Christmas Wraptoring

[Nailsbeats]

pict?

No, it's burried in my gear box, I'll have to get one next time I use it.

 

[Nailsbeats]

If you put a GRCS and a Wraptor on a picnic table and offered me either one for free.....I would go airborn diving and tackling the Wraptor before anyone could change their mind. You all just have no clue.

GRCS seems a nice enough tool but my bet is it gathers a lot of dust and spider eggs in a dark corner.

At last count I have about 6 or 7 lowering devices and to get a little lift would be nice occassionally but hardly makes it "like a crane". That lift can be got many other ways.

Do you have a GRCS Treevet?

 

[Rickytree]

If you put a GRCS and a Wraptor on a picnic table and offered me either one for free.....I would go airborn diving and tackling the Wraptor before anyone could change their mind. You all just have no clue.

GRCS seems a nice enough tool but my bet is it gathers a lot of dust and spider eggs in a dark corner.

At last count I have about 6 or 7 lowering devices and to get a little lift would be nice occassionally but hardly makes it "like a crane". That lift can be got many other ways.

Good Day TreeVet! So when did you get the Wraptor and how often is it being used? what about power and speed?

 

[Blakesmaster]

No, it's burried in my gear box, I'll have to get one next time I use it.

I'd like to see a pic too, Nails. Ricky, if you look through some of Reg's vids you can see his dual bollard in action. I was just watching a few last night. When blocking down big wood he uses 2 blocks on either side of the stem which gives the piece coming off some real nice control. Looks like he uses 1 ground guy on both ropes, I'd assuming for consistency in letting both lines run the same amount.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCavP5I_-wc&feature=related

Starts using 2 blocks around the 3 minute mark.

 

[treevet]

Do you have a GRCS Treevet?

no Nails but have seen many vids, picts and countless threads and been around the block enough times to get a pretty good pict of the concept.
Not knocking but just making a statement about priorities and how important it can be to make investments in equipment in sequence of importance and usefulness and money making ability......I think.

 

[Rickytree]

Thanks for the vid post but still can't see the use for two lowering ropes.

 

[treevet]

Good Day TreeVet! So when did you get the Wraptor and how often is it being used? what about power and speed?

I got it early last Feb. I think. I not only used it almost daily but often used it multiple times daily. Bucket days not included ofcourse.

I think it takes you 100 ft. in a minute. As for power....no use for pulling things over or up or whatever.

They probably still have the free 2 week demo if you are unsure.

 

[Rickytree]

no Nails but have seen many vids, picts and countless threads and been around the block enough times to get a pretty good pict of the concept.
Not knocking but just making a statement about priorities and how important it can be to make investments in equipment in sequence of importance and usefulness and money making ability......I think.

I got the GRCS and it's the only lowering device I use. LIFT, TUG AND PULL. Love it. I have the bollard with it but haven't use it once. Also have a porta wrap which I got use with some ropes and stuff and still never use it. Everybody has got there own style and I not saying that mine is the best but for me it works the best for Me. That's one of the great things about tree work is there's soo many ways to complete the puzzle.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Thanks for the vid post but still can't see the use for two lowering ropes.

I think it's just an added control issue. If you watch the majority of Reg's vids you can see his main focus in this work is having absolute control of any and every thing. Some steps he takes for added control seem unnecessary time wasters to others but that's his style.

In regards to the dual bollard, my opinion is that in certain situations that added control would be beneficial. For instance, blocking down wood with a house right next to one side of the tree where the wood must absolutely not swing and must come to a stop above the ground. There are others I'm sure. With only one lowering line that chance of a chunk walking around the stem and into a target is always present.

 

[Rickytree]

I got it early last Feb. I think. I not only used it almost daily but often used it multiple times daily. Bucket days not included ofcourse.

I think it takes you 100 ft. in a minute. As for power....no use for pulling things over or up or whatever.

They probably still have the free 2 week demo if you are unsure.

Never heard of the demo but it's already on order and I got a 10% off coupon so I can't complain. $2263 with shipping. Deal s'il vous plait!

 

[treevet]

Never heard of the demo but it's already on order and I got a 10% off coupon so I can't complain. $2263 with shipping. Deal s'il vous plait!

nice score....did you get the line included?

 

[Rickytree]

I think it's just an added control issue. If you watch the majority of Reg's vids you can see his main focus in this work is having absolute control of any and every thing. Some steps he takes for added control seem unnecessary time wasters to others but that's his style.

In regards to the dual bollard, my opinion is that in certain situations that added control would be beneficial. For instance, blocking down wood with a house right next to one side of the tree where the wood must absolutely not swing and must come to a stop above the ground. There are others I'm sure. With only one lowering line that chance of a chunk walking around the stem and into a target is always present.

I see what you mean but just didn't see the big advantage with blocking the main stem. Wood come in real handy for large limbs though to stop shock load or over swing.

 

[treevet]

I got the GRCS and it's the only lowering device I use. LIFT, TUG AND PULL. Love it. I have the bollard with it but haven't use it once. Also have a porta wrap which I got use with some ropes and stuff and still never use it. Everybody has got there own style and I not saying that mine is the best but for me it works the best for Me. That's one of the great things about tree work is there's soo many ways to complete the puzzle.

I probably would not be inclined to use a strap on (grcs or plain bollard) on a live tree that was not being removed for fear of damage to the tree.

 

[Rickytree]

nice score....did you get the line included?

Yep everything that comes from Sherrill Tree. Had the coupon for about 3 years and been saving it for a big purchase. Buy all my saws across the river or though a logging buddy i know which he pays no tax and just bought 5 gallons of 2 cycle mix for 109 bucks so I'm dun for awhile. Just petro now!! oh by chain in rolls too.

 

[Rickytree]

I probably would not be inclined to use a strap on (grcs or plain bollard) on a live tree that was not being removed for fear of damage to the tree.

No damage cuz there is no spikes. Just flat steel and a 4" strap. Squirrels do more damage with bark peel. I would only use it when big stuff is coming out of a trim other wise i just take wraps up in the tree. Usually just me and groundie so. Cheers!

 

[the Aerialist]

Gus ~ you're hired!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCavP5I_-wc&feature=related

Starts using 2 blocks around the 3 minute mark.

The climber was good and definitely in charge. It looked to me that the second block and rope was unnecessary. and even dangerous when he had to send someone under the load to undo it (snag? loop?).

Having said that, I just bought the large stainless steel Porty on a click through from this site (support it guys) so now I have the large SS and an aluminum version to match. I can see cases when I would use them both at once, but not that case.

Gus was the star of that show though, no doubt about it. I need to do some further training of my guys.

 

[the Aerialist]

Only Two Years To Go ...

The GRCS with it's hard rubber feet is tree friendly. I've never had it do damage to a live tree.

My new Porta-Wrap has a cap on the end to prevent it from gouging the tree like the open ended one can. I do mostly removals, but when trimming and pruning the loads are not usually that great to cause damage on the tree with the end of the Porty. Mostly hinged cuts to lessen canopy damage to the parts that stay.

... Doing tree removal work without a ratcheting lowering device is like doing tree work without a chainsaw!

When I get a little closer to collecting social security, I may try out that Wraptor.

So you have a Hobbs, how do you (or anyone) compare it to a GRCS?

If I can adapt my wench to pull me up the tree before I start using it for lifting branches it will be doing double duty for me and I can avoid the high cost of a Wraptor. That might allow for adding a Hobbs or GRCS to my gear. Right now I kind of like the Hobbs. comments?

 

[treevet]

The GRCS with it's hard rubber feet is tree friendly. I've never had it do damage to a live tree.

Got a Hobbs in 1990 and it was all metal. We use to cut a flat spot in the tree trunk and then a kerf in the tree to accept the horizontal metal 'tang' that ran along the top of the back of the Hobbs. When that tang went into the trunk you knew the Hobbs was staying put. Later versions of the Hobbs..I believe called the 'preservation' models have rubber feet also but the first versions did not. Doing tree removal work without a ratcheting lowering device is like doing tree work without a chainsaw!

When I get a little closer to collecting social security, I may try out that Wraptor.

My guess by your post count and your posts is you are just an occassional climber anyway. Kind of an armchair arborist that goes to the kitchen once in a while lol. Wraptor investment probably would not pay off with you.

As for injury.....compression damage to cells and bark would not show up for quite some time (and likely be subtle in progression and appearance) and the way straps are torqued down with a tire tool....well it is a no brainer that there is unseen damage that will be latent to appear.

I have owned a strap on Bollard since it was invented. So infrequently does one need lift.... if rigging is done correctly, that it would not be a waste of money but rather an unnecessary extravagance imo. Probably 99 percent of the time you are using the gcrs, the winch is unneeded. $2500 bollard.....ouch.

The beginning of the GRCS invention I flew up to a seminar from Cinci to Cleveland.

There he was up in a big choke cherry jingling around from a thousand carabiners. He sets a block and comes down past a major basal cavity to a large lateral on the bottom of the tree.

He hooks it up on the tip of the limb and goes back to the trunk and notches the top of the limb and starts bottom cutting it. The guy on the winch starts cranking. As the limb goes up I am thinking 2 things:

1. He has the stem he is tied into bowed over like a fishing pole with a hundred pound catfish on it and it is flexing right where the cavity is. Not pretty.

2. If there was a roof under where he is cutting and the limb just detached where he was cutting while hinging and standing up (and it easily could have) the butt would have gone right through any roof below it like a pungy stick.

I could have side notched that limb and it would have hinged right off from over the imaginary room and then lowered the tip to the gm. Take a lot less time too.

 

[tree MDS]

Proper positioning of the lowering device, coupled with letting the piece run, goes a long way to preserving your lines too. The two block deal is interesting though.