the forum over what is being said. You come here to learn new things, put on a thicker skin and stick around and learn some things. We all had to start somewhere. You read the past posts, you know topping will be met with disapproval. Why get pissed and leave? There is too much here to learn to give up so easy.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Treefrog,

Cutting off broken tops after a storm is not topping. IN the end, it may look the same as topping but the intentions make it different. Besides, you have the option when doing restructuring to come close to a node.

Did you read Guy's excellent article in TCI magazine?

Tom

 

[Curtis James]

new guy

this is great I just sat here reading and looking at pictures for an hour in this forum. ? this is new to me but I'll be here alot more now. I dig all the pictures. The insite and discussions are great. I won't lie I've topped in the passed for my old boss and a family member that would have it no other way. I have since been certified and i am finally recovering from the guilt. bring on those pics.
Now I don't feel so alone.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Re: goodbye

Originally posted by Steve Bunyan
It also made me realize I have no place posting on this site.

This will be my first and last internet forum I ever deal with.

The only purpose it has served is to piss me off.

If everyone on this site left when they got their ba!!s busted there wouldn't be anyone left. Some members bust ba!!s more than others. Just take it and move on. There is just too much info on this site to grab your tonka toy and leave the sandbox!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Re: new guy

Originally posted by Curtis James
I have since been certified and i am finally recovering from the guilt. bring on those pics. Now I don't feel so alone.

Visiting Tom Dunlap in the Twin Cities, we were driving around doing some small jobs and he took me by a property and said "there's I topped a long time ago" .

Having done it and then having learned better is not a point of shame, but of pride. I can learn and change my ways.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: Re: goodbye

Originally posted by Rich Hoffman
If everyone on this site left when they got their ba!!s busted there wouldn't be anyone left.

I don't really see the need for any 'ball busting'.

What possible good could come from it?

We need less 'ball busting', and MORE POSITIVE COMMUNICATION.

And why not?