Binder Chain for the save

Altissimus

TreeHouser
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southern Vermont
Pretty much what happened. With a nod to Gerry we sometimes use a Binder around certain material for the obvious reasons and always willing to take any and all steps (within reason) to increase margin of safety and success managing the work. Most of the time it's just a precaution and doesn't necessarily come into heavy play. Yesterday we fell a hollow old beast just uphill of a house. Trunk displayed several running seams (43" DBH , 100' H Sugar Maple ,oh yeah completely hollow) I climbed it and removed some large heavy limbs on the back side then rigged it for the pull. We set a chain at 5' (lacking the true tensioners we drove wedges between the bark and chain to make it tight. Sure enough as we were pulling (really only a foot plus out) the splits ran and broke under the tension plus the release of the backcut. Binder chain held the old beast together quite nicely as it went over , SAVE ! Seems it wanted to go in three big pieces.
 
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"Seeing it" , Yes Boss. Not bragging about being old , but ... "There is no substitute for experience."
 
I've bond them with chains and chain binders .Then again I've got rigging hardware galore ,darn few things I don't have .
 
Very Nice!
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We generally had 2" wide ratchet cargo straps that would use with Round Turn.
Then preTighten; empty the drum of the ratchet strap while other hand 'pastes' strap to tree to 'hold purchase taken'(sailor's terminology) as helper does same to other side.
Then reTighten ratchet. More tightening power on empty drum; gradually lost as drum fills and webbing pulls faster/weaker from same input.
Rinse/Repeat as needed, maybe trying to vibrate/knock some as you go to equalize force around and keep working it.
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i always think in terms of want to only worry about complications of 1 moving /large monolith piece;
not less predictable split decision or binding of moving and potentially competing, multiplying forces etc. possibly radically playing out.
Not sure if that makes any of us 'control freaks'...
 
Very Nice!
.
We generally had 2" wide ratchet cargo straps that would use with Round Turn.
Then preTighten; empty the drum of the ratchet strap while other hand 'pastes' strap to tree to 'hold purchase taken'(sailor's terminology) as helper does same to other side.
Then reTighten ratchet. More tightening power on empty drum; gradually lost as drum fills and webbing pulls faster/weaker from same input.
Rinse/Repeat as needed, maybe trying to vibrate/knock some as you go to equalize force around and keep working it.
.
i always think in terms of want to only worry about complications of 1 moving /large monolith piece;
not less predictable split decision or binding of moving and potentially competing, multiplying forces etc. possibly radically playing out.
Not sure if that makes any of us 'control freaks'...

Hey, TreeSpyder! Nice post! Just to be clear, when you talk about taking a "round turn", are you saying that you wrap the cargo strap around the whole tree one extra time before passing it through the ratchet, or do you mean something different than that? Either way, this is a really interesting tip that I would not have thought about trying myself. So, thanks again for the post.

Tim
 
Hey, Sean! By your last post, do you mean to say that you prefer using chains to using straps, with a wedge driven in from top to tighten the chain? Thanks for your time.

Tim
 
Instead of a chain-binder and chain, I like a chain and wedges for barberchair-reduction/ prevention.


Trucker straps sometimes. Easier to damage, do stretch.





When I have a split tree, and want to pull it together, you need the straps to pull it together. The handle creates significant leverage. I'd guess 10:1, looking at the radius to the handle, and radius of the drum, at the early part of the wind. The more wraps, the less MA (larger radius). When you reduce weight on the crown during a damaged tree removal, you can snug up the straps as they start to get loose, as weight-removal lets the trunks stand up more, closing the split.
 
Yes 2 turns in Round Turn to be clear.
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In higher duty range go to chain.
Wedge tight if needed and finish with large head roofing nail as stop pin then large head seats 45 from wedge to tree . cheat on depth and give angled stop before pin pressured.
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Round Turn - RT (IGKT) to me means Real Turn ,
>> i see common, simple Turn as a purposeful pass of force ( less friction path ) to next point.
BUT an RT:Real Turn / Round Turn is totally different animal, a real workman of clamping force (unless that force already minimized) . Model less true in binding but my running standard.
Difference between common deadly Half Hitch and trusty Anchor Hitch is the RT
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Note that if RT web tightened to 2000 equalized thru;
Splitting force inside would have to burst force past 4000 to start expand/shift chain of events. And do that all the way around if RT on self, virtually same to ceiling of wood stiffness in side by side turns
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And to 2x strength profiles similar as stated. The turns also decrease elastic response of web compared to single turn at same expansion force. Just as 2:1 is 2xPower, can spread load on supports, but not as elastic at given load, so can shock system more
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I define RT as at least 3 half circles/arcs
>>rope only supports inline so have basic line and 180 arc back to same in opposite direction as basic rope parts I think.
>>to raw theory Round Turn 2 half circles competing, and 3rd half circle as keeper, enforcer and enhancer.
>>whether right angle hitchings to spar or inline series in splice I think there is a force mechanic in RT that is overlooked, and is far and above single Turn.
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Stopping force , even impact handling lesson of 1.5 half circles on polished 2" steel vs. 1 Turn on 20" high friction bark as perfect example of RT
Sorry for rant, RT in some system position is my fave GoTo form.
>>feel another thread coming on.
 
On our nasty cracked mega hackberry, we bought fresh 4" straps for the cinching duties -- similar to what Kenny described. Very scary, unclimbable & unriggable tree -- pieced out and craned out.
cracked-hackberry-split.jpg
 
I guess I'm overly cautious about this stuff . I know what I'm doing but I don't do it for a living .I'll rope and power stuff I could wedge over and chain up any thing I think might split out on me .You're talking tonnage that could put you in the ground or wheel chair bound for life .Either one would suck .
 
On our nasty cracked mega hackberry, we bought fresh 4" straps for the cinching duties -- similar to what Kenny described. Very scary, unclimbable & unriggable tree -- pieced out and craned out.
View attachment 93841

So, Stumpshot, are you saying that you folks did end up being able to climb this tree because of the use of the binding staps? Or did you need a lift to get access to the parts being rigged out? Sorry if this question was already answered earlier in this thread. Thanks.

Tim
 
Way to go!
I always do the nasty ones that way and I always think of Gerry Beranek when I do them.
 
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