High-Lead Rigging in Tree Work

[chris_girard]

Thought that I might share one of my articles from last year that appeared in last year's TCI Magazine's issue on rigging.

I have a few more articles that have appeared since then that I will post hopefully soon. These are all part of my upcoming book on tree rigging that is almost completed. Never knew, that it would take so long to write a book!

Transporting Wood Using Cross-Referenced Rigging Techniques

The brush material and as many logs as possible were going to have to be transported up the slope. In dealing with our particularly steep work site, I decided to use a high-lead (highline/trackline) system. It would combine techniques of logging, sailing, mountaineering and industrial rope...

tcimag.tcia.org

 

[Kaveman]

Thanks Mr. Chris! Imma go find my thinking cap and sit down with that.

 

[chris_girard]

Enjoy! And please feel free to ask me any questions you may have, I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and help pass on the knowledge to others.

 

[gf beranek]

"Never knew, that it would take so long to write a book!"

Ha! The second one comes easier / faster.

Looking good, Chris!

 

[chris_girard]

Thanks Jer!

Boy, I wish that I had a dollar for every time that I have said those 2 words!

 

[gf beranek]

Much appreciated, Chris. Always.

 

[Mellow]

Very interesting and informative article. However, in 40+ years of tree work, I have used a high-line haul system exactly one time; to remove a tree across a canal. Here in Florida, there's no such thing as gullies and bluffs.

 

[Kaveman]

I'm always thinking about Highlead stuff when I go out for firewood. Our regulations change season to season, as well as district to district, but a common one is that vehicles MUST stay on existing roads. That means anything worth cutting near the road is gone, and anything else has to be moved a long way, by hand. Full suck. Makes the job almost no fun.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

About :30 in

 

[chris_girard]

That's the same portable winch that we use, only I made a custom frame that mounts easily to the tree, instead of having it flop along on the ground like in the video.

 

[Kaveman]

I'd love some photos of that winch mount Mr.Girard. The new model portable winch will be one of my next "work tool" purchases, and I keep hearing about how they really like to flop around, to their own detriment.

 

[chris_girard]

No problem, will put some photos along with a description up here later today.

 

[Kaveman]

Thank you kindly, sir!

And may I ask if you have ever used their fancy one sided pully? That and the weird bullet thing that work together to automatically drop the redirect and "steer" the turn...gimme a second...there I found it, the "Open face corner block"

Steel Open-Face Corner Block ø 4''

STEEL OPEN-FACE CORNER BLOCK ø 4-inches pulley is designed to pull trees perpendicular and deviating trajectory to get around obstacles.

www.portablewinch.com

Looks like a few of these could do some strange and terrible things.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

That's the same portable winch that we use, only I made a custom frame that mounts easily to the tree, instead of having it flop along on the ground like in the video.

That pulley and the tree mount are on my list.

 

[stig]

This is great, Chris.
If a certain teenager shows up and tells you he knows better, just use the ignore button on him.

 

[gf beranek]

Nice. If I was still in the business I'd put my order in now.

 

[chris_girard]

Thanks guys, I'm glad that you like the article. I have some questions to answer, but first, here's a few pics of the tree frame that we welded up. It works much better than the one that the Portable Winch Company sells. The triangular design allows you to mount it on smaller or larger diameter trees with a 10,000lb load binder strap. The winch sits on an articulating frame that allows the winch to swivel as it comes under load, keeping a fairlead in the pull at all times.

 

[gf beranek]

Built tough.

 

[Kaveman]

Looks top tier. May have to steal your idea.

 

[Burnham]

That is one hella nice piece of kit. Well done.

 

[chris_girard]

Thanks guys! Glad that we don't have to use it on every job, but it's nice to have it when needed.

 

[Tree09]

Excellent work, article, and winch mount there Chris, i absolutely love ingenuity in rigging!!!

 

[Kaveman]

Excellent work, article, and winch mount there Chris, i absolutely love ingenuity in rigging!!!

Hey Kyle, you dangerously beautiful Democrat, I might just have a little welding job for you...

 

[davidwyby]

I'm always thinking about Highlead stuff when I go out for firewood. Our regulations change season to season, as well as district to district, but a common one is that vehicles MUST stay on existing roads. That means anything worth cutting near the road is gone, and anything else has to be moved a long way, by hand. Full suck. Makes the job almost no fun.

I was recently considering the same conundrum harvesting firewood. After the fact I decided the best would be to get a pulley up as high as possible on a tree. Run rope or cable through to desired log. Opposite end to truck…drive down the road to draw log out of woods. Bonus points for putting trailer under draw/redirect tree and going straight on it.

 

[Tree09]

Hey Kyle, you dangerously beautiful Democrat, I might just have a little welding job for you...

How much do you think it would cost to ship it to there?