me topping out walnut trees

sbunnell07

heres a couple of pictures of me that the homeowner took while i was topping a few walnut trees for a logger buddy of mine. i use karl kuemmerling safety saddle number 1, petzl microscender flipline combo, carbon fiber geckos, poison hi-vy climbing line (i used to use drt with a blakes now i use a valdotain tresse with a hitch climber pulley on a split tail system. I LOVE IT!!!) oh and lets not forget.....stihl chainsaws......ohhhhh yeahhhh.

Attached Thumbnails

   

stirmantrees

thanks for sharing.
have you considered using safety glasses or hardhat?
probably going to hear something about that from others as they are very serious about safety around here.(thats a good thing)
how long have you been climbing??

sbunnell07

man i've been climbing for almost 12 years now and i only used saftey equipment when i was working for an A-1 pruning style tree service back when i was a newbie. I HATE taking off my saftey glasses and wiping them off every 5 seconds and I HATE how a helmet not only limits my perspective but they are cumbersome and hot. look....the way i see it is, it's already dangerous.....i might as well be comfortable. i have 100 percent faith in my abillities and the gear i use. I now subcontract to many tree services and loggers throughout indiana and several tree services nationwide as a freelance tree climber and no one complains about how i climb at all.....climb hard bro. peace.

Apocalypsse

No PPE & topping... dude...

stirmantrees

I just have a genuine concern for the wellbeing of others. Even things like mechanical failures or a pin not screwed back in on the headache ball on the crane by a groundie can come loose and get you. be safe and just keep making it home.

Apocalypsse, i have to assume that he was getting them prepped for felling.

sbunnell07

ok....dude.... first of all if i dont want to use any saftey equipment, that's my choice. If I get hurt or fined by osha, that's my own problem to deal with. that's how i climb and thats what has been working for me for a long time. i work for myself and i am good at what i do. and the umpteen million companies i sub to will tell you i'm one of the best they have seen. ever.

second of all...these walnut trees were being topped not to be topped but "topped out" for the purpuse of felling the trunk and then loading it sections that are called.....oh yeah, logs...on to a....i think its called a trailer....so that they can be brought to a place known as a....sawmill...i think it is....yeah i know that topping trees are bad, and i don't do it...i do whats called "crown reduction". oh and another thing...i trim with my spikes on.....how do you feel about that?....dude....

Sean Freeman

Oh brother, part of me seriously hopes you are just pulling our legs about your attitude to OH&S.

If not, and you pictures imply not ....then I merely hope that your blatant disregard for safety does not harm you or others, although I suspect the opposite is more likely.

If you worked here you would be guilty of numerous breaches of our Workplace Health and Safety legislation, that when it is enforced has financial penalties attached.

sbunnell07

and the correct answer is.................BINGO!!!! that's right my friend....getting them prepped for felling..... oh by the way....i trim with my spikes on.....hehe

Apocalypsse

Dont have to be a smartass about it. Down here we you dont here the term 'topping out' too often so my apologies for that. But no PPE tho, our instructors would go apeshit if they ever saw that and say some... not nice things. Also as far as I understand pruning with spikes on is against Australian Standards 4373 so you dont see many people doing that here.

sbunnell07

Mr. Freeman

Please forgive my um....blatant disregard for safety and policy. Although I realize that my methods are unorthodox and what others feel as unsafe, I have adapted to my own style and methods of removing large and hazardous trees, trimming trees, crown reducing trees....etc. which seems to work quite well with few to little incidents and complaints from others. In fact, I come HIGHLY recommended by the tree services I provide services for, customers I provide services for and anyone who has ever seen me work. I do not condone my methods. I do not encourage others to practice the same methods. I am out here competing with cuthroats and backstabbers so that I can feed my kid, so please, forgive me if i don't use a cambium saver and wear my spikes when I trim....I'm out here making the best of my career as a climber (12 years) and making the best money I can make. Although I do care about trees, I'm driven by making money.....who isn't. Let's face it, I know a few certified arborists that haven't kept up with their ceu's and lost their credentials.....You think they really care so much about trees that they would spend all their time learning about their field? No. They want what looks good on black and white so they can make money. The bottom line for me is..... the phone rings.... A LOT......I work, I make money and my kid is well taken care of.

sbunnell07

I wouldnt know because umm....I work for myself and make my own decisions..... I could probably climb circles around any instructor that you know. Like I said in one of the other posts, I sub out to about two dozen tree companies in my state and about a dozen others throughout the states. I'm good at what I do and I love what I do and the bottom line is I make good money doing it. I finally made a career out of it. I have NEVER made an insurance claim and more importantly I have NEVER hurt anyone. So although my methods are against standards and yeah...accidents do happen....(with or without gear) I was made to dismantle trees and that's what I do best. So if you cant cut without knowing how to keep your eye from getting gouged out or having something fall and break your skull, that's not my fault.

sbunnell07

Oh by the way...and not to be rude but....your suspicions are wrong. I have NEVER hurt anyone on a job site, NOT ONCE. I have hurt myself a select few times (was on cruthes for a couple of weeks) and have had several occasions when I almost lost my life. These things happen in this business, quite frequently on a monthly basis. A lot of those people were wearing saftey equipment too. Even the ones that get killed on the ground by "struck bys" You think the guy up there holding the saw was me? Nope. Could it be? Yes it may very well be and I pray to almighty god that I never have to endure that. I feel that equipment only HINDERS my ability to be safe. Its cumbersome, it blocks my vision, it gets snagged in the brush, it gets in the way and several other things that slow me down and make feel uncomfortable, only CREATING more danger instead of preventing it. I use a harness, spurs, rope and SELECT few other items that are all purchased from a LEGITIMATE arborist supply dealer, and I use them well. I have NEVER hurt anyone or submitted a claim in my entire career and I plan on keeping it that way. I was born to climb and I do it how I feel. I am not careless to my saftey or the safety of others, I am not careless towards others homes or properties or belongings. I am kind to my customers and I have had little to no complaints about my methods or work ethics from them or the people I subcontract to. No I don't work there......I work out here.

Jeff Darby

Good luck on you still being alive and doing well, However here in Australia NO reputable business would let you on their work site, they couldnt afford to with you not wearing the correct PPE, All of us have had to master the awkward feeling of wearing our helmets,saftey glassess while climbing and doing ground work.
This site is all about saftey and most folk will point your lack of PPE everytime you post with out it being worn. Good luck.

__________________

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

Eric Frei

Scott,

Welcome.

Wow, you certainly copped a baptism of fire, lucky ya got a thick skin.

You remind me a lot of a guy here called Simon, he climbs a lot with little PPE too, he's the guy in the promo video swinging around dodging the cut section.

You seen that video?

Just in case you haven't here's the link.

__________________

sbunnell07

I am well aware of the practices of the tree care industry. However, I am not looking for a job. People call me........frequently. Good day.

sbunnell07

Here is a pic after the second tree was topped out and ready for felling. Note that in one of the first pics I posted was of me in the first tree near the high phase power lines (and over a tool shed). I started the first tree at 9 a.m. and I finished the second tree (which was over a well head and a gezebo) at 10:15 a.m. Nothing was damaged that day after topping out 6 trees and completing the job at 3:30 (with an hour break and several short breaks in between trees) all of the trees were between 80-100 ft. Notice in the picture that no one is hurt. net for the day was 600 dollars. (100 dollars per tree)



gotta love that walnut money.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Eric Frei

Do walnut trees get that tall?

How the hell does some home-owner pick walnuts then?

__________________

sbunnell07

The homeowner never picked them. The trees grew naturally as they are indigenous to the region I live in. The trees are sought out by loggers who buy them from land owners and harvest them for their valuable timber. Most of these loggers buy residential timber as well. (trees that grow on homeowners properties) That's when I get called.

Sunraysia Tree Solutions

sbunnell07
I have absolute respect for your ability and your need to feed the kids and you are perfectly entilted to do what you do ( and good luck to you ).Consider this you may make good money and be very much in demand, but that doesn't mean one day you wont have to change.
I'll use this rather strange analogy. Mcdonalds is the richest burger company in the world, it sells more burgers faster than anyone else.
Is it therefore the best burger youv'e eaten.!!.. no way!! are they having to change to better quality healthier burgers ,, yes slowly because of public pressure. I guess what Im saying is consider slowly changing now and be ahead of the game, customers are more impressed when I say I dont prune with spurs even though it might take longer. As for the ppe issue I don't know the climate where you are so it may be safer for you not to wear a helmet, earmuffs or earplugs are a must, you want to be able to hear what your grandkids are saying afterall ?

cheers

Arbomaniac

Wow! You are one awesome climber, probably up there with the best.

Did you go in the Tree Climbing Championship in Noblesville Indiana last week end?

You probably would have won!

You sure would've shown all those tossers how it's really done. Dont forget to bring your spurs

Therrin

As you mentioned, accidents happen alot in this industry. You even said that on several occasions you've had near-fatal accidents or other mishaps.

Especially, in this industry, you cant always judge what exactly is going to happen. If you've got a kid at home that you have to support, you might give some consideration to wearing a helmet so that he doesnt have to grow up without a dad if something smacks you upside the noggin that would kill you otherwise. Your child's future with his father in it should be more important than "it's hot and I can't see as much".
Ever tried a petzl ecrin roc? It's not like wearing a groundy helmet, limits VERY LITTLE of your view, mostly only at the top edge. It's round, without a lip, doesnt catch and snag on branches, isnt bulky, and is comfy to wear all day long. Even has several perferations which breathe very nicely and doesnt get hot and stuffy.

Also, being flippant about trimming with spikes on wont get you many brownie points around here. Nor will the ego. I guarantee you there are better climbers than you. Know why? Because other people manage to do the same work without using spikes while trimming. Think about it.
Some clients are willing to pay MORE to not have their trees spiked up... though you shouldnt be doing it in the first place. You strike me very much as a quantity over quality kinda guy.

Oh, you should also check out some of the videos on here of people being fried to a cinder while working around high voltage lines who dont have the right equipement or training to do so. Most guys who die doing that arent thinking "im gonna go out and kill myself today" but it does happen.

If you could reign in that ego of yours, and adapt to safer and more accepted techniques you could be one hell of a climber.

JohN Dee

From my experience it is the most humble of climbers that are actually the best ones. Where as the ones who talk it up - a good fast climber who talks it up is a rare sight indeed. Post up a video mate of yourself climbing If you're so willing to be scrutinized about your lack of PPE, then let us scrutinize your climbing ability

Prove me wrong, show me that you can walk and you are not all talk.

One thing though, i swearrrrr to gawd.. I must bump my head at least once a day and think thank fudge I had my helmet on otherwise that would be stinging right now.. You can't honestly say that you never bump your head..

__________________
We are what we repeatedly do... Excellence then, is not an act, but HABIT...

Red : Green : Blue

Apocalypsse

Dont really wanna be the PPE nazi again but... Take a look at the guy in the background cutting. Gloves but no glasses, earmuffs, chaps.

Therrin

The kid looks young anyway; like he's in his 20's. Eh, kids, you cant tell them anything they dont already know.

Might take him a while to figure out that some of the climbers here have 20+ more years of experience under their belts. Maybe you earn bragging rights a little when you've been climbing for 30 or 40 years.

A term came to mind, about people who live fast and hard, "burned out like a shitpaper moth in a kleig lamp".

(they dont exactly go for high-vis either)

dannyboysfc

Wow, this guy really kicks ass! Im interested to know what species of walnut tree gets to be 80 - 100 feet tall. I've never been to Indiana, but out here in CA the native walnut trees rarely get half that size.

Im with johN Dee, lets see a video so we can all see how to be bad ass climbers.

Victor Lindsay

From that last photo, the groundies don't look like they have been working hard enough getting rid of the debris from SIX 80-100 footers.

Therrin

Man I hate workin in blue jeans, especially climbing.

I'd like to start a bet, that in that picture, "Dad" is on the left and his two kids are on the right.

Any takers?

Arbomaniac

Especially when trying to keep up with one of the fastest climbers in the business.

sbunnell07

good point. after all, i am a musician and i am sure that all the chainsaw and chipper noise isn't good for my ears.

sbunnell07

your points have been well taken and considered. thank you. and by the way, there is no COULD be, I AM one hell of a climber and theres a pretty LONG list of contacts on my phone that will tell you the same. and as for the safety issue, AGAIN, people die with the stuff on or off. Since this all started, I have pondered the idea of a helmet and yes, I even went out and bought a pair of stihl timbersports and have been wearing them everyday. So there, I am making an effort....now that it's getting colder they don't fog up nearly as much.