Removal without spikes?

[TREETX]

I do it the sam way Kenny does, keep the spikes off for the canopy work and then put the gaffs on when they won't be in my way. A lot of my TD'd are spreading trees


I guess if you don't climb alot of big trees w/o gaffs you cannot see how it would be done.

Ditto that. All I need hooks for are the spar. If you don't remove many big spreading trees, I can see that you couldn't imagine it any other way.

I remove big trees on a regular basis in tight areas (Europe, duh). Including chunking down spars. I haven't owned a pair of spikes in a year.

 

[VTMechEng]

This is interesting, at my last job if a tree was coming down the spikes were on throughout the removal. This considering we very strictly enforced no spike pruning, pruning + spikes = BAD in my book.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I haven't owned a pair of spikes in a year.

WoW. That's wild. I bet people are lighter in Germany, anyway. You know, the metric system and all that. I probably wouldn't need them over there, myself!

 

[VTMechEng]

MasterBlaster: "I don't care who you are that's funny."

 

[tnttreeman]

Git R Done!!

 

[Matt Follett]

Okay this was intended to be posted this morning, up around redbulls post.. but a "series of unfortunate events" concluding with me throwing my computer out the window (quickbooks breakdown) has caused my day to get back logged...

For what it's worth

I am a hookless remover, I will echo many of the comments already posted. I know I am faster on big wide spreading removals when not encumbered by those heavy, clumsy pointy things on my feet. Those who spend more time doing hookless climbing (pruning) will of course be far faster, and far more comfortable without them. It comes down to muscle memory, trained programming, and the strategy of climbing a tree without the aid of spikes. It is different. I have watched many a spike climber work a limb stomping and pushing their way up the limb. Often with great control and speed. I have also seen many a structure/rope climber get to the same basic point with nothing but a kick off the trunk and a settling into place. Sorry no time clocks to say which is faster…

I not bragging (but I am), I’m fast, particularly on big wide removals with lots of technical rigging, and limbs to use to my advantage. I will be way faster without spikes, then with them on, and way more comfortable. I might not want to go up against MB in a head to head take down, but that’s not what I do all day… he will be more proficient no matter what, more practice, training, and better strategies.

On a big conifer with lots of little limbs I’ll probably leave them off… big bole, no laterals they’re on for sure, big poplar with vertical limbs, big spacing between the limbs, yep they’re on.

I don’t smoke crack. I know that I’m more comfortable, faster, and safer without them on big crown removals… others may not feel that way.

Pic one, no spikes! (nor till that point)

Pic 2 for sure.

 

[MasterBlaster]

No hooks on that job? WoW.

 

[jason j ladue]

wow! cool work! but (as you point out yourself) that is not a spikeless removal...

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Not completly, but that's not what we talk about.

Most of us don't do entire removals hookless, unless you can drop the spar once the canopy is taken care of.

Today I did a pair of big basswoods in a back yard. I was able to rig most of the canopy from the trunk, so I did it all with my gaffs on.

Delimb one, traverse ofer to the next one. Rig off the firstone and then chunk it to felling hight then back to the first one one to finnish up.

3.5 hours

The gaffs got in my way on most of the second tree, but since I was just bombing most of the first one it was worth having them on.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Besides job satisfaction, feeling i'm doing it right; 1 thing i have gotten from going 'hookless'; is a much better understanding of ropework that has flowed over into rigging. The higher dependency on rope technique, the intencity of your life o the line for those lessons and being the load for that technique, feeling the forces that the wood would have on the line if it was the load etc. i think these lessons alone are worth not wearing 'hooks'/spikes. Like laying massive bodyweight into the line, and using the available forces of that empowered/ tensioned line to your favor climbing.

Though, working spikes is a valuable technique, that should be learned too.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I don't think there is any bigger risk, or feeling there of, when working w/o.

The only reason I do it isbecause I'm at a higher comfort and production level when doing so.

I work as big as the ground can handle and the forman/owner is comfortable bringing down. If I can climb/swing/jump out to set the rigging line, the gaffs just foul me up.

 

[TREETX]

Metric is great. I have used hooks many a time in the last year, just not enough that I can't do without them.

A lot of climbers are lost without them. I ain't dissin' them, just saying more tools in the box, the better but more important than having the tools is knowing when to use them.

btw - I need to buy a pair of hooks soon the coworker I borrowed from last year stayed in England.

 

[Lumberjack]

I removed a lightning struck gum today. Took out everything up to the top and the top spikeless. Then I hooked up and sent the rest of the trunk down (1 more cut aloft).

I think spikes woulda slowed me down, but then again the groundies where PMSing today, and I seemingly swamped them with work, but methinks it was just them not pulling there head outta there rear and getting the work done.

 

[jason j ladue]

i have never been comfortable wearing spurs. i normally cant wait to get em off my feet. lotsa times (on a removal)i will ascend w/ em, set my line and let em back down w/ the rope. i imagine there are comfier rides out there but i have tried several different sets. and i just dont like em much

 

[rahtreelimbs]

In this case, it is cool that it all boils down to personal preferences, as long as everything is being done to be safe!

 

[clearance]

Jason-ya gotta wear heavy, double or triple soled lineman boots or they will hurt. Not the spurs fault its the boots.

 

[jason j ladue]

Jason-ya gotta wear heavy, double or triple soled lineman boots or they will hurt. Not the spurs fault its the boots.

ya got me! hit the nail on the head. slam dunk. that is exactly the problem. ive been wanting a set of wesco knee-high loggers. does everybody know what these are (i'm sure). they are made in seattle- they take a mold of your foot and make em custom. like $350-400 or so...

 

[xander9727]

I prune a lot so I get plenty of hook free climbing experience. I use hooks on removals because they allow me to position myself in ways that would be very difficult without them. I can also climb a lot more efficiently (i.e. less energy drain) with them. I have met a few climbers that have never used them though. There are a lot of removal situations that would prove all but impossible to perform safely and effectively without hooks.

 

[tnttreeman]

I use hooks on removals because they allow me to position myself in ways that would be very difficult without them. I can also climb a lot more efficiently (i.e. less energy drain) with them.

Ditto. Lots of places I couldn't stand without spurs on my feet.

Also, I bought the plates that attach to the bottom stirrup of the spurs so when you stand on them it distributes your weight across the entire foot. Boy did that make a difference. I can easily wear the spurs all day without fatigue on the arches of my feet.

 

[huskycandoit]

If you do not use spikes how can you take out the pieces of a trunk. And theres no crane or bucket truck there either. Im thinking your humpin the tree so you dont fall to the ground.