I couldn't do it...

B

Broncman

Treehouser
Joined
Jul 24, 2016
Messages
92
Location
Western North Carolina
I have a ash tree and having been getting rid of some dead limbs in. One long branch has crotches in with a poplar tree. Poplar tree has to go! So I get the Poplar tree stripped except the crotch of the Poplar growing in the crotch of the ash. Today I was going to top the Poplar and trim out the crotch so I could fall the Poplar.


When I got up there, it just did not feel right? With me being way out on a limb that had dead wood, I was afraid when I removed the Poplar crotch , the ash limb I was in would not hold? Main part of limb is still live. Just worried I was to far out?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #2
So I got my "skidder" hooked to it to put some tension on it. Even after I made the cuts, we still had to pull it out of the crotch. But it fell exactly where I had aimed! Thatade me feel better about not being able to take the tree down with me in the saddle. This would have been my first complete top down tree if I had of felt comfortable with the tie in on the ash.




Getting more confident in my climbing abilities, now just have to get some more experience cutting in the tree!
 
We can't tell you that man. It does look like there are several good remote tie in point options around though, in those other poplars or incorporating more of the Ash branch structure so you're not just hanging off the far end of it. . .

Your safety is your first responsibility, always.

Trust your senses, trust your gut. If it feels sketchy, find a way to re evaluate and come at it from a different angle.
 
Congratulations on this success. For some reason your photo didn't make it into the post. (This might just be a problem on my end, as I'm reading this on a handheld computer.) It sounds like you figured out a safe way to get the job done, though, which is the most important thing.

This might be the first time I've read anything of yours, so welcome to the forum. My name is Tim.
 
I say good call. If it doesn't feel right...pay attention!
If the ash were resting in the poplar at all then removing the support MAY have been sufficient for it to fail with your added weight way out on the end like that. Maybe not, but you are still here posting about it with the offending limb safely on the ground by another method, and not posting from the hospital!

You could maybe have done it more easily from in the tree if you had your TIP over in the main fork of the ash tree, then climbed out to where the branches were tangled...or tied into one of the neighbouring poplars and spiked up...
 
If it scares you and you aren't sure of the outcome, always get out if the tree. Fear is good. Not knowing the outcome is bad. You'll gain the ability to know what will fly and what won't with experience. You did the right thing.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8
Don't know why you can't see the photos? I guess evaluating the strengths of tie in points and anchors comes with experience. I got about 10-15 more trees to go around my house!

Now put me on an an I industrial crane and am I right at home rigging those. Just got my cert last week!

Hats off to you guys that do this for a living! You have my respect!

The limb directly above and a little to the forefront is completely dead, clean to the Tree . It is next!
 
I wouldn't be inclined to trust a long horizontal limb as my primary tip. If you could get a solid high tie in on a vertical leader and then redirect your line through that crotch for positioning, your safety factor would be much higher.
 
I agree...a TIP that involves a limb with any kind of significant dead wood on it is very suspect to me. Maybe there would have been a way to have another rope in an adjacent tree as a backkup...may not have been an ideal angle for easy work positioning but could serve as your safety if the horizontal limb TIP got too sketchy.

Nothing wrong with taking more time to rig another life line..even if it took an extra hour so what? May save a life time of misery. Like Tucker said....
You'll gain the ability to know what will fly and what won't with experience. You did the right thing.
Click to expand...
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12
I followed that thread! That was crazy to see you swing away and then it split!

This one is about 75 feet tall.



Thought about climbing it with spurs and coming top down, but just not sure on how sound it is.



I have a poplar about 2 feet diameter that is hollow and up against my house. Luckily it is leaning away. Thinking about strapping the heck out of at the base to see if that will keep it from splitting.
 
Thought about climbing it with spurs and coming top down, but just not sure on how sound it is.
Click to expand...

You must not be able to see your own picture #1.

To me that tree is screaming "come see me little one...I want to eat you."

Jerry Beranek said something to the effect of "everytime you step up to a tree you are putting your life on the line...making a bet that you know more than the tree about how to stay alive" (somebody straighten out the quote for me)

I think that tree already has your number.

Have you got training/experience on hazard tree assessment?
 
Nope, nuh uh, no way...I wouldn't be spiking up that one and dropping lumps off it!
Too many things wrong with it, top of the list is the bottom!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15
Thanks for the advice. Every time I look at it, my gut says no... After being in industrial maintenance for the past 30 years safely. I have learned to listen to my instincts. 2 years ago I was one of the first on the scene to a major accident. Really made safety become a priority! I lead a crew of mechanics and we start EVERY day with a safety share.

I will stay out of that tree.
 
Tucker943 said:
If it scares you and you aren't sure of the outcome, always get out if the tree. Fear is good. Not knowing the outcome is bad. You'll gain the ability to know what will fly and what won't with experience. You did the right thing.
Click to expand...

If this quotation were shorter, I'd needlepoint it on a pillow! :lol:

Bronc, as a fellow tree noob, my advice is listen to the Treehouse Yodas; full of much wisdom are they! :thumbup:
 
Spellfeller said:
If this quotation were shorter, I'd needlepoint it on a pillow! :lol:

Bronc, as a fellow tree noob, my advice is listen to the Treehouse Yodas; full of much wisdom are they! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Here.
"Fear keeps you alive. Uncertainty will kill you. Until experience can guide you, walk away from the unknown"
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #22
Excellent words.

Another truthful one:
"Experience can be a cruel teacher, it gives the test before the lesson"

My oldest son is extremely hard headed and no longer does any side work with me for his lack of attention to safety due to his vast "intellectual knowledge". Awhile back i stopped by at a job he and a buddy was doing and promptly left. Less than an hour later I got a call. His buddy had gaffed up the tree, made a cut in a large vertical limb and the limb fell straight down and his cut had been at a very sharp angle, straight through.

The sharpness of the cut limb got his leg. Had to have a bunch of stitches. They still believe it is just a chainsaw and wood, nothing special to it!
 
Wow...maybe get them to read some of the posts from 'The Dripline'. they have a FB page and post every accident and fatality related to tree work (mainly in the US).
 
Tree work seems like it'd be a lot easier if you could turn gravity off or at least down a lot while doing it. I hardly see how it makes it 'easy'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Treeaddict
Pass, maybe?
2
Replies
43
Views
2K
davidwyby
davidwyby
Mick!
Branch walking, how do you do it?
Replies
21
Views
941
Bodean
Bodean
cory
White Pines in The Pine Tree State appear threatened
Replies
0
Views
242
cory
cory
davidwyby
Logging Choker cables
2
Replies
41
Views
1K
treebogan
treebogan
Eric H-L
Long but light branch equals big excitement for a newb
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
WoodCutr
WoodCutr
Back
Top