Roger the "topper" strikes again!!!
- Thread starter rbtree
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NickfromWI
Addicted to ArboristSite
hmmm
What were the "other events?"
What were the "other events?"
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Okay....
Now that I have your undivided attention...
This fir is around 400 years old, 5.5 feet dbh. It's top broke out at ~135 feet, still 22 inch diameter leaving 15 feet of dead top. The home was just built. The client, after the Mercer Island city arborist suggested removal ( and they like to keep big old firs), called my buddy Scott Baker. He came out, climbed it, inspected, and did several Resistograph tests. While it is is pretty bad up high, and has some conks, due to its girth and slight lean away from the house, he felt it is safe to keep.
Here's Dave climbing it...
I hit my second Big Shot toss at 90 feet!!!
Now that I have your undivided attention...
This fir is around 400 years old, 5.5 feet dbh. It's top broke out at ~135 feet, still 22 inch diameter leaving 15 feet of dead top. The home was just built. The client, after the Mercer Island city arborist suggested removal ( and they like to keep big old firs), called my buddy Scott Baker. He came out, climbed it, inspected, and did several Resistograph tests. While it is is pretty bad up high, and has some conks, due to its girth and slight lean away from the house, he felt it is safe to keep.
Here's Dave climbing it...
I hit my second Big Shot toss at 90 feet!!!
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Boy, Nick, you are quick..!!
I climbed up also.. David didn't feel it was safe to go all the way up..so I took the chance. I installed a sling at the last live branch, then he belayed me up. I put an upside down distel hitch on, to allow for a little slippage in the event of a fall. Now I am on lead, same as rock climbing...put in another sling 8 or nine feet up.
The first couple cuts were really rotten. I had my 346XP-G with 20 inch bar, and had to rip the pieces to make them light enough to toss 15 feet out to clear the landscape. This was a pain, as the wood was 22-26 inches, and the bar was too short. I was climbing on the stubs, rather than using spurs, which wouldn't have held too well anyhow.
Here's another shot from below... the ~48" dbh bigleaf maple which is touching the fir at the ground, leans right toward the house. It has small leaves, and may succumb in a few years..I sure hope not.....likely some construction damage... . We will start it on a mychorrhizae program.
I climbed up also.. David didn't feel it was safe to go all the way up..so I took the chance. I installed a sling at the last live branch, then he belayed me up. I put an upside down distel hitch on, to allow for a little slippage in the event of a fall. Now I am on lead, same as rock climbing...put in another sling 8 or nine feet up.
The first couple cuts were really rotten. I had my 346XP-G with 20 inch bar, and had to rip the pieces to make them light enough to toss 15 feet out to clear the landscape. This was a pain, as the wood was 22-26 inches, and the bar was too short. I was climbing on the stubs, rather than using spurs, which wouldn't have held too well anyhow.
Here's another shot from below... the ~48" dbh bigleaf maple which is touching the fir at the ground, leans right toward the house. It has small leaves, and may succumb in a few years..I sure hope not.....likely some construction damage... . We will start it on a mychorrhizae program.
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rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
So naturally the 346 runs out of gas... my 335 was 30 feet down by David. He sent it up, I drained its gas into the 346... Then he rapelled out, as I was safe without a belay now. He sent his saw up when I ran out again...Last cut was close to 28 inches..
Cool house, eh!!!?
The customer got their architecture ideas from looking at homes up at Whistler Mountain!!!
Cool house, eh!!!?
The customer got their architecture ideas from looking at homes up at Whistler Mountain!!!
NickfromWI
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm like Ricochet Rabbit!
Nice work....I think a lot of people would have really pushed to have it removed. I am glad you helped preserve it.
love
nick
Nice work....I think a lot of people would have really pushed to have it removed. I am glad you helped preserve it.
love
nick
treeclimber165
Member A.K.A Skwerl
totem poles
Is he leaving those totem poles for habitat? Snacks for termites before they attack the main course..........
Is he leaving those totem poles for habitat? Snacks for termites before they attack the main course..........
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Just two blocks away, three years ago, We removed another old growth fir. It was 4.5 feet dbh, had 2500 board feet of junk in it. (Today's tree would scale at close to 9000 feet, I'd guess.)
But that fir was 50% decayed at the base, had a 31 degree lean, and was 120 feet tall to it's 10 inch broken top. I lowered the top 12 feet of that one off itself, as the crane's boom wouldnt reach. I have a bunch of pics from it, but they are slides and negatives. Soon I will scan them and put them up.
I guess I need to go back to photog school, unlike this pic, the tree is pretty straight when viewed from this aspect... it does lean a few degrees back away from the house though.
But that fir was 50% decayed at the base, had a 31 degree lean, and was 120 feet tall to it's 10 inch broken top. I lowered the top 12 feet of that one off itself, as the crane's boom wouldnt reach. I have a bunch of pics from it, but they are slides and negatives. Soon I will scan them and put them up.
I guess I need to go back to photog school, unlike this pic, the tree is pretty straight when viewed from this aspect... it does lean a few degrees back away from the house though.
Nice one roger. i dont think there is any kind of tree in Mi that its that big. Except for a small patch of oldgrowth white pine that is a state park.
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep Brian, those habitat trees are pretty close to the house, eh?
The builder's tree guy did that... they do lean away...a good thing!
Termites are seldom a problem here, carpenter ants are though. Easy to keep that new house ant free...
Just to the north is a nature conservancy...the owner, who I have worked for, donated the property. Now they can live in the cottage rent free!!! Unfortunately, a 180 foot fir in there is dying. Eagle's like to hang out in it and a couple other biggies.
See what I mean about the maple being big...and close to the fir!
The builder's tree guy did that... they do lean away...a good thing!
Termites are seldom a problem here, carpenter ants are though. Easy to keep that new house ant free...
Just to the north is a nature conservancy...the owner, who I have worked for, donated the property. Now they can live in the cottage rent free!!! Unfortunately, a 180 foot fir in there is dying. Eagle's like to hang out in it and a couple other biggies.
See what I mean about the maple being big...and close to the fir!
treeclimber165
Member A.K.A Skwerl
Dang, Rog-
I'm gonna have to figure out how to get out your way some day and climb one or two of those monsters! We have a couple big cypress trees in a state park near me that are about 150' (?) tall and approx. 18'-20' (?) DBH. Can't climb them though.
When is your 'dry' season? Or do you have one? 
I'm gonna have to figure out how to get out your way some day and climb one or two of those monsters! We have a couple big cypress trees in a state park near me that are about 150' (?) tall and approx. 18'-20' (?) DBH. Can't climb them though.
When is your 'dry' season? Or do you have one? 
Stumper
One Man Band
Brian, I think their dry season is August 2-4. Dates subject to change without notice.
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
June 15 to Oct 15 this yr was the driest on record at about 1/2 inch of rain...
It has been close to 60 degrees the last two days... dang it!!! That means no snow in the mountains...And some Colorado ski areas have had up to 100 inches fall already...!!
go home, El Nino!!!
It has been close to 60 degrees the last two days... dang it!!! That means no snow in the mountains...And some Colorado ski areas have had up to 100 inches fall already...!!
go home, El Nino!!!
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rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Sorry about that last one, girls...this is what I was looking for...and long for soon.
Chinook Pass last May 15, the plows were working at clearing 15 feet of snow off the road for Memorial Day road opening.
Chinook Pass last May 15, the plows were working at clearing 15 feet of snow off the road for Memorial Day road opening.
tony marks
Addicted to ArboristSite
i wouldnt worry about a tree that size.
i just wouldnt do it. no heck, truth is i really couldnt .how big are the section cuts when u doing a tree like that.
i just wouldnt do it. no heck, truth is i really couldnt .how big are the section cuts when u doing a tree like that.
Tim Gardner
ArboristSite Guru
Rog,
The trees you get to work on are great. It must be wonderful to trim and remove such large trees. The house plants we have around here are not much of a challenge.
BTW, how much do you charge your ground crew to get to work with you on those? Some of the rigging jobs you have posted pics of are just incredible.
The trees you get to work on are great. It must be wonderful to trim and remove such large trees. The house plants we have around here are not much of a challenge.
BTW, how much do you charge your ground crew to get to work with you on those?
Some of the rigging jobs you have posted pics of are just incredible.
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Tony,
I've never removed a tree that large..
We did a baby 80 yr old sequoia a few yrs back that had a 9 foot butt!!! it produced 25-30 yards of chips, but had much less wood than this fir....which I hope lives for 50 more years..but doubt it.
Today we removed a beautiful Blue atlas cedar, only 22 inch butt, and 45 feet tall and wide, but it took all day...in a very tight spot, fancy landscape. Needed 300 more than the 1200 bucks we got...oh well, beats not werkin' by a along shot. It had overgrown its spot...some clients would have kept it for a while longer... but so it goes..
Thanks Tim... we do a bit of cool rigging werk, I reckon....but so do lots of other good guys, you included, I'll bet. Just hope I don't find the tree that requires more than the 10 lines we used on last spring's snowy day maple teardown.
and then, there our aussie mate Graeme, now HE is the MAN!!! And Gerry Beranek..and...and...
I've never removed a tree that large..
We did a baby 80 yr old sequoia a few yrs back that had a 9 foot butt!!! it produced 25-30 yards of chips, but had much less wood than this fir....which I hope lives for 50 more years..but doubt it.
Today we removed a beautiful Blue atlas cedar, only 22 inch butt, and 45 feet tall and wide, but it took all day...in a very tight spot, fancy landscape. Needed 300 more than the 1200 bucks we got...oh well, beats not werkin' by a along shot. It had overgrown its spot...some clients would have kept it for a while longer... but so it goes..
Thanks Tim... we do a bit of cool rigging werk, I reckon....but so do lots of other good guys, you included, I'll bet. Just hope I don't find the tree that requires more than the 10 lines we used on last spring's snowy day maple teardown.
and then, there our aussie mate Graeme, now HE is the MAN!!! And Gerry Beranek..and...and...
