Which knot

[Toddppm]

Did a removal today of a Locust where it had codominant leads starting about 30 ft. up that were split apart for about 5-6 ft. up and had been like that for some time! About a 1ft. gap at the top of the split. It was only about 20" dbh and had another 40 ft. above the split so I had to tie the leads together at the split to go up them. I had a serious brain fade though and couldn't remember which knots to use. I ended up tying a clove hitch w/safety on the bottom, a timber hitch in the middle and tied a bight in the rope and pulled through it to tighten it up then timber hitched that!
I was able to tie into another tree for my line, being so small I don't think I could have used a chain binder. Guess I could have used a ratcheting tie down strap but didn't think to bring one. Any knots that would have worked? I was a little worried that when the split closed up my knots would drop down the trunk but they stayed put and I was able to drop each side seperately.

 

[treeman82]

Do you keep any kind of come-a-long with you? I don't know why, but a come-a-long just popped into my mind.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I usualy snug down running bowline then a few half hitches on a bight if it is a small split or something that does not cause me too much worry. I like the ratchet strap the best, they ar not in the way of any rigging. In some cases I have put a sling on a branch and binered a butterfly knot in.

I once ran off to buy a ratchet strap from U-Haul or something like, so that I could secure it without worry.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

How about a trucker's hitch?
Start with bowline around side one, go about half way to side two and tie a butterfly knot. Then go around side two and back through the butterfly knot. This gives you a nice two to one. Then just pull tight and secure the end on side two.

 

[Toddppm]

Mike, couldn't find that one in my Knot book, sounds like I was halfway there though. I will definately put a ratcheting strap in the tool box now. This split was too big and old to use a come along to pull it back together, I just wanted to hold it where it was. After i dropped the one side and started tying the 2nd I could hear the one I was on cracking, I made sure I was in a postion to cut my lanyard if need be

 

[Bradley]

I'd definitely use a trucker's hitch. Do you know the inline eight knot. Works great and is much stronger than the butterfly, though it cannot be loaded in two directions.

 

[DDM]

O come on now I tell you what Next time you have a difficult removal i'll send you up this customer i had today! While i was trying to figure out what would be the best way to rig it out over his house he informed me that all i needed to do was to shinny up the thing cut the pieces small enough and toss them over my shoulder to clear the house.
This oak was 60+ feet tall 18" in diameter at about 40' and leaned over his house at about a 30 Deg lean.After about 15 min of his Aggravation i went to my truck took out a waiver form and told him to sign it and i would ablige. Well.........
He shut up and went back inside!

 

[treeman82]

I actually have to do a removal at a friend's house whenever I get up the motivation for it. It's a maple of some form. It goes up about 5 feet and then the split starts. Split goes up about 4 feet to where you can see through it. The tree is about 22? inches at the base. Each leader is about 14? inches and each goes up about 30 feet. One side goes up over the house. The other side goes right next to some big coated power lines. It should be a lot of fun I am sure.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Call the utility and see if they will removae a portion of it.

 

[Treeman14]

If any portion of that tree is within ten feet of those "coated power lines", get the utility to remove it for you. This is a service they MUST provide at no charge to you or the owner. The coating is not insulation and will not protect you from electrocution. Trust me on this, you don't want to mess with power lines. I had the thrill of being swung into wires by an ignorant crane operator way back when I was young and stupid. Lucky for me it was only 220-volt secondaries. All it did was give me a good jolt and welded my chain to the bar. I made it a point after that experience to learn what all those wires are and how much voltage is in each one. I highly recommend the Electrical Hazard Awareness Program by ACRT.

 

[DDM]

Brett, That info will come in handy is that just if your removing a tree that they must clear it to 10'? what about high tension wires the ones that arent coated Because i have a feeling that they really Bite is that 10' as well?

 

[Keener]

The higher the voltage the more easily it travels through anything that contacts it. I think by the time you reach 50 to 60 Kva you should have 20 ft AIR gap between you and the wires, up here in B.C anyway. Best to check your local regs.
After experiencing 7200 volts which travelled through a 15ft fir branch, through me into the gaffs and out the branch I was standing on I think setting the limits of approach farther away and what the power company will clear might be a good idea.
I'll admit I did something stupid and learned some respect from it, on the next job close to the lines I had Hyro cut power first before we started to rig out with the crane, and that was only the 220 secondary( keep in mind that even though it's only 220 the amperage is unlimited if you short the wires, it will blow a chunk right out off your saw bar).

 

[treeman82]

Yeah, the base of the tree and half of it after the split is definatley within 10 feet of the lines. It should be interesting trying to convince my friend to have them come out and remove it. (He wouldn't call the power company to come out and drop 1 set of lines for an 80' tall pine tree)

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you are doing the job, you call the utility and ask to walk with the rep they send out. This is part of the ANSI standards that oly a qualified line clearance tree trimmer do the work.

I will not cost "fat & lazy" anything for them to do the work.

As i have said before, I clal the utility to set up temporary disconects of service drops, I do nto rely on the customer. It is my tail on the line.