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sgreanbeans

Treeaculterologist
Joined
May 4, 2001
Messages
4,375
Reaction score
809
Location
iowa
hi all ...its been awhile!
lost our climber! he is now a MARINE!
so with that in mind insted of hiring another guy i want to do more my self. im confident up to about 25-30ft! after that, i doubt my abilities! in a bucket no prob! but with the gear on i feel i need more skill. any schools or should i find somone to teach me next to them?
 
I had your same problem once. And I think it is a good thing. If you don't feel comfortable train with an old timer. They have usually seen it all and have made plenty of mistakes for you to learn from.

ArborMaster training (advertised in Sherrill) seems to be a great program. I am planning to attend sometime mainly to sharpen my rigging skills but they will also hone your climbing skills. It also sounds like fun.

Stay Safe!
 
I never had the benifit of a climbing course. I learned from old-timers, reading articles and PRACTICE! I started by copying what I saw the 'pros' do, then modified some aspects to what I was most comfortable with and what I believed to be best for the tree. Climbing and trimming is like an art, as close to heaven as I will ever get on this earth.:angel:
 
all true, im in iowa, city of bettendorf, a.k.a. the quad cities, i felt that learning from an " old timer" would be better than a school. i have talked to a few around here but i do not trust them! but i would travel a little ways to learn!:blob2:
 
I think that learning from an "old timer" may not be the best way to go about training yourself. Yes, they may have years of experience, but just because they've been doing tree work for many years, doesn't necessarily mean they've been doing it correctly or safely. The reason I recommend the ArborMaster Training, is because their courses teach the latest, correct and proper techniques.
-Sean
 
I agree with Sean about learning from an "old timer". Just because someones been doing something for a long time doesn't mean they have been doing it right. Many "old timers" are using old techniques that I care not to use.
Bean, get in touch with Tom Dunlap, he is in the Mid west and may be able to help you out.

Eric
 
I disagree with both of you. Who do you think wrote them books.Some college person that never climbed before. I not talking whos selling them.My father always told me that he has forgot more than I would ever learn.At the time he was a old timer.
Dam I wish i knew 1/2 as much as he did.
 
Both methods of learning are important. The old-timer can show you tricks and things to look for that are never taught in classes. But the classes (or articles and books) can teach you new methods and proper safety issues. I took what I learned from my elders and modified it by incorporating what I have read about safety and tree care. But if I had to do it over I would have attended a climbing class or two also.
 
Im not putting down the classes, It just seemed some people were putting down old farts. Sometime its just hard to get anything out of them. I still say they wrote the books.
 
sgreanbean,
Tom lives in the mid west and does trainning around the country. He is very knowledgeable in advavced climbing techniques amoung other things. One nice thing is he doesn't have an attitude that some of the other trainning guys have. He is on the member list. He was participating for a while until there was discussion about using links to other sites, I don't think he's been back since. That's too bad since he has lots of imput and is looked up to at other sites.
Any way, look him up and he will let you know what is going on in the area with trainning. You should also plan on going to the annual ISA conference August 12-15 in Milwaukee. The ITCC will be on Sunday. You will see the best climbers in the world competing with the latest techniques. If watch and pay attention you will learn more about climbing in an afternoon than most old timers will ever teach you.
Eric
 
Tom is the owner of Canopy Tree Service (?) in the twin cities area. He is a very good person and has helped me out alot. The hardest thing for an older beginner to do is learn to trust the gear.

There is an arbor climbing program through Iowa state,I met some of them at the TCI convo in NC.
One at UW WI Rapids, Don Rapolo (sp?) is the instructor and a very good climber/rigger.

I think your best bet is to contact Tim Walsh with the Student Society of Arboriculture (SSA).
 
I could have phrased my earlier post a little clearer, so here's some clarification. If you're looking for a mentor, or just someone to take notes from, your search criteria should be more than just "years of experience". Procedures can not become less incorrect just because they're practiced for 30 years. You should look for some who has active certification. The reason why is because in order to maintain certification, one must continually earn CEU's (Continued Education Units), which keeps people attending seminars and workshops, thus improving their knowledge and informing them of the latest techniques. If you can find someone like that, who also has "years of practical experience", then you've found yourself a winner my friend.
Some of the better books are written by these folks: Don Blair, Pascal Pirone, Sharon Lilly, Dr. Alex Shigo and Jeff Jepson, to name a few. Are those the old timers you were talking about?
 
You just missed out on one of the best ways to learn climbing this past weekend. The Midwest Chapter-ISA had their Tree Climbing Championships at the Arbor Day Farms. Good competition and the best weather!

Get a copy of The Tree Climber's Companion...and then read it. Keep it in with your climbing gear in a plastic bag. If there is a technique that intrigues you, learn it at home, practice it on the ground and then incorporate it into your climbing system. Low and Slow.

Rick Tagtow will be teaching an intro climbing class at NE Iowa Community College this fall.

If you want customized training, drop me an email.

Do what ever it takes to get yourself to the ISA-ITCC in August. The ITCC is a free event on Sunday. If you have any questions about the ITCC, write to me or JP Sanborn.

Strong limbs and snug ropes!

Tom
 
Tom, I treid to email you but it would not let me. Im very interested, I did not know that Iowa State had those classes! Also my harness, I bought at the vemeer dealer, i think it is to big as i had to make a new hole for the buckle, do they make them to fit smaller guys( i have a 30" waist)
 
I like to think that no matter what you get taught in college for tree climbing, the best way to learn to climb is by going out and climbing. Take it easy.
 
I have a 33" waist and I wear a size small Weaver saddle I bought from Sherrill. It really needs to fit right or you won't be comfortable from the start.

By the way, the guys at Sherrill are very, very knowlegeable. When you call the 800 number you will get someone who really knows whats going on. (I am not affiliated with Sherrill) just a tree surgeon. I talk to John who knows all of the products and knows exactly how to outfit the customer which really helps because you are catalog ordering (usually).

Call him and tell him what you are trying accomplish and he will go out of his way to help.

Steve
 
sgreanbean,


The Master II saddle is great for smaller guys, I use one. Very snug,but watch out for the package if you know what I mean.It will sometimes grab you real good:eek:
 
If a saddle pinches you, the saddle is not one that should be worn. There are saddles on the market that will fit without biting. If the saddle bites, send it back. This should not be tolerated.

The saddle that I use is made by Komet in France. It is called the Butterfly and is the most comfortable saddle that I have used in twenty five years of climbing. The saddle was prototyped and given to fifty climbers. they gave the factory feedback for improvements. The factory prototyped again with thirty of the same climbers. This was done two more times and now they have a wonderful saddle. It is very unique. Komet is the company that designed a saddle several years ago that was poorly copied by an American company and has resulted in a lot of discomfort by too many climbers. It seems like too many climbers think that biting saddles is what should be expected. WRONG!

If anyone is in the market for a saddle, write to me off line and I will connect you with a vendor who sells the Butterfly.

Strong limbs and comfy saddles!

Tom
 
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