How'd it go today?

Why not a wide cradle?
Tree shifts from side to side, wanted a nice big platform.
No not through bolted. Bad idea. Trees need to move around, build strength.
Cradle slides over the beam so it moves around.
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My FIL has a tree supported in his backyard with a cradle and there are obvious pressure wounds on the underside. So that's why I ask plus there was a thread here a while back about supporting trees.
 
We had a relly fun day today.
One of my former apprentices asked me if I could help him work on his mother's big walnut tree.
We decided to get the whole team that is going travelling to California next year together and do it for a good lunch, made by his mother.
Put the two old apprentices who haven't climbed professionally for a decade, a policeman and a forester, in the tree and the rest of us on the ground.

2 climbers and 4 hecklers:lol:

That was really a good time.

Did a fine job on the tree, too.

Big sprawling, multi multi stemmed walnut that needed a reduction to keep it away from roofs.

We were quite pleased with ourselves when we went to lunch.
 
My FIL has a tree supported in his backyard with a cradle and there are obvious pressure wounds on the underside. So that's why I ask plus there was a thread here a while back about supporting trees.

Each prop I have made is a little bit different.
I have through bolted, but then made the sleeve at the bottom so the tree could rise and settle according to wind, rain weight, etc
This one was such a heavy leaning trunk I opted for a cradle. Tree was pushing over the deck and pulling the deck from the house.
In time it will enclose the cradle I hope
 
I've read about using a post into a hole (ISA BMPs), making a small wound, somewhat akin to using a through-cable, rather than wrap the stem with a cable. Less tissue damage.


For small trees, I have used a piece of rebar in a pressure-treated 4x4 on a pier-block with saddle, last time on a tipping apple tree.

Bigger trees would need something more substantial, and welded up.
 
I've read about using a post into a hole (ISA BMPs), making a small wound, somewhat akin to using a through-cable, rather than wrap the stem with a cable. Less tissue damage.


For small trees, I have used a piece of rebar in a pressure-treated 4x4 on a pier-block with saddle, last time on a tipping apple tree.

Bigger trees would need something more substantial, and welded up.

Umm, a tree has a layer just under the bark, this layer transportes nutrients throughout the tree. Called cambium.
Anything that wraps around the trunk cuts off the flow. Think tight rubber band around your wrist.
In cabling a tree for support, we sink a single lag into the heartwood. One single penetration through the cambium for each lag screw.
The tree can CODIT (compartmentalizations of decay in trees), easily with a single point, vrs wrapping around the stem.
 
What is this CODIT you speak of? Why haven't I ever heard of it before?

What I was reading in the ISA BMP is that a large post, sized for the application, could be 1" arbitrarily. This is a 1" hole for post that will will support the weight on the heartwood of the tree, which will become callused over if not too much movements, by this cambium you speak of. A 1" hole can be better than a 4" section being 'tourniquet-ed' by a large plate wrapping around the stem. 1" is a much smaller footprint to achieve the same goal.
 
What is this CODIT you speak of? Why haven't I ever heard of it before?

What I was reading in the ISA BMP is that a large post, sized for the application, could be 1" arbitrarily. This is a 1" hole for post that will will support the weight on the heartwood of the tree, which will become callused over if not too much movements, by this cambium you speak of. A 1" hole can be better than a 4" section being 'tourniquet-ed' by a large plate wrapping around the stem. 1" is a much smaller footprint to achieve the same goal.


Sheer weight of that tree mandated a larger footprint. Tree is cantalevered over a hillside, and began pulling the deck away from the side of the house.
Every situation is unique. Cannot apply one set of rules to each and every tree. Which is why the term 'guidelines ' is repeatedly mentioned.
 
Had to work today. I'm so backed up it isn't funny. Laid out some limits of disturbance. Weather was pleasant, and the woods weren't terrible like the other job. Neighbors came out to ask me dumb questions which I wasn't crazy about. Mostly old people with entitlement issues. The contractor's gonna have his hands full with them.
 
Ain’t it fun! Is this an easement/ ROW job or a property line thing? Either way it’s hard to get most of the public to know their rights.

Easy day at home. Put rear brakes on the pickup, mowed the lawn, cleaned out the remaining stump grindings from the dump trailer, stacking wood in my little woodshed while well into a case of beer. Wife and kids will be home soon, so back to reality
 
It's another stream restoration, and limits of disturbance mark the limits of what the contractor can mess up. Later, I'll go back and lay out sediment control devices(silt fence, dikes...).

Bit off more than I can chew. I was asked if I thought I could take the job on. I didn't particularly want to do it, but that's what I'm paid for, so... I underestimated how much time the other stream restoration was gonna take from me. Add to that the other construction jobs, and other stuff we normally do, I'm out of time.

I was hoping to get into some tree work this fall, but it's not looking good right now.
 
Maintenance weekend. Started out Saturday picking up the new dump trailer (14 footer; can load up to 10.500lbs and dump no problem)...

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Then spent 3 hours breaking in the new MS362 on a pile of wood. Ran about 5 tanks full, so it's all good to go on the next job. Spent today working on some odds and ends on the
truck, then cut the grass, fixed the flush handle on one of the toilets and finished up mounting the hitch receiver and ball/pintel combo hitch on the pickup. Productive weekend
ending in a few good Marzens and porters. Mmmmmmm.... :drink:
 
Had a LOT of wind today, which screwed up tomorrow's job.
We should have been picking Grand Fir cones, but the wind has blown them apart.

Bummer.
 
Had my yearly physical this morning...Doc wants to set me up for a lung screening, I said OK,

then she asks "If you have lung cancer would you like to have surgery?"

I'm like "What? How should I know?"....thought she might be jumping the gun a bit...:banghead:
 
Well, of course you would!

Without a catscan/MRI, you could be full of cancer right now and not even know it.

I was/am.
 
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