Lightning protection

[Treeman14]

Has anyone installed lightning protection systems in trees? I've only done two, and one is in my own live oak. I would think the demand here in west central Florida would be high, but I guess the cost is prohibitive for most people. Any thoughts on marketing or advertising for this service would be appreciated.

 

[treeclimber165]

I have only seen 2 trees with lightning protection installed. Both were municipal trees (the Senator and his 'baby' brother in Big Tree Park, Longwood, FL). I would think municipalities with historical trees would be the main market.

 

[Darin]

I think we dont see a lot of guys doing something like this because he/she know they can make more money by storm chasing by removing and replacing. Its just a guess. Its like deck companies putting up wood still when some of the zero maintence items are excellent choices and more ecological. It might be a large market in Florida, but I think I would starve out here in Denver. I like the idea, though. What exactly do you do when you install the protection? Lightening rods? Do you bolt it in the tree?

 

[treeclimber165]

I saw an excellent article on it in TCI. I'll post the issue date as soon as I can find it(about 6-7 yrs worth to flip through).

 

[Treeman14]

Darin,
Its a simple system, really. A small lightning rod called a tree point is placed as high as possible in the tree. This is attached to a stranded copper cable which is brought down the trunk and then runs underground to a ten-foot ground rod placed beyond the drip line. The cable is attached to the tree at three-foot intervals with copper stand-off nails so that the cable is 2-3 inches away from the trunk. All hardware is copper. This system does not attract or repel lightning. The theory is that the charge is allowed to dissipate through the grounded system before it can build to a dangerous potential. I don't think anyone fully understands how lightning works, but the lightning rod/grounding system has been used successfully for many years. Standards have been developed to assure proper installation.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

The proper term is lightning supression system.

The rod at the to has a point to get "brush discharge" the cable runs down into the soil and should be radiated or attached to metal water pipe.

A singel rod stuck in the ground is not sufficient to ground a radio system.

The neat part about a lightning strike is digging up the soil and seeing how it vitrified and where it thavels. The like to head toward burried power.

 

[treeclimber165]

The article in TCI magazine was in the June 2000 issue. Time to dig through the old pile of magazines!

 

[Deere John]

My Heart!!

"Its like deck companies putting up wood still when some of the zero maintence items are excellent choices and more ecological."

Darin - I'm shocked - I'm hurt - I'm feeling weak - my Basset Hound just yelped - he's hurt! How can you say that, here of all places. I can't imagine building with plastic 2x4's and steel studs. Besides, my new Bostitch nailer would remain new and unused.


Wood is Good.

Repeat after me .... wood is good, wood is good, wood is ....

Your logging and sawmilling friend.

 

[Treeman14]

Wood is good...wood is good...wood is good

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

>>Wood is good...wood is good...wood is good

I'll rip open a peice of crotch just to look at the grain.

I turn bowles outa some of the cooler stuff, like russian olive sucker burls.

 

[Deere John]

There's a fellow here who hunts down burls to turn or carve them into all sorts of creations - really nice stuff. When I had my business, I bartered him some trimming for some of his work, and then supplied him with two burls I took from removals that were in pretty good shape. Not many of the trees here produce good, solid burls. Spruce is the best bet, followed by yellow birch. Ash are a real find, and very rare.

He also makes hand-made paddles and the like.