Aerial Arborist

Heresy I know, but I will use my gaffs on a tree that stays when it is appropriate for me to do so. I define appropriate whenever my safety or maneuverability in the tree is enhanced. In these situations I go into "lightfoot mode" where I don't plant them solidly, but only use the points to avoid slipping. These minor wounds, most of which don't penetrate the Cambium layer, will heal more rapidly than the limbs I trim. Also I don't use them at all (while wearing them) whenever I can stand on a branch instead.

For me it's the LockJack all the way. The SpiderJack looks good, but it's major failing is that it lacks the ability to be placed on the line at any point, it must be threaded on from an end. Lockjack Sport | Flickr - Photo Sharing! I have also recently acquired a Unicender, very slick, and works in SRT unlike the LockJack. It doesn't self tend as well as the LockJack though, so my go to device is the LockJack.

Here's a video of my latest work. I'm trying out a new ropeman. [ame] [/ame]

The Fusion swivel is my harness' main attachment point, and it is true that when on SRT alone it isn't needed. However, when attaching a second line for positioning, whether SRT or DRT, having both tie ins originate at the swivel makes things easier.

I'm not real sure what you are asking here, but I did try various combinations of attachment for the pulley, which is there to advance the CMI rope grab w/foot loop on the right leg as the CMI pantin on my left foot is engaged. And no, I have not tried it out yet, it's been below zero here in Pittsburgh all week.

I'm building a rig for SRT climbing based on the Unicender. Here is the setup I'm working with: Note how I've incorporated a pulley for advancing my CMI rope grab with foot loop. Thoughts? Comments?

Lockjack Sport | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Spend a day on the LockJack and you won't go back to tying and tending knots all day. I'm experimenting with a Unicender on SRT and will have a thread soon with pics and videos on what I have come up with.

I just bought a large stainless steel Porta-Wrap and the technique of tying up the top looks good to me. I'm gonna try it next time I get it out.

Here's Debi, my number one tree hugger!

Great video, very inspirational. I'm building an SRT rig based on a Unicender and seeing that guy fly around that Sycamore like that on SRT tells me I'm doing the right thing.

Let me be the first to welcome the Jets and their fans to Pittsburgh next week. GO STEELERS!

I'd have to agree with that. I have a Howa 300 Winchester Magnum that can propel the .30 caliber bullet with the flat line trajectory and speed of a .270. Considerably more energy on the target though, especially as the range to it increases. For hunting deer here in the Pennsylvania woodlands a friend made up some special loads that tamed the canon to the equivalent of a 30.06 lightly loaded, or a 7.62 NATO round ballistically. Much more pleasurable to shoot, and still very effective on deer. As I remember it was a 165 grain boat tail nossler propelled by 70 grains of Bullseye. Fun to take the Howa out to the range and cap off a magnum load. the muzzle blast and concussion of that thing going off usually stops all shooting while the other shooters try to figure out WTF that magnum blast was about. more Wumph indeed.

Here is another video of what I considered a dangerous widow maker removal. I'm sure that some will call me a "wanker" or worse for wearing my gaffs on a tree that stays but I make that call on an individual basis and when wearing my spikes in this case, and others like it, I use a "soft footed" technique where the gaffs only play a supporting role, and are only used with great care. Notice how little I use them and how I don't don't dig them in as I would for a complete removal. Widow Maker: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c33XgrUL6OE]YouTube - Widowmaker[/ame] My key concern was that the limb that was broken was being held up by a much smaller limb and I didn't know how secure the remaining attachment was at the point of fracture. Turns out it was pretty solid, but still a concern.

Actually I do, someone I can trust to do the work safely and damage free as well as teach me better and safer techniques.

Here is my current ride, a 1978 Yamaha SR500E model. 500cc's is more than enough for me now in my senior years.

Actually I've hired two experienced climbers but they were found to be lacking. I'm looking for a really good one to help me out and learn from. Any volunteers to come stateside and help an old man out? I promise that I won't send you up any tree that I wouldn't climb myself.

I got my first bike at age 16, a brand new BSA "Lightning Rocket" 650cc twin. I've had dozens since then and hadn't had one for a couple of decades when I traded tree work for this: Seemed like a good deal until it put me in the hospital for a week with 11 broken bones in my chest. LifeFlight by helicopter saved my life and only cost $10,488 for the ride.

That one worked out to $400 and hour for me and my most experienced ropeman, my wife Debi. She set the price. The customer's male relatives handled the cut up and cleanup and they looked to get much of their money back selling cordwood from it. Her maiden name is Asplundh and her Father and Uncle started the company. I was astonished to get the job with all her relatives working for a major tree company here in the States. It would seem there are no Family discounts from that corporate tree service company.

And it was at that point that the saw ran out of gas and the camera ran out of battery. Staying up there while the saw was being serviced gave me time to consider my situation for a good while. It never occurred to me to come down with the saw. Sure, I'm all ears, but you kinda had to be there.

Right Monkey-D, I am a rank beginner with a lot to learn about climbing trees. Being an old retired guy I could have taken up golf or shuffleboard at my age but decided that climbing trees would be more of a challenge for me than either of those. I just wish I would have started 20 years ago, at an age when some of you are considering retirement. But I'm learning fast, and although that tree may have been ill advised to climb, I did pull it off and learned from the experience.

You can get usable video out of cheap pocket cams nowadays, here is one I shot with an iPod nano: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWMOM3tEkvs]YouTube - Valley Tree Drop[/ame] I bought a Sony CyberShot pocket camera and mounted it on my climbing helmet. Here's the first video using it: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLIOrlS6VZ8]YouTube - Climbing Helmet Cam[/ame]

The video thing is something I decided to add to my website to promote my work and it has worked. It all started when a customer made a video of a takedown I did on her rather large and threatening Oak near her house. She used a cheap "Flip" camera and the video is poor, but her commentary was priceless. The cuts I make on the tree before felling it are to clear her other trees on the drop. The limbs I dropped there are bigger than most trees I trim. The first one had to miss the well, and the second had to swing laterally to miss the porch. After that there was only a small slot to put it down in. Here is "Monster Oak" for your viewing pleasure: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXOW6DSGAvE]YouTube - Felling Monster Oak[/ame] Who would not hire me after seeing that tricky drop? Actually more technical than tricky. My wife and I were there for a total of three hours for the work, including this bit before to decide what to charge: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE1iSs8xR6c&NR=1]YouTube - The First Look[/ame]

I got the one shown in the video from a neighbor for $50. He shot the thing at me from about 150' ~ I was impressed and immediately tied a cord to it and shot it up into a tree. The shoulder stock is an option and worth it because it really helps in aiming it. Here it is for sale at Cabella's: Cabela's: Retrieve-R-Trainer and Kit

I use these 084s, one in each hand for heavy pruning jobs. That's why Stihl makes a left and a right handed model.

As yes, I've brought those in, but I don't know of one tall enough to be helpful for that tree.