Throwbag nightmare

[Tree Machine]

In this pic, the limb is chokered, there's a wrap around the supporting limb and a wrap around the trunk and the rope passed through friction control and secured.

In this next shot, the shotbag was tossed over top of the entire brushy portion, a second rope pulled over and the whole thing chokered. Note: this is quite unconventional and I've never done anything quite like it. I do not recommend this sort of method to anyone. Given the conditions, however, it did seem like the best and safest choice.

 

[Tree Machine]

Then we hooked it to the truck and gave it some tug.

and finally, snap!. I would never have done this on an intact limb, but because of the thinness of the rip-out, it was pretty clear it would let loose right at that point without a lot of tug.

All went according to plan. Traffic was not blocked, climber didn't take a stem to the face, the mess was kept minimized and limb lowered in a controlled manner where it was wanted. No climbing, at all on this one, and it would have been done in 3 or 4 minutes had I not kept stopping to take pictures for you cool cats. I just thought you might like to see this one.

Shotline: hero.

 

[tree md]

Nice job!

 

[tree MDS]

Nice job TM!

I'm not saying I'm anywhere near as good a climber as you ... but you're reminding me of what it was like before the bucket.

A good climber has to have many tricks ... these are usually developed from years of experience.

 

[pdqdl]

Looks like fun. I have never ripped a branch out of a tree before.

I am curious...Now that you have that tip ripped off, what are you going to do with the rest of the tree?

 

[Tree Machine]

I put on spikes, removed the only other remaining limb, then dumped the whole thing onto the brush pile and diced it into firewood.

 

[Marty B]

Throw Ball Nightmare.....

Ever had one of those days.....You locate the just right tie in point, throw ten times, then tell the climber to get his saddle on.....Throw ten more times then the supervisor drops by......throw ten more times and his supervisor shows up.......finally get it on the fifth (35th) throw and then the supervisors all leave. Next install the rope only to find that our 120' ropes are ten feet too short....Crap!!! I need a range finder!!!!

 

[Marty B]

Ever had one of those days.....You locate the just right tie in point, throw ten times, then tell the climber to get his saddle on.....Throw ten more times then the supervisor drops by......throw ten more times and his supervisor shows up.......finally get it on the fifth (35th) throw and then the supervisors all leave. Next install the rope only to find that our 120' ropes are ten feet too short....Crap!!! I need a range finder!!!!

I don't need a range finder...:monkey: I just need to get a rope that is the same length as my throw line....Duh!!

 

[Tree Machine]

Marty, the length of your rope has nothing to do with the throwing of the shotline; just in the setting of the rope itself which is pulling a rope up and over- not skill-dependent, for the most part.

From what I can gather, it appears your supervisors need to provide you with a bigshot. If they expect throwing accuracy above 50 feet, they're dreaming. There's a point where using a bigshot becomes a better choice.

I take a great deal of pride in my throwing accuracy, but I know full well that after the 40-50 foot range, a drain becomes more about luck than skill. This is where you move on to a mode that accuracy can once again rely on your talent, not a wish and silent begging to the shrew gods. At 50 foot+, I will make a throw attempt, but realistically in my mind I know it's more of a forceful 'Hail Mary' throw punctuated with hope. You throw to a vicinity and hope the shotbag finds its mark. That's accepting a disadvantage, working below our true abilities.

Throwing accuracy diminishes with height, like they're inversely proportional to one another after a certain distance. One would likely never use a bigshot on a 25 foot limb, nor would one use a throw on a 75 foot target crotch, not if you want consistent success. Like anything in the treecare profession, the right tool for the job at hand.

I'm not sure what your supervisors are thinking, not providing you with a bigshot. You, a climber, and two supervisors, standing around and no treecare getting done. Enough time and money went down the rathole in that one single morning to cover the cost of a bigshot head. Please don't view this as an insult, it happens to all of us in one form or another.

This is why I suggest to our community, as professional technicians, that certain tools be viewed as investment, not as purchases or expenses. Time is money. You can look at it as time saved, or time not lost. At the end of the day its all the same. Feeling defeated and discouraged, or elated and successful, there is intrinsic value attached to that and we all want to be successful, confident winners because in a same-team setting, you win, everybody wins. EVERYONE can master this. We're all made of the same stuff.

Thank you for bringing that tribulation to us, Marty. It takes a certain amount of courage.

 

[Marty B]

Tree Machine...

Thanks for the words of encouragement.....I posted that nightmare because I know I'm not alone in my stuggles, and I think some can relate to the situation....I wasn't going to give up till I hit the crotch. I agree we need to get a Big Shot and some longer climb line.