Aldegar
www.gigharborbigfoot.com
Those are some interesting spurs, how do they work?
Pine Spurs?...
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jomoco
Tree Freak
Much like a cat can extend and retract its claws.
The pic shows them retracted at 1 3/4 inches long.
However stepping down on them extends the inner 3/8ths inch needle half an inch, for a total gaff length of 2 1/4 inches.
They allow you to tip toe up extremely hardwood trees. No stomping to set your gaffs whatsoever.
They really shine in old almost petrified dead wood eucs, elms and other hardwoods.
The springs confuse everybody, all they do is retract the inner needles each time I pull the gaff out, as I step up.
It's funny though, they do sound a bit like cowboy spurs when stepping.
Hiyah mule! Get up there!
jomoco
The pic shows them retracted at 1 3/4 inches long.
However stepping down on them extends the inner 3/8ths inch needle half an inch, for a total gaff length of 2 1/4 inches.
They allow you to tip toe up extremely hardwood trees. No stomping to set your gaffs whatsoever.
They really shine in old almost petrified dead wood eucs, elms and other hardwoods.
The springs confuse everybody, all they do is retract the inner needles each time I pull the gaff out, as I step up.
It's funny though, they do sound a bit like cowboy spurs when stepping.
Hiyah mule! Get up there!
jomoco
Aldegar
www.gigharborbigfoot.com
I am intrigued. Have you made any more of these spring-o-matic type spurs? I want to try some out, I do a lot of thick barked firs and have always been more comfortable in pole spikes but hate kicking out on crumbly ass bark.
jomoco
Tree Freak
I developed these highly modified Buck Titanium gaffs to solve a specific problem, gaffing out when the triangular leading edge of one of my gaffs aligns with the grain of the wood, when I'm way out on a lateral. One gaff sets, but the other aligns just right, and keeps tearing out repeatedly.
By using a round gaff, I've almost eliminated that frustration entirely.
But to use them requires you to give up your old heavy footed ways of getting about in a tree and learn to tiptoe about softly like a dynamically clawed cat burglar.
And while they'll perform well in softwood conifers n such, I built them specifically to give me sure footedness in very hardwood trees, like 5 year dead petrified euc's n such.
The next set I build will have integral grease zirts n channels in the needle housings to lubricate the moving metal on metal parts.
Were it not for my journeyman machinist brother's ability to produce my designs with such ease?
I'd still be out on laterals trying to triangulate n stabilize myself with only one gaff securely set!
jomoco
By using a round gaff, I've almost eliminated that frustration entirely.
But to use them requires you to give up your old heavy footed ways of getting about in a tree and learn to tiptoe about softly like a dynamically clawed cat burglar.
And while they'll perform well in softwood conifers n such, I built them specifically to give me sure footedness in very hardwood trees, like 5 year dead petrified euc's n such.
The next set I build will have integral grease zirts n channels in the needle housings to lubricate the moving metal on metal parts.
Were it not for my journeyman machinist brother's ability to produce my designs with such ease?
I'd still be out on laterals trying to triangulate n stabilize myself with only one gaff securely set!
jomoco
Aldegar
www.gigharborbigfoot.com
cool stuff bro, still want a company to make a mid length gaff.
jomoco
Tree Freak
You'll find that today's gaff manufacturers have an attitude of if they didn't design it?
The coolest aspect of my gaffs are the 3/8ths needles themselves are nothing more than two grade 8 aircraft bolts that cost about 6 bucks each.
Not 65 bucks a set!
I get your frustration about the lower thick barked trunks of conifers bein a pita though.
Best idea I can think of to overcome that's a set of gaffs with 180 degree opposing gaffs that can be spun to either a pole gaff at one setting, or a tree gaff at the other.
Messing about in the tops on skinny stuff wearin tree gaffs really sucks IME.
One of the best aspects of being semi-retired's the time I get to muck about with silly ideas that can morph into something that works pretty dang good.
However, if I was say a 250 lb climber or above?
I'd beef up my Innoculator gaff needle diameter from 3/8ths to 7/16ths, just to be safe.
jomoco
The coolest aspect of my gaffs are the 3/8ths needles themselves are nothing more than two grade 8 aircraft bolts that cost about 6 bucks each.
Not 65 bucks a set!
I get your frustration about the lower thick barked trunks of conifers bein a pita though.
Best idea I can think of to overcome that's a set of gaffs with 180 degree opposing gaffs that can be spun to either a pole gaff at one setting, or a tree gaff at the other.
Messing about in the tops on skinny stuff wearin tree gaffs really sucks IME.
One of the best aspects of being semi-retired's the time I get to muck about with silly ideas that can morph into something that works pretty dang good.
However, if I was say a 250 lb climber or above?
I'd beef up my Innoculator gaff needle diameter from 3/8ths to 7/16ths, just to be safe.
jomoco
Aldegar
www.gigharborbigfoot.com
Exactly! am thinking of just buying a set of tree gaffs and grinding off a little length.= but would rather have them both bet exactly precise from the factory.
jomoco
Tree Freak
The gaff's exact angle off vertical is excruciatingly important to get just right, and the stock Buck pole gaff's have it pretty much dead on, comfort and performance wise IMO.
Buckingham needs to realize there are pro's out there who'll pay 1500 bucks for a set of gaffs that make their jobs safer and easier to do on a daily basis?
Your gaffs should be as comfy as humanly possible, considering how many hours you're gonna spend on them wielding razor sharp power saws about.
jomoco
Buckingham needs to realize there are pro's out there who'll pay 1500 bucks for a set of gaffs that make their jobs safer and easier to do on a daily basis?
Your gaffs should be as comfy as humanly possible, considering how many hours you're gonna spend on them wielding razor sharp power saws about.
jomoco
woodchuck357
Addicted to ArboristSite
Get a set of bashlins with replaceable spurs and grind down a set of tree spurs.
woodchuck357
Addicted to ArboristSite
So you think someone at a factory miles away, trying to fit a product to as many customers as possible, will make spurs to fit your use better than you can?
TaoTreeClimber
ArboristSite Operative
Dude, You seriously need to patent that idea. How many of us on here wish we would have invented something cool and useful every time we sit on the throne and thumb through a Sherrill cataloge?
beastmaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
Pole gaffs may work on some pines, but on those big podorosas here in our mountains the bark can be 4 to 6 in. Thick and have creveses. Pole gaff don't work that well. Good on skinned palm trees though. Anyone use euro spikes?
RajElectric
ArboristSite Operative
I bought my spurs second hand off some guy who claimed he topped trees as a logger..... the profile was interesting to say the least... I just couldn't see it work.... so I re-profiled them, and they are in between full tree gaffs and pole gaffs, very comfortable in my limited opinion.
I've always climbed on pole gaffs, any time I'm on tree gaffs I feel like I'm standing on the heads of two pins... just personal preference. Even in thick bark I rarely have a tear out. I just always hear my mentor ole Sherriff Jimmy calling up, " Keep them ankles out boy! Keep them ankles out!"
Aldegar
www.gigharborbigfoot.com
Hmm, I will look into some euros maybe.
jomoco
Tree Freak
Removals only, IMO.
There are certain soft thin barked trees like alders and birch that are way fragile to the point that even stepping on their lateral limbs wearing wesco's with vibram soles will dislodge huge chunks of bark right down to the xylem below the cambium!
I've often wanted some type of dense foam rubber galoshes that'd stretch over my Wescos for pruning just such trees. Cambie overshoes for fragile barked trees.
Some barks can be stomped on with minimal damage, some caint.
jomoco
There are certain soft thin barked trees like alders and birch that are way fragile to the point that even stepping on their lateral limbs wearing wesco's with vibram soles will dislodge huge chunks of bark right down to the xylem below the cambium!
I've often wanted some type of dense foam rubber galoshes that'd stretch over my Wescos for pruning just such trees. Cambie overshoes for fragile barked trees.
Some barks can be stomped on with minimal damage, some caint.
jomoco
Ya don't spur trims. ever.
TaoTreeClimber
ArboristSite Operative
Minimally invasive tree pruning spikes for Jack-A-Loons who are to ignorant or lazy to prune trees properly? Sounds like your on to something there.
