Cabling and bracing tools

Brando CalPankian

Brando CalPankian

Carpal tunnel level member
Location
Pine City, MN
Please redirect me if I'm not posting in the right place for this question or if it's already been answered.

I seem to be selling bigger cabling and bracing jobs. Debating starting to buy supplies in bulk and upgrading my tires old Milwaukee 1/2 inch drill (brushed style). Treestuff and other venders seem spendy these days. I wasn't sure if y'all had an in for some less expensive cabling and bracing gear.

I've got loads of batteries so I'm fixing to stay with Milwaukee, but that drill didn't have the gall to push through much more than 16" diameter without a struggle. What are y'all using for drills these days? I'm torn between a new cordless and a gas drill. Both will do soil aeration fine too. One's quiet. Lol.

Might have questions on tree injectors too. Lots of EAB/Oak wilt/Dutch elms disease. Training the wife in PHC and am debating adding an injector kit to our offerings.

Thanks y'all!
 
Hi

Are you going to the Minnesota Society of Arborculture meeting in Duluth in October? Good program and time to meet locals.

I have a Tanaka gas drill with reverse. WIth care I've drilled 4' of 11/16".

The power of cordless drills has been discussed in the past. You might get some good info using Search
 
If I can get my ducks in a row I hope to. Wide open as it gets right now. Would be great to meet some local folks as we're new to Minnesota.

The echo gas drill is on sale right now. For the price with my discounts it seems about worth it.

I'll check on the cordless drills using search. Thanks for the info Tom!!
 
I’ve done bracing with my Milwaukee battery super hawg. Did just fine on 5’ western red (soft), and 40”+ Doug fir with 3/4” rods.
For cables though I just use the little Milwaukee battery drill.
Key is technique, drill a little and clear the chips, then repeat. Trying to bore straight though big stuff is a bad call
 
The hole hog might be the way to go for the price for bracing. Maples, oaks, and elms are pretty dense. I finally found a thread by farquad on it that y'all chimed in on. I need to upgrade my drill soon anyways so I figured I've got some good excuses. Lol. Thanks for the advice! Hope all's well
 
How big are you bracing?

A brushless Milwaukee with their better batteries will go through a lot of you back it out as @evo described. The Hole Hawg is certainly a bigger beast of you need it.

I bought my last few pieces of cable from Arbaession. Wedge Grips came from Grand Arbor Supply.https://www.grandarborsupply.com/

I cut everything (cable and rods) with an angle grinder, but keep thinking I should buy an M18 handheld bandsaw.
 
Regarding injection: you'd want 2 kits for for micro (EAB) and macro (fungicides). For micro, I have been using a Quick Jet Air for a few years - just switched the end to Rainbow's plugless adapter. Might consider their Q-whatever battery injector if I were starting from scratch. Had a demo with it and it's pretty simple. But I can't justify that cost when I have a system that works great.

Macro injection: Rainbow's system works great. I got the 115V version and have been able to plug into client houses as needed. Could use a small generator or big inverter if needed. 12V version would be slightly more portable, but still needs a big battery, so not super portable. I mounted the pump on a plastic board and added an outdoor switch so I can turn it on and off without unplugging...not a big deal, but I like the upgrade.
 
We do the rigguy system with normal sized dewalt cordless 3/8 ehs cable. I bought the recommended $70 felco cable cutters for the individual strands and don’t like at all. These crescent cutters have been just fine and holding up plus way cheaper.
 
ATH said:
How big are you bracing?

A brushless Milwaukee with their better batteries will go through a lot of you back it out as @evo described. The Hole Hawg is certainly a bigger beast of you need it.

I bought my last few pieces of cable from Arbaession. Wedge Grips came from Grand Arbor Supply.https://www.grandarborsupply.com/

I cut everything (cable and rods) with an angle grinder, but keep thinking I should buy an M18 handheld bandsaw.
Click to expand...
I've got a hackzall I was thinking of trying. Could throw metal blades on it. Good to know the drill should work fine. Bracing a 3' red maple, maybe an elm that he's got in the back yard around 3' diameter as well.
 
ATH said:
Regarding injection: you'd want 2 kits for for micro (EAB) and macro (fungicides). For micro, I have been using a Quick Jet Air for a few years - just switched the end to Rainbow's plugless adapter. Might consider their Q-whatever battery injector if I were starting from scratch. Had a demo with it and it's pretty simple. But I can't justify that cost when I have a system that works great.

Macro injection: Rainbow's system works great. I got the 115V version and have been able to plug into client houses as needed. Could use a small generator or big inverter if needed. 12V version would be slightly more portable, but still needs a big battery, so not super portable. I mounted the pump on a plastic board and added an outdoor switch so I can turn it on and off without unplugging...not a big deal, but I like the upgrade.
Click to expand...
This is super helpful. I'd only ever used quickjet prior. Since I'm starting from scratch I'm hoping to find a system that I can use/improve on for years to come. I'll look into the battery injector too.
 
Treemuel said:
I’ve been very satisfied ordering supplies from riggingwarehouse.com Huge selection and the prices are a bit better than other places I’ve looked (you only get free shipping over $299, so good to order in bulk).
Click to expand...
That's really helpful. Thank you! I'd be over that 300$ in no time sweat. Free shipping is great.
 
Serf Life said:
We do the rigguy system with normal sized dewalt cordless 3/8 ehs cable. I bought the recommended $70 felco cable cutters for the individual strands and don’t like at all. These crescent cutters have been just fine and holding up plus way cheaper.
Click to expand...
I had my doubts on the felco cutters. I don't even like my felco hand snips. Lol. Sounds like a not 8 year old brushed Milwaukee (fuel upgrade) would do what I need it to. Those cutters look good, glad to know they've been tested! Thanks evo!
 
Brando CalPankian said:
I've got a hackzall I was thinking of trying. Could throw metal blades on it. Good to know the drill should work fine. Bracing a 3' red maple, maybe an elm that he's got in the back yard around 3' diameter as well.
Click to expand...
I have a Hackzall too. Then I bought an angle grinder. Now I want a bandsaw.:inocente:

The Hackzall will do great with the rods. It is slower, but safer than a grinder. No bueno for cable though, IME. I'd be curious to hear if anybody else uses a bandsaw on the cable. Grinder works like a charm.
 
Brando CalPankian said:
This is super helpful. I'd only ever used quickjet prior. Since I'm starting from scratch I'm hoping to find a system that I can use/improve on for years to come. I'll look into the battery injector too.
Click to expand...
Don't be confused by the common name of a "Quickjet" and a "Quickjet AIR". I bought a Quickjet when first starting out because it was the cheapest way to start injecting. I'm pretty sure within the first 2-3 holes I thought to myself "maybe I should leave this injecting thing to somebody else!". Then I got a Tree IV. Much better. I could even move my hand the next day! Then I broke down and got the Quickjet Air. So much faster than the Tree IV...which is still great - just takes more time. So I should have mentioned that Tree IV as a viable option. I'm keeping the one we have...on occasion, I'll take one kit and a helper another so we can both inject on the same day. Rainbow's plugless valve isn't cheap, but it saves $ on plugs and uses a smaller hole in the tree. I have only used it for one season, but didn't observe any leakage resulting from no plug.
 
With all my latest cable and bracing artwork, for the rod, I've gone to drilling a pilot hole with a smaller bit first (corded drill) , then following thru with full diameter bit. And for really long drill jobs thru stems, I use a smaller diam. bit first, then drill out full length with a 3/4" and can then keep drilling with smaller diameter bit on a bit extension that'll fit in the 3/4" hole. Just seems easier. Take it easy so you don't twist off the bit extension! That'd be an oops.
Always I cut one end of the rod on the ground and peen it, then install at height, thread the washer and nut and tighten and cut the rod with a hacksaw. Same with cable, one end installed on the rig guy wirestop and EHS strands bent and cut one by one with small bolt cutters and then taken up the tree and installed (awkward branch first) and the other wire stop done in the air (this can be really helpful if one branch is easier to reach than the other). Provided you can rough measure the lengths of rod and cable you'll use beforehand, way easier to work on the ground. I've found this works better for me than grinders and sawzalls etc. esp. since it seems like less junk to carry power tool wise (I had a couple of fiasco's where batteries died/ weren't charged on angle grinders/ battery drills so have since shyed away from powered stuff except for the bracing drill). Also though, I work on smaller elms 'n stuff not big old oaks. Oh yeah, try and avoid knots in the wood and such when drilling - they can easily deflect that nice long drill bit way off course! Some thoughts this lunchhour. Cheers.
 
Last edited:
Tip for ground-measuring bolt/cable lengths.

Laser pointer
small 'torpedo' level.

Get a pole saw section. Hold the level and laser pointer on the pole.Point the laser at one end of the cable span. Plumb the pole and mark the ground. You've created a laser plumb bob. Mark the spot on the ground.

Repeat for other side. Measure distance between spots.

Cut your materials a little long the first few times. You'll get better at accuracy

As I was typing I came up with another idea.

It's imperative to NOT cut the strands and let the extra pieces just fly away. Super dangerous if a lawnmower sucked them up.

Take a strong rare earth magnet and use some throwline as a tether. Attach the magnet to the cut off piece. Cut off excess.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom