New member here, just found this site for the first time. I am very interested and serious about starting a tree company down the road. I am very comfortable with a chainsaw, I have worked for the Forest Service on hotshot/handcrews for the last 7 years, and was the main sawyer for a few years. Lots of trigger time cutting large snags, half burned trees, e.c.t up to 38in in diameter. I got very good at putting trees where I want them to go, against their lean, using wedges and reading trees.
At the end of last summer I picked up some work with a local guy who runs a very successful tree business. I loved the work and saw that there is good money to be made in it. I also saw that my potential would be much greater in this business if I learned how to climb! We did a lot of removals by using a method that involved shooting a weighted bag through the top 3/4 of the tree with a small cord attached to it using a large slingshot. Then tying a 200ft climbing rope to the cord, pulling it back through the tree, and wrapping it around through the limbs. Guys pulling well beyond the trees falling distance would pull the tree away from the house, and I would easily cut it down. This technique of cutting was all very new to me, I had never used ropes to pull on trees before!
Only one climber was on the crew, the rest of the work was done with a bucket truck.
I have done minor rock climbing, and am not afraid of heights. What is a good way to get into learning the ropes of tree climbing/cutting. Books, videos, classes are what I am looking for. Any recommendations?
At the end of last summer I picked up some work with a local guy who runs a very successful tree business. I loved the work and saw that there is good money to be made in it. I also saw that my potential would be much greater in this business if I learned how to climb! We did a lot of removals by using a method that involved shooting a weighted bag through the top 3/4 of the tree with a small cord attached to it using a large slingshot. Then tying a 200ft climbing rope to the cord, pulling it back through the tree, and wrapping it around through the limbs. Guys pulling well beyond the trees falling distance would pull the tree away from the house, and I would easily cut it down. This technique of cutting was all very new to me, I had never used ropes to pull on trees before!
Only one climber was on the crew, the rest of the work was done with a bucket truck.
I have done minor rock climbing, and am not afraid of heights. What is a good way to get into learning the ropes of tree climbing/cutting. Books, videos, classes are what I am looking for. Any recommendations?