Tom Dunlap

Hi @Steve Bullman thx for the flag! i stumbled onto SRT via the first edition of On Rope in mid '90s or so it made perfect sense for ascent then work DdRT. Then RADS. Then trying to find a hitch that ascended and descended. Morgan Thompson solved it in '05 I think with the Uni the Uni has been my fav multicender since i saw Kevin's original wooden Rope Wrenches and knew he was onto something when the Original RW came out it saws readily accepted. It took me a while to understand why arbos preferred it to the Uni. My conclusion is that we all started on a rope and hitch. There is a comfortable continuity in the lineage. For me, the hitch/device setups are too complicated and very long. Wait...no...I sure don't want to derail this into a debate. Just my preference and conclusion about SRT setups To my core I believe that arbos of generations to come will retire with healthier bodies because of using SRT. The 'cost' of the devices and a bit of time learning will be enjoyed later in our careers and in retirement im so tickled to see and hear how SRT has become normal and accepted now. In the past I would have put 'air quotes' around normal. Not anymore. Right now im enjoying my first Memorial Day weekend of retirement after about 45 year career as a climber. I know that I wouldn't feel as good today if I hadn't started muddling with SRT about 25 years ago So...climb on...time to go kayaking! Tom

Today I was moving things around in my shop and found the crate with my Haultz device. After using it a few times I decided that it wasn't the best solution for rigging. There are some advantages and things that it does really well. Double ropes and no hockles for sure. It's nice to aim the bollard in one direction and not have any flop-factor like with a portable bollard. The market decided that it didn't have a place for the unit. It had to be expensive to produce. The unit is well-built and sturdy but didn't seem to meet the price point between portable bollards and Hobbs/GRCS devices at the time. Now there are other plate/strap on bollards that do meet the price point. I'm going to sell my Haultz...is anyone interested? Joking...the shipping would kill the deal Tom

In the US we are not required to do risk assessments like in the UK. Given that amount of tree that was on the far side of the lines would anyone be able to proceed with the job the way that Daniel did? Not 'would' you... What sort of load calculations were done? The pulling ropes were much smaller than I would have used in that situation [given that the wires were NOT there]. How much sound wood was in the trunk at the face/back cut? Was a drill used to do some probing? That whole trunk could have been fractured. The bucket truck was sitting right there. I wonder if it would have been smashed if the tree went back over the lines.

Take a small bag, 8 oz or so, you could make one up out of scavenged bits too. Use a short piece of throwline. It's not easy to throw more than about 15-20 feet vertical. Throwing horizontal is easier. Stash the whole works in a small bag. A rock climbing chalk bag works nicely. It can be sent up when the climber needs it rather than having it on the harness 'just in case.'

I'm speaking from a US knowledge base, not what is accepted in UK/Europe/etc. Ascending with only one attachment to the rope should not be accepted. The two attachments should be as far apart as practical. The simplest setup would have an upper ascender on a tether attached to the front d or bridge of the harness. If a handled ascender is used a locking biner should be clipped through the holes AND capture the rope. The lower attachment should be a chest ascender or some other configuration that tails along without the climber having to actively raise it. The idea that 'only' handled ascenders or any other rope tool is required to be backed up should be looked at carefully. In the same circumstances a hitch could fail and there is a huge faction of the profession that doesn't consider a need to have two attachments [for ascent].

"Once upon a time..." SOOO good! Fonda does it right! Clint...say no more! I grew up watching 'Wagon Train' and liked the punk, Rowdy Yates. Years later I found out that was Clint...too cool! 'Lonesome Dove'...one of the best movies on so many levels that I've ever watched. Adventure, action, love, unrequited love, buddies, scenery, good guys win...and loose too. I met a woman who made the arrows for the movie. The ones that killed Gus were made by her and her ex. Seeing DuVal and TL Jones in a movie made in '88 is amazing. The years have been good to those two. There is a prequel, 'Commanche Moon' and two sequels, only watch 'Streets of Laredo', the screenplay was written my Larry McMurtry, the LD author. His son, James, played in LD. James is one of my favorite male singer/songwriters, right up with John Prine and Springsteen. 'Blazing Saddles'...it HAS to be the original version not the edited one on TV. One afternoon I surfed in just before the farting scene so I figured I needed a good rib splitting laugh...not that day! Burbs were substituted! All of the fart noises on the original soundtrack were made with hand under the armpit 'farts', we call them pit-farts. A couple of days ago I watched 'Stagecoach'. John Wayne's first starring role. Last week I got 'The Searchers', which was JW's favorite movie. I'm not a big JW fan but the scenes of Monument Valley are wonderful! 'No Country for Old Men' is a present day 'Western'...pretty grim, but the Coen Brothers make dang good movies.

Skin isn't waterproof...it leaks sweat and absorbs water...do a counter full of dishes and look at your prune fingers. My Dad was a letter carrier for years. His routes were mixed walking and mounted. He maintained that you would either get wet from the inside or the outside. This is years before good synthetic materials and clothing design were on the market. When Gore Labs made Goretex they took the marketing of waterproof/breathable [wb] in the wrong direction. And now, most people buy the concept that they can be dry inside if they buy clothing made with a GT-type material. Not so...I've been dryer even in rain with less than wb clothing. Managing the sweat and heat that your body produces is very complex. Adjusting your venting quickly is key to staying warm and dry. Are you serious about wanting a waterproof tshirt or are you making a silly joke? WP means no water goes through it. Wear a vinyl shirt or bag and you'll have waterproof. If you want to be more comfortable get rid of ALL!!! your cotton clothing. Read up on how wicking layers work. Moving water as vapor from the skin to the outside of clothing where it can evaporate without drawing heat from your skin is key. There are SOOO many incredible fabrics available now. But the fabrics can get overwhelmed if venting isn't used.

I saw the prototype batten at Expo. If I found a need to sit in place I would order one. Right now it doesn't seem like something that I would use for general treework. Since I do very few removals a batten doesn't fit my climbing style.

Nigel met me at the Safety Technology booth on Friday at TCIA Expo and gave me a helmet to use. After wearing it for two days at Expo there are only a few things that I can comment on. First, it is super comfortable to wear and adjust. The helmet doesn't need to be cranked down to stay in place. With just a snug fit it doesn't jiggle around on my head. For years I've worn an Ecrin and really like that helmet. Now there's competition. The other thing that I can comment on is that it is one bad ass looking helmet! Flipping down the visor makes the climber look sharp! Since our standards in the US are different I'm considering the helmet as a recreational use for the time being. Once the standards issued is ironed out I'll see, and hope, that it will be used every day. Scratches on the face shield will be an issue. Here are a couple of possible solutions: http://tinyurl.com/6bxzsc http://tinyurl.com/5n54u8 Oh, one downside...this helmet gave me worse 'helmet hair' than my Ecrin. So maybe it isn't quite so bad ass

The Shunt isn't used as a safety or support. All it does is become a movable redirect point. As the climber moves up the RADS the slack is pulled out. The climber can't move more than one 'step' at a time so the longest fall that might happen is less than two feet. And this would only happen if the climber moved up and didn't pull any slack through the lower tool...Eddy/I'd/Cinch or even a friction hitch. Am I missing a safety issue Chris? If so, I sure want to know so that I can consider the shortcoming. How has the I'd changed? How are the issues solved? Can the I'd be used to limbwalk if the rope isn't tensioned? With the I'd that I'm familiar it takes two hands to limbwalk unless weight is on the I'd.

When I went to the ISA conference in Montreal I got the airport in Minneapolis and I was told that I needed a passport. Dang...I got hold of my neighbor, who had driven me to the airport, and had her bring my PP to the airport. I was on the next flight but my luggage didn't meet me until the next day. After another conference I misread my departure and missed my first flight. I had read the departure from the layover city. that cost me a night in an expensive hotel...grrr! Now I read and reread my itinerary

When I can webcast, this is what's on for me: http://www.radioio.com/channels/alt-country Sometimes I can get a good signal on my laptop when I drive so it goes on the road with me.

My brother and I have both been using Eddy's in RADS and it works well. The Eddy can be used to limb walk. The I'd is very difficult to slack rope out with out having the rope tensioned. The cam of the Eddy can be thumbed to allow a smooth limb walk in just the same manner as giving slack to a lead climber. The lever on the Eddy can be used in either push or pull to allow the climber to descend. The panic stop works really well too. For compact and ease of use the Eddy is way better than the I'd.

A knife without a corkscrew is useless!

If bulk isn't an issue just go to a DIY/lumber yard and find a dinged hollow core door. They're plenty strong and cheap. Add four straps with adjusters like a portaledge and you're in fine shape! The first portaledges were nothing more than chaise lounges fitted out with hanging cords. Poke around a thrift store or your garage and I'll be that you can find something serviceable...and cheap! I got rid of my Treeboat because I could not find a comfortable way to sleep without having a bent back. Plus, it takes forever to find a good place to rig it and the another forever to level all the corners. I found a used portaledge at a mountaineering shop and I LOVE it. Fish makes a decent 'ledge, the Econo-ledge. Shipping and duty would make it expensive though.

Tachyon is made by New England Ropes Last fall I got one in lime green and the other orange. Everyone who has climbed on the rope likes it a lot. Tachyon is about 20% lighter than another rope of the same diameter and will pack more in a rope bag too. The splice is nice a clean. http://www.neropes.com/CommNews.aspx?mid=5&id=45

You'll find more than you could ever imagine here: http://storrick.cnchost.com/VerticalDevicesPage/VerticalHome.shtml

Wow! What a fun time! I can relate to the climb 100%! The gal that I'm seeing and I met on an internet dating site. After trading emails it was time for the meet and greet. It is always Ladies Choice. She picked the arboretum! Hmmm...on a good start The meet and greet went fabulous! We decided to get together the next week to do something. During the week we talked/emailed. I decided to, bad pun, go out on a limb...asked her if she wanted to go tree climbing. Without hesitation...YES! She went up using RADS and struggled MUCH less that ANYONE that I've ever taken climbing. It took about 4 moves up to get the pattern worked out. Then she moved up effortlessly. You tell me...is this a happy tree climber? Since then things have gone really well. I built her a tree platform that hangs about 5 meters off the ground between a double stem cedar tree. A perfect coffee/nap/reading spot. The birds freak out when we're sitting up there

Another sheeting solution is to see what the cost/weight is for Delrin sheeting. there are other names for this plastic material. Sign companies use it for light box type signs. The material is tough enough to survive vandals chucking rocks at sub freezing weather.

Take the time to read what comes up on Google. You'll learn a lot. Why would you try to sell this to typical clients? What is your pruning objective? There is a place for these techinques but not generally for typical consumers.

Before I did any crane work I practiced by setting up lifting systems with mechanical advantage in the tree. Seeing how loads move up and in three dimensions is an education. It's really rare that I would ever make a single straight through cut in a rigging configuration.

So...some up tension is needed. Just a tiny bit to keep the piece from back setting and pinching. Do you only make a through cut when lifting? What would you have done differently to 'reduce/eliminate' the jump? What if the piece starts to roll or twist while cutting? How do you control the piece?

Last night I spent time talking with the homeowner who took the pictures. She sent me many pictures of the job. When I asked her about the cut jumping she said that the crane had lifted the piece and it was twisted over and up. The climber reached out with the tip of the saw to cut the barber chair. By then there was a pulling load on the piece and it jumped and swung into the wires. After describing a bypass cut to her she agreed that it would have eliminated/reduced the jump. Good joke Rupe...there was no second tie in in any of the pictures

Not entirely...I spent over twenty minutes talking with the homeowner who was there during the removal. When I described a bypass cut he agreed that it would have 'reduced/eliminated' the jump that occured. Anyone who would like to talk to the homeowners would have no problem finding them. It only took me five minutes.