What would you have done with this tree?

[Thesnarlingbadger]

I was recently asked by a landscaper if I could nip out and take down an ash for him, he would do it himself but has a knackered shoulder, he said it was half a days work and there were a few beaches hanging over a roof.

 

Now I haven’t really had time to look at the job but said I’d do it and invoice him once done. This part isn’t an issue.

 

I turned up to do the job and realised it was going to be a bit of a challenge, not an issue as I like a challenge and a good chance to set up a interesting rigging system.

 

Anyway the idea was to put a pulley block up in the trees behind and myself to cut stuff and swing it through with a tag line on the branches to pall them away from me. So I sent my other climber up another tree to put a block and rip in while I climbed up the Ash. After stripping all the ivy as I spiked up I got to the main branches and realised that there was a lot of spring in the tree. I didn’t have a good gut feeling as the whole top half of the tree was over the tiled roof. I then put and a cover in another tree to come down on to it but the angle was awkward and would put me right in the way of the rigging system, so that option was out.

 

I had a 3.5 tonne winch on me so I winched the tree so it was bolt upright and the plan was to fell it back in to the woods behind but there would have been so much tension half way up the trunk where the bend was there was too much risk. So that idea was scrapped.

 

I have left the job without doing it as I don’t want to put the roof through or risk my neck. I’ve only ever walked away from one job in the past and this was due to the fact it needed a MEWP and my previous employer didn’t get one in. The only way I can see of doing this job is also with a MEWP. But I am keen to see if anyone else has any ideas. I doubt I’ll be doing the job as I have suggested to the tree owner that he gets a company in who own a MEWP and have told him of one I know in the general area. He was happy that I was honest with him and was fine about the whole thing. Better safe than sorry as they say.

 

I hated not having the guts to do this tree as I am a competent climber and have always found a way around tricky situations as plenty who know me will know. However this job just didn’t sit right with me and something told me that even though this was a healthy Ash the tree wasn’t going to behave itself. Even though I feel pissed off with myself I am going to bed tonight without an insurance claim looming over me.

 

I’m really just seeing if anyone else hand any bright ideas on how to tackle it. Just as food for thought.

 

Pictures of the offender below....

 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Just rig it down of itself in small pieces, self lowering would be my preference, for security and to let the groundy have his hands free.

 

Hook on some poles to pull it off the roofspace before it touches the slates.

[Yournamehere]

7 minutes ago, Thesnarlingbadger said:

I am going to bed tonight

Bed. Your own bed; not a hospital bed; not a mortuary bed.

Good call.

[htb]

Hard to say what to do.  Main thing is your in one piece , having listened to your own warnings. What were the other climbers thoughts. Have a look another day you may feel better about it.

[skyhuck]

Cut-n-chuck. 

[Khriss]

23 minutes ago, Thesnarlingbadger said:

 

I was recently asked by a landscaper if I could nip out and take down an ash for him,. However this job just didn’t sit right with me and something told me that even though this was a healthy Ash the tree wasn’t going to behave itself. Even though I feel pissed off with myself I am going to bed tonight without an insurance claim looming over me.

 

I’m really just seeing if anyone else hand any bright ideas on how to tackle it. Just as food for thought.

 

 

...spot on- too many doubts on a next to no value job - well done . K

Edited January 24, 2019 by Khriss
saw 4 decay cavities in trunk

[Thesnarlingbadger]

Just rig it down of itself in small pieces, self lowering would be my preference, for security and to let the groundy have his hands free.
 
Hook on some poles to pull it off the roofspace before it touches the slates.

This was a plan but once up there with the spring of the tree I thought I don’t want to climb any higher (there was a good 5ft bounce when I was at the main junction of branches. It take a lot for me to say no but this one felt very wrong.

[Thesnarlingbadger]

Cut-n-chuck. 

Just not able to climb high enough or out far enough to cut and chuck. I’ve been climbing several years but didn’t like this one bit.

[Thesnarlingbadger]

...spot on- too many doubts on a next to no value job - well done . K

Thanks Khriss that was my thought.

[AHPP]

Climbed and cut and chucked, maybe zipping or rigging a bit (probably on my tail). If it seemed bad while spiking up, I'd have walked a pair of guy lines up with me (and back down as I chunked).