Thanks for your input treevet, you should post more often.
When you say double choked then yes, for most of those lifts I used both chains but never more than about 6 inches apart otherwise I?d of had to keep adjusting the length.
I?ve been asked many times about balancing points and I wish I had a more informative and satisfactory explanation to give but unfortunately its like ? {Well, I just keep heading out on a limb until a voice in my head says ?Stop, this is it?}
So?. not much use to anyone really! e.g.
Snap cut tree felling
Any way, Re: the cuts ? I get the crane-operator to take the weight only, I don?t want it lifting while the cuts are incomplete.
I?ve found with chains its easy to mistakenly offset the alignment of the jib due to their weight/length/momentum plus the temptation to reach out and grab the chains without first allowing the crane-operator chance to let them settle. For this reason I?ll favor a snap/bypass-cut; so if I am indeed accidentally offset with the jib alignment I can still make the cuts but move to a safer position before the actual lift.
With slings the alignment is far more predictable so I often feel confident enough to front-cut and then straight through the back.
Obviously I?m constantly watching and monitoring what?s happening as I?m cutting, although the saw-cuts are often all I need to tell me everything about the balance-point, alignment, tension etc. Also, it?s not unusual to ask the operator to tweak his position or tension slightly while in the midst of cutting, especially if it?s a large spreading section and I?m trying to balance foliage against timber.
I think so long as you stay cool, focused and logical when working with cranes it can be done quite comfortably so, even for first-timers. However, a climber or crew that spooks easily can get into all sorts of trouble, they can see things that either aren?t there or vice-versa because they?re not thinking clearly. And try to remember that the view of what seems achievable from the ground often differs from that observed by the climber in the tree. However, I do believe the better judgment should favor the most experienced individual on the site, whoever that may be.
I hope that answers your questions treevet, sorry if I went a little overboard but I thought the extras might just be useful to someone else.