Tree Topping

[runderwood67]

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

Ok perfect yalls last couple replies answered all my questions! Thanks for all you're help and baring with me lol

 

[runderwood67]

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

Ahhh ok now I understand! Thanks Haha I'm sorry yall had to put up with my question lol just needed the 101 on the best way to top a tree and y'all hit the nail.right on the head!

 

[Carburetorless]

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?

You can spike up to where you're going to top it, then tie the retrievable anchor, cinch your lanyard up tight in the same spot, make your notch, rig the top and make your back cut(do a bore cut if possible so you can finish it off with your hand saw), when the top is down unhook your lanyard and descend on the climb line. When you get to the ground unhook and pull the other side of the retrievable anchor to retrieve it.

If you don't want to or don't have spikes, put your climb line over the lowest limb in the top, pull it around the tree so that your running bowline cinches around the spar(tie a length of cord to the loop, or leave a long tail so you can pull it down from where you're going to top the tree), then climb up to where you're going to top it, tie in with your lanyard and cinch it tight, then pull on the tail of the climb line to retrieve your climb line and retie it where your lanyard is tied, then rig and top the tree, unhook lanyard, and descend on the climb line, unhook from climb line and retrieve it.

Shewww, easier done than said.

 

[treeclimber101]

This the kinda thread who will get someone hurt , for real though , my recommendation is hire someone , I mean work some OT and hire someone , it's your life is it worth a few hundred bucks ?

 

[Carburetorless]

This the kinda thread who will get someone hurt , for real though , my recommendation is hire someone , I mean work some OT and hire someone , it's your life is it worth a few hundred bucks ?

Get Jeff to do it.

 

[treeclimber101]

It's dangerous to read this kinda Drabble , from someone who knows nothing about trees who may read this , it will get someone hurt or god forbid worse , 101 section is for guys starting out with trees , climbing a 65 ft tree , to take the top down is not starting out , thats like giving a fourteen year a nascar for parallel parking somethings gonna go wrong , and if you can't figure out safely climbing and getting down outta a tree well then stay out of it !

 

[jefflovstrom]

That was fun!
Jeff

 

[TreeGuyHR]

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?

OK

Sorry I got tiresome above.

If I'm climbing the tree again after limbing it and coming down, I would probably toss a throw line to rig a static line over a few limbs and then tied to the base, and climb it with a set of ascenders; once up, I would loop my second line (lifeline) over three stubs or limbs spaced around the trunk and tie in with my split tail and Blake's hitch. Alternatively, I could run my climb line through a biner on the static line and rig it at the same time; once a loop of the static line is tied off with the biner (and your life line) just below the TIP, you are in business. The biner acts as a "pulley" so that you can walk up the tree assisted by your lanyards, shortening your life line as you ascend. I've done it either way.

Once at the TIP, top your tree. Obviously, if the best place to top the tree is lower than your TIP, you have to move it; you can rig a false crotch as a TIP if there are no limbs or stubs. If it is above, I usually work off my lanyards with the life line rigged on the tree below me. However, although this is nice as a third back-up, there is the risk that the top could snag it and give you an unpleasant jerk. You might want be off the lifeline and tie it to the tree out of the way. Using two lanyards, one just below the cut gives you the most stability while standing on your hooks. I usually cut just above waist level. Th other lanyard is lower down (and a little slack): it is your back-up in case you flip the top one over the stub after topping, or cut it accidentally.

You have to decide on the optimal place to top the tree. Once there, your personal rigging has to be both out of the way, give you stability and support, and arranged for a quick get away.

If you are lowering the top (and you might want to even if you don't think that is absolutely necessary -- good practice and a greater margin of safety). Three key items: have your ground guy let the piece run so as not to shock load the gear and give you a ride; second, make sure your pulley is tied on with minimal distance between it and the tie in to the wood --- this reduces energy put into the lowering system; third, make sure no ropes are crossed or pulleys fouled. I had a top free fall because the lowering line managed to tie -itself off by looping around the pulley, and the shock load of a 30 ft. top (which had about 6 ft. between the pulley and tie in point -- a bit much) snapped the rigging rope holding the pulley to the tree; I also had to through .

Another way to rig it is with just a tag line (1/2 to 2/3 up) -- I would do this if there is a target within reach; even if you are sure you have it handled without it, it takes little time to set. I put a small top on the ornate balcony of a B&B once, because I couldn't pull the top over against the lean; it was only 4 in. thick, but at 25 or 30 ft. tall, I didn't have the leverage grabbing it 3 ft. above the cut.

That's about all I can think of.

 

[Carburetorless]

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

Whoa, I just saw this.

First, you can't spur, up or down, a tree without being tied in with at least a lanyard, otherwise you'd fall off the tree.

Second; Why would you spur down when you could rappel?

Third; Hire someone who knows how already, and learn from them. You'll eventually want to go that route anyway. Hiring someone who knows the ropes already will put light years of ahead the learning curve.

 

[jefflovstrom]

OK

Sorry I got tiresome above.

If I'm climbing the tree again after limbing it and coming down, I would probably toss a throw line to rig a static line over a few limbs and then tied to the base, and climb it with a set of ascenders; once up, I would loop my second line (lifeline) over three stubs or limbs spaced around the trunk and tie in with my split tail and Blake's hitch. Alternatively, I could run my climb line through a biner on the static line and rig it at the same time; once a loop of the static line is tied off with the biner (and your life line) just below the TIP, you are in business. The biner acts as a "pulley" so that you can walk up the tree assisted by your lanyards, shortening your life line as you ascend. I've done it either way.

Once at the TIP, top your tree. Obviously, if the best place to top the tree is lower than your TIP, you have to move it; you can rig a false crotch as a TIP if there are no limbs or stubs. If it is above, I usually work off my lanyards with the life line rigged on the tree below me. However, although this is nice as a third back-up, there is the risk that the top could snag it and give you an unpleasant jerk. You might want be off the lifeline and tie it to the tree out of the way. Using two lanyards, one just below the cut gives you the most stability while standing on your hooks. I usually cut just above waist level. Th other lanyard is lower down (and a little slack): it is your back-up in case you flip the top one over the stub after topping, or cut it accidentally.

You have to decide on the optimal place to top the tree. Once there, your personal rigging has to be both out of the way, give you stability and support, and arranged for a quick get away.

If you are lowering the top (and you might want to even if you don't think that is absolutely necessary -- good practice and a greater margin of safety). Three key items: have your ground guy let the piece run so as not to shock load the gear and give you a ride; second, make sure your pulley is tied on with minimal distance between it and the tie in to the wood --- this reduces energy put into the lowering system; third, make sure no ropes are crossed or pulleys fouled. I had a top free fall because the lowering line managed to tie -itself off by looping around the pulley, and the shock load of a 30 ft. top (which had about 6 ft. between the pulley and tie in point -- a bit much) snapped the rigging rope holding the pulley to the tree; I also had to through .

Another way to rig it is with just a tag line (1/2 to 2/3 up) -- I would do this if there is a target within reach; even if you are sure you have it handled without it, it takes little time to set. I put a small top on the ornate balcony of a B&B once, because I couldn't pull the top over against the lean; it was only 4 in. thick, but at 25 or 30 ft. tall, I didn't have the leverage grabbing it 3 ft. above the cut.

That's about all I can think of.

You like to type? He answered his own question and it took a few posts to get it thru his head. It aint about you.
Jeff

 

[Carburetorless]

It's dangerous to read this kinda Drabble , from someone who knows nothing about trees who may read this , it will get someone hurt or god forbid worse , 101 section is for guys starting out with trees , climbing a 65 ft tree , to take the top down is not starting out , thats like giving a fourteen year a nascar for parallel parking somethings gonna go wrong , and if you can't figure out safely climbing and getting down outta a tree well then stay out of it !

Sorry, I have a habit of thinking everyone is as smart as I am, but judging from some of those questions, I was obviously wrong.

Guess I should have asked how he managed to limb it and get back down without asking. Or did I miss that post?

 

[treeclimber101]

Sorry, I have a habit of thinking everyone is as smart as I am, but judging from some of those questions, I was obviously wrong.

Guess I should have asked how he managed to limb it and get back down without asking. Or did I miss that post?

I don't know , but I saw that this thread ending with him posting from the hospital in a full body cast .

 

[TreeGuyHR]

You like to type? He answered his own question and it took a few posts to get it thru his head. It aint about you.
Jeff

Just procrastinating -- outa here.

 

[KenJax Tree]

I didn't read the whole thread i just read some of the advice and threw mine out there but then read he "thinks he's about there":msp_w00t: I should've said nothing.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I didn't read the whole thread i just read some of the advice and threw mine out there but then read he "thinks he's about there":msp_w00t: I should've said nothing.

I am amazed this thread lasted this long.
What happened to all those old school grumpies that like to harass all the newb's,,,
Jeff

 

[Gologit]

I am amazed this thread lasted this long.
What happened to all those old school grumpies that like to harass all the newb's,,,
Jeff

Uh....naaahh....too easy. :msp_rolleyes:

 

[Carburetorless]

I don't know , but I saw that this thread ending with him posting from the hospital in a full body cast .

I always think people are smart enough to figure things out, and that they realize the danger involved in things, but I keep hearing things that prove otherwise.

Just the other day my neighbor was telling me about her son who was topping his own tree(I don't know if he was taking down or just didn't know any better). He wasn't even tied in, he cut the top out and the back lash threw him out of the tree. She said he broke his collar bone, his pelvis in 3 places, fractured his back, broke his wrist, fractured his foot, and sprung his ankle real bad.

According to her, he only feel about 20 feet or so. She didn't say what he feel on, but I'm thinking it must have been a rock pile or something to do all that damage.

Anyway,

Six weeks in the hospital. Needless to say, he could have hired someone to do it for a lot less than what it cost doing it himself.

 

[runderwood67]

You can spike up to where you're going to top it, then tie the retrievable anchor, cinch your lanyard up tight in the same spot, make your notch, rig the top and make your back cut(do a bore cut if possible so you can finish it off with your hand saw), when the top is down unhook your lanyard and descend on the climb line. When you get to the ground unhook and pull the other side of the retrievable anchor to retrieve it.

If you don't want to or don't have spikes, put your climb line over the lowest limb in the top, pull it around the tree so that your running bowline cinches around the spar(tie a length of cord to the loop, or leave a long tail so you can pull it down from where you're going to top the tree), then climb up to where you're going to top it, tie in with your lanyard and cinch it tight, then pull on the tail of the climb line to retrieve your climb line and retie it where your lanyard is tied, then rig and top the tree, unhook lanyard, and descend on the climb line, unhook from climb line and retrieve it.

Shewww, easier done than said.

Dang you should have been the first to reply on this thread haha that answer gave me what i was looking for! And just fyi for the rest of yall, i work for a tree service and have been doing climbing for a while now, but i just never have really topped a tree and wouldnt feel as safe as i want without having a secondary TIP when topping thats why i asked this question haha i usually just climb and prune and take off lower limbs. I do all my research and find out the best safest way to do something and then ask on here as well for another source of info and advice!

 

[treemandan]

Uh....naaahh....too easy. :msp_rolleyes:

Yeah, its getting kinda old.

 

[Zale]

Dang you should have been the first to reply on this thread haha that answer gave me what i was looking for! And just fyi for the rest of yall, i work for a tree service and have been doing climbing for a while now, but i just never have really topped a tree and wouldnt feel as safe as i want without having a secondary TIP when topping thats why i asked this question haha i usually just climb and prune and take off lower limbs. I do all my research and find out the best safest way to do something and then ask on here as well for another source of info and advice!

If you have been working for a tree service "a while" and have never topped a tree or seen it done, I would suggest you find another company that can teach you the basics. There is no shame in asking for help and watching someone perform the task properly.