Spellfeller's Continuing (Mis)Adventures Aloft

[Spellfeller]

Hi, all:

Every since this excitement (LINK)--which I felt bad posting in a thread about REAL professionals doing their jobs (plus the occasional kayak digression)--I wanted to track my VERY amateur climbing progress and, more importantly, get feedback from experts who actually know what they are doing. Starting a thread seemed to make the most sense, so here goes!

I also wanted to leave a testament to all the wisdom of The Tree House. This is proof that with a great debt to Jeff Jepson and you guys, someone who takes this slowly and methodically can actually learn to climb safely. Thanks, T-Housers!

As some of you know, I have a pretty hurting ash tree (LINK) that had a few large dead lower limbs and a bunch of stubs. The jury is still out as to whether the tree can actually be saved, but consensus was that climbing it to deadwood would be valuable experience and MAY give the tree a better fighting chance if it is battling EAB.

Today was the day!

My photographer had a bunch of other things to do, besides shoot her goofy husband learning his new hobby, but she did get a few good pictures.

Always happy to share a dopey expression, I'll start with a bad case of Buck-In Face. The whole limb I am hanging from had to go. Trying to implement a mouse-eating-an-elephant type of plan, I've already gotten the "hamstring branch" behind my leg, and I'm now doing some cockamamie "work positioning" to try and tackle half of the fork above me. There MUST have been a more graceful way to do this (like straddle it from the top, maybe?), but at least I am sporting the fir tree socks!

I know you are familiar with limb walking. How about limb clinging?!

One thing that was super evident today is that there is an order to everything. Here I am post-fork cutting & climbing higher to take out some stubs that were preventing me from swinging left to get to the large branch in the background. I had to go up and cut loose some barriers, so I could make the traverse. (Eventually, I took off both large branches at the trunk, but I left them as rest platforms for a while. Today was a LOT of time working suspended, and it was nice to have a place to land and stand up!)

Stub #1 falls victim. (Trying to hold the climbing line out of the way of the saw. Split tail was WAY too long again. Clearly, I think I am 6'5" or sumpthin'...)

Stub #2, vanquished!

Now I can get the swing I need to reach the "back" branch, further from the camera.

Going...

Going...

Gotcha!

Sawing away on Limby McDeaderson...

Task completed, time for a hit off the Camelbak!

I learned an important (and elementary!) lesson at this point. In this position, I was forced to make the final cuts on the middle limb left handed. It didn't take me TOO long to figure out to drop my line on the other side and come back at the job right handed. Duh! No pictures of that, as my photographer had to tend to her own to-do list!

She did come back out to capture another first at the end of the day: I spotted some deadwood in a neighboring maple and decided I was up for a bigger swing. First time I'd gone from the tree with my TIP to another one. Too cool!

Thank for reading, guys, and for all the advice and counsel. Please add suggestions, critiques, what-the-@#$%-were-you-thinkings, if you get a minute!

Climb safe!

 

[Raj]

Didn't check the pictures out closely, yet, but at least ankle boots with an aggressive tread helps walking around the canopy, and holds a foot ascender better, for the future.

 

[Spellfeller]

Thanks, Peter. A foot ascender is definitely something on the wish list.

These are my ground boots, 10", steel toe, etc. I use them anytime I use the saw. I guess I've thought they were overkill for climbing?

Any suggestions? I was thinking about these. Do you have experience with Asolo?

 

[Chris E]

Proper positioning is the main challenge when it comes to climbing especially pruning in my opinion. You want to position yourself over the piece to be cut and then lower yourself off to either side until its at chest height/waist height before cutting, use your knees/feet to put yourself into a crouched position where you are stable and comfortable and can use the handsaw efficiently. Being off to the side means you are not supporting your full weight with your legs (or crotch if straddling) but rather extending your legs/crouching down either pushes away from or towards where you will be cutting. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Spellfeller]

I think I follow, Chris. If I understand you correctly, in many cases today I was too far below what I was trying to cut, i.e., things were at head/shoulder height rather than chest/waist height.

One thing I noticed, is that when you don't have a place to stand and are bracing yourself against the trunk--pushing against the tension of your lanyard, in a sense--it would be nice to have kneepads!

 

[Chris E]

Yes Jeff I didn't mention it specifically but you were too far below the work which is awkward (no doubt you realised this ), in a work environment you would likely suffer some type of rsi/strain injury cutting in these positions repeatedly.

 

[treebilly]

You're doing better than most of the guys I have to work with. You were able to get up there at least.
Better work positioning will be very helpful and that will come with experience. As Chris said try to cut below shoulder height. Being above really wears on them.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Strike from above/ at the height of the limb, as mentioned. Cut that split tail in half or so. Make two. Scaffold knot to biner.

Be aware of reaction of the limb. If you are taking off a long dangly thing, the remaining trunk can move quite a bit. What was working from the side to release, can become swinging under the limb going up. Its moving up, and will come down. You don't want to end up under the limb, and get a conk on the head, to boot.

I'm confused. Are you using an eye and eye hitch cord on your lanyard, but a blake's on your climbing line? Make the leap. I'd switch, at least.

Get yourself away from the tree. Longer lanyard, counter pressure your feet/ knee and foot against the trunk.

 

[MasterBlaster]

1) It is easier to reach down than reach up.

2) It is easier to use a chainsaw than a handsaw.

 

[pantheraba]

Asolos are great. Have some now...have been thru. at least 3 pair. Comfortable, waterproof, fine boots. I use mine in the trees all the time.

 

[Bermy]

I'm glad to see you just using your handsaw at this stage! Take all the time you need to get comfortable with climbing and positioning before moving to the chainsaw.

Yeah, shorten that split-tail and get above your work. Try not to dangle in your lanyard, rather put most of your weight in your main line/central attachment.
Love your socks

Just keep at it, I looked exactly like you do in times past...and I remember being so sore I wondered if I was cut out for it.
Clever use of that loop runner for a foothold on your line...
If you can become ambi-dextrous with your saw it really helps, I toss mine from hand to hand all the time, saves having to reposition to always use it on your dominant side.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm glad to see you just using your handsaw at this stage!

I didn't use a handsaw for the first half of my career, lulz.

 

[Bermy]

...takes all types Butch.
When I was being trained, the first three weeks was all handsaw in the trees before they cut us loose with a chainsaw up there.

 

[stig]

Absolutely.
I start apprentices out on pruning jobs with handsaw.
I actually don't let them run a chainsaw aloft untill they have gone through a logging season, by when they'll be completely used to running saws, and totally in the know about kickback, boring, backchaining, all that stuff.

 

[Spellfeller]

You want to position yourself over the piece to be cut and then lower yourself off to either side until its at chest height/waist height before cutting, use your knees/feet to put yourself into a crouched position where you are stable and comfortable and can use the handsaw efficiently.

As Chris said try to cut below shoulder height. Being above really wears on them.

Cut that split tail in half or so.

Be aware of reaction of the limb.

Are you using an eye and eye hitch cord on your lanyard, but a blake's on your climbing line? Make the leap. I'd switch, at least.

Get yourself away from the tree. Longer lanyard, counter pressure your feet/ knee and foot against the trunk.

Asolos are great.

I'm glad to see you just using your handsaw at this stage! Take all the time you need to get comfortable with climbing and positioning before moving to the chainsaw.

Yeah, shorten that split-tail and get above your work. Try not to dangle in your lanyard, rather put most of your weight in your main line/central attachment.

If you can become ambi-dextrous with your saw it really helps, I toss mine from hand to hand all the time, saves having to reposition to always use it on your dominant side.

It is easier to reach down than reach up.

This is super, folks! Thanks! You've given me a lot to work on, and I love tree homework!

 

[Limbrat]

Jeff, I love your humility, your ability to take advice and criticism, and your hunger to learn. That combination will take you far and keep you safe.

 

[Spellfeller]

Thanks so much, Ray. From your mouth (keyboard!) to God's ears!

 

[candoarms]

Spellfeller,

The first day my son-in-law was in a tree making a cut, he forgot to nip the sides of the hinge of the stem he was topping off above him. When the stem went over, the fibers at the hinge pulled his lanyard down the tree about 3 feet. It was a small tree. No injuries to report.......but he needed a clean pair of drawers afterward.

Make your notch cut. This will locate the hinge. Now make two small cuts.....one on each side of the hinge.....about 3/4" inch deep. Now you can make your back cut. When the piece tips and the notch closes, the piece will break free without any fiber tear that could pull your lanyard (and you) down the tree along with it.

This is a trick of the trade that will save you a lot of grief, at a minimum.

Hope this helps.

Joel

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Good point, Joel.

I generally will make sapwood cuts below my hinge. If the hinge tears down, it stops at the sapwood cuts. I don't lose any steering capacity of the corners, which are the strongest directors of where a well face-cut piece will go (ignoring lean).

 

[Spellfeller]

Make your notch cut. This will locate the hinge. Now make two small cuts.....one on each side of the hinge.....about 3/4" inch deep. Now you can make your back cut. When the piece tips and the notch closes, the piece will break free without any fiber tear that could pull your lanyard (and you) down the tree along with it.

Thanks, Joel. I'm completely familiar with the approach you describe when felling or blocking down a spar--though I've not done the latter.

When pruning/deadwooding, I've been following this sort of procedure:



Is this only for very small branches? I did get a couple of barber chairs yesterday, but I think it was because the cuts were too far apart. When I offset the 2nd cut just an inch or less ahead of the first, I got a nice clean break and a straight drop...please advise!

 

[pantheraba]

I have read to NOT offset the cuts of a drop cut. I watch the limb as I undercut and when it Starts to droop a little get the saw out pronto...you can get it stuck...trust me. Then I make my top cut directly over the undercut quickly and it drops.

 

[stig]

I don't offset the cuts.
I fail to se the reason to do it.

 

[candoarms]

Jeff,

You've got it nailed down. Your diagram above explains things perfectly. The first cut removes most of the weight from the limb you are removing. The final cut can now be made without any need to worry about a fiber tear that could strip down the bark on a tree that you are attempting to save.

On larger limbs....say over 5 inches.....or too big to get your hand around......it's still a good idea to made a shallow cut all the way around the limb stub, so as to avoid any fiber tear that you won't be able to control by hand.

Here again......getting your free hand too close to the saw is a always a bad idea. When you make your first cut, make sure you leave a good amount of limb stub remaining, so that your free hand can control it, while making the final cut, without getting too close to the saw. You'll figure out what's most comfortable for you, but I like to leave about 2 feet of stub when making my first cut. (As in your diagram above)

Joel

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Used to be recommended to cut tip-ward of undercut, which doesn't make sense much, then butt-ward of undercut became recommended.

Dead even, to a little butt-ward, for me.

 

[Spellfeller]

Got it! There's definitely consensus that it's best to make 2 cuts before the final cut at the branch collar. Also sounds like the offset is no longer recommended/practiced by many.

So this seems to be a better diagram. Thanks, folks!