jomoco

Buy a Spencer logging tape, a 75 footer. Replace the tape with an equivalent length of nylon cord, attach a two inch round plastic shower curtain hanger to the end of the nylon cord. Now clip the customized Spencer logging tape to the back of your climbing saddle when you're doing your next strategic removal requiring lots of lowering brush and wood when you are out on limbs a goodly distance from the lowering line's center of gravity where normally a groundie would have to flick the lowering line back to you out there once the piece is lowered and disconnected. Some groundies are good at flicking the lowering line back to the climber, and some ain't. I call this modified Spencer logging tape a lowering line retrieval spool, and it works like this. Once you have the lowering line in hand, run it through the circular curtain rod hanger first, then tie off the piece to be lowered as you normally would. Once it's cut and released the nylon cord will pay out from the retrieval spool just like a fish pulling out line from a fisherman's reel. All the groundie has to do is disconnect the lowered piece, tie a knot at the line's end so it can't pass through the circular curtain hanger. This allows you the climber to pull the nylon cord and lowering line back to you even if you're 50 feet away from the lowering line's pulley attachment point in the tree. So even if your groundie's not any good at getting your lowering line back to you way out on a lateral leader? It's no big deal cuz as long as the groundie can tie a knot in the lowering line's end, you can pull it back yourself with this handy gadget. Jomoco

Try burning dried Erythrina caffra mate! jomoco

Assuming you're speaking of Ailanthus altissima? It's a fairly bogus low quality firewood only useful to start fires with, as it burns very quickly. A very lightweight low density wood. Kinda like balsa wood. jomoco

Just as differing trees with thick or thin bark determine whether I wear my pole or tree gaffs to remove them, I inevitably run across dead trees with no bark left on them that are extremely hard, almost petrified and difficult to penetrate with any gaff. So I modified my Buck Titaniums to deal with them.

Joan Kroc Kevin Costner Winona Ryder Cliff Robertson jomoco

I enjoy your threads David, very educational and well documented. Has anyone ever tried mitigating fungal growth/reproduction above ground using artificial UV lighting during the night time hours? May seem like a dumb question, but I'm thinking of trying it on Phoenix canariensis date palms infected with fusarium wilt in their heads by placing the UV lights in close proximity to the infected areas. About six feet, and only giving the tree a few hours of true darkness. Your opinion on this dumb idea would be appreciated. jomoco

Interesting subject. While rare in flowering trees, it is very common in succulents and cacti. Cristate and Monster Succulents I've triggered cresting/fasciation/monstrose on one of my potted succulents by pruning it with scissors. jomoco

Cool Tony, Just curious though, if there was a buried wire rope in that trunk girdling that oak? How you would deal with it? The least invasive means of finding out if there's a girdling wire rope in there is still a metal detector. Hope I'm wrong for the tree's sake. jomoco

One way to determine whether there's a buried steel cable in that trunk is renting or borrowing a metal detector Nimby. jomoco

Looks like an old girdling wound to my eye. I suspect a deeply buried cable's in there. When I run across that type of wound, I take a chisel and orientate it vertically, then pound it in deep enough to sever whatever's girdling the trunk. I do this three times in 120 degree increments around the wound. Something is buried in that trunk and girdling it in my opinion. jomoco

Howzabout determining the compass orientation to the tree? Is that orange fuzz on the north side? The shadiest side? When I can't ID something growing on a client's tree, I take a sample to my local county plant pathology lad for analysis and ID. A week later both the client and I can go over a fact based report, then make an informed plan of action. Would be ridiculous to cut down such a large mature euc cuz orange moss was growing on its north side. There again, could be Phytopthera and need removal ASAP. Corroborating second opinions and facts make you worth repeat biz. Thanks for posting Munk. jomoco

Are those gold cheek plates steel or aluminum? jomoco

Makes our eucs in SoCal look puny! Those guys don't leave no stinkin stubs! Humbling to watch. jomoco

What kinda tree was that fractured that poor bloke's leg? Ash? jomoco

Holy mackerel! Them's some mighty fine pics Albedo! Whatever they are? They're most definitely magical. jomoco

That first pic of your's a sycamore elbow Albedo? Amazing wood grain and strength! jomoco

Nada mucho señor Draper! jomoco

20 years old is an excellent age to be in trees! jomoco

Even helmetless bums who think they know sumfin bout cranes n such mate? jomoco

There is nothing wrong with your TV set, we control the vertical, we control the horizontal......... [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lImaly19Yps[/ame] Part one of six. Harlan Ellison who wrote The Demon with the Glass Hand, actually sued the producers of The Terminator blockbuster movie, claiming the movie's theme had been plagiarized from his story broadcast on The Outer Limits TV show. Do any of you Brits recall a TV show called The Scarecrow that starred Patrick McGoohan in the early 60's? It was sort of a modern take on The Scarlet Pimpernel that involved McGoohan wearing a scarecrow's mask whilst saving the day. This is the same bloke that had great success later starring in the British TV show The Prisoner, which had such a fantastic opening theme song. [ame] [/ame] jomoco

Close Nomad, it was a 5lb CO2 bottle and regulator! Rather ungainly I know, but it worked! jomoco

I'm simply stating an opinion guys, take it for what it's worth, or not. May you live long and prosper! jomoco

Johnson's volvo drop test made me glad I have the deluxe Hobb's rather than the GRCS when the dynamic forces are seriously at play. jomoco

With all due respect guys, a little friction is a good thing in my 35 years of experience in this industry. And the number of climbers that have been killed/crippled by having their primary bodyline roll out of a biner is rather sobering, and the reason I never use a biner as a lifeline component, redirects yes, primary lifeline anchor never. Call me an oldschool fuddy duddy, but I'm still alive and climbing! None of your biners can claim their ratings when the force is applied to their gate mechanisms lads, and that's a fact. Atleast use a captive eye biner if you intend to entrust your life on a biner. jomoco