dadio

I'd say the balance point was much closer to the far sling (tip side) than the near

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3rQJvL9LZQ]tulips across driveway.mov - YouTube[/ame] couple cool drops from yesterday...

We need to get clear on definitions.... holding wood USED to refer to hinge wood, though the term isn't used for that purpose much any more.. With all the plunge cutting and back release falling going on these days does holding wood now refer to the back strap???

I recently started my mother on d manose for recurring UTI, and though very preliminary, the results so far are good. Seems that this product is particularly well respected and used in the UK. Its a sugar which is extracted from beech and birch.. Does anyone know much more about that process or have other relevant info.. If this product is as good as what I've been reading, it would be good to get it out there. A very good physician here int he US told me there hasn't been a lot of research done. Which makes sense in the US, because if is not patentable, then no one is going to spend 100s of million s of $ to get it tested and approved.. Just one part of the big dysfunctional "health care" system here.. D-mannose in bulk | Wholesale prices d'mannose This link provides some good information... Thanks,

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crapyE4c6ow]cuttin' Trees 4_.mov - YouTube[/ame] lots of fun crash and bang ... 7 minutes

The coos bay is a slightly different cut.. where 2 kerf cuts are made from either side with a small strip of uncut "hinge" wood left in the middle, pointing in the direction of fall.. when that wood is cut from the back, the tree will simply fall to the lean at some point, not having enough fibers in tact at the stump to cause a barber chair.

The first thing that fell was his baseball hat, then a few seconds later the saw went sailing.. Seems like the only thing that saved him from hitting the trunk hard was that the tail of his climbing line was dropping through a crotch on the side he was making the cut.. his swing must have been stopped by the limb falling on the tail of the line.. he might have died otherwise, hanging upside down and unconscious for how long before they could get him down.. Lanyard or no lanyard he still broke the lowering line by leaving all that slack.. so that was the first mistake. of course the lack of a second tie in (lanyard) could have killed him, so that is not to be taken lightly.. I wonder if he realizes how lucky he is to be alive.. noticed he was at least wearing a hard hat when in the post action comments.. Winder if he still does tree work?

Its a prentice.. 120 most likely

Great work and demonstration of proper cuts to use good hinges upstairs. Nice control, saving time while setting the saw and pushing with both hands makes things perfectly safe.

The video has been pulled form youtube, as your recommendations seem valid. More emphasis will be put on the precautions when the video is re-edited. Thank you.

I've seen this clip a few times and just noticed something important now.. He left a big loop of slack in the lowering line... which gave the piece a lot of drop, maybe 6-8' before there was any brake at all.. the forces built up in that drop were huge, which is what caused the line failure.. I really like to use small homemade slings out of old 1/2" line with a small steel shackle, as redirects... by tying the sling off to one side and doing the same with where the rope is tied to the piece, its fairly easy to keep the rope out of harms way during the back cut...

The Americans went off on this one... over 80 posts / 2000 views so far, some nasty stuff... some funny too...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vhn4_BgikM]Falling Compilation 3 - YouTube[/ame] I always liked this vid.. though it has only 1,000 views, got some Van Morrison on there. I think it was never posted here.. hope you like it..

This is more of a formal "training" video, which was produced in 2009.. It was produced on a shoe string budget (american slang for VERY LOW)... showing graphics with voice over and shots from the field demonstrating the principles in action.. Might seem pretty basic to many.. Still a challenge to get these concepts across so that even a novice can understand them... I would like to use better examples, and 3-d animation etc if I had the budget and time.. this will have to do for now.. Your feedback is welcome.. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07DiSk74vUE]Near Balance Point Rigging Tutorial.mov - YouTube[/ame]

Thanks, Glad you enjoyed it and surprised it did not stir up any controversy.. the yanks sure had a go at it!

[ame] [/ame] Here's a video I put up on youtube some time ago.. Pretty sure it was never posted here... There were some fun cuts.. Sure this wqill get the critics going as well.. ITS ON!

He handles that rear handle saw like a toy.. I've noticed big srtong climbers tend to one hand a lot, and when they are inexperienced or just don't care. they tend to do it from awkward and potentially dangerous positions. Scary stuff. They do it becasuse they think they can, and don't realize that with only one hand on the saw, they have no control if the saw jumps for any reason.. Taking your second hand off a saw so you can rest it at your side, while making a horizontal cut right in front of your gut, is ill-advised, as was the way he pulled the saw out of the cut and swung it around his body at high RPM's, while he pushed with his other hand.. He obviously is quite comfortable in a saddle, and that is the type of saw handling that one can get away with for an entire career... OR NOT.. it only takes one mistake and game over! A buddy of mine just showed me pics of this highly experieinced climber in Virginia that took a saw to the neck while taking out a 30' pine top.. Top must have pushed back on teh cut, or the chain hung up and pushed the saw back.. Gruesome pics.. heard it came 3 mm from his jugular...

I believe there is one line about making sure the living tissue is not damaged on deadwood where there is irregular callous growth on the branch collar, which results in leaving a stub.. I have recommended changes regarding stubs in other areas, which have yet to be accepted.. Change takes time.. and is often hindered by mindsets that will not question what they have been taught.

I have never seen that reaction on small stubs. Maybe on some fruite tree that has been hit hard, but certainly not onTulip.. And I have been "experimenting" with leaving stubs on different species and different sized limbs etc for some years. In thinking about all the stubs left by homeowners, I've never seen it on their stubs either. Perhaps I need to pay better attention.. Here's a quote from BCMA, a highly repsected author and presenter at conferences etc over here. 1 1/2" cuts do not all need to be perfectly "clean". collars not a huge deal when the tissue is very young. Guy Meilleur

Glad you liked the vertical speed line vid Reg.. It wasn't explained at all on the video, and the VSL was hard to see on screen, so it went right over a lot of heads.. It's extremely rare that I'll have a need to use it, as I rarely drop tops that have any chance of hanging up. I expect you'll put it to good use from time to time, on those west cost monster conifers. Thanks for the compliments and thanks to all of you for your kind words and encouragement.

I've read the ISA best management practices, read Gilman's book on pruning, taken a number of courses many years ago, and have kept up with the discussions on line for some years.. I made recommendation to the ANSI board for making changes in the ANSI pruning standards, some of which were accepted.. I have also written an article about getting past Shigo, that I have yet to submit for publication.. Those stubs don't bother me, as they are a long way from the ground and not easily seen.. I suppose I could be more careful, though sometimes when using a handsaw even with what seems like a good undercut, a small limb will crack down past the undercut.. When aesthetics are important, I make a better effort..

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIR_TVqDyj4]EXTREME precision in tree falling.mov - YouTube[/ame] first 18 seconds show a slow motion tree falling... target was a 4' round of wood, distance over 50' from the hinge to the center of the target. Round was split perfectly in half. Second fall is a backleaning maple spar, with a tight LZ between a driveway and a house. third tree was a little back leaning corkscrew willow. These cuts were made in the course of two days.

Nice work matty.. yes, this type of work can be done well by a good climber, BUT in my territory, those types of climbers are few and far in between.. Most companies are hacks, I've seen horrible pruning done by even some of the bigger names.. As far as the stubs.. I personally have transcended the knee jerk reaction to target prune every cut. I AM diligent when the cut is important.. But in many cases, such as making small cuts on branch tips, it makes NO difference to the long term health of the tree to when those stubs are left.. It is far worse to cut in to the live tissue of the remaining wood, which is often the case when target pruning is attempted.. I know you guys are going to jump all over that thinking.. BUT.. tell me where you get your knowledge about how bad leaving stubs are... (when left on branch tips) .. it is only because if your training.. Its the way you were taught and you have yet to question the why... You have no empirical evidence to argue against the practice, nor is there any science... You are simply mindlessly doing as you were told.. I don't have that problem Before you go crazy with your mudslining.. just come up with the science... where is the paper that shows the harm done by leaving stubs on branch tips? Also.. here's a PM I got on an American site and my reply.. For your consideration.. I try to avoid that practice, though I used to do it all the time. I do not suggest it.. if the client asks for it, I explain that is is harmful for the tree and better to leave the lower limbs so as not to make wounds on the trunk, and keep the shade on the trunk and root zone, keep away soil compacting traffic etc.. if they still insist, I suggest heavy reduction cuts on these limbs rather than removal, as it is better to allow the tree to keep the limb(s), or even if the limb dies, better to let the stub die, then cut off the dead portion after it is clear exactly where the collar is etc.. They usually listen Good luck with everything.. D

I was just getting warmed up on this one.. wait til the "extreme precision falling" vid... coming up soon... I didn't force the situation.. it all just worked out... I would have made the cut with or without the new man on site... When you know you have it.. its not over-confidence.. Believe me, I've changed my mind on falling many trees, and opted for rigging them out...

I enjoy a challenge, and the original price was cut by 15%.. and to me that was not risky... It was 100%, or I wouldn't have taken it that way.. I was working with an arborist I knew from on line.. He's a hurricane chaser with over 20 years experience, and has hired some of the best contract climbers in the country, doing storm clean up. It was his second day working with our crew.. When I set the cut up, he said to the skid steer operator.. "he's crazy"... The op told him to relax.."Daniel's got this"... Two days later he asked for a "falling lesson", and believe it or not. no one had ever showed him how to use the gunning lines...