questions re: climbing basics

[Stumper]

And to add something totally off topic- I love the new avatar Brian. Too cool.

TM, come clean-Tom is a complete gearhead and is always looking for ways to utilize the toys. If you are using something in an 'unapproved' manner he will say so but if you are doing something cool that he hasn't tried,- you'll make his day.:angel:

 

[kurtztree]

I use the two over two on my blue streak climbing line that is what asplundh people taught me how to tie. do any of you still use that or is that just what old timers use. I want to learn some new ways of climbing too. Asplundh does mostly old ways like most all climbing is done with spikes.

 

[ORclimber]

Kurtztree,

I worked for Asplundh too. You are somewhat restricted by their way of doing things, but you can make some changes for the better while still following the rules. Switching to hookless trimming is easy, all you need(for 99% of trees) is one of those cheap wooden company ladders to get to the lowest branches then climb. You can use your fliplines to stay tied in 100% of the time or set a rope with the long pull hook. Somewhat comforting not having those hooks grounded in the tree too.

Unless things have changed you can't use your own gear, so the advanced climbing knots are out. You could upgrade to the blake hitch though, and make yourself a split tail out of company gear.

Just my twisted thoughts:alien:

 

[oldugly]

Asplundh
Been there, done that, drank alot then too. LOL
I've been reading that tree climbers companion...great stuff. I even went out and bought one of them modern throwline things. That is just plain fun. Spikes are of course only for removals. but I am having some problems getting use to placing a line before I climb. Been doing it the Asplundh way far too long....The odds of keeping it up aren't too good. So I've been changing alot the way I do things.
You are in the right place to learn.. These guys are showing me something new all the time.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by oldugly
Spikes are of course only for removals. but I am having some problems getting use to placing a line before I climb.

What problems are you having with that, oldugly?

 

[oldugly]

The way I was taught...The ASPLUNDH way was to free-climb..then place your line. the whole throwline pulling the climbing rope into the tree prior to climbing, is still a little slow for me...and to be quite honest when it is a small tree (or conveninent) I revert to the older and faster( at least for me) methods....But I am learning, and starting to use the throwline more often. Now I know I'll catch some grief about it, and someone is going to call me a newbie....that's okay, but mind you I have been doing it this way since before some of you were born. Old habits die hard...but I am hoping to kill off a couple before they get me first.

 

[Dan F]

The ASPLUNDH way

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8688

Pic in the local paper this spring...


Dan

 

[MasterBlaster]

Do all the trees you climb have branches that require you to use your throwline? It seems that most of the trees I deal with I just throw my climbing line to get into. I'm good for 30' or so, but higher than that I break out the throwline.

I don't enjoy using my throwline just because of the time it takes to deal with it; But, when I need, I use it.

 

[oldugly]

Love the picture...Yup...the ASPLUNCH way,,,although none will admit while employed there. LOL

 

[MasterBlaster]

I operated a bucket truck for the orange guys for two years.

 

[bd NC]

Agree w/ Master of the Blaster. I started w/ the Power line clearance boys (whom I won't name) and didn't have the rope tangle problem. We side walled everything in site. Started pruning w/ another lg. co. and found second, third even climbing lines to be the way to fly.


How to tell your a full fledge tree co. owner?

Siffed by more then one attorney.

 

[bd NC]

woops ....... spelling sub par THEN.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

So Kurt, where in WI are you located?

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by ORclimber
Switching to hookless trimming is easy, all you need(for 99% of trees) is one of those cheap wooden company ladders to get to the lowest branches then climb. You can use your fliplines to stay tied in 100% of the time or set a rope with the long pull hook.

Wow, the latest techniques!!! Ground breaking stuff here.

 

[kurtztree]

John I am in Fonddulac Wi about one hour from milwaukee. What kind of knot do you use for climbing the foot lock position and what lanyard do you use like a rope or webbing lanyard so in case you slip you dont fall to the ground. I ordered the tree climbing videos from isa.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I use paired ascenders on a doubled rope for if I'm climbing over 20-25 ft.

I have a Distel on my lanyard, and climb on an MT.

I go up to Green Lake a few times a month. Drop me a line if you want some pointers.

Get the Jepson book too. It is worth much more then the 15 or so bucks they charge.

 

[ORclimber]

Originally posted by TREETX
Wow, the latest techniques!!! Ground breaking stuff here.

McTreeTrimming at its best.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Boys and their Toys!
I've worked with four of the posters on this thread and no offense but the old ways--ladder, free-climbing, tossing monkeyfist, bodythrust (great training for the horizontal mambo)-- worked much faster in the great majority of cases.

Yeah, a few times I was impressed by seeing a line set high in a hurry and ratchet right to it--very cool. But too often I saw (and paid for!) a lot of casting about and no fish caught.

Bottom line for me is what I heard earlier here: keep the toys in the bag unless you know they have a very good chance of saving time and effort. When the work is simple, keep the methods simple.

But then I'm a simple Guy--Wudja expect to hear?:angel:

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by Guy Meilleur

Bottom line for me is what I heard earlier here: keep the toys in the bag unless you know they have a very good chance of saving time and effort. When the work is simple, keep the methods simple.

I can't argue with that.

I will say that the more tools one has in their tool bag, the better off they are,.............as long as they know when to use the tools and when to leave them in the bag.

This goes the same for management tools/techniques as well.

If the tree is over 30ft, I figure with all of that ladder unloading, positioning, monkey fisting, air humping, and recrotching, that gives me a minimum of 20minutes to set a line and make a 20 second footlock.

Toys ARE cool. Knowing when to use them is cooler. I love using a FC or RG but sometimes, if there are not too many tasks at hand, it is quicker to just get up there and get it done!!

Knowing when to use the toys is the most important part. That is why so many get scared from using them. They just think, "WTF!!" I can't take the time to use that technique on every tree. Duh!! They are not for EVERY situation.

You can't always measure usefulness of a toy/technique in minutes. I think effort saved is important too. If more effort free styles keep me climbing 5-6 days a week w/out exhaustion, I am all for them. Beats 3-4 days and then "healing up" (sore muscles and bruised egos - zubat bites too)

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

If you can throw a line in to a high leverage point for a removal, in the same time someone could dress and spike up; i guess it might depend on who's skills need sharpenning on what technique.

Except that, throwline would be safer, if not to mention possibly thrown to a higher advantage point; especially if line is traced down back of tree, allowing even higher leverage power with restored security (like in stronger, lower tree with bowline tie off )for pull.

i think if a trow line is your chosen tool, even taking as long to use it as other methods is if nothing else safer, less fatiguing; then polishing skills that lean to that end.

i think you have to allow a learning curve, then the toys go back in the bag; when you can confidentally quick draw them out, and their skills to task. One of the best things i ever did was to commit to carrying slings, rescue pulleys and karabs as my tools to figure out how to use. Still coming up with more ways to use those simple tools. Otherwise they'd always be on the ground, with whatever trick i could experiment/ try weighed against their retrieval, carrying what not used to, unfromed habits with them etc.

:alien: