question on gaffs

[Abbershay]

Do all you tree climbers out there , do all your climbing without gaffs? I have been doing trees for a while now. I almost always wear the tree spikes when trimming or removing trees. I have never had a tree die from using the spikes . In fact i have never had a tree die from trimming at all.

 

[FBerkel]

Maybe not, but you will have a tree decay from using spikes.

 

[jg55056]

Dido to Dan,
Once you get used to climbing/trimming w/out gaffs you'll start finding them to be a nuisance; even on some removals.

 

[Abbershay]

climbing is alright but i would rather use the bucket truck. I climb as little as posible .. The o46 in the bucket makes things go way faster than the little saw i use climbing. I must say between hydrolics and winters i have gained so much weight i feel like a bear in the tree anyway.

 

[NeTree]

Ditch the spikes on trims. PERIOD.

Hang around here, and LEARN.

Right now, you're a hack, but a hack with promise...

Watch and learn, we'll show you how to be proficient with a bucket AND climbing equally.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by netree
Ditch the spikes on trims. PERIOD.

Hang around here, and LEARN.

Right now, you're a hack, but a hack with promise...

Watch and learn, we'll show you how to be proficient with a bucket AND climbing equally.

And I might add, back off the carbs a tad!

And DON'T spike on trims!

 

[monkeypuzzle]

<---------Spike a trim and get tossed like this dude.

 

[t6140p]

Spikes are for removals only...

T

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Once you experience climbing w/o spikes a whole new world will open up for you. I find it as a slight return to when I was a kid climbing trees. The freedom is a real good feeling!

 

[Davidsinatree]

Abbershay, I to was useing gaffs for all tree work untill I started hanging around this site. Went to a tree climbing comp and learned how to footlock just from watching others. It is a bit of an adjustment leaving the gaffs in the truck. It is so much easier limb walking without gaffs, no steel shank to slip around on. You will learn to trust your life line even more instead of having the fealing that your gaffs are holding you in the tree. In most trees you will start fealing that gaffs do just get in the way and slow you down.
My style of climbing has changed drasticly since hours of reading this site, yours will to. If you dont know how, learn to foot lock & body thrust. Welcome to ArboristSite, dig in and learn.
:angel:

 

[NeTree]

I even do most of my climbing removals without gaffs, if at all possible. 'Specially in winter, when it's cold enough already without having more metal drawing heat from the feet!

 

[Abbershay]

guys thats hard to believe. but i do believe you. i know at the moment i wouldnt last long climbing without them. they are really hard on knees.... i feel those gaff have wasted my knees... How do you get the rope up the tree. do you use a sling shot type thing?

 

[Abbershay]

guys thats hard to believe. but i do believe you. i know at the moment i wouldnt last long climbing without them. they are really hard on knees.... i feel those gaff have wasted my knees... How do you get the rope up the tree. do you use a sling shot type thing?

 

[Lumberjack]

Abbershay

guys thats hard to believe. but i do believe you. i know at the moment i wouldnt last long climbing without them. they are really hard on knees.... i feel those gaff have wasted my knees... How do you get the rope up the tree. do you use a sling shot type thing?


I use the Big Shot ($100 from Sherrill). I am horrible at throwing them, and this makes setting a line a piece of cake.

In case you didn't know you will need to get a coupla shotbags and throwlines. My fav is a 10 or 12oz with 1.75 zing it. You could get started off for under $150 to accuratly set lines up to around 100' no problem.

Carl

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

You guys are a sucker for a troll!

 

[Abbershay]

i have that book already. I personally found allot of the rigging technics a waste time. But helpful if i ever came across the need for them. I most always tie the branches off the main truck and let the limbs fall into the trunk. i work alone most of time.

 

[NeTree]

Originally posted by Abbershay
i have that book already. I personally found allot of the rigging technics a waste time. But helpful if i ever came across the need for them. I most always tie the branches off the main truck and let the limbs fall into the trunk. i work alone most of time.

Then you are obviously a lost cause just waiting to be the next Darwin Award winner.

Darn shame.

 

[Abbershay]

well darwin was a major liar , i surely wouldnt want to be associated with the likes of him. I am not into semantics or political correctness. I just want to get the job done. done safely and with a good amount of speed with out costing the home owner more than they can afford.

i have been cutting trees for about 14 years and Thank the lord i havent had anything serious happen yet. The most expensive fix it job cost me about ten bucs.... I think i must have done a few things right.

I have never fallen or even been injured. However i will not say that i havent had more than my share of miracles from the Lord.

 

[Abbershay]

what is it you dont like erik my not caring for all the rigging or that part about me working alone? i dont like to work alone really but it ends up that way more than i care to think about.

i am not always by myself allot of times i will get people who will watch me and untie the rope for me.

I know a guy who works in my town .. he has been cutting tress for 40 years .... he works all by him self still does he uses no safety belt he even wears dress type shoes.. he uses a ladder and a block and tackle with the old manilla rope.. cant believe he is still alive but he keeps on trucking .. he takes down some real nasty trees too. He is in his 70s . man i have to tell you those ladders scare me. He still charges like he probly did 40 years ago when he started too.

 

[NeTree]

When you're doing it right, you don't need "miracles from the Lord"....


We get alot of hacks here, and that's fine. Most will be willing to admit they could do better, but every once in awhile someone comes along who thinks they know it all, and refuses to learn the PROPER way to care for trees safely. These are the guys who lower our professional image, and do nothing to further the science of arboriculture. For them, we must simply wash our hands and realize when we're wasting our time, intelligence, experience, and teachings.

If you know nothing about arboriculture, which apparantly you don't, how the hell do you know you've never killed a tree with spikes?

Are you here to learn or to bore us with pomposities? Political correctness has nothing to do with proper tree care.

We don't reasonably expect everyone to be on-board with all the latest techniques or even knowledge. But being willing to advance yourself is what advances the industry as a whole- elsewise we'd all still be driving model A's and using 50 pound chainsaws.

Mike-
Even trolls advance the 'ole post counter- MVP at last!