Fir Topping Movie

Oxman

Here's a couple Douglas Fir trees planted inches away from the garage. Twenty years later, they are shoving over the wall & roof eaves. Loong comes the tree mortician.

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Oxman

The foundation is cracking.

Oxman

The roof is leaking.

Oxman

Click here for video of fir topping.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6509320898328126632

Oxman

Portrait of a topper.

Oxman

No disguises.

Eric Frei

It's got me beat why anyone would plant a tree in that spot.

Grow fast, only 20 eh.

I thought you'd wear caddy pads.

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treevet

Thanks for the vid. Hope the camera man doubles as a groundie. Would hate to do all that clean up after climbing.

That saw doesn't sound like it is peaking out right.

treevet

You don't like to leave a few stubs in case your spikes kick or peel out Oxman?

Eric Frei

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newguy18

I usually leave a small limb or stub to tie in with my climbline before topping out a tree,that way somethign can catch me,or if i would get hurt i can bail out.Oxman,caddy pads they are the best.

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old schooler

treevet

I leave lots of stubs on a tree like that. You gotta make other cuts than the top, wood is useless for firewood and there's no rigging going on to hang up on.

Eric Frei

What are you all leaving lots of stubs for? It's a straight up and down easy tree, no rigging, stubs suck! Even if you are rigging you'd leave no stubs (unless doing natural crotch rigging)... sorry, just dont get it, stubs are hazards.

Good thing about palms is they're stub-less.

Surely you dont leave stubs so you can stand on them.

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treevet

Oh yeah!!! Definately leave stubs to also stand on. Maybe 4 inches. Just in spruce/pine rems. Give the old insteps a little rest.

You shave all the stubs in these straight ladder trees, if you slip, your double tie in is useless. It is straight to the ground. Don't you have any of these types of trees over there? It is really a no brainer. I have literally done thousands of them over the 40 years.

Right now we had a drought and thousands of excurrent spruce are dead all over the counties.

1. spike up to the first limb and cut off the whorl of branches leaving maybe 1 or 2 stubs. Hook your lanyard over a stub or 2 and spike up to the next whorl. Add your climbing line if the mood or peer pressure strikes you.

2. Continue this process until the top is droppable after holding and tossing a few that would hit the roof etc. while you cut (with one hand!) and hold the limb with the other. Lots of time a swing toss with the momentum of the branch works well.

3. When the open space allows Blow the top into the yard like in the vid or sometimes I hang the top on a lanyard and carve it up while hanging.

4. Move down and chunk down whatever is safe while hanging your lanyard over the stub/s you left wherever the strategic and safe cut is available.

5. Whenever you and the gm feel it is time to slam the stick you hook your climb line over a STUB and bail out (leaving a pull line (if yanking with the climb line offends you) and presto .....another easy takedown is ready to harvest a paycheck.


leave stubs leave stubs leave stubs ........leave stubs....leave stubs

Eric Frei

I can see a new thread starting.

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treevet

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

treevet

You are invited to the States, and stay with me and in return you just gotta teach me how to take down these highly technical removals.

I'm also gonna have to ask you to teach me how to tie my shoes while you are here as well.

newguy18

Yep,i always leave stubs too,must be a usa thing,sorry,3 falls is enough,i'd rather get a bruise from a stub than fall again.

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old schooler

rbtree

Why.....?

you scared you'll slip?

I never leave stubs, unless I'm doing a spurless removal, which i find to be fun now and then. Double gaff outs are rare, but if it were to happen, they'll dig right back in. I do remember falling 3 feet once--to the ground....scary.

Plus, a fair percentage of the conifers we remove are being sold as logs, so each knot is cut flush.

When chunking down the stick, I do choke my lifeline....and often have my climb line on just overhead while limbing...presto, the (pretty much non existent) problem solved.

Conifer removals are a dime a dozen out in tall tree country....we could do 'em in our sleep..

Doug fir is far from useless as firewood....same heat value as big leaf maple. Hemlock is good as well.

treevet

Last year took down a 140 foot white pine. Love to watch a guy kick out and free fall from the top of that shaved pole. The flip line would pin his face right into the trunk and he would need a face transplant if he survived the fall. With a few well placed stubs the fall is probable gonna be about 6 to 10 feet.

rbtree

stubs are for rookies

which I reckon I might be...only been climbing for 37 years.......

treevet

Your experience compared to mine probable comparable to a kid in kindergarten telling a college grad how to write a thesis.

Gotta to go out for a while, not dodging anybody. RB, Mr. big tree country guy, don't get scared ....I'll be back.

Eric Frei

For all the stub climbers here's your hero!
http://www.treeworld.info/f7/hope-wa...html#post13308

Oh, also if you rely on stubs to prevent a fall.


LOL, I'm gonna run out of ink for that stamp on you blokes.

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rbtree

Awwwwwwriigghhhhttttt, Ahhhhhhnold

newguy18

lol,but you also wear chaps while climbing,plus you always have 2 tie ins,I've spent the whole day doing work with just spurs and my climbline or just a flipline,no worries.I only leave a stub to catch my lifeline if i'd slip,which is unlikely,plus i natural crotch rig,so i have an excuse.

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old schooler

Jeff Darby

You's blokes are crazy no stubs! they only get in the way.

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Member: Australian Tree Association

Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard !

Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others

© Jeffrey J Darby 2011

treevet

You had to edit that post Roger? Just how old is your hack ass anyway (37 years of exp).

rbtree

pffsssstttttt......


i misspelled awwwrrrriiiggggghhhhhtttttttttt..



Ahhhhhnold......


I'll be 60 in June, you old greybeard.........and can outclimb or ground all but a few of any age.

and ski 55 degree slopes......so, it ain't likely that 120 feet of smooth tree below me is gonna do anything but make me feel......


...high

nor does it bother any conifer climber out in these parts....


...worth his salt.

Oxman

Interesting replies. Here's one take on the issue of stubs.

Control over falling doug fir limbs can allow them to be directed towards a clear drop zone on one side of the tree. This control can be achieved by rip cutting the limb flush into the trunk, and allowing it to partially peel away a section of trunk.

This ripping motion can allow the limb to slowly break over, since it is supported by a slab of trunk wood, which tears slowly.

The speed of the cut is combined with the direction the climber intends to push the limb after it separates from the tree. The climber can push straight up on the limb before beginning the cut to relieve pressure on the hinge wood, preventing sudden release of the cut limb. Try doing THAT with two hands on the saw.

Believe it or not, more control can sometimes be achieved without an undercut.
Making these extra flush cuts can preclude leaving stubs. Claus Mattheck has some great diagrams in his book, "Stupsi Explains The Tree". Each illustration in the book has a mathematical formula associated with it. The leverage close to the trunk is proven to be remarkably different right about where tempory tie-in stubs would be located, only a few inches away.

The diameter of the limb is also slightly larger at the branch collar, and the wood grain has a more conical structure, as opposed to cylindrical, which can provide more opportunities for manipulating the cut.

Many times the cut begins on the side of the limb, with the chainsaw bar held vertical.

Conifers in particular are sensitive to cutting the band of tension wood fibers that runs in a 'strap' along the top of the limb. This type of wood fiber 'suspends' the limb from the trunk above the base of the limb attachment point. In contrast, broadleaf trees have a completely different type of limb support physiology, which 'shoves' the lateral limbs upward into a supported position.

The mark of proficiency is how the climber performs the 'release' of the limb at the end of the cutting operation. The rotation of the falling limb is guided by the last bit of remaining holding wood that prevents the butt of the work from dropping. As the tip begins to drop, the timing of the completion of the cut depends on saw control by the operator.

Whether to leave stubs here or there as convenient 'handles' is a different matter.

rbtree

Good explanation, Ox..