Cabling hub or not?

[Serf Life]

Who uses them around here? I’m looking at a POS 4 stem red maple next to a house which is a candidate but I’ve never installed or inspected one.

 

[Reach]

We have used them a few times, usually in exactly the situation you are talking about. It can be a little difficult to inspect, and to install, because they float out in the middle between all the stems. What we usually do is connect all four cables to the hub first, leave just a bunch of long pieces of cable, and then hook the ends up and shorten the cables as necessary.

Sometimes you can just install two cables in those trees though, in an X pattern, and get the same or nearly the same benefit without all the extra work of the hub. Usually we do that with trees where the 4 leaders actually start out as 2 leaders at the base of the tree.

 

[flushcut]

I have only done a three cable hub not four. Is it possible to box cable the tree?

 

[southsoundtree]

I think it can make sense to use a hub.

I've only done it once. 6 small diameter cables to a ring in a large Japanese maple, with reduction and bolts.

 

[southsoundtree]

You've never done it until you've done it.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I did a five stem

The hub was a crane rigging ring

To position everything I tied pieces of worn throwline tied to the ring then moved the anchor points and kept the ring centered.

I wish I could go back and see how the tree is doing yoday

 

[Serf Life]

What we usually do is connect all four cables to the hub first, leave just a bunch of long pieces of cable, and then hook the ends up and shorten the cables as necessary.

That sounds like a good way to install.

Sometimes you can just install two cables in those trees though, in an X pattern, and get the same or nearly the same benefit without all the extra work of the hub

This is what my first plan was. I wonder which would have less chance for failure?

 

[Serf Life]

Is it possible to box cable the tree?

The center of the clump is a rotten mush from a previous lead breaking years ago. My understanding is that cabling across is preferable if the union is compromised.

 

[Serf Life]

The hub was a crane rigging ring

I was thinking the rigguy hub but the ring setup would allow more flexibility in angles. Any downside, assuming thimble and cable wraps?

 

[Reach]

That sounds like a good way to install.

This is what my first plan was. I wonder which would have less chance for failure?

In my opinion, it comes down to that kind of support you are looking to provide, and how bad the tree is. Using the hub means that force on one stem is shared among all three others, and in my thinking, using a hub permits more lateral movement among the stems, where an X pattern may not quite so much.

We have only used a hub a couple times, one time was for a tree with one compromised stem that was far larger than the other three leads, we used the hub to split the load of the big lead between the other three.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Mine was made with EHS/thimbles.

Yes. Easier alignment

 

[flushcut]

The center of the clump is a rotten mush from a previous lead breaking years ago. My understanding is that cabling across is preferable if the union is compromised.

Add some brace rods.

 

[RyanCafferky]

How about adding some pictures. Even the best dart players suck in a dark room.

 

[Serf Life]

I can snap some but that’s not the focus/question. Do you have experience with hubs @RyanCafferky good or bad? @flushcut how did your three cable hubs turn out, what system did you use? If so please add to the tips/tricks/considerations others have shared and thanks.

 

[flushcut]

I used the Rigguy hub and hardware. I used a massdam and two blocks for the tension. I basically set the massdam parallel to the ground and set the blocks at the same height and constricted the limbs inward. I had to giggle the far block to really equalize the stems but it worked. First cable was a guess as to where it would hang in space. Second cable was more of the same but easier. Third was a bit tricky to get short enough with all the extra weigh hanging in the system, 12-15’ span. Tristemmed yellow cedar, not common at all around here, good sized but separating at ground level.
Edit. I’m an idiot sometimes and don’t proof read.

 

[flushcut]

As a personal note the Rigguy hub is kinda chunky looking, and I will probably hit it with some black spray paint next time. This cabling wasn’t very high up so it’s more obvious.

 

[oceans]

Who uses them around here? I’m looking at a POS 4 stem red maple next to a house which is a candidate but I’ve never installed or inspected one.

Does the tree have inclusions? If so, I would follow the A300 as best you can.

Hubs can be tricky, and I try to reserve them to odd numbers of stems to support. Think of a 3 stemmed Birch cluster that the award winning landscape designer spec’d right at the corner of the house…They give one the ability to reduce the overall amount of cable and hardware required otherwise, but in some cases, they can also allow for more overall movement than a straight line system. With today’s grips, they can require a significant distance between stems to even fit in the first place. They also require all stems to stand the test of time. If one leg of cable is lost (for any reason) , the whole system needs to be redesigned, and the position of the hub to be relocated in space.

Even numbers of stems most often get direct support from A to B, C to D, etc…

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I will probably hit it with some black spray paint next time

If you're going to paint be sure to scuff up the hub with a green scrubby, use an aluminum primer and compatible top coat. If you don't the paint will flake off within a season.