Treeslaying Illinois style

[treevet]

y

ou cannot say "guys like me" if ya don't know me brother.
I'm 46, and earned this age, and I only climb safe with a saw and/or in a weak tree


And call it foolish or silly, and damm, I feel insulted.

Don't you think just MAYBE it is an INSULT to professional arborists/treeclimbers in this particular forum part of the AS Forum (Professional climbers only in commercial arboriculture").... to have you come on and make light of what we do by hanging upside down in climbing gear and rapelling upside down? There is way more to this profession than being fearless and sliding or hanging upside down.

I'm a climber, I'll write about whatever I want.

shut up and enjoy it. :jester:opcorn::jester:opcorn:

You can write about whatever you want and then you tell me to "shut up"?

Postscript, Read your profile, and I see you are a vet. thanks.

Got no beef with you but not big on being told I am scared or to shut up.

 

[treeslayer]

Don't you think just MAYBE it is an INSULT to professional arborists/treeclimbers in this particular forum part of the AS Forum (Professional climbers only in commercial arboriculture").... to have you come on and make light of what we do by hanging upside down in climbing gear and rapelling upside down? There is way more to this profession than being fearless and sliding or hanging upside down.
Got no beef with you but not big on being told I am scared or to shut up.

You think I make light of what I risk my life doing every f*&@ ing day?
Like I don't belong on here?
I am scared to death of my saw, bad, unreadable trees, and the actions of others.

I have a lot of time under my belt climbing shht like this pictured below, and if I choose to find a thrill playing on a rope, don't belittle me.
Like i said,
you don't know me, and if you did, you'd buy me a beer and not cast aspersions about my flippancy.

jeez, I need a thesaurus to read my own post.

 

[treemandan]

he may be able to use that if the rope ever breaks at 100 ft. upside down.opcorn:

Rope break? I suppose if there was achance of that I wouldn't ever think to go up.

Also I don't know how guys fall. I mean I do... but I don't. People ask me if I am afraid I will fall. I answer" that is really quite impossible.

Nothing crazy about Treeslayers pics either, seems normal to me. It really does stretch the back out.

seriously, the rope is not going to break.

 

[treeslayer]

APeople ask me if I am afraid I will fall. I answer" that is really quite impossible

seriously, the rope is not going to break.

basically how I see it.
where ya gonna go? I throw 1000-1500lb chunks of wood hard on a rope and friction device, whats my 180lbs hanging gonna do?

 

[ropensaddle]

basically how I see it.
where ya gonna go? I throw 1000-1500lb chunks of wood hard on a rope and friction device, whats my 180lbs hanging gonna do?

I had a frightening occurrence on a large red oak one time. I was tied in above was making a pop cut, jump cut made my undercut then hit the top and the huge limb hung my chain good, so good that it ripped the saw out of my hand and dangled below me. The rope held me and the limb but it was not a great time came away unscathed scratched up a little and had to go change out my undies lol. Way back when I first started climbing, I don't mismatch them since that day but at that time, that was proper.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Well, I am gonna get greif for this, but this is getting silly.The only way to end it is to get the "Ringmaster" to book side shows and I hope clients don't think we are an act in a three ring circus.
Jeff

 

[treemandan]

I had a frightening occurrence on a large red oak one time. I was tied in above was making a pop cut, jump cut made my undercut then hit the top and the huge limb hung my chain good, so good that it ripped the saw out of my hand and dangled below me. The rope held me and the limb but it was not a great time came away unscathed scratched up a little and had to go change out my undies lol. Way back when I first started climbing, I don't mismatch them since that day but at that time, that was proper.

that is why I don't use a saw lanyard. But still you won't fall out, maybe get ripped in half but fall?

 

[treemandan]

Well, I am gonna get greif for this, but this is getting silly.The only way to end it is to get the "Ringmaster" to book side shows and I hope clients don't think we are an act in a three ring circus.
Jeff

Heck bro, I will give you greef just for not spelling geirf right.

Really though? A circus? come-on now, its just a display of competence.

 

[treevet]

Rope break? I suppose if there was achance of that I wouldn't ever think to go up.

Also I don't know how guys fall. I mean I do... but I don't. People ask me if I am afraid I will fall. I answer" that is really quite impossible.

Nothing crazy about Treeslayers pics either, seems normal to me. It really does stretch the back out.

seriously, the rope is not going to break.

I think he mentioned free climbing up the ladder and then going over the top tied in. If you don't know how guys fall read TCI mag every month. I fell free climbing up to tie in maybe 35 years ago. You gonna tell me you never free climb and I would probably say you were bs'ing or real slow.

When I mentioned the rope braking I was just kidding along with the previous posts.

 

[treevet]

Heck bro, I will give you greef just for not spelling geirf right.

Really though? A circus? come-on now, its just a display of competence.

I have seen the video a thousand times where the guy at the gator farm puts his head in to the alligator's mouth and IMO it gets real boring until the one time his hands slip and the alligator has his head in a death grip. You almost root for the alligator to teach him a lesson and hang on for a little longer.

 

[ropensaddle]

that is why I don't use a saw lanyard. But still you won't fall out, maybe get ripped in half but fall?

I would tell you another close call that made me change a habit many use but you would probably think it was funny and then I would have to come and find you lol.

 

[treemandan]

I think he mentioned free climbing up the ladder and then going over the top tied in. If you don't know how guys fall read TCI mag every month. I fell free climbing up to tie in maybe 35 years ago. You gonna tell me you never free climb and I would probably say you were bs'ing or real slow.

When I mentioned the rope braking I was just kidding along with the previous posts.

I guess I will go with real slow cause I really never have free climbed trees . The worst I will do is get into a good crotch to advance my lanyard and then I am aware that I am unprotected.
I step up to a tree to spike from the bottom and the lanyard goes around it before I step on... even on the easy stuff. That's the rule, I don't break it. I know I could freeclimb, I use a top rope a lot and never fell onto it but that is not the point. I have nothing to prove, well, maybe cept how I can't fall outta no dam tree.

 

[treemandan]

I would tell you another close call that made me change a habit many use but you would probably think it was funny and then I would have to come and find you lol.

Come-on, don't do me like that. What's up?

 

[treevet]

I guess I will go with real slow cause I really never have free climbed trees . The worst I will do is get into a good crotch to advance my lanyard and then I am aware that I am unprotected.
I step up to a tree to spike from the bottom and the lanyard goes around it before I step on... even on the easy stuff. That's the rule, I don't break it. I know I could freeclimb, I use a top rope a lot and never fell onto it but that is not the point. I have nothing to prove, well, maybe cept how I can't fall outta no dam tree.

I still free climb on occasion but not so much anymore. Not trying to prove anything, just enjoy it.

Know of many instances and one in particular where serious falls have occurred spiking up a tall straight pole not much unlike a free fall while bucked in.

 

[treemandan]

I still free climb on occasion but not so much anymore. Not trying to prove anything, just enjoy it.

Know of many instances and one in particular where serious falls have occurred spiking up a tall straight pole not much unlike a free fall while bucked in.

One reason ( and I am just giving one at this time) I don't do it is cause I am thinking there is a rabid ohh possom up there about to jump on my face.

I will mess around a few feet off the ground sometimes but that is it for Slow Dan ( who really ain't that slow)

 

[ropensaddle]

Come-on, don't do me like that. What's up?

Ok but remember, I was a green horn lol. It was a cool summer day on shoreline drive Muskegan Mi and I was about to do a trim for powerline maintenance. I had my gf ordering a buckstrap the adjustable flat kind, soft fiber; and he gave me a prehistoric leather linemans strap until it came in. This strap had been used prolly ten years, as I was climbing there was a large lower limb, customer asked if I would cut it and I said no problem, it is in my way anyhow, as I would be lowering overhang by rope. I tied in just above let out some slack and limbwalked just enough for a seemingly simple jump cut. I decided I would just straddle the limb to make the cut and instinctively bucked in. I made a nice undercut and started the top cut when the limb 2 foot diameter split and racked me hard into the limb. I was so lucky I had that old strap that day because, two things. #1 it broke no #### it snapped quickly and I just got enough of a tug to rack me. #2 I was clipped into my side d's and I learned from that day forward cutting big wood or anything that can split both snap in middle or to one side, I should be a paraplegic or worse but maybe that experience can help someone.

 

[treevet]

One reason ( and I am just giving one at this time) I don't do it is cause I am thinking there is a rabid ohh possom up there about to jump on my face.

I will mess around a few feet off the ground sometimes but that is it for Slow Dan ( who really ain't that slow)

most people don't fear the possum. I saw a vid on animal channel when one was cornered and I think I'd rather take on a couple of coons. They got some serious choppers.

I cut the tail off one that was in a cavity I didn't see and he dropped 120 feet plus (was the biggest oak in town so no exagg) and he walked off like nothing happened.

 

[treemandan]

I'll not be on site if there is freeclimbing. I'll stop it or walk and that will be the end. God forbid I ever hire a climber and he does it. If you are in a tree use your tree rope, that is why I have gobs of the stuff.

 

[treevet]

I'll not be on site if there is freeclimbing. I'll stop it or walk and that will be the end. God forbid I ever hire a climber and he does it. If you are in a tree use your tree rope, that is why I have gobs of the stuff.

If you have a very cluttered tree....let's say a pinoak. You cannot shoot a high crotch and do you go up the tree to tie in by attaching a lanyard, then throwing a line over and over and over and over ??

You have a take down and it is a easy spike. Do you buck in over and over and over??

This is very similar to the "if you don't wear a hard hat you are not as good as me" routine.

 

[treeslayer]

I only climb with the lanyard on, or the rope set, the lanyard goes on within 10' at the most, and only when sittin pretty in a crotch will I ever advance my lanyard. and I wear 2, the adjustable one with the gibbs ascender, and a simple 6' safety made of 2" heavy nylon. this one stays hanging and tied up until needed.
100% tie in. look at me in the pics working, usually double tied.

"freeclimbing" up a ladder truck is a lot different than freeclimbing a tree. with the ladder set, and the motor off, sure I'll run up it. it is setup for a safety lanyard the whole way up, I always tie in if riding it during extension or any other movement, or even if the truck is running. you know damm well I'll be tied to the ladder safety ring while flying that lightweight "bucket"

I might be a little crazy, but I ain't stupid.