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[Rabid K9]

, nobody using a clove hitch with a half hitch safety,
Jeff

A lot to unpack in all this knot discussion & no time to unpack it.

But a lot to be said for the humble clove & half hitch, along with the bowline family.

Many knots transfer over from other vertical applications like rock climbing, mountaineering & caving, some don't. The figure eight group is one I use widely on cliffs & caves, but rarely in tree work.

The tree game certainly isn't one for energy economisers. Bombed back from family holiday (which anyone with kids will know is not a holiday) at 0400 after two days without sleep, got on the ground at 1100, had a short day, than straight into a ten day job. While 'resting up' on Sunday looked another ten days of fun, technical work. Meanwhile some long term clients called, a beautiful tree (Sydney blue gum) have maintained over the years at the entry to their property is splitting apart. Very apically dominant species, had been topped a couple of years before they bought the property, redeveloped with four large co-dominant stems which we knew would eventually need attention.

After last inspection in Feb, thought time would come within twelve months. Not a suitable species for bracing. Time came earlier than expected, the four stems popping themselves apart over one side of the house & road. After a full day today, we temporarily set some straps tonight to hold the stems for tomorrows removal. Snapped one terrible picture while trying to set my headtorch on my helmet. Will be an emotional removal, everybody is quite attached to the tree.

Got in the door & then had to play 'the angry cow' game with the kids, which basically involves me being a bull & them the matadors.

 

[pdqdl]

...Here's another idea I haven't tried yet. There are a lot of people recently out if jail who have a difficult time finding a job. Many are riff raff but some are starting to make better choices and have potential to make great employees. A way to filter them out is ask a local parole officer if there is anyone who might be a good fit. I'm thinking of trying this out in the spring. I'll let you know how the experiment goes!

I even drove down to the local "pre-release" prison and contacted their people: never heard a peep.
Also the biggest (privately owned) halfway house in the metro area. Same story, never heard from them again, either.

Apparently, grounds maintenance of any sort is unworthy work for felons.

 

[mikewhite85]

I even drove down to the local "pre-release" prison and contacted their people: never heard a peep.
Also the biggest (privately owned) halfway house in the metro area. Same story, never heard from them again, either.

Apparently, grounds maintenance of any sort is unworthy work for felons.

Yikes.

 

[mikewhite85]

A lot to unpack in all this knot discussion & no time to unpack it.

But a lot to be said for the humble clove & half hitch, along with the bowline family.

Many knots transfer over from other vertical applications like rock climbing, mountaineering & caving, some don't. The figure eight group is one I use widely on cliffs & caves, but rarely in tree work.

The tree game certainly isn't one for energy economisers. Bombed back from family holiday (which anyone with kids will know is not a holiday) at 0400 after two days without sleep, got on the ground at 1100, had a short day, than straight into a ten day job. While 'resting up' on Sunday looked another ten days of fun, technical work. Meanwhile some long term clients called, a beautiful tree (Sydney blue gum) have maintained over the years at the entry to their property is splitting apart. Very apically dominant species, had been topped a couple of years before they bought the property, redeveloped with four large co-dominant stems which we knew would eventually need attention.

After last inspection in Feb, thought time would come within twelve months. Not a suitable species for bracing. Time came earlier than expected, the four stems popping themselves apart over one side of the house & road. After a full day today, we temporarily set some straps tonight to hold the stems for tomorrows removal. Snapped one terrible picture while trying to set my headtorch on my helmet. Will be an emotional removal, everybody is quite attached to the tree.

Got in the door & then had to play 'the angry cow' game with the kids, which basically involves me being a bull & them the matadors.

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Glad you had a good vacation! Back at it with a vengeance looks like.

Amazing how big those secondary leads are after being topped. Too big and weakly attached to save it?

 

[ZinTrees]

got a dead ash to do in a few weeks, called a different crane company, they seem much more legit, AND they sent me the model of the crane and the load chart for the setup we are using so I could take a look beforehand
its over a house and half of its already fallen off, no bucket access, and no climbing, its probably 3 times as bad as that one big oak I hired the climber for

 

[tree MDS]

Workie.

 

[mikewhite85]

That is an impressive truck. First time I've seen you post a pic without plywood! Nice dry ground

 

[dbl612]

That is an impressive truck. First time I've seen you post a pic without plywood! Nice dry ground

the place is a dump. no need for plywood

 

[tree MDS]

the place is a dump. no need for plywood

That area of East Litchfield really is it’s own special little place, lol.

I am going to bring a yard or so of topsoil to blend in our holes, but that’s about it. We’re in a severe drought, everything is dead anyway, what’s the point.

 

[tree MDS]

got a dead ash to do in a few weeks, called a different crane company, they seem much more legit, AND they sent me the model of the crane and the load chart for the setup we are using so I could take a look beforehand
its over a house and half of its already fallen off, no bucket access, and no climbing, its probably 3 times as bad as that one big oak I hired the climber for

How is it that you think a crane is the answer to every super- dead tree you look at? You’re a fool and will surely suffer a fools death if you keep moving forward with this reasoning,,; even if 12. Might not make 13. Just saying.

 

[tree MDS]

This ain’t no little boys game. But I’ll grab my popcorn just the same.

 

[treebilly]

Some fun from a few weeks ago

 

[ZinTrees]

How is it that you think a crane is the answer to every super- dead tree you look at? You’re a fool and will surely suffer a fools death if you keep moving forward with this reasoning,,; even if 12. Might not make 13. Just saying.

too dead to climb safely, only tree to tie into has damage and covered in vines, crane is also MUCH cheaper than my hourly rate to do the tree otherwise
also if the tree shakes any it will snap and fall on the house, it is a matter of perfection
the tree is almost touching the house, part of it has snapped off and fallen on the house, cant do much to it other than look at it
1 guy walked away, many others didnt even show up to look at it
you would want 15K and a bundle of plywood to make a road for 10 trucks that dont even fit in the yard, and your GRCS wouldnt help, not even a tiny bit

you just like to piss on people, particularly younger people that are more successful than you could imagine being at my age

 

[ZinTrees]

you are a fool if you think you can climb this tree, could spider lift it, but still cannot rig the tree for 1, 2 I dont own (and cannot rent) a spider lift
crane or helicopter, and the crane is cheaper
feel free to put me on ignore, calling me a fool for doing a job the only safe way?
get your a$$ over here and show me how its done, daddy

 

[pdqdl]

I don't quite get the picture. You hiring a crane just to swing you around on the hook, cutting off little pieces and tossing them to safety?
It can be done, and I can imagine situations where that was the only way. But I want to see the pictures.

Nah! I'd like to see the video of you tossing a branch while swinging only from the ball.

 

[Rabid K9]

 

[ZinTrees]

I don't quite get the picture. You hiring a crane just to swing you around on the hook, cutting off little pieces and tossing them to safety?
It can be done, and I can imagine situations where that was the only way. But I want to see the pictures.

Nah! I'd like to see the video of you tossing a branch while swinging only from the ball.

use crane as tie in, and to lift the pieces, cut piece off, rappel down to rooftop, let crane take piece away, swing crane back, tie in, lift me to tree, repeate
will be no cut and toss, will probably ride the ball with the piece for some smaller stuff to keep me off the roof and out from under the tree till we have 2 or 3000 pounds off the tree, the crane is good for 3400# with the setup we will use, biggest pick will be in the 600-1K range, with me on the ball will only be 400 pound range (plus me)
the tree is so dead I can take some pretty big stuff without going over 1K, no reason to hit 3K when we are good for 3400, my insurance cost too much to be doing that
most anything smaller than 10" fell off already, and missing the half that was away from the house that one would use to rig 10 years ago when the tree was solid enough
basically a spar up 30ft and one big a$$ limb right out over the house

 

[dbl612]

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is solar a common practice in australia? it seems like the panels are built into the roof

 

[treebilly]

Have your correct paperwork in order if you’re gonna be tied into the crane with the pick. Not sure it does any good if things go pear shaped but looks good I guess. In 26 years of tree work I’ve only ever come across one job where a climber had to “ride” the pick. Never want to do one again either. Both the other crane op and I could’ve pressed diamonds out of coal the whole time. Two cranes working on the same tree is stressful enough without someone attached to the load.
Also I’d like to see pics of this tree

 

[tree MDS]

That

Have your correct paperwork in order if you’re gonna be tied into the crane with the pick. Not sure it does any good if things go pear shaped but looks good I guess. In 26 years of tree work I’ve only ever come across one job where a climber had to “ride” the pick. Never want to do one again either. Both the other crane op and I could’ve pressed diamonds out of coal the whole time. Two cranes working on the same tree is stressful enough without someone attached to the load.
Also I’d like to see pics of this tree

I’m sorry, but back up the train fir a second here… isn’t it illegal for someone this kids age to be doing anything other than holding a rake on a tree job - and that’s one with no equipment. At least that’s the way it works in CT. Let’s not even talk about Zit working in a meat packing plant or even running a slicer at the local deli LOL. Just keeping it real.