Spur Kit Came Today!

[MasterBlaster]

I'd sure like to see these trees your inexperienced butt wants to tackle. What's your plan if anything untoward happens to you while aloft? I'm assuming you won't be alone, correct? Just imagine how difficult an emergency bail out will be for you. Hell, it ain't a cake walk for an experienced hand, but a rookie? Have you seen all the you tube videos or read the accident stats for homeowners attempting to do their own treework?

It'd be one thing if you were a noob working for a treeco. At least that'd put you in a position where you'd be learning/seeing/doing treework around other people. But from rereading your posts, I see that you've ZERO "arborist" skills whatsoever? Am I reading you correctly? Do you know any climbers?

I don't know, my friend. Perhaps I'm overreacting. Basic treework ain't rocket science, but it can turn around and bite you before you know it. From my armchair here it appears like you're kinda jumping into it and that ain't cool at all.

Know whut I mean?

 

[pantheraba]

I'm scheduled to have 8 oaks dropped in my yard, so I'll only be damaging trees that are coming down.

I interpreted that to mean he had someone (a tree company or someone with experience, I hope) lined up to do the work...but I am inferring a lot. I hope I am right. If ReclaimedT IS planning to do the deed himself then MasterBlaster is right...don't do it. Get some professional help.

 

[brendonv]

I cut out one of those death/injury statistics calendar from one of those tree magazines to show to home owners who say "I was going to do it myself", or "That one I can handle". Every other day it seems someone pro/civilian is killed or seriously injured. Crazy to see those tallys on paper.

 

[Cobleskill]

I taught myself. My advice would be to start with very small stuff. I think he is planning to prune his trees. Getting some books and reading on forums gave me something to go on. I used to stop and watch tree co. work on jobs. I watched an experienced guy take off a big maple limb. The groundie took a wrap on the bucket truck. The limb took a big pendulum swing and the groundie lost a little rope on every swing. The limb was getting closer and closer to bashing the house on every swing. The guy in the bucket yelled down "what you gonna do?" On the next swing towards the truck the groundie let the rope go and the 400 or 500lb piece landed on the deck of the bucket truck with a crash. With that I thought I had seen enough on how not to do it and left.

 

[pantheraba]

hahahha..great story..."what are you gonna do?" gotta love it.

 

[Burnham]

And the next comment from the bucket may well have been, "Not that, idjit!"

 

[ReclaimedTrees]

I'd sure like to see these trees your inexperienced butt . . . Basic treework ain't rocket science . . . From my armchair here . . .

I'm learning brother. I'm assuming you learned at some point in your life? I've got to start somewhere. My goal is to prune my own trees. I'm not trying to do that tomorrow, but how else should I start if not communicating on a forum, reading climbing guides, and practicing?

I interpreted that to mean he had someone (a tree company or someone with experience, I hope) lined up to do the work...but I am inferring a lot. I hope I am right. If ReclaimedT IS planning to do the deed himself then MasterBlaster is right...don't do it. Get some professional help.

Yes, I've got a 35 year vet dropping my trees for me. I'm watching him on every tree and asking him a gazillion questions.

I taught myself. My advice would be to start with very small stuff. I think he is planning to prune his trees. Getting some books and reading on forums gave me something to go on. I used to stop and watch tree co. work on jobs. I watched an experienced guy take off a big maple limb. The groundie took a wrap on the bucket truck. The limb took a big pendulum swing and the groundie lost a little rope on every swing. The limb was getting closer and closer to bashing the house on every swing. The guy in the bucket yelled down "what you gonna do?" On the next swing towards the truck the groundie let the rope go and the 400 or 500lb piece landed on the deck of the bucket truck with a crash. With that I thought I had seen enough on how not to do it and left.

Thank you, that is a valuable contribution to my learning process. I'm reading and watching as much as I can.

 

[TreeDimensional]

Ok, I'll be the one to break the bad news to ya. You don't need gaffs to prune a tree. A rope/saddle/lanyard and a handsaw are rudimentary items!

 

[sawinredneck]

I've taught myself to climb, it's an ugly business for sure! Read all you want, but without some experience there to show you if you made a blakes hitch or a suiclide hitch, you won't know.
Also, hooks are bad for pruning, they transfer disease from tree to tree and leave the tree vulnerable to future damage. The ONLY tree you prune with hooks is a Palm tree, PERIOD!
Sorry, but we will come across as hard asses on this, and continue to do so. Sorry, but this is extremely dangerous work! Any one of us could have our last day tomorrow from a simple stupid mistake that backfires! I get you are young and energetic, good for you, but get some help to learn this, PLEASE!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm assuming you learned at some point in your life?

Yes sir, and without training I cut myself twice, fell once and tore down one or two structures.

Just be careful - that's all I'm saying. I can make what I do look easy, but lemmetellyawhut... Imma expert because I've done just about every wrong thing at least once. I've been sewn up, crushed, broken, hospitalized, and crippled all just doing treework.

And I'm GOOD.

 

[SkwerI]

I've learned most of my good techniques simply by not repeating my screwups. It's a lousy way to learn, for sure. I'm not going to preach because that isn't what this forum is about. Just saying that there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. If you know about and understand wood cutting and hinging characteristics then that's a big plus. I see so many climbers that get up in the tree and have no frikkin clue what to do or how to do it once they get up there. If you aren't skilled with a saw on the ground then it only gets worse up in the tree. Plus you have nobody to rescue your ass if you screw up.

 

[ReclaimedTrees]

Ok, I'll be the one to break the bad news to ya. You don't need gaffs to prune a tree. A rope/saddle/lanyard and a handsaw are rudimentary items!

I've taught myself to climb, it's an ugly business for sure! Read all you want, but without some experience there to show you if you made a blakes hitch or a suiclide hitch, you won't know. Also, hooks are bad for pruning, they transfer disease from tree to tree and leave the tree vulnerable to future damage. The ONLY tree you prune with hooks is a Palm tree, PERIOD! . . . but get some help to learn this, PLEASE!

I'm aware that spurs are not for pruning. As I've said, I'm using the trees that are coming down as a training venue for spur climbing while I have the chance. I don't want to practice with spurs on good trees. The pruning is pretty far down the line for me at this point, at least a year out I would guess. Until then, I'm just educating myself (with the help of a 35 year vet).

Yes sir, and without training I cut myself twice, fell once and tore down one or two structures. Just be careful - that's all I'm saying. I can make what I do look easy, but lemmetellyawhut... Imma expert because I've done just about every wrong thing at least once. I've been sewn up, crushed, broken, hospitalized, and crippled all just doing treework.

I've learned most of my good techniques simply by not repeating my screwups. It's a lousy way to learn, for sure. I'm not going to preach because that isn't what this forum is about. Just saying that there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. If you know about and understand wood cutting and hinging characteristics then that's a big plus. I see so many climbers that get up in the tree and have no frikkin clue what to do or how to do it once they get up there. If you aren't skilled with a saw on the ground then it only gets worse up in the tree. Plus you have nobody to rescue your ass if you screw up.

I appreciate all of you guys and I'm sure I will make some mistakes along the way too. I wouldn't be here going back and forth with you all if I wasn't concerned for my safety and tree education. I bought that spur kit AFTER participating in a different thread here and I'm taking everything you guys say into consideration.

I know this is serious business.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

An important consideration is the What Now factor. I've spurred up the tree and hit a nest of angry insects that want to sting me. What now?

I've cut myself with my saw. What now?

I've just gaffed the crap out of my other leg. What now?

An emergency exit system in place (rope and descender/ hitch) is good to have.

Two tie-ins while cutting is recommended, two tie-ins when cutting with chainsaw is professionally required. Using a chainsaw in a tree is rarely required, but easier. Handsaw are a good starting place, especially if you don't have an emergency descent system and only a steel-core flipline.

Pitch/ sticks can jam the snap open. Visually and physically check that your life-support components are attached properly.

You may find yourself very inclined to jump over a limb for one reason or another. A second TIP is going to allow you to stay secured while detaching your first.

Drop cuts are useful if you have an open drop zone. Vertically oriented snap cuts on smaller pieces can allow you to cut, then hang/ sheath your saw, then break off the piece, and throw.

A second saw (handsaw) is useful to have in the tree in the event that you drop the first one or get it bound in the cut. You don't want to have to have someone come under the tree to tie on another saw to your rope while you have an unstable branch. A guy was killed like that recently by a log that was partially sawn, and the climber's saw ran out of gas. PS Don't run out of gas in the backcut.

You might want to post some pics of the trees you are going to practice pruning on, and your game plan for some feedback/ ideas before launching into it.

 

[ReclaimedTrees]

An important consideration is the What Now factor . . .

Thank you very much! I'm going to be using a hand saw for sure, at least until I am really comfortable up there. I have a bunch of oaks, red, white, & chestnut and I will definitely post pictures before I do any work on them myself, but that won't be for a while.

What do you guys think about something like this: http://www.treeclimbing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=254&Itemid=171

Or would any of you guys want to spend a weekend with me sometime? Paid, of course.

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's all good, Tim. Be careful you don't gaff yourself: I wish someone woulda told me that way back when...

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Professional instruction is a fast tract to more safely taking the slow and steady in the tree with the saw.

This would put you far and away from spurring up trees, especially hardwoods.

You will be able to move around the tree, and have the emergency descent system.

Studying up on proper pruning cuts, like searching "branch collar cut" and "3 point cut" are basics.

Removing large limbs is hard on trees. A common guideline is trying to avoid cuts larger that 4" across the final pruning cuts. Another is to reduce limb length back to a strong lateral limb 1/3 the diameter of the parent branch, and not to remove more that a 1/4 of the foliage from a branch (having to imagine the foliage on deciduous trees in the winter).

The Tree Climber's Guide is about $50 new, and is very full of info. The Tree Climber's Companion is good, and only about $15. There is considerable difference in product for that other $35.

 

[sawinredneck]

This is AWSOME Tim! I'm glad to see you taking it this serious and seeking training and help! I'm sorry I came across so harsh, but many people don't understand how dangerous it is, or how hard it is! I truly think you are on the road to success with this attitude.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

He got Tree Climbers companion with the set up he bought SST....
If you can hook up with one of the climbers here Tim, that would be a good thing to do.
You will need a hank of rope to play with.. Arbormaster is pretty forgiving and holds up well. WesSpur has it. I don't know how high your trees are. But a 120-150 footer will do most trees a guy will learn on.
Safety first as you learn. Learn at a pace that i comfortable and don't push too hard. Tree work is not everyone's cup o tea Your gut instinct will yak at you about your limitations, listen to it.

 

[canadiantreeman]

Low and slow...

 

[CurSedVoyce]

WORD

 

[TreeDimensional]

I remember back to when I first started. I could climb OK for a guy my age, I could prune and cut OK on or from the ground. WHen you combine the two, well thats a different story! Work positioning is a practiced thing. I would suggest the TCIA class would be a good investment, then take what ya learn there and apply some work positioning w/o a saw. When it all comes together, then you can start to whack on the trees with a saw.

A real good reference for what to do to trees is Ed Gilman's site. http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/ Go down to the power points and download what may interest you. IMO Biology plays a major roll in pruning, not just the gettin' upi there and gettin' R Dun!

Hope you enjoy gettin' vertical, don't spend a fortune until you decide if it's (working at height) is in your comfort zone!

 

[squisher]

Climbin's 90% in the head imo. Some people can do it, most can't.

 

[Cobleskill]

It is the same as working on hot electrical wires. If you are afraid it is probably gonna get ya. Cautious is one thing, being nervous and jerky is another.

 

[ReclaimedTrees]

That's another thing I let the professionals handle while learning as much as I can from them.

 

[Bounce]

Seriously though, you bought a "climbing kit" that didnt include a rope? Im not trying to get on you about it, Im just curious what vendor would design a kit that didnt include a rope.

Uh, that would be Wesspur. However, I actually made the kit this way on purpose because there are two ways to get your secondary tie-in: either a second flipline, or a climbing line. Some people prefer one, and others prefer the other. Rather than make the choice for people and force them to get the one I would choose (the climbing line), we decided not include either one in the starter kit, and instead sell them as upgrades to the starter kit. I'm not actually quite as stupid as I look.