Tree guys, Arborists and Riggers… I have questions …

[superj]

I just cut the ones I can reach with a pole saw on a ladder. I figure the trees have as much a right to be there as I do.

Really, I want more trees and have planted an oak and a pecan. I don't know what my other trees are but they seem to rot out from the inside and are all hollow now.

But yup, pole saw and ladder for me

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have no experience on ascenders since I’ve only gone down obstacles and not up.

For a decender, I strongly recommend a super 8. I can’t remember if that is the complete name but it might be. It is a bigger ring with a smaller ring in the shape of an 8 with “fingers” to prevent the rope from wrapping the wrong way and having bad things happen.

Padding in the harness is a good thing. The chest harness takes the strain off your abs and back by giving your upper body support.

Make sure your ropes for prussics is at least 8mm. Any smaller and they can be a bear to break loose. Especially when wet.

You can use prussic loops as an ascender. One for each foot. An ascender tool for the hands/harness makes it easier from what I’m told.

I have a regular figure 8 already, I believe you are correct that the super 8 is the one with fingers. Never worked with a super 8, but am comfortable with the regular. Never worked an ascender/decender except the ones at the climbing wall which were arched at the ground. They were big clunky things with a fold out handle. No idea what they were called. I’ve been doing some research and the ones I picked out are rated pretty high. The Akimbo I wasn’t really going to really consider after seeing the price, but I found a legit shop offering a big discount on it, so…

Prussics I heard recommended at 8-10mm. 28” was the recommended length but so far I keep finding 30”

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I used to be SPRAT certified and did high-angle inspections of dams, penstocks, etc; my son does arborist work. What you should look for is a low-stretch static line for working or for tensioned loads such as forcing a tree/branch to fall a certain way. If you are climbing structures (not rock climbing) and using a full body harness you need a dynamic line as your backup for belay that will take shock loading and soften the impact if you fall. There are so many newer ascend/descend devices now it's amazing. If you are ascending and working at heights like tree work you need a locking type device like a GriGri or shunt so you can release the rope and use your hands. To me tree work is the most dangerous type of climbing, nothing like a spinning chain saw and falling branches to wake you up.

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Thankfully we don’t have a lot of super tall trees around here. Not intending on having to do a lot of limbing or such, probably most of the climbing will be to get a pull rope where it’s needed. Easier and safer to do most of the cutting on the ground. I’ve also learned that if there’s stuff around you would rather avoid smashing, a pull rope to help get it going where you want it is invaluable. The higher you get that rope, the better chance of getting the desired result. And on some of the trees can mean that I can pull it with my truck and a long tow strap and remove the stump too in one shot. I’ll probably end up with way better gear than I’ll ever really need, but it’s easier and safer to do things with better gear most of the time. Much as I’d love to try doing some rock climbing (and at some point I might try it), I don’t think my body will appreciate it as well as years ago

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I just use a really long pruning saw and maybe a ladder....I don't like heights....

I don’t mind it too much. The sudden stop at the bottom is more concerning than the height.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I just cut the ones I can reach with a pole saw on a ladder. I figure the trees have as much a right to be there as I do.

Really, I want more trees and have planted an oak and a pecan. I don't know what my other trees are but they seem to rot out from the inside and are all hollow now.

But yup, pole saw and ladder for me

Generally, both myself and my dad agree that we would rather not cut trees if we can help it. Unfortunately, there’s a number of weak trees that should have been cut when the property was cleared for building, but despite the former tree cutter friend telling us we would regret it at the time, we wanted to leave as many trees as possible. Well, these trees are proving to be a problem. Plus add in the ones that naturally die and are within range of structures and storm damaged trees, well…

we plant as many good solid trees as we can, planted maples, oaks, black walnut, hickory, dogwood, weeping willow, bald cypress, pines and hemlocks. I want to get some cedars and try my hand again at getting some giant sequoias going

 

[CrabGuy]

I hate taking out trees unless they are a threat to property. The trees in my pic were 75' Sitka Spruces that were were diseased and nearly dead. My neighbors were worried because they dropped widow makers in the high coastal winds. I'm with you on climbing big trees, that's not me up there limbing/topping that tree, I leave that to the pros. Cash works wonders in Oregon and there's no shortage of tree removal experts.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I hate taking out trees unless they are a threat to property. The trees in my pic were 75' Sitka Spruces that were were diseased and nearly dead. My neighbors were worried because they dropped widow makers in the high coastal winds. I'm with you on climbing big trees, that's not me up there limbing/topping that tree, I leave that to the pros. Cash works wonders in Oregon and there's no shortage of tree removal experts.

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Yeah, I’m not looking to be a tree expert, just be able to safely deal with what we have. Anything too sketchy I have no problems using an expert. Most of the tree guys around here are ridiculous expensive or scammers. Just easier to do most of the work ourselves.

 

[superj]

Same here for most stuff

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So I’ve started ordering stuff… probably crazy, but whatever. Still need to pick a harness. Need a throw weight. Probably should get a flip line too. Might get some climbing line, the rigging store has a purple 12 strand but I don’t know if it’s good for climbing or not. Not sure what else…

I have 5 locking carabiners, a length of climbing rope, 2 figure 8s, and a mini pulley.

I have a 600‘ spool of 1/2” poly Dacron coming, couple Prussik cords, Rock Exotica Akimbo ascender/decender, and a Notch Jet Step foot ascender.

Thinking of fabricating my own Port-A-Wrap type device.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I heard not to use the spikes unless the whole tree will be cut down. The tree guys around here that I have seen at the neighboring properties don't seem to use much. A rope for them, one to pull their chain saw up, and maybe a couple of pulleys, carabiners and snatch blocks....

Whatever you purchase, I suggest pony up for the good stuff, no HF crap, or even HD. Go to a mom and pop shop. Or a mom and pop online shop. I have a local Toro dealer that carries only quality name brand stuff. The Stihl weedwacker I bought from them cost about twice as much, but is 10 times better than anything at the big box stores. The guy behind the counter had the time, attention, and knowledge to help me narrow down my options, and I have been happy with every purchase made there so far.

Also if you have any buddies, or anybody, local that is into this stuff, maybe check out/ try out their equipment. Test drives are very informative.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I heard not to use the spikes unless the whole tree will be cut down. The tree guys around here that I have seen at the neighboring properties don't seem to use much. A rope for them, one to pull their chain saw up, and maybe a couple of pulleys, carabiners and snatch blocks....

Whatever you purchase, I suggest pony up for the good stuff, no HF crap, or even HD. Go to a mom and pop shop. Or a mom and pop online shop. I have a local Toro dealer that carries only quality name brand stuff. The Stihl weedwacker I bought from them cost about twice as much, but is 10 times better than anything at the big box stores. The guy behind the counter had the time, attention, and knowledge to help me narrow down my options, and I have been happy with every purchase made there so far.

Also if you have any buddies, or anybody, local that is into this stuff, maybe check out/ try out their equipment. Test drives are very informative.

Not getting spikes at this time. I’ve heard that too about them. I’d rather work from a rope. The flip line I’d think I’d use more if I have to switch climbing ropes to get higher in a tree or something. Not sure if it’s really needed, but it was a thought I had. I could get away with just a harness and rope, but it will be easier to get up and down with the gear I already ordered.

The harness is what’s really holding me up. Im having a hard time with the idea of dropping $4-600 on a half harness that the pros would use. Found a half harness from Petzl for $65 and I found some highly rated whole harnesses in off-brands on Amazon for under $100.

The only person I know that I trust their input on tree climbing locally bought his stuff 30+ years ago and just uses a harness and rope

 

[sgtsandman]

Beyond the basic advice I gave is all I have to offer. Anything more would be just based on my limited understanding and while might be relevant for rappelling, could be completely wrong from felling and limbing a tree.

I do agree on the assessment of spikes. I’ve only seen the used on trees totally coming down and on telephone poles. Because of the harness setup, the tree has to be pretty straight and any limbs would have to be cleared or a second strap would be needed to transverse the limbs. The hook up seems to be different too. The strap is attached to a ring at each hip instead of to a central loop at the stomach. While actively cutting, a strap may be best practice for security but that is only speculation on my part and may be incorrect.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Beyond the basic advice I gave is all I have to offer. Anything more would be just based on my limited understanding and while might be relevant for rappelling, could be completely wrong from felling and limbing a tree.

I do agree on the assessment of spikes. I’ve only seen the used on trees totally coming down and on telephone poles. Because of the harness setup, the tree has to be pretty straight and any limbs would have to be cleared or a second strap would be needed to transverse the limbs. The hook up seems to be different too. The strap is attached to a ring at each hip instead of to a central loop at the stomach. While actively cutting, a strap may be best practice for security but that is only speculation on my part and may be incorrect.

Yeah, the strap used with with spikes is a flip line. Couple other names for it. There’s steel core lines that are easier to get around a tree and easier to flip up a tree when climbing and there’s rope ones. Not sure about the steel core ones, but the rope ones usually are long enough to make two loops so you put the second loop around to advance the primary past a branch. I’m thinking I’ll probably just do a steel core , figure most of its use would be stability while cutting or changing climbing ropes. Of course, that means ideally I’ll get a harness that has the side rings.

Was talking with my sort of adopted cousin today after church, apparently both her and her boyfriend like climbing so I’m thinking I might see about doing a little climbing with them at some point

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I bought some spikes and a waist belt from Kijiji. The guy ( retired linesman) told me to be careful with spikes on trees because they can slip if you dont get thru the bark into actual wood.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]