Dead/dying trees

[launchster]

Man, thats is nice and dead! Big tree.

[BenR]

Spike up it to get a feel for how solid the timber is still. Rather than being tempted to use a throwline even if its an easy shot. Don't push yourself too far out of your comfort zone

[ClimbMIT]

Is there any reference material on how dead trees of different species react? I have recently started on my own as well and in the past would not touch dead trees. I have tackled a few recently with good results, except the first one: blushing! Maybe a dumb question????

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

MEWPs....at least in the worse case scenario, or can you fell it without the need to climb, or can it just be left as a nature stick to break up naturally.

 

Consider the 'other' options first and climb only as a last resort and modify / adapt your working methods as others have said AND, absolutely avoid climbing and rigging dead trees wherever possible, but again if not modify as others have said before.

 

ALSO, sorry, no actually I'm not, it's different if you're prepared to put yourself in a situation as the business proprietor / sole trader etc. BUT it's quite, quite different if it's your employees / instructed 'sub-contractors' AND, in the unlikely event of..., HSE just love hindsight..."the tree was obvioulsy dead and you put a climber in there" etc. etc.

 

PLEASE think very carefully beforehand.

 

Take care out there..

Cheers,

Paul

[Pete Mctree]

That's ok Paul & a well considered & composed post, however, we also need to educate climbers in the removal of dead/hazard trees. The methods used from a mewp can vary significantly, especially rigging.

In my mind, climbers need to work on "easy" dead trees, so when a real monster turns up, then they have a much better chance of accurately assessing & working it.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

In my mind, climbers need to work on "easy" dead trees, so when a real monster turns up, then they have a much better chance of accurately assessing & working it.

 

..AND to be aware of the full range options available to them....inc. cranes of course (but not for smaller trees admittedly.)

 

Cheers Pete, and I know exactly where you're coming from.

 

Paul

[Yorkshireman]

there's not much worse than a dead Pop' , apart from a live pop' . weak timber strength , often weak unions, they snap for the fun of it

 

I have climbed some real nightmares in my time , split stems on co-dom's and sigular stems

sometimes needing additional supports to ensure viability to perform the dismantle

 

Yes of course do what you can by employing on ground methods, or Mewp or cranes

 

by the fact they are still standing upright Dead trees are displaying some retained structural strength , if you remain withing the core stem and dontattempt limb walking then you are in my experience fine , use extendable pole to position and place lowering ropes, take your load weight into consideration, dead wood doesnt react as live timber so reduce loads accordingly ,

 

slow and steady does it, live timber with structural weakness are often more unpredictable as the load and wind sail effects get your mind buzzing , let alone your butt muscles twitching..

 

on our website the galley shows a co-dom beech which split at the point of crown break and the split was radiating straight down the stem , two HV lines, two roads & a river

the bugger was in leaf and we craned it down I have never been so mentally exhausted dismantling a tree as I was on that job..

 

Iain

[launchster]

that's great thanks. I think the advice about staying close to the stem is important, and it seems to be a natural reaction anyway.

[GregM]

Came upon this video on youtube, I definitely would not want to be up there myself looking how brittle those branches are [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUrOPtyxYeg]MONSTER TREE SERVICE MADISON GIANT COTTONWOOD 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

[scotspine1]

nice vid, excellent work by those guys whoever they are, great example of route 1 treework, nice to see some old school rigging as well.