What can be used to absorb limb drops?

[MrTreeGuy]

Lets say we're in a negative rigging scenario and I want to drop limbs but I also don't want to put holes into the dirt for whatever reason, is there anything I can use to absorb the impact without it breaking?

 

[Del_]

Lets say we're in a negative rigging scenario and I want to drop limbs but I also don't want to put holes into the dirt for whatever reason, is there anything I can use to absorb the impact without it breaking?

A limb pile works well.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yeah, just make a birds nest with other limbs

 

[ckliff]

A bed of tires.

 

[J D]

Lets say we're in a negative rigging scenario and I want to drop limbs but I also don't want to put holes into the dirt for whatever reason, is there anything I can use to absorb the impact without it breaking?

Groundies... it'd pay to have a few spares if you're dropping larger limbs
If you're looking to protect someones prize lawn some pallets laid out or a few layers of heavy cardboard spread over the area would probably do a reasonable job

 

[Groundman One]

Groundies... it'd pay to have a few spares if you're dropping larger limbs

Ack! You beat me to it.

 

[capetrees]

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/negative-rigging-in-tight-spaces.360706/

 

[ZinTrees]

depends on the size limbs and whats available, a brush pile works excellent, logs can be a safety hazard so we avoid those

usually we just cut and drop stuff, or rig it, no crash pad needed if you do it right


edit, re-read OP's post
if you're negative rigging, you don't need a crash pad of any sort since the pieces won't be free falling all the way to the ground, if they are then you wasted all that time setting rigging for no reason

 

[MrTreeGuy]

edit, re-read OP's post
if you're negative rigging, you don't need a crash pad of any sort since the pieces won't be free falling all the way to the ground, if they are then you wasted all that time setting rigging for no reason

Negative rigging is too dangerous in my opinion especially with larger diameter logs and you need experienced ground men who can let it run. But any mishaps here is property damage.

There is a technique where if you are negative rigging you can hook up a speedline straight up and down to the trunk so that when you free fall the section it hits the ground it does not bounce. This is the way to go for negative rigging imo but I can see the weight hitting the ground causing dents.

 

[ZinTrees]

Negative rigging is too dangerous in my opinion especially with larger diameter logs and you need experienced ground men who can let it run. But any mishaps here is property damage.

There is a technique where if you are negative rigging you can hook up a speedline straight up and down to the trunk so that when you free fall the section it hits the ground it does not bounce. This is the way to go imo for negative rigging.

Then why did you ask "Lets say we're in a negative rigging scenario"?

If you're scared of negative rigging to the point you refuse to do it, then you should ask an admin about changing your username

We all negative rig, I don't prefer to do it, but I will do it, it's very simple if your ground guy doesn't suck, matter of fact probably 50% of my negative rigging involves nobody holding a rope, but x number of wraps on it and get out of the way, let gravity do all the work, it's very, very simple

 

[ATH]

"rigging" implies it is being lowered by a rope before it hits the ground. Zipping down a rope is fine and all, but it's not "rigging".

If you don't want to negative rig, that's fine...but it would be more clear if you phrased the question about an alternative to rigging.

 

[MrTreeGuy]

Then why did you ask "Lets say we're in a negative rigging scenario"?

If you're scared of negative rigging to the point you refuse to do it, then you should ask an admin about changing your username

We all negative rig, I don't prefer to do it, but I will do it, it's very simple if your ground guy doesn't suck, matter of fact probably 50% of my negative rigging involves nobody holding a rope, but x number of wraps on it and get out of the way, let gravity do all the work, it's very, very simple

Because it has almost the same set up?

I'm asking because there are scenarios where you can't free fall the remaining section of the trunk because you don't want to damage the lawn or have the sections move and hit something once it hits the ground. All at the same time, if you catch the section with a rope, that's quite dangerous. That's why I'm asking if there's any material you can place on the ground to absorb the shock while using the speedline technique I described above.

 

[ZinTrees]

Because it has almost the same set up?

I'm asking because there are scenarios where you can't free fall the remaining section of the trunk because you don't want to damage the lawn or have the sections move and hit something once it hits the ground, at the same time, if you catch the section with a rope that's quite dangerous. That's why I'm asking if there's any material you can place on the ground to absorb the shock while using the speedline technique I described above.

had you asked about a vertical zipline we wouldn't be having this conversation, you asked about negative rigging which is not a vertical speedline

also, every single part of tree work is "quite dangerous", nothing about negative rigging is really any more dangerous than a zipline, positive rigging, etc

as for your original question, you have had 4 good asnwers already

ree fall the section it hits the ground it does not bounce

oh the pieces will bounce, and due to the slack that is required in a vertical speedline, they can bounce 10+ feet depending on how much rope you have, what sort of sling is involved on the piece falling, etc

 

[MrTreeGuy]

had you asked about a vertical zipline we wouldn't be having this conversation, you asked about negative rigging which is not a vertical speedline

also, every single part of tree work is "quite dangerous", nothing about negative rigging is really any more dangerous than a zipline, positive rigging, etc

as for your original question, you have had 4 good asnwers already

oh the pieces will bounce, and due to the slack that is required in a vertical speedline, they can bounce 10+ feet depending on how much rope you have, what sort of sling is involved on the piece falling, etc

Its still negative rigging. The section is tied off and then falls, held closely to the trunk with a speedline.

 

[ZinTrees]

Its still negative rigging. The section is tied off and then falls, held closely to the trunk with a speedline.

uhh no, its not, I would tell you but oh wait I have, and @ATH also has

a speedline, is NOT in any way "negative rigging" no matter how its done, no matter who you ask, it has a definition and you are refusing to acknowledge it

 

[cookies]

funny no one said 3/4" plywood, stuff stops my wallet every time

 

[ZinTrees]

funny no one said 3/4" plywood, stuff stops my wallet every time

I've used it, never had it hold up well to anything falling on it, would do great over pavement or something like a customers deck or roof where we want a little extra protection should something fall on it accidentally, but I have never purposefully landed stuff on my plywood

alturna mats would do really nice I bet!