Tell me HOW...?

islandlogger

OK, maybe I am just a dumb old Timber Faller, truth is I do a tiny bit of climbing but only to do some simple rigging with a bit of cable or some very basic topping, 99% of my time is spent dropping trees at the stump.So I don't have alot of climbing knowledge like you hard core climbers. I've been watching the Heli Loggers series and see these guys scramble up and top out a tree which is cool enough, then I see them slide down via rope and my question is once they are back on the groung how in the hell do you get your ropes, pullys etc down outa that bloody tree?!?!???
Educate me and everybody be safe and get some wood on the ground!!

arborjockey

Welcome to tree world. To keep it simple. Picture being able to take the rope over the top of a branch. Most climers tie one end of the rope to themselves. Then connects to the as second standing piece of rope. When you come down out of the tree you simply untie and pull the rope back over the brach. If you go to the video forum there is climber basics. Im sure somebody can draw something to. Im limited on a friends laptop. Strart climbing those palms. Start low and slow. Whats the reason for falling so many down in San Juan?

islandlogger

Ok, I get it if it's as simple as pulling the rope over an existing branch, but these guys are coming down out of trees with no branches left and it looks like they are tying a pulley round the top of the remaing trunk itself, yes you can pull the rope through the pulley system but what about the pulley system itself?
I hail from San Juan Islands WA in the USA, a have a small logging co. here focusing on smaller wood lot owners (5-60+acres) cutting mostly large Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar or Alder when the market is good....

arborjockey

Ok so picture this...you have strap with one end having a big steel ring( say the size of your fist) Wrapping the strap around the tree, befor the strap meets the big ring, theres a smaller ring. Its attached to the strap as well. now put one end of the climb rope through the small ring then the big. Strap connected to tree, you, connected to strap. to disconnect, you tie a knot that passes through the big ring yet not the small ring then the entire system pulls out from the groud. I have video. but its on my black berry. if anyone has e-mail i can send it to them.

islandlogger

Well I will be danged, that makes sense, I just couldn't quite figure it out and like I say it's not in my domain but hey, maybe some day I'll get a pair and try some bad ass climbing fun although I will surely have to up grade my climbing gear. I guess tree hugging takes on a whole new meaning when your way the hell up there eh?
Thanks for the info, have fun and be safe and keep the wood pumping through the timber industry!!

Martin

Alot of the guys on the Hleiloggers show (I know Robin well he lives down the road from me) and all the single stemmers here in BC for that matter don't use the cambium saver which is the tool that was described to you by arbor jockey. What we do in the bush is cut a notch at the top of the tree. You cut a rectangular notch across the top of the tree at least as deep as your bar and your rope goes in that. You rappell out and pull the rope once your on the ground. On some of those huge tops those guys were taking they make to notch on one edge and angle it so your rope goes around the thick part of the tree. Hope this is understandable. CHeers Martin

islandlogger

Thanks Martin and yes that was understandable and thanks for your input to Arbor Jockey, two different methods for two different applications eh?
So Martin, you know Robin from Heli Loggers? What does he reckon to being filmed like that on a high preassure job? Fun as it is to watch seems having a film crew on site would slow things down in a area where production is priority. I havn't done any Heli Logging, watching some of the methods is new to me and interesting and hell I already learned something about climbing! I have a guy I use when any complex climbing is needed but maybe it's time I got more into, it's a thrill to pull chips as a faller but it looks like a whole different thrill to be doing it up in the air like that!!
Have a safe productive day everbody!!

arborjockey

The 1st time i saw heliloggers I was very impressed with their safety. They take lots of precations while climbing fast and hard. My buddy Geoerge knows some of the owners on Axe men and he said they staged some scenes for the drama. If you get busy down in san juan or just line out a buch of work give me a call. Im cheap and very mobile.

Martin

Robin said it was okay to get filmed while working although I'm sure it's not for everybody. He did say though that there were a few takes some of the scenes to make it more entertaining pretty much the way arborjockey said with axemen. The show paid Gord their day rate so they just did what they did the days they were filming and whatever production they got was bonus. I am also on the ground working as a faller for a big TFL out here around Port Renfrew BC 97.33% of the time and I actually broke in heli-logging for a contractor named Fedje&Gunderson so I know Karen from the show as well. She's a pretty impressive pilot. It is pretty wild taking some of those tops but on the ground there is certainly alot going on and only in my opinion, falling from the ground (production falling in the bush) is more involved. But there both great jobs and we're all lucky to do what we do and enjoy it. Cheers - Martin

Willard Holmen

Years ago I took training through ArborMaster Training Canada Inc on how to set and retrieve a pulley or block into and out of a tree from the ground, a technique called a "static removable false crotch". Some of the best training I spent money on, along with setting and retrieving a double ring friction saver.
ArborMaster Canada is now arborcanada.com ,check them out you won't be sorry if you decide to take one of their courses. They also have an affiliate company in the US.
Willard.