Beech Highline

[scotspine1]

Nice one again David, noticing any unusual wear on the main line that is being used for the highline? are you just running the rope though natural branch unions or do you have something else set up at the 2 highest points?

[Mountain man]

I suppose if you're not working in a commercial environment you can play around with that David, but I cannot believe you couldn't do that from the tree itself.

Still if you all had fun and it passed a day.

[David Humphries]

Nice one again David, noticing any unusual wear on the main line that is being used for the highline? are you just running the rope though natural branch unions or do you have something else set up at the 2 highest points?

 

 

I don't believe we noticed any excessive wear on the line, although we did set a drift cam on the SRT line just below the pulley and it heard/felt all the abrasions of the highline and climbing line.

 

When I get the chance we'll edited all the footage together and post it up.

 

The high line went through the impact block in th Pop and then through a redirect Krab before going across the maple and then in to a crotch in the robinia.

 

In hindsight we think we should probably have placed a redirect up the robinia also.

 

 

 

 

 

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[David Humphries]

I suppose if you're not working in a commercial environment you can play around with that David, but I cannot believe you couldn't do that from the tree itself.

Still if you all had fun and it passed a day.

 

You suppose right, play around is what we do best

 

 

I've been aware of this particular tree having had P. squamosus for the last 6/7 years (possibly longer)

 

My own observations of P. s on acer species is not good (last image was a Sycamore failure)

 

In my opinion this pollard is worthy of retention (have you seen cappadociums in the autumn?)

 

But not at the expense of one of the team, so hence a different approach.

 

The idea around using a high line on this tree instead of a MEWP is that we can hone the skills of a different technique where access for a machine is limited for future situations.

 

 

 

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[Canal Navvy]

Interesting post

Hope it is not too rude to comment on the L.O.L.E.R. aspect. Using rigging kit as part of

p.p.e. interests me. I'm told that riding the hook of a crane & using a materials handler with a basket is acceptable as long as the thorough examination is within the last six months, does this also apply to our rigging kit ?

[David Humphries]

Interesting post

Hope it is not too rude to comment on the L.O.L.E.R. aspect. Using rigging kit as part of

p.p.e. interests me. I'm told that riding the hook of a crane & using a materials handler with a basket is acceptable as long as the thorough examination is within the last six months, does this also apply to our rigging kit ?

 

Hello Canal,

 

apologies for the tardy reply, I'm guessing your question is aimed at everybody rather than just us?

 

From our perspective your point has got us to look at the component parts of the system and whether they are fit for purpose. Now that potential opens a large can of loler wigglies.

 

The lines of useage of equipment should not be blurred but a little common sense, experience & regular kit inspection could be applied in my opinion.

 

In our set up, were we to utilise the system again we would employ a second line as a back up as suggested earlier in the thread.

 

We will also only use the Hobbs as a tensioner instead of a base anchor.

 

 

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[gibbon]

Good work. I've rigged off a high line but never climbed on one

[mendiplogs]

Recent storm damaged Beech job from a place where we do a lot of work.

 

When I arrived at this tree and saw the crack it was a fell, no debate. Spoke to the client told him we'd need to fell the tree and he'd lose a lot of his old Azaleas and rare Rhodies plus a few other rare mature small trees. He asked if there was any other way to bring the tree down, so I went back up to the tree and decided to give a highline a go.

 

Only the third time I've used one in 18 years of climbing. Set a static Kernmantle between two 70ft Norway Spruces this allowed me to work on the Beech safely and bring it down causing minimum damage to underplantings. I was also using a breakaway lanyard of my own design for work positioning in the tree.

 

Hopefully the pics and vid paint a clearer picture.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlEniHedlx4

 

 

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Hi mate nice job well done thanks Jon

[scotspine1]

The high line went through the impact block in th Pop and then through a redirect Krab before going across the maple and then in to a crotch in the robinia.

 

In hindsight we think we should probably have placed a redirect up the robinia also.

.

 

probably a good idea as that's where there could be issues with wear especially if you cranked up the tension and used the line for a long period of time.

 

Cheers for the pics David. Also interesting pics and info in the follow up posts