Anchor points for branch walking

[Dave D]

Don't they? Do you mean that you spike with just the flip line then? What if you need equipment sent up or need to send the saw down?

 

ditto that tommy. you should always have a second line when spiking on a pole, put your climbing line around the stem below your strop. strops arent infailable.

[treequip]

Thats a lanyard though, that not what he's asking about.

 

Hi Rupe

 

Well he might not have asked about a lanyard per se but he did ask about branch walking, a second anchor point and “swing ins” which would by default be a lanyard to “strop in” at the working position, would it not?

[Mesterh]

Dont use 2 anchor points for branch walking unless you have to.

 

You will be way too slow.

 

Just use the second anchor when cutting, even then a lanyard is more than fine.

[Rupe]

Mr Quip

 

I think your reading it differently to me.

 

Stropping in at the work position is different from branch walking.

 

I'm assuming he knows full well to use a lanyard for work positioning but he is asking about what to do during the walking out process. i.e getting to and from the working position.

 

Hes saying how many of you use a second rope (or both ends of your rope), not how many of you bother with a lanyard when at your work position. Thats how I read it anyway.

 

Stropping in takes no time whatsover so no employer is not likely to consider that to be time wasting, but setting up (and using) a second rope can take time hence the OP's question.

[Billy]

No one uses a second high anchor for a branch walk unless its a doddle to set up on your way to the branch and will make things MUCH easier, or it would be absolutely nuts/not doable without a second high anchor, or the tree is just huge and it makes sense to spwitch between a pair to move fast...So its good that your learning not to reply on 2 as 99% of the time it's just a waste of time.

[sawmonkey]

personally i say it comes down to personal preference and confidence, i sometimes use a second anchor, always have a strop with me as i tend to use the strop rather than set up a second anchor.

 

as others have said, dont feel pressurised, if you are been pressurised then try explaining how you feel and if they still push you then i'd say try and get a job somewhere else because at the end of the day its you thats hanging on that rope and not them, ie- its your "cock on the block" and not theirs

 

sorry if this is long winded

[will.morris]

Yep I'm one of the first years Cieran ... David Robertsons mate, I sat 2 seats away from you in a blue fox hoody in the library the other day at the computers. Pete was my climbing instructor before he had his heart attack, now I have Michael Lodge, both class!

 

Cheers Jarnii I think that would be of great help to me!

 

Regards to spiking, I am instructed to climb on a strop and spikes, with a line attached to my harness to put in as a top anchor when I reach the top. Some people in my class climb with a running bow line under the strop and move it up as they flick the strop up. Much slower and as far as I'm aware is not done by working arborists (though I could be wrong). Makes it quite nervy when the first branch is 20ft up and your a bit wobbly on spikes but I've been told to just push myself to do it.

 

Rupe thats exactly what I mean. I'd always strop in to use a top handle or if I was going to stay in one position with a silky for a while. Its the actual walking that can get me sometimes, when your 10ft out and you feel that your balancing very nervously but have a way to go yet.

 

Appreciate everyones guidance

[Rupe]

Well look at your rope angle more than the distance you are out on a limb. ten foot with a flat rope angle is a very long way, 45 degree rope angle and its long enough, but if your rope angle is high then ten foot out is nothing.

 

You should eventually be able to go 40-50feet out with a high enough rope and not need a secondary.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

very few situations require a two roped accses line, i do it when things are wet and im feeling it a bit slippy underfoot in bigger trees, but im an old git, with thousands of rope hours under my belt.

 

If YOU feel safer more confident adding a line in, DO IT, if your boss pipes up tell him we all said shut it you muppit

[Rich Rule]

Well look at your rope angle more than the distance you are out on a limb. ten foot with a flat rope angle is a very long way, 45 degree rope angle and its long enough, but if your rope angle is high then ten foot out is nothing.

 

You should eventually be able to go 40-50feet out with a high enough rope and not need a secondary.

 

Good advice there. Get as high an anchor as possible and have a direct route from the anchor to the point your trying to reach. It may mean climbing back up or re-routing your rope a couple of times but it is all in the planning in how your work the tree.