MEWP Usage

[igottacabstar]

Let's be honest, if mewps were that much quicker everyone would be using one. The fact that they've been around for donkeys years and still only a minority rates them speaks volumes. Even if they were quicker than climbing the cost of them out weighs any time you might save on the tree - and professional tree work is about making money after all.

[Amelanchier]

Steve - Even on a 3ft diameter stem? Using a big saw is much more comfortable from a basket. Hey you can even take the fuel up with you!

 

Skyhuck - Tree striking mewp? If you're worried about the tree falling over and hitting the mewp, is it a tree you should climb? Probably not.

 

Thats something to look at in the risk assessment. Its all about the outreach baby.

[Log-ologist]

A mewp is only as good as the bits you can reach.

 

I rarely use one because most of the tree work I do has poor access that even narrow tracks cannot reach.

 

and before you rant , I own a truck mount platform so I know what I am on about.

[skyhuck]

Steve - Even on a 3ft diameter stem? Using a big saw is much more comfortable from a basket. Hey you can even take the fuel up with you!

 

Skyhuck - Tree striking mewp? If you're worried about the tree falling over and hitting the mewp, is it a tree you should climb? Probably not.

 

Thats something to look at in the risk assessment. Its all about the outreach baby.

 

I'm not worried,but many of you seem to be,thats why I asked.

 

On an earlier thread, that you started,you had way to little "out reach" so much so that you could not reach the top of the tree and had to rope of a very large section of the top,I realy don't understand how this is seen as safer than climbing the tree and removing it in small pieces to reduce shock loading?

[igottacabstar]

I think it's you mewp lovers that are worried about the tree falling over - I bet you guys stop half way up to make sure your hairs not out of place and put on a bit of lippy.

[Amelanchier]

On an earlier thread, that you started,you had way to little "out reach" so much so that you could not reach the top of the tree and had to rope of a very large section of the top,I realy don't understand how this is seen as safer than climbing the tree and removing it in small pieces to reduce shock loading?

 

We weren't aiming for safer, we were aiming for easier. we simply considered that rigging the tree out from a mewp was easier given the situation/site/staff/kit we had available.

 

The top was felled, not rigged. No shock load.

[Amelanchier]

I think it's you mewp lovers that are worried about the tree falling over - I bet you guys stop half way up to make sure your hairs not out of place and put on a bit of lippy.

 

ha.

 

If the treework is done right what does the mewp matter? I guess that's not your priority...

 

Real men don't use mewps? Are you serious?

[igottacabstar]

ha.

 

If the treework is done right what does the mewp matter? I guess that's not your priority...

 

Real men don't use mewps? Are you serious?

 

Okay. Now right something that makes sense.

[skyhuck]

We weren't aiming for safer, we were aiming for easier. we simply considered that rigging the tree out from a mewp was easier given the situation/site/staff/kit we had available.

 

The top was felled, not rigged. No shock load.

 

Tony,

 

If you go look at that thread, you show a pic of a rotten section of the stem and say"this is why I did not want to climb it".

 

I am in no way suggesting that you should of climbed it and do not wish to make coment as to wether I or any one should have climbed it.

 

The point I am trying to make is that if I did feel a tree was not safe to climb,the last place I would want to be is next to it in a MEWP.

[Amelanchier]

Tony,

 

If you go look at that thread, you show a pic of a rotten section of the stem and say"this is why I did not want to climb it".

 

I am in no way suggesting that you should of climbed it and do not wish to make coment as to wether I or any one should have climbed it.

 

The point I am trying to make is that if I did feel a tree was not safe to climb,the last place I would want to be is next to it in a MEWP.

 

 

Indeed I did. But if its not safe to climb? How do you do it? We looked at the options and decided on the platform.

 

I assume your reasoning is that if the tree fails it doesn't make much difference if you're next to it in a basket or tied into it in a harness.

 

Quite right too, but when we assessed the tree we decided that should the stem fail at the cavity it would fail in a predictable direction. We positioned the platform behind the stem from that direction. Lessening the risk IMO

 

I love climbing and don't get to do much these days but I don't think you can rule a mewp out as a valid option.