Reductions

[Ricky26wales]

Hi guys, i'm fairly new to climbing and seems latley we've had a fair amount of reductions being done. I'm still at the point when I find out what the days job is and I hear the dreaded word "reduction" my heart sinks. I've done a few now, nothing massive and all with the help of a very experienced groundy. Anybody feel the same as me when they first started doing reductions? Work with good guys with great skills just wouldn't mind any pointers or to hear I'm not the only one that dreads them.

 

Cheers

[Guest Infinitree]

Don't worry about it pal,confidence comes from practice.

Get yourself a good anchor point then start from the top working your way down in a spiral and cut back to good growth points. Also helps to observe other reductions, got any good street trees to look at?

[Billy]

Just be confident, I didn't use to like doing them for other people but now instead of worrying about what they think i should be doing to the tree i just crack on with what i want to do to it given the spec and everyones happy. Just chill out and don't over think just make a few cuts.

[High Scale]

Climb the tree, pick a good point for your top, look down through the tree to find the centre of the tree, this will help you find a good point to start the reduction, I don't spiral the tree I work my way down from the top and split the tree into quarters, top to bottom a quarter of the tree at a time.

[redmoosefaction]

Knock the top out first, as much as you can... then peel it like an orange in strips. it all comes with experience. you can always say it's the natural look!!!

[Mark Bolam]

I find my reductions look so much more natural if if finish them off with a grind.

[Riggerbear]

I'd agree with most of the coments above, pick a spot to start and away you go just keep at them and your get it.

Good luck.

[Ricky26wales]

Thanks for the tips. All good advice. I've had a chat with one of the lads about the orange peel technique, it has helped me a few times but some trees i've done have had a weird shape for the orange peel way to work properly. Also splitting the tree into quarters sounds like a good idea. Struggled with getting a decent anchor point today ay the tree had been reduced in height in the past so the tops were a bit weak and flimsy. Practice practice and more practice I suppose. Thanks for the responses.

[RobArb]

I find using a decent pair of secateurs helps when out at the tips getting a good finish

[RobRainford]

I second the secateurs, I did one and found I was using those more than the silky. Much quicker and a cleaner cut on a lot of the smallest stuff!

 

I've got a few side reductions coming up and I still get a bit wary on them. Having a good guy on the ground is key to help get your eye in and making sure they don't look daft!