Cabling/Bracing Hold-up

[Samuel.M.Peyton]

I've got a customer with two decent size white oaks that have grown together at their base. Where the two have grown together . . . a large split and infestation has weakened the joint. I'm going to give here a price to have both trees cut down, but I'd also like to give her the option of bracing/cabling the tree in case she wants to keep them. They do a pretty good job of shading her side yard.

I plan on using 3/8" high grade cable and cable stops 2/3 up from the crotch to help prevent the trees from separating.

I have several hold-ups with the cabling/bracing:

At the base of the tree . . . the area under the junction is around 56" across, and of course . . . gets wider as you go up. I'm sure the 60" drill bit that tree stuff offers will probably be fine for the first 3 (3/4") rods that I plan to use, but after that . . . the spread will be every bit of 6'. Have you all ever had to use a drill bit extension on the larger auger bits? Do they hold up to the torque?

Another one of the hold-ups is related to the ANSI standards. According to the ANSI A300 standards, a tree with a diameter of greater than 40" below the junction calls for 4 (7/8") bracing-rods + an extra 1 for every 8" above 40". That means I'm going to need 6 (7/8") bracing-rods. Treestuff and SherrilTree don't carry 7/8" bracing rods . . . jusst 3/4" . . . which I would think would be sufficient (at a breaking strength of 20,000lb each! What do you think . . . and where do you get your bracing rods?

After the 3rd bracing rod, I will have come to a place on the tree that is greater than 6' across. I guess I'll just use 3/8" high grade cable with cable stops. Good nuff?