Dead elm

[cory]

 

[mistahbenn]

Wazzup Cory

 

[cory]

Hey Benn, how you doing? I was more or less lost in Queens today, thought about you doin work in the area, it is a crazy city, with crazy trees growing out of most every crack and crevice if given half a chance.

 

[mistahbenn]

Oh cool! That's where this tree in the thread is, forest hills. You wanna go straight fell it for me? I'll give you $300

 

[cory]

I'll cut it for free.



If you fix the damage

 

[mistahbenn]

Touché

 

[RegC]

Ben I think you should have climbed up that while you were there. Got the feel of it before you commit to a plan. There's still time.

 

[mistahbenn]

We got on with hazard pruning all the trees in the playground instead. And it pissed with rain, so that elm would have been even more fun!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

The lower the middle point, the less force on the anchors.

Johnny pro's system looks like it could be a winner for this type of scenario. I don't know with these anchor points.
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Alternately, I might think about setting the high-line, and sliding out from the top, rather than coming in from underneath. If so, I would use a friction hitch to lock into the right position, rather than alpine butterfly choices.

If you are going to set three ABs, I would be worth pre-rigging with throwline, to be able to pull a climb line up into place. Keep the throwlines on the roof, I'd guess.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

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[pantheraba]

I used a high line to help with positioning on this failing ivy covered oak about 6 years ago. The roots were starting to break the ground as it shifted. I guyed the tree and got a lot of weight off it before I trusted it too much. A mess of pictures and some video.

Longish video, some of the clips are out of sequence...not a CLUE how I managed to do that...not gonna fix it either.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q4CNlHqW3a4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[mistahbenn]

Cheers Sean and Gary, good stuff

 

[murphy4trees]

I've climbed quite a few long dead oaks that scared me pretty good going up, only to find out that the wood was a little punky on the outer inch, but solid throughout. Of course with the ivy you can't see defects, but generally if an oak has anything resembling a small stick on its branch tips I'd climb it.. The lifting root on the back side was a valid concern, though you gotta figure if its just your weight, no rigging, the tree made it through the last wind storm. Still an impressive set up, especially with all that ivy.

Same is true of American elm. If that's what Ben's trees are, I'd have no problem climbing them... That high line is just going to be a hassle. Sharpen the spikes, get up there, and start cutting.... course that's easy to say sitting in my office on a rainy day..

 

[Limbrat]

Spiking a vine covered tree, especially one that bad would be a total nightmare and removing them as you go just to be able to get into wood or trying to advance a flip line will wear you out. Very nice job plan Gary on a super nasty tree. It looks like you embrace a good challenge.

 

[pantheraba]

Thanks, Ray...that ivy was thick enough on the lower parts that I didn't know where the real wood was sometimes. The high line and 2nd TIP made positioning easier for sure.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Lots of stresses on wooden wagon wheel hubs, why American Elm was a favoured choice to hold up against splitting for that application.

 

[pantheraba]

Cool info...thanks.

 

[Altissimus]

Yes interesting ... Have seen early Church Pews pop up at auctions , Elm. Where I live the real Americans used White Birch for Canoes yet in Western New York , Elm. Must make a heavy boat.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Elm was once abundant with large trees providing clear material for woodwork. I know the English Elm, not the American or how it may differ. Pretty hard and dense, but not all that difficult to work, also stable when dry. The grain knits in an unusual fashion to resist splitting. Very useful for Windsor chair seats where the legs protrude all the way through the seat close to the edge and get a wedge pounded in from the top. Most hardwoods would split then and there. Water wheel mills liked using Elm for the gears.

 

[cory]

Interesting application re splitting resistance. American elm is definitely known as difficult to split firewood, 'interlocking' grain.

 

[Altissimus]

Big or small , dead or alive ... Kinda hate getting the job. Allergic to it I guess. Gives me hours of running snots. Pollen , sawdust , even handling cut pieces. At least it doesn't grow here in great numbers.

 

[rbtree]

Late to the discussion..but I agree, dead American or English elm is strong...fibrous, not brittle, hinges well.

That's a spindly tree, but not huge. I have done a few trees that required a highline...... on two, I had bombproof anchor points, so I used spectra, and set the line with minimal slack. I even had a rigging line attached to the same highline..as, like this tree, the forces were small. I've done both floating and fixed tie in points... but, the highline can be rigged through blocks and tied off at the ground, then the working points could be easily moved, if needed.

Yup, any anchor point you choose on that building can handle the relatively light loads!

 

[Cobleskill]

I was a teenager when the big American Elms died here. A lot of incredible trees dropped like flies. We had one with a spread of 70 feet.

They still grow and some get up to 24 to 3 foot diameter before dying. I burn a lot of it.

 

[mistahbenn]

Late to the discussion..but I agree, dead American or English elm is strong...fibrous, not brittle, hinges well.

That's a spindly tree, but not huge. I have done a few trees that required a highline...... on two, I had bombproof anchor points, so I used spectra, and set the line with minimal slack. I even had a rigging line attached to the same highline..as, like this tree, the forces were small. I've done both floating and fixed tie in points... but, the highline can be rigged through blocks and tied off at the ground, then the working points could be easily moved, if needed.

Yup, any anchor point you choose on that building can handle the relatively light loads!

Good stuff, thanks Rog.