Wire Stops, and effecacy

[Greenstar]

Has anyone used these yet? I saw them for the first time about three years ago, and now more and more whenever I am installing through bolts for large cables I cant help but to think about these all the time, about how much easier and how much more sense it would make to install a cable with these instead, that is of course if they are as strong and solid..
Wire Stops http://www.sherrilltree.com/Professional-Gear/Static-Cabling/Wire-Stop-1596

ALSO, SHOULD ALL OLD TREES WITH DEFECTS BE CABLED, if there is sound wood?
In The Mt. Auburn cemetary here in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a famous arboretum/cemetary, almost all of the old trees have cables in them. They have some world class tree care there. I have been hearing from others that a lot of old trees should be cabled, almost as an insurance policy for the tree.
But recently was told by a leading scientist from Tree Specialists that some old trees, even those with defects, should not always be cabled, because it can harm the tree.
This is another reason I want to look into Wire-Stops because the holes would be a lot smaller, and less invasive. To address compartmentalizing concerns.

 

[pdqdl]

I like them. I don't cable very often, and they are less hardware to keep in inventory. They look much cleaner than other methods. They seem to hold just fine.

They might seem a bit tougher to install using EHS strand. I can't say, because I havn't ever used non-EHS strand to compare to. Bending and cutting that EHS sucks.

...

ALSO, SHOULD ALL OLD TREES WITH DEFECTS BE CABLED, if there is sound wood?
In The Mt. Auburn cemetary here in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a famous arboretum/cemetary, almost all of the old trees have cables in them. They have some world class tree care there....

Sometimes, an unlimited desire to "do the very best" means doing too much. Old trees are not inherently weak, if otherwise healthy and structurally sound. Cabling is only for supporting defective structure or to limit risk in the absence of defects. I'll bet the good old boys down at Mt. Auburn had climbed every tree too many times, and needed to find something to do in order to justify their salary.

I don't opt for cabling unless the customer cannot accept the risk of failure or wants to stretch out the useful life of a damaged tree.

 

[randyg]

Lots of cables in the cemetary makes perfect sence to me. Targets everywhere! Protecting the stones/markers along with any visitors who wander everywhere? The big storm hits, or ice, and limbs that break will at least not make it down to targets.

 

[Greenstar]

Well a lot of these big old trees...with the risk of storm damage... mature trees, spread out canopies, with larger limbs going out.... I would be curious to hear about some other world class collections of mature old trees in a municipal district under the care of modern arborists, e.g. other arboretums and such, how many cables they use.

I mean it sorta makes sense. A lot of these monsters wouldn't be there still as they're standing without them I don't think. You don't see monsters of that volume and shape standing like that wild in nature.

 

[Greenstar]

I like them. I don't cable very often, and they are less hardware to keep in inventory. They look much cleaner than other methods. They seem to hold just fine.

They might seem a bit tougher to install using EHS strand. I can't say, because I havn't ever used non-EHS strand to compare to. Bending and cutting that EHS sucks.

So Pdqdl, you use only "Wire-Stops" now? Thats all you use on big trees too?
How long have you been using them?

They do just look SOO convenient!

 

[outofmytree]

I wont say it.

I shouldn't say it.

Its disrespectful.'

Ah what the heck. I was thinking that if a tree did fail in a cemetary at least a victim wouldnt have far to travel....

Sorry. :jester:

 

[pdqdl]

Like I said, I don't do much cabling. I have never seen a wire stop fail, but they haven't been around long enough to provide a long term evaluation.

From other threads here, I think most of the guys that do lots of cabling resist converting to their use. I suspect that is more a matter of familiarity and experience than reasoned objections to the new devices. They seem as reliable to me as other methods, and they don't take as many parts.

They look better when installed, too.

 

[Greenstar]

I guess what I meant to ask was... how many times have you used them (how long have you used them)?

 

[pdqdl]

Picking my brain here...probably about 6 times now. I read the instructions, and I knew how to use them. It's easy to figure out, easy to do, until you need to cut off that EHS strand.

I like the wire stops, I hate the EHS. Can't in good conscience claim that wire stops work well with normal strand, 'cause I have never installed any cable that wasn't Extra High Strength strand.

I don't cable anything unless the customer REALLY wants to spend the money, so it is invariably a big bad tree that needs some really strong cable.

I generally advise trim, remove, or just take the risk.

 

[asthesun]

ALSO, SHOULD ALL OLD TREES WITH DEFECTS BE CABLED, if there is sound wood?

all trees should be removed...

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If a tree has no defects, then I see no reason to cable it.

My thoughts on the cemetery is that they do it as a fail-safe program, due to so many of the headstones being historic markers. They are trying to protect against the 1:1,000,000 event that could wipe out several irreplaceable targets that are always in harms way. So the hazard assessment process is 200 years for every day, where a house may be 75 years for twice a week as far as targets go.