Spellfeller's Continuing (Mis)Adventures Aloft

[Tim_B.]

Back to the trees...

You've got the 540 wrap going, that's what I was talking about, Gary's is like a reverse 360...instead of going around the back of the tree from your side D, come across the front first, then wrap once. You'll end up with an 'X' in front of you.

I'll repeat what some others said, I usually cut my face from the side somewhere so I can see it, then go round behind or as close to behind it for the back-cut. I always try to have both of my hands on the top handles, right on trigger handle (like always) and left hand on top also. It gives you a better safety margin when the chain is ripping away right in front of you at mid-chest/belly level. You can brace the saw better than if you've got your left hand down on the lower curve of the handle.

If you can time it right, get the saw out of the cut, chain-brake on and dump it down on the lanyard before the top goes completely, brace both arms against the back of the tree, to help absorb the ride if it comes. Holding your saw in one hand while things are wobbling around runs the risk (however slight) of doing something unintentional with it while it is still running. But hey, I'm a girl and you boys have more forearm strength than I do!

I'm just either re-reading this thread, or catching up with it since last I read it, and can't remember where I left off. Fiona's post is from page 12 of this thread, which is where I'm at with reading it, at present.

I just wanted to say "nice post". Some subtle instruction on technique, that if one found a way to follow, could keep a climber from possible serious injury. Thanks for the great advice.

Tim

 

[Tim_B.]

The Prodigal Son has returned!

(RIP, Gene Wilder. )

Holy crow, I've missed you guys & gals & hanging out here!

It's hard to summarize the past nine months since I posted last. Things have been absolutely NUTS over that time: new jobs, new city, new everything. Uprooted the family of six and moved from Indy to Asheville, NC. It was/remains really hard, but we're getting settled. Thankfully we've been blessed with a heavily wooded lot with plenty to do!

How I spent a good hunk of Labor Day weekend:

How I spent the weekend before that:

Can't wait to get caught up with you all and read/watch your latest adventures! It's great to be back!

Ok, I'm all caught up with reading to the end of this thread. Maybe I've been away from the forum myself, for awhile, 'cause I don't even remember Jeff going missing! Talk about low situational awareness!


So, welcome back, Jeff! Good to be reading you again!

I was thinking that the cheapest way to try SRT is probably the Rope Wrench. Lots of folks like the Hitch Hiker, too.

Reg Coates just posted a video recently in which he talks about the difference SRT has made in his life. I'll post what I've got so far, and find a link to his video and edit this post with a link to it.

Good luck with your project, probably today.

Tim

Edit: Here's the link to Reg's video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dE6n-sPaCDU

 

[Broncman]

Speller feller? You in Asheville? If so we need to get together. Got plenty of trees for you to climb!

 

[Raj]

Well, today is the tomorrow. Hope he's ok!

 

[Grendel]

I'm sure he's fine. Probably editing video. . . haha

 

[Spellfeller]

I survived!

Sure as shootin' didn't accomplish much though. Below is the sum total of my accomplishments! Got those set in the morning, prior to soccer...

When we came home, I ate lunch & spiked up to try and set a 3:1 above the top ratchet strap. THAT was a comedy of errors! It took three tries to find the right "route" to the workspace. When I finally got up there, it was so narrow between the stems that I had a fiesta of "two-blocking." (I was actually using biners, but the effect was the same.) Just couldn't establish any real tension before the whole system ran out of room to work. I was probably up there for an hour, futzing around with prusik & sling length, and trying to get it up higher where the gap was wider. That worried me since I was getting close to the top of the spar where the top had been ripped out, and I wondered about integrity of that wood--not to mention that there would have been a BIG gap between the 3:1 and the top strap. Never did get it to work!

Aside from my being Sid the Sloth, the other thing that put the kibosh on any cutting today was that the Lightsaber (200T) was acting up. Boggy when I got on the throttle and then feeling really hot and smelling burnt. I feared the worst, but I think it was the oiler which seems to be have two settings: "Sahara" and "Niagara Falls." After trying unsuccessfully to find a middle ground, I sharpened the chain and left it on Niagara. Lousy throttle response went away too, so I don't know what that gremlin was...

Tomorrow's another day, people. Hope to have more progress then!

 

[Spellfeller]

So, welcome back, Jeff! Good to be reading you again!
I was thinking that the cheapest way to try SRT is probably the Rope Wrench. Lots of folks like the Hitch Hiker, too.
Reg Coates just posted a video recently in which he talks about the difference SRT has made in his life.

Thanks, Tim! I'm definitely going to get an HH2 when funds allow. Saw that vid of Reg's when it came out; totally contributed to my sense that SRT is the way to go!

Speller feller? You in Asheville? If so we need to get together. Got plenty of trees for you to climb!

I am, sir! I'll send you a PM!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Just remember - you can't have too many straps, but you sure can have not enough!

 

[Bermy]

Good update!
Boggy lightsabre...maybe a chance your chain tension was too tight? The sluggish response with a burny smell, combined with maybe not enough oil...

Looking at your ratchet strapping, I don't know what the wiser owls might say but the top one might, I say might, just be pushed down the stem if the two stems opened up, maybe going 'figure 8' with the ratchet strap and then around both and then tightening it would prevent it??? Only a suggestion.

 

[Spellfeller]

I hear you, Butch, and I like that idea, Fiona. Thanks!

I'll go BACk to Lowe's (3rd trip this week!) and get another strap to figure 8 through the crotch. But that--coupled with a family hike this afternoon--probably puts this off for another week. Sure I'd rather git 'er done, but at the end of the day, I don't mind the postponements if it makes the job safer! The tree's not going anywhere!

 

[Spellfeller]

So it turns out that rather than spending tons of time & energy gearing up and spurring up the tree to set the binders, you could use this incredible invention called a LADDER. (I guess I didn't think of it before because they tend to be the stars of about 90% of tree fail videos...)

I wound up using Daniel's "run-your-lanyard-through-the-ladder-AND-around-the-tree" trick and felt pretty secure. I liked Fiona's idea of a figure-8 so that's what I went with.

Now at least the tree is prepped and ready to go...for next weekend!

 

[Raj]

I've used a ladder as support, tied to a broken stem anchored at two points on the ground. Stabilize a sketchy tree for a solo TD.
How close is the tree closest to the TD tree?

Last dead maple top I did a smaller notch, half a back cut, descended and pulled the top with a maasdam, since it had a back lean and I was solo.

 

[Spellfeller]

How close is the tree closest to the TD tree?

My TIP is the oak to the left in the pix. You can see some throwline in it. Maybe 8'-10' away? The one in between is too far/too short to be much help.

Last dead maple top I did a smaller notch, half a back cut, descended and pulled the top with a maasdam, since it had a back lean and I was solo.

I was thinking of something similar, Peter, once I get the remaining left-hand leader down to a manageable size.

 

[Raj]

That's how you get it managable, pull the top!

 

[Spellfeller]

That's how you get it managable, pull the top!

Wish I could, but I don't think I've got the room/clearance in the canopy to bring the back leader all the way up and over into the fall the main leader took. (And that's the only direction I can go.)

I'll look at it for the 1000th time though. I've been executing the bind it/climb it plan for so long, I want to be sure I haven't developed tunnel vision!

 

[Broncman]

I will add this small piece of advice. Where you have the straps hooked to each otherr, add a few wraps of electrical tape to hold them together if you get any slack during the felling process.

Learned that years ago , I always wrap my hooks( if they do not have latches) with a wrap of tape to prevent them from uncoupling.

 

[Spellfeller]

Great tip, Ken! Thanks!

 

[Spellfeller]

The King is dead; long live the King! (And the court jester survived.)

Details to follow...

 

[Mick!]

Result!

 

[Spellfeller]

Feels good, Mick! I get as much sense of accomplishment from tree work as anything I do.

 

[Mick!]

It can be fun, and rewarding.

Otherwise we wouldn't be on here jabbering on about it.

 

[Spellfeller]

Amen!

 

[pantheraba]

hahaha...Mick, you are becoming quite the sage

I get as much sense of accomplishment from tree work as anything I do

Being in control of chaos and havoc can be heady.

 

[Spellfeller]

Well, yesterday was a LONG day. Worked from about 10am till dark. Largely because I am a tree sloth...

Basically, all that was left was the long smaller leader and the broken out main stem. As we covered previously, the trunk was bound with three 2" ratchet straps:

I started by climbing up with the handsaw and trying to reduce some of the remaining top.

Then my oldest groundie sent up the saw:

And did a little "ascending saw dance":

Then I got to work on some of the bigger stuff:

Flying chips!

One piece was big enough for some NCR action:

Wasn't as close to my lanyard as this angle makes it look!

My groundie let this piece run like a CHAMP!

Me: That was perfect! Are you okay?
Him: My gloves are a little bit hot!

Then I put a face cut/backcut in the top, finished with the handsaw, and my groundie--with help from the photographer--pulled it right into the lay. (No pix of that!)

"Do these pants make my butt look big?"

No pix of blocking down the spar. My photographer took a break to take half the inmates to the pool. I've decided that snap cuts are for the birds--really that I need more practice with them, but not at height on a tree with a rotten stump! Instead, given the leader's lean into the lay, I cut straight through, putting a small wedge in when the kerf started to close. It worked fine.

Then it was time to tackle the fall. I'd set a pull line on the main trunk when I was blocking. In this photo, you can just see the smaller leader peeking out at the bottom right from behind another tree in the foreground. Since I had it reduced to below the height of the main trunk, I figured the weight now favored the downhill lay.

Fuzzy pic of the Maasdam ready to rock:

Bore-cutting to set the holding strap after a fairly narrow facecut. I didn't want the tree to fall until I pulled it over:

Awkwardly getting the hatchet to set a wedge.

Working on the good side, the tree suddenly developed an odd white burl with a sticker on it!

Once I had the holding strap set, I went back to the Maasdam and put more tension on the line. Then I released the strap and went back to the puller. More tension, and the wedge falls free...

Going...

Gone! (The knot that tore out on the left was where the third, smallest co-dom stem had been.)

Thanks to everybody for their patience and advice. This is surely another case of "couldn't have done it without you"!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Congrats!!!

Be aware - the way you have the line tied to the limb... if your groundie doesn't let it hinge correctly and/or if the hinge breaks, you have a butt that is going to launch back towards you with great force.

Tieing it lower and/or positioning yourself higher would minimize that scenario.