Wind Sucks

Yesterday was fun. The job slated was cut and leave 3 trees in the back, cut and remove 3 trees in the front.

I started at 9:00, cut the first tree that I could leave. It was dead as a doornail, and went down without a problem.

The second tree was one in the front that had to bee cleaned up. It was about 10' from the house and about 70' tall. No biggie, but the wind was blowing at 15-20 with gusts up to 30-35. The tree was like a toothpick, it was around 18" DBH. So I limb it up, set the gear to drop the top, cut the notch, adn wait for the wind to settle. I made the backcut with my new handy 200T, right as I got to the hinge, a gust of wind came and sent the top over before I could brace myself. I was hoping that the wind would give the notch room to work (I cut a large open face to minimize the swing, hopefully). So I manage to flip the saw off and get ahold of myself after about 3-4 cycles. The swing wasn't that bad, just expected it to happen a little slower, to give me time to brace. So I come down we cut up the top load it and pull over the spar.

It seems that I am tired-er than normal, I guess fighting the wind.

After lunch I cut the other 2 in the back without a problem. Then I cut the 2nd in the front, loaded it up, and headed home at about 4:00

I am fixing to go cut the last one, a 80' pine, luckly the wind is laying, and this tree has some taper and size.

Hopefully have some pics of working on SRT when I get home, the bat. in the camera died yesterday morning.


Carl

Originally posted by Lumberjack
I was hoping that the wind would give the notch room to work (I cut a large open face to minimize the swing, hopefully). So I manage to flip the saw off and get ahold of myself after about 3-4 cycles.

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What does that wind/notch/room to swing thing mean? And what are these 'cycles' you speak of?

It sounds like a combination of too large a face and too big a top. You don't need to put such a large face when chunking(or roping?) the top out.

And I can't see where you flipping the bird to your new 200 accomplished anything.

The 'ropemen' I have the pleasure of dealing with get it right about 1 in 5 times.

I'm used to it, and I'm usually ready for it.

But it really SUCKS!!!

Originally posted by Husky 288
Shouldn't you have been in school yesterday?

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I am outa school for christmas. This was exam week ad I only had to take one exam.

Naw, the rope guy did fine, it was mainly the wind's (and my) fault. The cycles I am talking about are the swings that the top takes. The top wasn't to big, however my notch might have been.

Oh, and Butch, you mistook my finger to the MS200. I was carefully wiping some lint off the side. One more thing on the 200, yesterday, I noticed the bar nut was getting lose, I guess you have to tighten it more than I would have thought.


The tree today went easy. It turned out to be right under 90' (88' or so). I think that I am a convert to the method of taking it down from the top, instead of from the bottom up. I like the mass damping it offers, and it is great to be able to sit down on lower limbs, and do your work.

Carl

I enjoy learning also. The top was roped on the 3/4" stable braid, so pleanty of strength there for the size of the top.. I didn't get to watch it like I had planned because of the wind. I like yall wanting me to do it safely, it shows me yall care , but like rocky said, I do seem to have a good bit of common sense, and a good eye for saftey.

The dropping of the top was training for my groundy, and he did fine.

I liked the money from that job, 11 hours labor, 3 trailer loads of brush on 2 trailers, and going at a slow easy pace, price: $825. Coulda done it in a day, but we got started late; that is my only complaint.


Carl

PS last name= Rutherford

Carl has great potential. Mass damping is a tool most climber don't figure out for years. Good work recognizing what's going on Carl.

I've known about mass dampining since i droped my first top, I just haven't cared until I tried it today.

Here is a pic of me in the tree today.

I climbed up to about 15' from the top, dropped the top, and worked down.

Carl

Carl how big is that for the trees around there?

Does this hinge pass inspection? It sent the trunk exactly where I called it, exactly, no "well it was only off by 5 degrees" crap, dead on. It was a tapered hinge to offset the slight lean toward house.

Carl

Butch: DBH wise it is about average, height wise, upper side of average, probably one of the taller trees I have done.

Brain: Yea I meant to cut through the left side. I had Derick (the groundie) even out the tree on the hinge (balance), and I did the backcut, walked back far enough to make a movie with my camera.

Carl

Is this " mass dampening" using the lower branches to slow the upper ones down as you cut them?

No that aint mass dampining, thats breakin their fall. Kinda a trick question aint it Rich?

Carl,

A head's up for your next top you lower: I rarely use more than 1/2 inch. 3/4 inch is built to handle 2000 lb pieces. 1/2 inch, even 5400 lb Arborplex, is plenty for 200-400 lb top, if it is let run smoothly.

I use 1/2 and 9/16 double braid for heavy limbs and big tops, and most wood lowering. I don't break out the bulky, awkward 3/4 till the wood gets over 500-700 lb.

3/4 is way too big, and a PITA unless your dropping whoppers.


Eh?

Right, I used it because I figured that it weighed 800 pounds max, probably under 650 but I wanted plenty of tensile to spare.


Thanks for the advice tho!


Carl

Are you going to keep us in suspence or will you enlighten us on what mass damping is???

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
3/4 is way too big, and a PITA unless your dropping whoppers.


Eh?

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Naw it wasn't bad, I had the groundy raise all the stuff on an elevator. I don't mine the size or weight right now, and wanted the rope to hold if the groundy locked off the rope, kinda a saftey factor.

Carl

Carl,

Why leave lower branches on? They will usually get in the way when dropping or lowering upper limbs and the top.

Also, why sit on a limb to rest? Between your lifeline and lanyard, you should have plenty of options to adjust the comfort level.

Whatever you do, be safe, have fun, and enjoy the learning progression!!

Carl, where did you get your start. Is this a family owned business?