T/F Copper nails?

I must hear this atleast once a week, customers keep telling me it's the best way. Not that easy to buy copper nails but is it true anyway?

I certainly hope its false. I install lightning protection systems in trees using copper nails to hold the copper wire in place.

What I'd like to know is where this originates from, maybe there's a story we don't know or something?

I want to know more about the lightning protection that Treeman14 is talking about.

I don 't know where it started, but I've heard it many times over the years.

And what about copper based fungicides? :Eye:

G, here's where I get all of my lightning protection supplies from.
http://www.ipclp.com/

Brett, what application do you do use to the protect the tree? Is there a specific species you target for protection?

Nah, don't need them for palms!

Not queens anyway, eh?

Its basically a lightning rod in a tree, or rather several lightning rods depending on the canopy spread. A fairly expensive proposition, so its used mainly on large, high value specimen trees.

Very interesting.

Bret,

What's the average system cost? I'm familiar w/ the systems however, I've never installed one nor have i ever tried to sell one. It would certainly seem like a major p.i.t.a.

TreeJunkie said:

Brett,

What's the average system cost? I'm familiar w/ the systems however, I've never installed one nor have i ever tried to sell one. It would certainly seem like a major p.i.t.a.

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Average is about $2,000 per tree. Its not that difficult to install, a medium size oak can be done in half a day. Some larger, spreading trees requiring multiple air terminals will obviously take longer, but no more than a full day of work for a climber and one groundie.

you get much of that sort of work? ive always fancied trying that

stephenbullman said:

you get much of that sort of work?

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No

too bad, i would imagine the sort of customer prepared to have that done would also be willing to cough up big bucks too

lightning protection

Golf courses are prime candidates large open expanses with large trees.have done several all but one were for country clubs

I am scheduled to takedown 2 trees this week at a municipal golf course. There are 9 trees total on the course that were killed by lightning so far this year. I will takedown the trees that must be climbed, and the city will handle the others. I just ordered the information kit from IPC. Thanks for the link Treeman. As for copper nails killing a tree? Too much copper (too much of anything) could kill anything. Everything in moderation. Even beer. Sometimes. JMHO

I think the copper nail thing has been adapted somehow from the belief of using copper sulfate to kill roots of the tree. I haven't bought any of the stump rot stuff for quite a while, but I believe one of the main ingredients used to be copper sulfate. At least I think.......

I know that copper sulfate will kill pond alge. I cant imagine trying to drive something as soft as copper into a tree tho.