Traditional tree surgeons

[Frank]

First of all you need some really big rizzla's.....

 

or a pack of zig-zags.

[skyhuck]

Have you been spying on Skyhuck lol

 

i have been waiting to see what skyhuck has to say

he certainly has some 24mm and looks old school or does he just look old:001_tongue:

 

I'll have you know I have 2 hitch climbers and some cord for a VT!!!!

 

And one of these days I'll get them out the cab of the mog and give them a try:001_tongue:

[Stephen Blair]

Ok, talking of traditional methods.... can someone explain this whole

'branch rolling' thing to me?? Never heard that term before..

 

ditto,

[Frank]

ditto,

 

no wonder you have so many posts, with replies like that.:001_tongue:Spammer.

[MattyF]

Branch rolling: Pull yourself upto the branch that your rope is over then cling to the branch like a sloth, usuing your arms and legs, then huff, grunt and groan as you pull yourself up and on top of the branch. The only thing is that this can lead in pulled muscles, slipping off the branch and dropping back into your harness... and if you are successful you end up facing the brannch tip, not the trunk! All in all it sounds like a load of crap, but sometimes it works sweetly. The bigger the branch the better really.

 

The true technique would be to swing your leg over and in the same fluid motion with your whole body......but in reality it usually happens as you described!still got me where i wanted to go on many a tree.

We where tought it at merrrist wood but then you where not supposed to go more than a meter above your anchore point .... i guess now not at all making the technique dangerous...

[Tom D]

I still have a three strand polyprop lowering line and a topping down strop, and I still do a bit of natural crotch rigging. But there's no way I'm giving up my ropeguide and hitchclimber:001_tongue:

[AJarb]

Started off doing it. Good to fall back on but am new school now!

[Dom]

I've tried a few of the new fangled methods and VTs etc, but for me i'm perfectly happy with 2 ends of my rope and a couple of prusiks. Never used a block and tackle for rigging, just 3 strand lowering rope with a couple of wraps around the trunk if needed.

I'm a firm believer that the old methods work just as well as the new ones and simplicity is key. I've seen an excellent climber who just used one end of a 3 strand rope, tied his own prusik from the rope, no carabiners, free climbed to the top, bish bash bosh job done.

 

I think a skillful tree surgeon should be able to carry out any work on any tree only using the old techniques. Once that's all been mastered, then maybe its time to dabble with the newer styles. But it's all about being safe and comfortable with whatever you use.

[Mick Stockbridge]

Never used a block and tackle for rigging, just 3 strand lowering rope with a couple of wraps around the trunk if needed. /QUOTE]

 

Exactly the same as that, ive never been shown any other way of doing it. That is until Rich Rule showed me on the Folkestone job. He had a Porta Wrap etc. I was amazed at the control I had over large bits of wood, just let it run to get it away from the climber then slow it down easily. I was able to use the momentum of the swing to drop pieces over other limbs and directly into the drop zone, fantastic bit of kit. One of my next investments.

[Rupe]

How do you do big take down then? three strand rope has got no way near enough strength, and if your natural crotching then you put all the strain on one part of the rope instead of displacing it along the whole length. I know we used to get away with it, but it always felt just like that, "getting away with it"