Cobra bracing of elm questions

[Wood Collector]

I m looking at possibly cabling a elm tree for some friends. The tree is splitting apart where it has had a bark inclusion, it has been trimmed in the past by the electric company that look after the overhead wires. my question is can I use the cobra dynamic bracing system without the shock absorbers to make it a static system. I will take a couple of pics of the tree and upload them soon. I am also planning to do a thinning on it when I install the cable to reduce toe weight. I am looking at using the 8 ton system. The owners would prefer to keep the tree as it provides some shade.
Thanks for the help.
WC

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Cobra has some Ultratech or something. Synthetic, static, but still with wraps around the trunks.

Go Rigguy. Super easy.

Bracing would stand to reason.


Actively splitting, or just a bark inclusion?

 

[Wood Collector]

The splitting is active as it has already split a bit so I am just trying to stop or reduce the splitting. I would prefer not to drill into the tree so that is why I thought of using the cobra system. The other reason is that it is available in Australia.

 

[treelooker]

Drilling can be less damaging than the pressure put on by dynamic cable.

If you'd prefer not to to see the tree split any more, use steel. no one in oz carries wirestops or wedgegrips?

 

[Grendel]

I agree with Sean, the new wire setups are almost as easy to install as the dynamics. This sounds like a static setup would be best.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Why do you prefer not to drill into this tree? You'll cut live branches. Your goal is preservation. Is the cabling area decayed, already? A small, clean hole is not a big deal.

A brace rod or several can be in order to hold the crotch together, with a cable, too.

If the electrical company has been clearing the corridor, and whacking the tree, is the tree out of the MAD Minimum Approach Distance (stay the F away from powerlines distance)?

 

[Wood Collector]

I will upload some pics of the tree later today. I will make sure with the electricity company that I will not be encroaching into the MAD area. The reason that I did not want to drill into the tree is that it will be my first time bracing a tree so that is why I thought of using a system that could be adjusted without causing permanent damage to the tree.

 

[Bermy]

I'm with you mate, down in Tassie...looking at the Cobra systems it does say and is illustrated in the literature that you can install it without the shock absorber for a more static situations. It has to go in much more vertical.
To me, it's easier to buy and install, minimalist. I have 4ton Cobra for some of the big oaks, elms and ash we have here. I want to get some of the smaller Cobra for the little trees.
But I'm not a cabling expert, zero experience with wire and drilling and such like.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Don't choose your system based on your inexperience (no offense), choose it based on what the tree needs. We'll check out some pics, and I'm sure you'll get good advice. There is an ISA Best Management Practices book for support systems, cheap.

Again, Rigguy is crazy easy. Easier than Cobra.

You're going to need to winch it back together and bolt up the crack.

 

[sotc]

Good post

 

[Wood Collector]

I have talked with my friend who I was going to do the work for and have found out that the tree does not belong to them their neighbours own the tree, so the work might not go ahead if the neighbours don't want to spend money on the tree. Below are some pics of the tree. I can get some more pics of the whole tree and take measurments of the crack if it helps in deciding how to support it. Cheers WC

 

[pantheraba]

I am not the expert a lot of these guys are...but...I pronounce that tree dead...it just does not know it yet.

It looks like it has been split for quite awhile. You will need some overall pictures of the spread of the tree to help these guys out.

It looks like it is in imminent danger of failure to me.

 

[treelooker]

Imminent is not a casual word. Do we know how long it has looked like that? Maybe years, and it's re-stabilised.

Anyway good luck with the neighbor!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

It would be interesting to see the whole tree (well the above-ground portion).

 

[pantheraba]

(well the above-ground portion).

Aren't you the clever dog??

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

When people get all worked up about their tree blowing over, and we are standing in the root zone, I say "your doug-fir", and point away from the trunk behind us, and over across to the other side of the root zone, and to another quadrant. People don't know the roots are so wide, and that the tree isn't a kids top, barely, magically, balancing while the trunk waves in the wind. I can point out then how the roots are entangled in the roots of other trees, as well as tons upon tons upon tons of soil and rocks within its own root zone.

 

[treelooker]

When people get all worked up about their tree blowing over, I... can point out then how the roots are entangled in the roots of other trees, as well as tons upon tons upon tons of soil and rocks within its own root zone.

yes beautifully put! Very common for "tree" = 'trunk" (+ maybe crown) in many people's heads. Roots are like guy wires. The adhesion of glomulin is a force of nature.

 

[NickfromWI]

That is a tree I would likely bolt and steel cable.


love
nick

 

[Bermy]

Wow, I reckon that one is beyond the scope and application of Cobra, inexperienced as I am ( ( no offence taken)

If it has targets in the vicinity, I'd be talking about removal, sorry Guy.