Tree Topping

[runderwood67]

What is the best setup for tieing in when toping a tree. I need to top a sweet gum thats about 15 feet away from a house, but theirs room for the top to come down, just not fell the whole tree. What is the best, adn safest way to tie in. I will probably use my rope wrench and pantin to get to the top, and fiinish triming a couple more limbs, so then how do i tie in to cut the top out? Any pics and explanitions greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[cftc09]

What is the best setup for tieing in when toping a tree. I need to top a sweet gum thats about 15 feet away from a house, but theirs room for the top to come down, just not fell the whole tree. What is the best, adn safest way to tie in. I will probably use my rope wrench and pantin to get to the top, and fiinish triming a couple more limbs, so then how do i tie in to cut the top out? Any pics and explanitions greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Are you removing the Tree?

 

[runderwood67]

Are you removing the Tree?

Yes the tree is coming down, but i have to do it in sections because of the house and their is no where to lay the whole tree down.

 

[Carburetorless]

Cinch your lanyard up tight to the trunk, and set up a Recoverable Anchor with your climb line.

If you're rigging it down, make sure you're tied in above the rigging point(above the block), and cinched tight to the trunk so your lanyard/climb line can't get flipped off the top of the trunk when it shakes you around.

 

[cftc09]

Cinch your lanyard up tight to the trunk, and set up a Recoverable Anchor with your climb line.

If you're rigging it down, make sure you're tied in above the rigging point(above the block), and cinched tight to the trunk so your lanyard/climb line can't get flipped off the top of the trunk when it shakes you around.

Can you get any pics of the tree?

 

[KenJax Tree]

If you aren't rigging down just blocking i double wrap my lanyard so it acts as a choker.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

I'm sensing a major disconnect here.


Using advanced climbing gear to get to the top of the tree but don't know how to tie in once up there?


What hitch are you using with the rope wrench?

Yea, me too; with all due respect, runderwood, stop and start thinking from the beginning about this tree after taking a few deep breaths to max oxygen saturation and clear your head. I have learned to climb from my own experience (for the most part) over the last 25 years, and yet I have learned a lot from my climber I hired recently. You can always expand your bag of tricks -- it can save you time and your life.

I'll just make a you a list; over time, you will automatically run through it.

Visual check: tree

lean, tree species, defects (roots, butt, trunk, crown), height, lean and direction of weight, targets, hazards like wires (which may be attached to the tree!), drop zone

Visual check: gear

two lanyards (at least one wire core)
lifeline (clip to back of saddle with your tie-in knot on a biner)
figure -8 or the like
split tail (for friction knot set-up)
or: hardware for single-rope technique
harness
hand saw
wedge pouch
saw (you will likely top the tree with the same small saw you limbed with)

Site:

ground man in position,
ground man knows plan,
any rigging set up
any needed equipment laid out
safety barriers in place
plan for managing public and homeowners
That's before you get off the ground -

That's all before you get in the tree.

Once your feet are off the ground, you go over the tree, gear, and site checklist again, you also
go over a tie-in checklist:

all knots properly tied and dressed,
straps and lanyards adjusted,
biners, ascenders, and clips all snapped shut
(repeat when you go on your lifeline, switch from one lanyard to the other, or change over among arrangements on your lifeline including ascenders, other hardware, a friction hitch, a figure-8)

I'll let someone else continue with climbing, cutting techniques, rigging, and rescue.

 

[Carburetorless]

Can you get any pics of the tree?

It's not my tree, it's RunderWood67's tree. :msp_w00t:

 

[runderwood67]

Your hitch climber and micro pulley ought to work.

Im using a VT and my new rope wrench with a Petzl Pantin, but if i shoot my rope over a branch thats part if the top i need to chunk, then how am i supposed to top the tree? Thats my question. Using the rope wrench with VT setup would i just climb as high as i can with the hitch, then cut the top of the tree out?

 

[runderwood67]

Yea, me too; with all due respect, runderwood, stop and start thinking from the beginning about this tree after taking a few deep breaths to max oxygen saturation and clear your head. I have learned to climb from my own experience (for the most part) over the last 25 years, and yet I have learned a lot from my climber I hired recently. You can always expand your bag of tricks -- it can save you time and your life.

I'll just make a you a list; over time, you will automatically run through it.

Visual check: tree

lean, tree species, defects (roots, butt, trunk, crown), height, lean and direction of weight, targets, hazards like wires (which may be attached to the tree!), drop zone

Visual check: gear

two lanyards (at least one wire core)
lifeline (clip to back of saddle with your tie-in knot on a biner)
figure -8 or the like
split tail (for friction knot set-up)
or: hardware for single-rope technique
harness
hand saw
wedge pouch
saw (you will likely top the tree with the same small saw you limbed with)

Site:

ground man in position,
ground man knows plan,
any rigging set up
any needed equipment laid out
safety barriers in place
plan for managing public and homeowners
That's before you get off the ground -

That's all before you get in the tree.

Once your feet are off the ground, you go over the tree, gear, and site checklist again, you also
go over a tie-in checklist:

all knots properly tied and dressed,
straps and lanyards adjusted,
biners, ascenders, and clips all snapped shut
(repeat when you go on your lifeline, switch from one lanyard to the other, or change over among arrangements on your lifeline including ascenders, other hardware, a friction hitch, a figure-8)

I'll let someone else continue with climbing, cutting techniques, rigging, and rescue.

Thanks you for your help and reply. Just to hopefully clear things up, the sweet gum is near a house, so needs to be topped. I have already climbed and cut all the limbs off except the top, so what im asking is where do i shoot my climbing line to climb up and top the tree? Like i said before ill be using my new rope wrench with a VT hitch and pulley, and i just need to top the tree, not chunk it down. Breifly tell me what YOU personally would do to top the tree, like where would you tie in and what not?

 

[runderwood67]

If you aren't rigging down just blocking i double wrap my lanyard so it acts as a choker.

OK so youre saying youd just climb up the tree on spurs and double wrap your lanyard to act as a choker incase you slip, and once at the top, just cut a wedge about you and top the tree? Then just back step your way back down?

 

[runderwood67]

I'm sensing a major disconnect here.


Using advanced climbing gear to get to the top of the tree but don't know how to tie in once up there?


What hitch are you using with the rope wrench?

Vt with a pulley to tend my slack and a pantin to ascend, so how do i tie in and still top the tree?

 

[freeweight]

if the tree is coming down why aren't u using spikes...????

 

[runderwood67]

Can you get any pics of the tree?

Ill try to put one up, but just picture a pine about 65feet tall and im wanting to top it (which the only limbs left on it are the top portion) so how would i tie my climbing line in to climb up and still cut the top out without being attatched to one of the limbs?

 

[runderwood67]

if the tree is coming down why aren't u using spikes...????

I am and did when i climbed it to cut the limbs off, now all that left is the top portion that i can chunk down, so what im asking is how could i tie in my climbing line and still spur climb up to top it, that way im safe when i top it? Are you just saying youd spike up it, top it, and come down with no climbing line or secondary backup?

 

[KenJax Tree]

OK so youre saying youd just climb up the tree on spurs and double wrap your lanyard to act as a choker incase you slip, and once at the top, just cut a wedge about you and top the tree? Then just back step your way back down?

No not exactly, i would never take the top out first if i had everything but the last part i was tied into down and all that's left is the spar then i just use my lanyard as a choker if im just dropping chunks down.

You explained it in your post above but i use my lanyard as a choker coming down

 

[runderwood67]

No not exactly, i would never take the top out first if i had everything but the last part i was tied into down and all that's left is the spar then i just use my lanyard as a choker if im just dropping chunks down.

You explained it in your post above but i use my lanyard as a choker coming down

Ok I think I'm about there Haha so coming down you'd just spur down and not be tied in?

 

[jefflovstrom]

LOL,,,,, This is good!
Jeff

 

[KenJax Tree]

Ok I think I'm about there Haha so coming down you'd just spur down and not be tied in?

Right, i do use 2 lanyards though i double wrap my steel-core and just wrap the other so i still have 2 "TIP" if 1 gets cut

 

[freeweight]

just spike up with your rope on your side ,u can take a sling if u really need to feel that secure and girth hitch it right where your lanyard is and tie into that till u get the top out

but choking your lanyard will suffice