Telephone pole as part of skyline?

CoreyYLTG

Treehouser
Joined
Jul 14, 2016
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341
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Ohio
So not going to talk about the legality of using the pole, in my experience forgiveness is much easier to get than permission.

My question is how hard can I crank down on this thing without tearing it up? There is a down guy exactly opposite of where my skyline will pull from. It looks like a 60 foot pole, and the highest point I need to get to in the tree is about 45' up. The tree that will be the other anchor is dead center across from the work tree from the pole. I can tie in up to 75' from that tree. What would you say the max angle should be from the pole under load on the skyline?

There is zero chance to get a Crane or a bucket to this thing. Only access is a 2 foot wide gap between two buildings. I just bid this job about half an hour ago and am doing it tomorrow. It is an ash tree that is about 50 feet tall and has cracked horizontally to the ground about 75% through. I hung a rope in it to keep it from falling into the house. The tree broke today from what the customer said. It is at a rental house.

Has anyone used a phone pole for a skyline before?
 
I never have, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't if I needed to and the pole was sound.

No power lines are involved, right?
 
If the pole felt very sound, I guess I could. Maybe would... if no power or anything attached. And if I guyed it against the load. And I cut small.
 
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  • #4
It looks like a guy wire, then above that utility on a guy, then secondaries, and a primary on top. There is a transformer with two Service drops. I want to tie in just below the secondaries at about 45 '. If I do that I will have to really load the skyline to get my tie in high enough, which is why I'm a bit worried. I need my tie in at least 40 feet high, and the other anchor is about 90 feet away, so it will be some tension.
 
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  • #5
I won't be rigging from it, I can bomb the whole tree. Just tied in to it.
 
If you rock it much, you could trip a fuse or worse I imagine with transformers on it. Maybe Ray or someone will chime in on how much of a shaking they can take.
 
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  • #9
The primary and secondary are about 10 foot apart. I don't think I can slap them together.
 
I just meant from jostling. Not nescessarily arcing out. I don't know much about power, and what I do scares me.
 
I'd run a second guy line from my anchor point to reassure the pole doesn't snap. Tearing down phone and cable isn't usually life threatening but depending on time of day it could be. I knocked a cable service line down two hours before a Browns' game once. Holy shot was that guy pissed. Had him up and running with 30 minutes to spare. The repair didn't cost us a thing and the cable guy bought us a 12 pack because he was on OT and got to make good money.
 
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  • #12
It looks like 7500 volt from what's on it for insulators.
 
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Yeah I don't think I can slap the wires together, but I don't plan on shaking it unless the tree falls while I'm in it.
 
Hmmmmmmm... I would want to see it.,

HxQh9Xz.gif
 
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  • #16
I'm more worried about pulling the pole over than I am about blowing a switch gear or a transformer or anything.
 
Don't tension your skyline hard. You will be loading it as though with a lever. You will be weighing perpendicular to the line, magnifying your force. There is a good video, maybe with DDM folks, maybe not, but IF I recall correctly they were from that part of the world.

Always take pictures and post them if you want maximum useful input.
 
Wow, interesting question. I'd say if you can guy it off against the tension in the highline, maybe? Pound in a ground anchor or park a vehicle?

Looking for less than 5' of deflection in a 90' span? That's going to be a hell of a pull.
 
You'd be lucky to tension rope that tight without a load on it.


What is the address? I use the snot out of Google Maps, any time the customer calls and I can look while on the phone, I do.
 
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  • #22
Thanks for the input guys. I think I'm just going to do it. I need to go up and make just a few spear cuts and then I can drop the spar in the yard.
 
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  • #24
The money is right on this one. A 100 ton Crane would be $3,100 a day here with a one day minimum. I couldn't get the Crane in time so I'm charging about that to skyline off the power pole, plus the actual removal cost. Should be an ok paying job if all goes well.
 
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