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Trees to watch out for..


stoff101
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Great, I've got one to do at some point!

 

I do a lot of Widows Willows as other companies round here don't want them so recommend me instead :001_rolleyes:. 9 times out of 10 it's simply a case of get the monkey winch out get them down & tidy up the remaining ones are always a PITA. Worst one i had was a straight stem with no significant branches for the first 40' then it split into 3 stems approx 18" to 20" diameter each & went up another 30' my mainline was in a nearby Douglas. First stem dismantled easily was halfway through dismantling the second heard a big crack & looked round to see the third stem falling away my line got caught so I was thrown about a bit, the stem that fell took half the trunk with it & almost flattened my groundie. No major damage done it just flattened the stock fencing on the other side of the river but it was quite an unsettling experience, that particular groundie won't work for me if I am cutting willows anymore.

 

Basic rules with them is winch if possible rather than cutting or climbing. If you do have to climb then anchor in another tree if possible if not then as close to the main trunk as possible not out in a limb. Don't use a lanyard just hook branches with your leg to get a work position as whole branches can fall away for no apparent reason when you start cutting the tips off them. When cutting the trunk wrap a heavy chain or ratchet strap a couple of feet above your cut to prevent it splitting/barberchairing.

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I found Larch to be snappy. It was March so not sure how much the time of year affects things....?

 

I was climbing a larch when I was a kid and all four branches I was on snapped simultaneously. Took out a few below me as I fell but stopped myself with one very desperate hug. Stem is strong enough though. Similar thing with Douglas fir.

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I do a lot of Widows Willows as other companies round here don't want them so recommend me instead :001_rolleyes:. 9 times out of 10 it's simply a case of get the monkey winch out get them down & tidy up the remaining ones are always a PITA. Worst one i had was a straight stem with no significant branches for the first 40' then it split into 3 stems approx 18" to 20" diameter each & went up another 30' my mainline was in a nearby Douglas. First stem dismantled easily was halfway through dismantling the second heard a big crack & looked round to see the third stem falling away my line got caught so I was thrown about a bit, the stem that fell took half the trunk with it & almost flattened my groundie. No major damage done it just flattened the stock fencing on the other side of the river but it was quite an unsettling experience, that particular groundie won't work for me if I am cutting willows anymore.

 

Basic rules with them is winch if possible rather than cutting or climbing. If you do have to climb then anchor in another tree if possible if not then as close to the main trunk as possible not out in a limb. Don't use a lanyard just hook branches with your leg to get a work position as whole branches can fall away for no apparent reason when you start cutting the tips off them. When cutting the trunk wrap a heavy chain or ratchet strap a couple of feet above your cut to prevent it splitting/barberchairing.

 

Done plenty and never had a problem.

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So far I have found tree of heaven, horrible horrible things! Look lovely but so brittle it's scary. I went to pull myself up on a what should of been sturdy branch that just snapped.

 

Also had my anchor point snap in a larch, was lucky with that one though it just peeled back, still un nerving though

Edited by Cloud9climber
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