RC0

The job description is in the picture forum. Thanks [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LO1cRBM9BUM[/ame]

hahahaha Tim, only in my dreams mate:001_smile: Tully, I couldn't see any obvious reason for it to hollow out the way it had. The tree was still plenty vigorous. Atree, the jacket is stein, I thought it might get too hot but actually it kept me at the right temp. Gaynor, just ingnore Peter.....he's a bad lad that one:sneaky2:

Thanks guys. Nick, yes I did but it'll take some sorting out Gaynor, the core was decayed right from the base throughout the major limbs. Next to a main road with a primary school next door, it was decided to be to much of a liability

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Today we removed this mature Beech. Good weather, plenty man-power, no breakdowns, no worries:001_cool: About 18 or so pictures

I was just building my confidence in the hooks, in preparation for the main trunk, seriously! For some reason I thought you were based in Australia. Am I wrong?

In that instance it was set up like a redirect but not for the sake of redirecting. The rigging point was too far away for the groundsperson to flick the rope back to me, and consider that I had to lower several pieces from that position, then it made more sense than repeatedly throwing the tail end of my climbing rope down every time, this way was much easier and quicker. I only added the text to the clip just in case the purpose wasn't obvious, although I really didn't expect anyone to even bat an eyelid over it. Your are right though in that it can be very useful in manipulating a landing spot, especially if you have an adjacent tree of adequate height to set up a second sling. Lots of possibilities. Thanks

Thanks Martyn, Angus. I thought this thread was dead and buried long ago. When I first read about Paolo’s idea of using screw-eyes for rigging: http://www.treemettlenexus.com/article7.html, I totally ridiculed it. However, once I’d properly visualized the set of circumstances he’d described I soon realized and was quick to concede that he was in fact right, and I wrong. The only real worry I had was the drop….but by creating a step for a crotch and then eliminating the need for a drill by using narrower diameter bolts that would just screw right in, it suddenly seemed just that little bit more practical. Apparently the whole set-up looked totally dodgy from the ground….consider the wide angled lens on the video has a way of squashing everything into view, so you don’t get an accurate perception of size. Steve’s (company owner) concerns were the same as Old Monkey and MB – that I could be ripped down the trunk if such heavy sections were to fall the wrong way across my flipline. As it was they didn’t, because I was in total control, because I’m not a chancer! But Martyn, IMO it really is a last resort mate, that and quartering. Thanks

I only hope one of our retailers will take the initiative and make Gerry’s vids readily available to us in the U.K….I know Treeworker already sell the books. I already own a few and must point out that what you see on youtube is incomparable to the DvD experience. The latest ‘working climber’ set, promises to be the best, most informative yet….consider the shortage in availability of such material over here, the individual behind it, then its hard to disagree that we are surely missing out on an invaluable resource. Come on guys, anyone listening? [ame] [/ame] [ame] [/ame]

Had mine on today....close fitting, anti-snag, monsoon proof, and the right colour:thumbup1:

The body's never felt better....but the job just gets tedious. Although, I know how mental I get if I dont work. Tree work does seem to release tension, I dont know how many other jobs do but this one really works for me and keeps me balanced. Also, I can relate to the kind that also get drawn into it....

I never actually said it but the climbing part is true

I'll do anything thats paying - carrying, fetching, dragging....no worries mate, whatever needs to be done. So far, this miserable week it has been all pruning. I really wish I had the opportunity to ground for other climbers now and then, working the ropes and stuff, you know. But obviously, I dont get hired for that sort of thing.

Thanks. Sorry to have two threads running about the same thing guys....what I should have done was just added the vid onto the picture thread. Never mind.... Chestnut - I think you're probably right Arborlord - the whole of the bank had been planted up with shrubs, the reason why it all had to be lowered. Rich - I handn't noticed, lol Thanks for the endorsement Carl Ian from F.S, I didn't get chance to try the Stein jacket as the weather was beautiful on that day Dean - no camera tricks mate, for a Sweet chestnut it was getting up there. However, more often than not, tall trees afford better and easier climbing/rigging options than broad/spreading ones, so when you hear folks quoting 100ft this and that, it doesn't necessarily add any merit to the difficulty of the task.

If you didn't catch this job in the picture forum then this had been on the cards for a year but had been postponed several times. An old sweet chestnut, had the main leader blown out at about 50 feet a year ago leaving the next tallest stems totally exposed with a 30 degree lean while supporting a substantial mass of foliage in its upper 3rd. The collapsed leader (which has since thrown out new growth everywhere), upon inspection was riddled with heart rot and was the most recent of several parts of this tree to collapse in so many years. The base of the tree suggests that it was perhaps coppiced as a youngster. Anyway, the risk of the new leader meeting the same fate as the old now seemed quite high, so it was decided to severely shorten it so to establish a more compact crown. Bracing might have been an option but with every chance that the timber was as degraded as the other’s, which was later confirmed throughout the cutting operation….and now with only a low guying point available, it just didn’t seem logical. I would now expect the tree to throw out masses of shoots, of which will be periodically thinned every 5 years or so until a more naturally spaced crown is re-established. Yes we can expect the stems to hollow out from here onwards, but for a tree of that age with now minimal lever-arm, this is not a great concern. I get a job like this one perhaps once every 3 years. Normally, pruning strategies of whatever kind are limited up-to 30% of the foliage mass….however, sometimes it’s just not that black and white. I’m not looking for a debate on pollarding, topping or whatever you want to call it. I was just there to do the climbing and carry out the work safely. The old guy who owns this estate is now 85, has over a thousand acres of woodlands, gardens and plantations which now has a diverse mix of trees, young, old, healthy, declining, dead, diseased….just a beautifully balanced environment all round. Re: The actual tree work – Great weather, thankfully. It was a wobbly one due to the decay so I kept the loads to a minimum and what was manageable for the guys to pull clear of the shrubs underneath. A couple of oversights (swearing) with the editing but I was rushing towards the end and couldn’t bare to watch it through a final time....sincere appologies all round. Anyway, about 25 minutes to watch all 3. Thanks [ame] [/ame] [ame] [/ame] [ame] [/ame]

That was good Steve, you need a tripod though mate!

The best part of a day for 3 of us

Thanks! I tried to load the vid yesteday but kept loosing internet connection, I'll perhaps try again tonight. The site has over a thousand acres, losts of mature trees for which they allocate an annual budget. I think this one will just be monitored now for the next few to see how it copes with what we've done. The Hobbs strap wouldn't go all the way around, and was short by about 7-8 feet. We doubled up with a couple of standard 5ton ratches/straps to bridge the gap. It looked a bit messy but worked ok and we had to keep the loads relatively small anyway, so no strength issues to worry about. I'd honestly forgotten how big the butt was, otherwise I'd have been better prepared and yes thats the widest trunk Ive had to set the hobbs on since buying it.

Final 2. I try not to smile in pictures but my colleague provoked it in the last shot by shouting obscenities at me as I made the final descent. The tree was a genuine 100+ ft tall and about 9-10 ft across at the base

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This is obviously an old tree (sweet chestnut), might have even been a coppice at one time, hence the multi stems. Anyway, last year it had 50 ft blow out of one of the stems and similar about 8 years previous. The owner wanted to retain the tree but was obviously fearful of the remaining two leaders collapsing like the others. A decision was made that the remaining leaders be shortened to the same height as the most recent blow-out, thus creating a more compact crown which can will no doubt regenerate new growth and with periodic thinning (5 years) will eventually result in a new crown of acceptable appearance. Call it topping if you want but I could tell from the movement of the tree once up there that the big wood was obviously defective….this was confirmed when my saw whizzed through it like a hot knife through butter, a brown-rot but perhaps just due to its age as there was no other obvious cause. I get a job like this (heavy reduction) only about once every 2 years and while such practice might seem somewhat severe, I believe that under the circumstances it was the most practical option. I did get some video of the tree but it’ll take me a while to edit.