Takedown of an Ash with sweeping limbs

[StoneGully]

This Ash I'm taking down has limbs that attach to the trunk almost parallel to the ground with about 8 inch diameter, then about three feet out they start to sweep up to almost vertical and the diameter tapers down to about 2-3". I'm tied in to a central lead but this line is almost horizontal when I get to the 2-3" diameter part of the limb. So I have fall protection from the main line, but it gets in the way as it wants to torque me around. So what's the best way to climb these sweeps?

I did a lot of screwing around to get into position last night. But I think that was because I was trying to do a limb walking technique that gets more useless as the mainline gets horizontal and the limb I was on was more vertical.

I think it might be better if I start off by loosening up the mainline, throwing a lanyard around the limb (under me at the start) and just bear crawl, on all fours, out on the limb until I get into the more vertical position. I think I might be able to hold the lanyard with my thumbs while holding onto the limb with my hands, and push the lanyard up and forward as I go. I'm using spurs, but I'm not steady on them because I don't do a lot of takedowns.

So that leads to another question, how do you keep from torqueing around when spike climbing small diameter (3") near vertical wood?

 

[clearance]

Wrap your lanyard around the stem so it chokes it.

 

[SWAMPY036]

double tie in using the main and something smaller just keep your weight on the main tip. Or you could set climbing line high and then set a redirect so you will be over your work or at least at a better angle

 

[StoneGully]

Thanks for you suggestions. I think there might be some ways I might move my main tie in higher a foot or two, a place where I can double tie in. The safety with a wrap might help here too, my situation is kind of like the picture on the lower right side of page 155 of The Fundamentals of General tree work. only the limbs I am dealing with bow upwards and taper to small diameter.

The limbs are long, thin, and overhang a neighbors house. I am trying to get high enough to tie a section of rope above and below the hinge point so after it severs I can pick it up by hand and direct it to the ground.

It appears this Ash doesn't like to snap, I have to sever all fibers to cut off a section. And while the limbs I am on are small, they aren't springy soft.

I seem to have a tendency to want to place the small limb between the underside of the spur and the side of the leg iron because then I can have better rotational leverage with my foot. But i realize that this doesn't dig in the spur point, so it doesn't really support my weight.

I'm going up to my woods and experiment, lower to the ground, on small diameter maple poles. Maybe this is just a fear of climbing around on such small diameter stuff.

 

[beowulf343]

Holy smokes-I'm just down the road in silver creek. Give me a holler if you want a hand.

 

[mtvigilante]

Be careful with the green ash!

The green ash i work with have a lot of limbs that started as overgrown suckers..sometimes that growth can have a poor attachment point, even if it's the main leader. Also the slightest breeze can put tremendous force on the top of the limb, i've worn more than a few limbs in ash trees (only smaller ones).

For straight up growth, with no obstacles underneath, sometimes I do a cut at a downward angle away from me, let it start to tip, then full blast all the way through, it goes straight down, sometimes sticks in the ground and looks like a new tree. that's just one of the ways I was taught...less hangers that way.

 

[clearance]

For straight up growth, with no obstacles underneath, sometimes I do a cut at a downward angle away from me, let it start to tip, then full blast all the way through, it goes straight down, sometimes sticks in the ground and looks like a new tree. that's just one of the ways I was taught...less hangers that way.

Yes to this, it ain't allowed by some doo-gooders, no doubt, but its cool. You can use it so branches or tops fall straight down they way they are positioned before so they don't hit anything, or so they hit the ground first and then fall against soemthing without damaging it. We call it "fast cut".

 

[StoneGully]

I know what you mean by that cut. I gotta be careful though over the parts of the tree that overhang the houses. It will be tough explaining why there is a tree growing out of the roof.

I remember my Dad lawn darted a fully leafed branch right into shed roof. He was working from a bucket and didn't realize the limb butt had swung under his bucket when he let it go. The stupid part was that a neighbor was in this shed (8'X12' particle board special) and wanted to put my dad through the chipper.

I'm going to do something like that cut you mention. Where the thing drops in almost the same orientation before you cut it. Except, I'm going to put a running bowline high up in the branch, to get above the branch's center of gravity, so the vertical limb stays vertical without flipping down and then I can lower it safely.

To report on last night's work. Spiderman would be proud. Double tie in, double safety (one lanyard with a prussik adjustment, one running bowline just above lanyard with a blake's hitch adjustment), and spurs. At some points this made it feel like I was way over-constrained, other times it worked out nicely. For the most part I don't think I needed the second tie in.

I'm getting a lot more used to the spurs. It seems the trick it to keep one leg locked at the knee. Best success with spur placement when spur centered on wood and straight out away from the wood. I had a tendency to want to twist my foot so that a toe touches the stem, but on small diameter (4") stuff, it seems better to properly place the point and lock the knee.

And then when you finish the top, lowering from a false crotch on the same stem you're climbing, push against the tree to tighten yuor body against the lanyard and you just rock back and forth solidly with the stem you're on.

 

[Buzz 880]

Yes to this, it ain't allowed by some doo-gooders, no doubt, but its cool. You can use it so branches or tops fall straight down they way they are positioned before so they don't hit anything, or so they hit the ground first and then fall against soemthing without damaging it. We call it "fast cut".

We call that darting it we do it with limbs and sometimes the top if the tree is so dead it won't take the shock of the load and nothing else to lower it off of we just dart it down it works but not sure how safe it is sometime but if that's the only way so be it.

 

[Magnum783]

Gravity works evey time. Only thing in this world I know is that reliable death and taxes might not be far behind but who can't love gravity.
Jared

 

[mtvigilante]

A couple things i've learned about climbers (spurs);

*always keep your heels at least a fist's width apart
*always keep at least one knee locked-otherwise the gaff has a good chance of tearing out and you go "burning" down!
*always keep them sharp (with a guage to maintain angle)
*check climber shaft for cracks (try to bend it on the back of the truck or something)
*always tighten straps while you are kneeling on the other knee with your foot outstretched (to get the strap in the right spot and tight)

This stuff came directly from IBEW lineman's training boot camp, and those lineman rely on their climbers for LONG days of climbing


ps. when cutting above yourself-keep your head down!!

 

[StoneGully]

Thanks Clearance, I was surprised about how well that a wrapped lanyard works for keeping you from shifting left to right.

And thanks to Mtvigilante, I am learning that a locked knee is a safe and sometimes a relaxed position. It somehow takes out a degree of freedom of movement and lets you feel rigid against the spike point without needing to have a toe or edge of your foot against the wood to add stability. I am also learning how good (safe) it feels to push away from the tree against the lanyard instead. Especially when lowering out a top from a spar I am safetied to. One hand against the trunk to tighten up the lanyard and I sway right with the spar.