have a heart

[Kevin]

Well I was thinking of you guys today as I removed some deadwood from a large wild white oak.
I couldn`t bring myself to stick that tree with my cleats so I took the extra time and worked off a rope.

 

[tshanefreeman]

That's how I work everyday.......and I have my former professor to thank for proper guidance! Thanks Bob (aka underwor)

Perhaps spurs would make it easier, but what is really saved???????????

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Ol'Kev is working in the backwoods on the great white north doing ROW maintainance.

He has seen the light! I want everyone to say AAYYYY-MEN!

 

[Ryan Willock]

aymen

 

[treeclimber165]

that was weak, Ryan.
Ya gotta say
AAAYY-MEN

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Haaaa-la-loooool-ya
bruth-ah

 

[Kevin]

It still looks like a jungle!

 

[Reed]

Kevin took a leap, that's what life is - climbing higher with the more you get. Imagine punching a clock then pushing the same button everyday for a lifetime. Sorry, we're not here to do that, we're doing what Kevin's working towards and a lot has to be said for the fact that we're helping him do it and he certainly has what it takes to want to climb better.

I know we joist and spar, as much as we laugh and share but I want to say mainly because of this, that I'm pretty proud to feel like a compadre on this site. I've learned a 'fecal matter" load of valuable info myself,

thank you.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

We have infected him with tree knowledge.

I am a happy little vector

 

[DDM]

I bet he still topped it though.......

 

[Kevin]

No topping here Dave, the only tops I get are the ones that break off.
I recently had a maple with two leaders, one broke so I removed it and about two weeks later the other broke and fell over.
Are trees that develop two leaders from a damage early in life inherently weaker at the top?

 

[treeclimber165]

Yup, a tree with codominant leaders is typically weaker especially if it has a narrow crotch with included bark. Oct. TCI has an article with a good picture. I just got mine yesterday (never got Sept. though).

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Also, with loosing the othere stem, it moves in the wind differently, no longer having theother stems lee.

 

[Kevin]

Do you take any additional precautions when working in these tops?
Maybe tie the two together for strength?

 

[treeclimber165]

On younger trees, I try to subordinate one side if I can't remove it. That way the other side will take over as the main leader. When climbing older codominant trees, I always inspect the crotch extra close for signs of weakness or separation. If everything looks good, then I climb as usual. I'll subordinate one side if I can get away with it, even if it's just drop-crotching a couple tips on the less dominant side.

I have had to tie split trees together to climb them for removal. If it is not going to hold your weight, it needs to come down anyway. A 10-15 MPH wind will put a lot more pressure on the top than your 200 lbs.