Wedges for climbing

[tree md]

Anyone using them?

I had to wedge over some huge chunks last week using an old steel wedge I have. Not going to do that again. It's to big of a ##### to deal with in the tree.

I am looking at the rattle wedge in one of the arbo catalogs. Looks like a pretty slick piece of kit, albeit expensive. Anyone ever used one? How well does it work. Seems like that would be worth it's weight in gold if you are having push 3' plus chunks over and it works as illustrated in the catalog.

Also looking at the climbers wedge kit. A lot more reasonably priced and what I will be buying this go round'. One question, what are so special about Oregon wedges that they cost $10 more than Tuffy wedges?

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I just cut normal wedges in half down there length, drill a hole for a cord loop and hang em on my harness. But would love a rattle wedge. A felling bar works okay to.

 

[ropensaddle]

I took the plastic wedge drilled hole in it and hammer 2 lb handle and threaded 1/4 inch rope knotted one end and looped the other to fit saddle snap. Wedges are very handy and I sometimes use them for security on bombing a top, if I feel the groundy is too weak which seems to be the case many times

 

[mic687]

I also use plastic wedges with a cord attached and a 2lb or so dead blow plastic hammer. This has always worked well for me.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I know two guys who have tried the rattle wedge and called it a PITA.

 

[JeffL]

I know two guys who have snapped the rattle wedge into pieces. lol

 

[TreeClimber57]

Have plastic wedges with cords attached .. usually carry a couple (but have about eight in truck if I need them ).

Never tried a rattle wedge, looked at pictures of them.. wondered if they were strong enough to do much work.

 

[treeclimber101]

If I am wedging wood in a tree then theres a rope at the top as well , that gets old real quick beating wedges with a limited swing in an awkward position , I like the long Oregon wedges and a six pounder

 

[beowulf343]

Rattle wedges are worthless.

 

[tree md]

Rattle wedges are worthless.

Thanks, great intel.

 

[beowulf343]

Lol, i thought it was good, wished someone had told me that exact same thing before i bought mine.

I don't say much about wedges up a tree, cause i remember a few years back mentioning that a wedge on a string is handy and catching flack for it. How the times change.

 

[tree md]

Well, you never heard that from me. I think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Hey, who gives a #### what someone says bro, you obviously know your ####.

 

[ropensaddle]

wedges are a great tool but ropes should also be employed where life and property damage hang in the balance.

 

[mic687]

If I am using a wedge I will 99.9% of the time have a rope attached at the top of the tree. On my last job I cut a 30 foot top out of an Ash that had a slight back lean toward the house. I used a rope puller tied high and as I back cut I wedged for added stability. On a critical cut it is nice to have the piece of mind that if the rope slipped for some reason the wedge is their to hault most of the movement so things don't snap back. That being said wedges will not work miracles and should be used with caution.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

My fave are the Hardhead wedges. The strike plate does not deform from off-center hits.

 

[tree md]

wedges are a great tool but ropes should also be employed where life and property damage hang in the balance.

I totally agree. I put a rope in pretty much everything I drop. On chunks I'll push them off with a snap cut until they get too big, then I start notching them and putting a rope in them. Especially is they have any kind of lean to them.

The chunks I am talking about are weighing 1600 to 3200 pounds at two foot length with the diameter I am working with, as well as having a slight back lean. With a tight drop zone I was throwing every trick in the book at them. I cut a Humbolt notch, put a bull line in the top of them and used a wedge to keep the logs from setting down on my bar and to aid in leveraging them over.

 

[burntslap]

Wedgies

With the Oregon wedges, you are paying for the name. Most all the plastic wedges are the same, although the plastics can vary in hardness and flexibility. I keep a couple 4" and a couple 8" wedges on strings for topping, but top size determines which ones I use. Too, with the 8's, I can stack them if I need more lift ( just remeber to put the textured sides facing one another and be mindful that they can bounce out of the back-cut with considerable velocity).
If I am chunkin', I slope my cuts and let the wood slide down the bar ( keeps me from havin' to push and pry ).
Wedges are like women, everyone has a personal preference in size, shape and color. Get what suits you.:greenchainsaw:


I had to wedge over some huge chunks last week using an old steel wedge I have. Not going to do that again. It's to big of a ##### to deal with in the tree.

I am looking at the rattle wedge in one of the arbo catalogs. Looks like a pretty slick piece of kit, albeit expensive. Anyone ever used one? How well does it work. Seems like that would be worth it's weight in gold if you are having push 3' plus chunks over and it works as illustrated in the catalog.

Also looking at the climbers wedge kit. A lot more reasonably priced and what I will be buying this go round'. One question, what are so special about Oregon wedges that they cost $10 more than Tuffy wedges?[/QUOTE]

 

[Bermie]

I almost always stuff a wedge in my pocket for climbing.
Glad I had one two weeks ago, the last 10' of a norfolk pine (top) it stood straight up, no lean, with an ever so slight contrary breeze, that wedge kept things safe till I got behind it to push the top off.

And the string was SUCH a good idea, I got it here, what three years ago or more...nice one!

 

[imagineero]

I wouldn't ever climb without a wedge.
Everyone has probably had that awful pants staining experience of trying to bomb a top that looked like it was a clear drop, but maybe was a bit more back weighted with branches than you thought and started to back down on your saw when you were *almost* through. What do you do?

a wedge adds a whole lot of security to topping. When chunking down big trunks it just makes life a little more pleasant.

Shaun

 

[TonyX3M]

I took the plastic wedge drilled hole in it and hammer 2 lb handle and threaded 1/4 inch rope knotted one end and looped the other to fit saddle snap. Wedges are very handy and I sometimes use them for security on bombing a top, if I feel the groundy is too weak which seems to be the case many times

I have that happened to me - groundy HAD TO answer a cell phone while I was bombing the top - result costly custom made fence repairs which thankfully didn't come out of my pocket
As wedges go - will have one on me next time - I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner!