Topping for removal

[Lawnmowerboy48]

h

That simply isn't true.

When the top is cut out of a tree, it pushes sideways against the standing trunk. NOTHING the groundman can do will prevent that.

When the rope drows tight from the falling top, it can augment ("add to") the motion, or reduce the motion, purely according to luck. Obviously, if the groundie skillfully makes that a slow change, it will tend to reduce the effects.

When the falling top lands against the trunk, you once again are subject to luck. The motion of the top banging against the trunk can either add to, or detract from, the swaying of the standing spar, depending only on which way the trunk is moving when it hits the fallen top. The groundie can help reduce the severity of the blow, but the timing is all luck or skill, according to how the climber cut it off. Logs tend to have a much greater effect than brushy tops.

There are three different motions that affect the climbers ride, and only two of them are partly controlled by the groundman. Even with the best rope-run a groundie can deliver, harmonic motion effects can still add up to giving the climber a hell of a ride, particularly on a tall thin spar.

Leaving some branches at the top will always "damp" the additive effects from all three motions.

Wasn't expecting the thread to go this deep. I am very aware of all of the physics that come into play with tree work. My point was a good ground man is equally as important as a good climber. I would not hesitate a second to hang a top with 6 inches of wood with me standing on it. Personally I would have climber higher and pieced it out

 

[pdqdl]

Point taken. Sometimes it's easy to get tied up in the details. I wasn't trying to suggest that you would have problems with the tree, I was talking about the folks that take a big top out, go for a hell of a ride, then yell at the GM like it is always his fault.

Remember that well known video of the climber on Youtube that gets shaken off his perch and banged up real bad? The general consensus is that he was a dummy, the groundman yanked him around, etc. In truth, it was a case of bad luck, where each motion of the top tied to the stem caused amplification of the movement of the stem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjbMO-REvc

Don't you know he regretted leaving all those stubs on the trunk?

 

[fishercat]

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheezus heist your big enough to rip that tree outta the ground , I guess you do have moderate trouble with small tops the tree doesn't stand a chance..

Take it easy on us larger climbers!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fishercat]

carefull with those Chinese tape measures.

230 pounds of dynamite with an 8 inch fuse...

:hmm3grin2orange:

they have been known to exaggerate in inches.

 

[tree md]

Shhhhh! :taped:

 

[treeclimber101]

Take it easy on us larger climbers!!!!!!!!!!

I am 272 lbs of climber so theres no love loss for the heavy silver backs ...

 

[tree MDS]

I am 272 lbs of climber so theres no love loss for the heavy silver backs ...

Dead trees and limbwalking must be a real treat I'll bet!

 

[treeclimber101]

Dead trees and limbwalking must be a real treat I'll bet!

We have pitch pine here that grow tall and stay skinny, they are ####### puckerers for me , I can walk a limb on some trees right down so the guys can cut the tips with the power pruners

 

[oldirty]

I am 272 lbs of climber so theres no love loss for the heavy silver backs ...

no wonder you keep calling me skinny! lol. bet you got some monster jowels don't ya. just fat oozing out your shirt and nothing but heavy breathing at the top of the stairs..... man i would hate to be that beat up old bucket truck you run around in. full stick must be scary for you.

you can do it eddie. a little more hardwork and less bucket time can get you a body like this. wifey'll love you all over again. it'd be nice.

i'm rooting for you. go ed!

 

[fishercat]

you got me beat...............

I am 272 lbs of climber so theres no love loss for the heavy silver backs ...

by 50 lbs.

No light beer down there?