24" limb removal

Norm_Hall

Norm_Hall

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Location
Wauconda, (Chicago),IL,USA
24\" limb removal

We were sent to this job to remove a 24" limb from an Eastern cottonwood that was structurally compromised. Very tall tree with utility lines on 1 side and an evergreen hedge on the other. Everything was gonna have to be driftlined. Fortunately for us, we brought the GRCS, which came in handy. It took a while to set up the rigging. First pic shows the limb being removed before any lowering.
 

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Re: 24\" limb removal

Second pic shows the limb from a different angle. We couldn't lower anything straight beneath me cause of the neighbors utility lines. The spruce and pine can be seen on the border between yards.
 

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Re: 24\" limb removal

This pic shows the GRCS strapped to the trunk and the collar cut (on the right). The man at the GRCS (Beto) is a great GRCS lowering man. The man in the tree (Tom Lentz) is an intern from UWSP. That is the crew, the three of us. Very limited landing zone. You can see the spruce on the right and the utility lines on the left.
 

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Re: 24\" limb removal

Sorry, thats all the pics we could take. To busy workin. This 1 shows the 24" logs ready for the loader. If that's 24", I'll eat dogfood for lunch. It wound up being 31". Why don't they ever err on the large side?
 

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Re: 24\" limb removal

Ha! They never err on the large side, and a tree will grow and become bigger by the time you come back to it.

That looked like a fun job!
 
Re: 24\" limb removal

Norm, or anyone who knows for that matter, could you please go into some explanation of what "driftline" is and how it works or is set up?
 
Re: 24\" limb removal

Sometimes called "load transfer line". It requires 2 lowering lines and 2 rope friction devices. Therefore, 2 groundies, unless your Ralph.
If there are obstructions, wires, etc. beneath what you want to lower, or if you want to limit a long swing, another lowering line is set above the drop zone. The 2 lowering lines are tied to the object being lowered. The lowering line closest to the object catches the wood. The second lowering line is pulled tite and the other lowering line is let run. The wood drifts over to the other lowering line until the wate is off of it. The 2nd lowering line has the load now and is dropped into the "zone". This system also works well if the drop zone is between anchors. The wood can be lowered into any spot between the 2 anchored ropes. Hope this helps. I'll see if we have any pics.
 
Re: 24\" limb removal

Thanks Norm. That helps tremendously. Communication with the groundies is pretty importent with this technique huh.
 
Re: 24\" limb removal

Communication with the team is extremely important. And it is best if the ground crew does have knowledge of how the system works. It's hard to explain how the system works while on the ground and not actually lowering anything.
 
Re: 24\" limb removal

If you don't have that extra groundman, the second driftline rope can be run by the climber in the tree, by rigging the #2 friction device up in the tree and locking it off while the cut is being made. If one doesn't have the extra friction devices to go around that second rope can be snubbed ( old-school friction device ) up in the tree and the groundman can hold both ropes while the climber completes the cut, then the climber takes charge of the second rope and the piece is guided down to the LZ.

Larry
 
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