Information and training for newbies

[zebbydee]

Hey fellas,

I'm interested in learning the fundamentals of tree work. I'm not in business, but I'd like to know how to maintain the trees on my property, climb and do some basic pruning the right way.

I started off a few months ago with an attitude perhaps typical of most hacks and ignorant homeowners, why should I pay someone several hundred dollars to prune deadwood out of my trees when I've got a Homelite and a folding ladder?
I managed somehow through the grace of god not to kill myself or cause major property damage, but it became obvious to me pretty quickly that there was a lot more to learn before getting into a tree than I knew or could reasonably figure out on my own.

As it stands, it's still more economical for me to pay someone to do the work than to do it myself and screw it up, but I'd like to educate myself and hopefully one day be competent at it. I'm not in a hurry and would like to do it right. I've been reading what I could get my hands on, gone through some of the Arbormaster training videos, and have been practicing techniques as much as possible.

My question is this: is there a good online resource that lays out equipment selection and usage, tree entry and working techniques, pruning and rigging, and all the other things an arborist needs to know in one place? I've read Jepson's Companion, great resource but some things weren't really clear to me until I saw someone perform the technique in the Arbormaster videos or went out and tried it. Many of the techniques and safety considerations are just too important NOT to know, but they all seem to be locked up in print or DVD resources that are costly, hard to get (my local library won't buy them) and which aren't updated very frequently. I'm sure more than a few folks like me have just said screw it because the information wasn't easily available and tried something they shouldn't have, with ugly consequences.

If there's not a good comprehensive online resource, does anyone here have any interest in creating one? I'd be willing to flesh it out and put the website together as I learn, but I doubt my contributions will be of much value compared to the knowledge of most of the folks on this board.

 

[ddhlakebound]

Hey fellas,

I'm interested in learning the fundamentals of tree work. I'm not in business, but I'd like to know how to maintain the trees on my property, climb and do some basic pruning the right way.

I started off a few months ago with an attitude perhaps typical of most hacks and ignorant homeowners, why should I pay someone several hundred dollars to prune deadwood out of my trees when I've got a Homelite and a folding ladder?
I managed somehow through the grace of god not to kill myself or cause major property damage, but it became obvious to me pretty quickly that there was a lot more to learn before getting into a tree than I knew or could reasonably figure out on my own.

As it stands, it's still more economical for me to pay someone to do the work than to do it myself and screw it up, but I'd like to educate myself and hopefully one day be competent at it. I'm not in a hurry and would like to do it right. I've been reading what I could get my hands on, gone through some of the Arbormaster training videos, and have been practicing techniques as much as possible.

My question is this: is there a good online resource that lays out equipment selection and usage, tree entry and working techniques, pruning and rigging, and all the other things an arborist needs to know in one place? I've read Jepson's Companion, great resource but some things weren't really clear to me until I saw someone perform the technique in the Arbormaster videos or went out and tried it. Many of the techniques and safety considerations are just too important NOT to know, but they all seem to be locked up in print or DVD resources that are costly, hard to get (my local library won't buy them) and which aren't updated very frequently. I'm sure more than a few folks like me have just said screw it because the information wasn't easily available and tried something they shouldn't have, with ugly consequences.

If there's not a good comprehensive online resource, does anyone here have any interest in creating one? I'd be willing to flesh it out and put the website together as I learn, but I doubt my contributions will be of much value compared to the knowledge of most of the folks on this board.

Yes, there is. Fortunately for you, you've already found it. Welcome to ArboristSite.

The search function is your friend, and it will lead you to information on every topic you listed, and more.

Spend some time reading, and I'm sure you'll have lots more questions.

 

[DonnyO]

yup

what he said..............

 

[zebbydee]

Problem is...

Sometimes I don't know what to ask! From what I've seen, this site has some great information, but I'm looking for something in more of a chapter-by-chapter format.

 

[ddhlakebound]

Sometimes I don't know what to ask! From what I've seen, this site has some great information, but I'm looking for something in more of a chapter-by-chapter format.

You mean like a forestry degree or something?
:monkey:

 

[masiman]

Sometimes I don't know what to ask! From what I've seen, this site has some great information, but I'm looking for something in more of a chapter-by-chapter format.

You've done the right steps so far by reading the recommended books, watching the videos and safely trying out the techniques. It is not a 1, 2, 3 checklist approach to becoming experienced at this. Each task has a checklist, and that checklist has variations. The videos kind of bare that out by trying to isolate narrow subjects. In the end you have to put those subjects together and sometimes modify them for what you need to do.

You can see on here that the pro's have questions or gaps in knowledge. Some of the knowledge is modified if you are doing big wood or small wood, hard or soft wood. Opinions and preference play a big part in what is done.

It sounds like you are at the point where you need some OJT type experience. That seems to be about the best way to trigger the noggin' to say "ahhh, that's where I need to apply that technique". Hopefully you won't run into any "ahhh, I should have applied a different or additional technique" moments.

If you have some particular area of expertise, that might lend itself to a website (i.e. how to tie knots, chainsaw maintenance, sharpening, rigging, cutting, etc.). People love videos . Especially if you can find a pretty girl to demonstrate (like Spike TV). I like the video section on here because it sometimes sparks a question about order of work and efficiency that is hard to realize until you see it. I wish there were more.

Keep learning your knots and your rigging. Stay diligent and stay safe.

 

[tree md]

Your best bet would be to find an experienced climber to teach you "hands on". Who knows, you might learn enough to quit your day job for more money.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Training for Newbies

I am not trying to Sell anyone on this program.The Job Corps programs has Free training for young people 15 to 24 years of age. There are 6 centers across the US. OR. IL. VT. KY. and here in AR It can take a trainee from start to being able to take the ISA Certified Tree Worker / Climbing specialist test, it can be done in just over 3 Months or more. All of the training and not having to work for 18 months to take that test. The training is done by ACRTinc. On completion a trainee is set for the CTW test and has Pay from the GOV as well as a full set of Climbgear

 

[zebbydee]

It sounds like you are at the point where you need some OJT type experience. That seems to be about the best way to trigger the noggin' to say "ahhh, that's where I need to apply that technique". Hopefully you won't run into any "ahhh, I should have applied a different or additional technique" moments.

Good advice, thanks for the feedback. There's an experienced climber at my local saw shop who is willing to "show me the ropes" . Unfortunately for me he's also on the state emergency fire team and has been spending the last several weeks helping to fight wildfires in other states. Hopefully he'll be back soon and in good health.


So far I've been having a lot of fun trying new techniques and who knows? Maybe like Tree MD suggests I'll continue to enjoy it enough and get enough experience to someday consider it at least as a paying hobby.

My day job is in training and instructional design. One of the things I see frequently is that experienced people in a field sometimes forget how to communicate the basics: they've done the fundamentals so many times that the process becomes automatic and they don't really think about it anymore. So when it comes time to train new people, they leave things out or don't break them down into fine enough steps because they don't really remember all the little decisions and steps they had to learn.

For instance, take double-crotching. For someone who has done it before, it's obvious that you would take the free bitter end of the climbing line (from the ground), loop it around the second crotch and attach it to your saddle, either with a tail if using the traditional system or without if using a split tail. Someone who hasn't done it might assume that you could take the running end of the rope where it exits the primary friction hitch, loop it around the second crotch and attach a split tail, leaving the bitter end on the ground (I think that's what the issue was in this thread). I didn't pick up on the correct method from The Tree Climber's Companion at first and spent a good amount of time cursing my friction hitch, rope, saddle, and the tree before discovering my error.

I am keeping a lot of notes as I go through the process of learning new techniques, maybe I'll put together a website or blog for them when I've got enough stuff.

 

[Adkpk]

I am an AS example of a climber. I started here and can't get enough time in a tree now. I wouldn't go higher than five feet up into a tree until I had someone check out my knots and method. That happened at a Massachusetts climbing gtg. They checked out my stuff and knots and said, I was on a good track. I have 20 good climbs under my belt now and look forward to more. It's a lot of reading but confidence is a real need in this pursuit. I don't take a chainsaw with me too much because I don't understand rigging yet nor do I have a chipper. But I do dead wood pruning and rec climbing for practice. Good luck, I love my new climbing hobby.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Information & training for Newbies

A great on-line resource think IT is Mytreelessons Great stuff on trees, Rigging,Physic's, Safety Information. This Site has some real good explanation's of Techniques animated Knots

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Mytreelessons.com

 

[9th year rookie]

My standard answer

I've read similar threads and always give the same response:
Work with someone that is experienced, and good.
Reading and watching all the video in the world is great, and worthwhile, but takes second place to working w/someone.
From the sound of your scenario, I would hire a local guy, not for production as much as for instruction.
Give me a fish, I eat for a day, teach me to fish....

:greenchainsaw:

 

[hornett22]

Stihl puts out a nice little booklet on prunning.

my local dealer has it from time to time.i'll look next time i'm there.i could mail it to you.it's a good start and quite informative.

 

[tree md]

Here's the thing about climbing, It's not something that anyone can teach you... Your either born with it or your not... Sure, someone can teach you the ropes, knots, rigging and all that good stuff but are you able to get your ass out on a limb? I was a climber long before I learned the ropes... I climbed trees for fun long before I made money in them... My whole life.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Info & training for newbies

Please make sure that the climber you find to train , can teach the you the right way at least to follow the ISA & ANSI Z133 Standards. It won't help unless you learn the Safest ways. Nothing can replace proper training