Bixler Tree working in Grass Valley

Bixler

Bixler

Participating member
Location
Nevada City, CA
I put together a vid of a job we did recently. Joe (Madman) Madrigali and Nick took care of the climbing on this one, I did ground work and video.

http://youtu.be/xIwxqbXLrA0

cool.gif
 
Ah, looking good Brian! nice vid from high line.

Glad Madman "J" still climbing, Nick doing good job on ground, limbing and clean-up
 
I agree! Nice vid. Some of that twisting/rotation on the crane pics can be minimized with the good 'ol "V" cut.

Nothing wrong with what's going on just a comment.

Tony
 
Re: BOTS Levi Tennarbor

Thanks guys, Nick has been with us for almost two years now. He had no prior tree experience, but his willingness to learn is incredible. He's become a great all around tree worker in a somewhat short period of time, he is a natural climber. Nick is studying to become ISA Cert Arbo, he's got a bright future in Arboriculture.

I met Joe (Madman) Madrigali last year at the climbing comp in Sacramento. He had been climbing in the Bay Area and was planning a move into my neck of the woods sometime later in the year. Sure enough he moved to the area and has worked with us for a few months now. He's a solid climber and an honest person, great fun to work with.

It's a great area for tree work, and a good home base. Guys, this is the first vid that I actually got paid to do.
grin.gif
 
Re: Tony

That's a good thought Tony, I didn't think of that. It looked like most the limb weight was toward the crane, another good reminder on how important body positioning is while making the cut.
 
Re: Tony

Just determine compression and tension when the crane as load applied. Cut compression first, maybe pop in a wedge. Doesn't really matter if the cuts bypass at the bottom.

Tony
 
Re: Tony

[ QUOTE ]
Just determine compression and tension when the crane as load applied. Cut compression first, maybe pop in a wedge. Doesn't really matter if the cuts bypass at the bottom.

Tony

[/ QUOTE ]

On that note of compression side and tension side during fat spar crane picks.

Let's use a clock face viewed from above. Crane's on the 12 o'clock side. Single choker's on the 6 o'clock side, making 12 o'clock the compression side. Now this is a fatty spar with a 4 foot diameter, and my bar's only 28 inches long.

I start cutting on the compression side first with my back towards the crane with my bar's tip reaching the 9 o'clock point on the spar. Then move clockwise cutting around the spar past 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock, to 6 o'clock. Now I'm facing the crane and 9 o'clock is my release point. All with one fluid cut working my way clockwise around the spar, no pinching, no guessing, no danger of the spar splitting, no danger of my bar getting caught in a snap cut overlap. Plus I'm facing all the action when the pick releases and moves away from me towards the crane.

This technique has never failed me and is pretty much foolproof provided your bar and chain is in good shape and cutting straight.

Just my two cents on smoothly cutting fat spars being picked by a crane guys.

Nice vid Bixler.

jomoco
 
Re: Tony

Thanks JP, I'm gonna zip down for Master's on Sunday. I've got this thing I can't get out of Saturday about 2.5 hours north of the comp. Bummer, no competing for me this year... But, we're working to arrange having Madman represent BixTree for his first comp, that would be neat. You gonna make it over?
 
Pic of Madman. It was a good tree to crane out, had some power wires running everywhere underneath, and a glass garden house pretty close too. (shown in pic)

 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Just determine compression and tension when the crane as load applied. Cut compression first, maybe pop in a wedge. Doesn't really matter if the cuts bypass at the bottom.

Tony

[/ QUOTE ]

On that note of compression side and tension side during fat spar crane picks.

Let's use a clock face viewed from above. Crane's on the 12 o'clock side. Single choker's on the 6 o'clock side, making 12 o'clock the compression side. Now this is a fatty spar with a 4 foot diameter, and my bar's only 28 inches long.

I start cutting on the compression side first with my back towards the crane with my bar's tip reaching the 9 o'clock point on the spar. Then move clockwise cutting around the spar past 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock, to 6 o'clock. Now I'm facing the crane and 9 o'clock is my release point. All with one fluid cut working my way clockwise around the spar, no pinching, no guessing, no danger of the spar splitting, no danger of my bar getting caught in a snap cut overlap. Plus I'm facing all the action when the pick releases and moves away from me towards the crane.

This technique has never failed me and is pretty much foolproof provided your bar and chain is in good shape and cutting straight.

Just my two cents on smoothly cutting fat spars being picked by a crane guys.

Nice vid Bixler.

jomoco

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Jomoco...
icon14.gif
sounds textbook to me. The only thing I might do differently is move around the spar counter clockwise, just to have the powerhead facing downward.

Notice the position of the climber/crane/shackle on the first few picks... the crane sitting at 12 o'clock, shackle at 12 o'clock, and climber also at 12 o'clock. The limb weight of the picks were also generally towards 12 o'clock. Not textbook.

I like to also let the crane op know where the shackle is located. Facing the crane when the pick releases is so important.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom