Rigging Birds of Paradise

NickfromWI

NickfromWI

King of Splices
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
4,992
Location
Snowless California
I've learned that these things can be a lot more challenging that one might first believe. We were lucky on this one to have an overhead rigging point...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6q4IjN2M8V4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Nick, that was good. Two opposing ropes to keep it upright in the DZ worked well...can't say I have seen that before.

I like how that tree monkey threw something down at you...good reason for the helmet.:lol:
 
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  • #6
I've learned to bid those things a lot higher. Some tall ones I'll do dor $250/stalk. On this one we did 4 big stalks for $600.


love
nick
 
did you climb the palm to set your block? if so, why not swing over and piece the stalk down from the top? nice rigging job regardless.
 
Sweet rigging! I think I would have just climbed up with a machete. Crazy high pricing, but thats LA i guess...
 
Climb it! I've gone up BoP before, not bad, especially if its 25' You could even single line off the palm for a high tip.
 
Ive never seen one in my life. That said, I was curious why not ladder up, toss a lanyard around a stalk or two, and buzz it apart in 4 cuts? Again, I don't know the nature of them. Can you lean a ladder against one seeing as how most of the weight is downward?
 
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  • #17
If it's 25' and straight up and I have an overhead TIP- sure. But earlier in the day one of the guys climbed up a ladder, grabbed a trunk and started walking it down to see how far it would go- and it just totally exploded.

I've never tried climbing up them. They are so wobbly I wuss out!

If the situation arises where I got an overhead TIP AND a mostly upright stalk- I'll give it a shot and report back.

Tucker- they are super flexible and wobbly. They can be 30' tall and they have no taper- so yeah.


love
nick
 
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  • #18
Tucker943 said:
...I was curious why not ladder up, toss a lanyard around a stalk or two, and buzz it apart in 4 cuts?
Click to expand...

What you're describing is our BOP SOP :)

But now that I think of it, this thing was an easy 35' tall. Our tallest ladder is a 24' extension ladder and I climbed up to tie the rigging lines and there was an easy 10' of plant above me as I was tying.

We looked at felling the top piece- but the wires everywhere didn't allow it.

For what it's worth- we took out several stalks that day and only 2 were rigged down. One was pulled and cracked down and the rest were laddered up and chunked down.



love
nick
 
Wasn't criticizing, just commenting, Nick. If the opportunity arises, I'll always set up rigging. Adds to the challenge and fun... Those are good size and wobbly suckers for sure!
 
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  • #21
Didn't view it as criticism. No worries. Tbh- after we were done, one of the guys noticed spike parks going up one of the stalks that was remaining. So clearly it's been done!

I'm curious to try it.


love
nick
 
Nice work, Nick. Except for the butt cut. There was really no need for that tie off...or the flat face cut....which you later opened up with the downward cut. Start right off with a steeply angled cut. She'll slide right off, and automatically straighten up as you cut off sections. Or, you can add a small face if you want to force it closer to the rigging point. But keep the main slash cut on one plane, so it will slide off easily. Then, if you choose, you can walk the butt out while lowering the stem.

I've hung whole trees as needed, for years. Some weighing well over 10,000 lb. Most always these were storm failed trees.
 
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  • #23
I disagree about the trunk tie off. Giant Birds of Paradise are extremely top heavy. I had the rigging line just below the head of it and between the 3 of us on the job, it wasn't clear if the head weighed more than the rest of the trunk. So rather than talk about it for 5 more minutes, I spent 1 minute to add the rope. No harm in that, right? (or am I wrong? that happens sometimes)

I like using the slash cut. I'll give it a go next time I'm doing this weird plant.

I've hung whole trees, too. I find a lot of joy in doing so, in fact :)
 
I've spiked up 20' on one before, but it had a bare trunk, no leaf bases. Wobbly as shit!
No joke about being top heavy, I know what you mean.

'slash cut' use it! 1/3 steeply up from the bottom then chase it down to meet from the top and she'll side right off.
 
Yep slash. Top down, letting it open the cut.

That kick could have been very dangerous. If somehow you lost your balance a bit and not able to pull right back, the trunk might have dragged your foot down while your leg was over the stump, you'd be a hurting possum. A pole or rope would have been a bit saver, not that I haven't cut stuff free.

Would be interesting to see the whole plant. Is this the same BOP sold as small cut flowers?
 
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