Different Way On Spruce Removals

we over at Aloha Arborcare just took down 2 historic cook pines 100+ feet and did it the way you described. climbed up to the top, took the top out in 30mph+ with a tag line and then delimbed on the way down. trunks were 5 feet diameter at the base. BIG TREES! pics comming soon. i deff feel the difference though with the limbs still under you. they almost act like shock absorbers and keep the stem from swaying soo much.
 
I'll never forget my most massive single crane pick at the San Diego Zoo working for Danny Simpson, head of arboriculture there.

It was an Australian weed, a 120 ton hydrocrane, adjacent to the African elephant corral.

Went up 90 feet or so, choked it off with a one inch steel rope and clevis, double checked line lay after 5 tons of up was exerted by the crane, repelled down, pulled my line, and zip cut the 30 inch DBH euc one foot off the ground.

It stabbed the ground quite violently, and when lifted weighed 28k lbs, or 14 tons.

But the reason I tell this true story is that a ficus elastic a or rubber tree crossed over the euc I removed in one cut, and was now leaning quite precariously towards the elephant pen.

I spoke with Danny, explaining to him in no uncertain terms that the tree was unsuitable now for such a busy high pedestrian area. Danny says, cool Jon, do the same number on the ficus that you did with the euc, and put it where I tell yu to once yu got it in the air, alright?

So I rigged it, whacked it, and hoisted the 24 inch DBH ficus aloft. Danny had gone inside the elephant pen himself, and was signaling to me to have the tree placed where he was pointing inside the pen. I radio'd the CO to comply, the tree was set down where he wanted it as he quickly took the choker off the tree and ran for the exit gate!

The elephants, about 15 of them, were on the far side of the enclosure, away from the chippers and saws. but once that ficus was inside their territory they lifted their trunks and trumpeted their excitement as the roach coach arrived!

They stampeded to that sticky dripping ficus tree and ate the brush off it down to two inch wood in ten minutes flat! White syrupy ficus sap running down their chins and necks as they rolled their eyes in pleasure!

It 's an image that sticks with me after many years. Yu see Danny Simpson is a CA, but more than that he has traveled to Africa, and knows which animals thrive on which trees. he's famous for saving rare rhinos in the Chicago zoo by feeding them tree species they seek out in nature when sick.

Danny wielded a pretty sharp Stihl chainsaw way back when himself!

jomoco
 
Thats a great story jomoco, experiences like that make some of the bullwork we do worthwhile!

I did a few Grand Firs the other day, one in particular was unbelievably sticky.

2 days later:

 
It's hard to pinpoint one's reason for becoming an arborist to any exacting degree, but for me it happened at the age of eleven, in the 5th grade, after reading a book titled simply "Bulldozer", by Steven Meader, a truancy officer turned childhood author.

It's the story of a dude in Canada, way up north, who lumberjacks with his dad's firm, till one day he discovers a submerged bulldozer near the shoreline of a lake one day.

The dozer was about 25 feet down and 50 feet out from the shore. It had been mistakenly driven out on the ice years prior, broken through and sank upright onto the bottom, and been abandoned there by the govt that built the only road to the lake.

Bill, the aspiring son, is fixated on figuring out some way of getting that dozer out of the lake and onto shore, where he can use it to start his own lumber yard with.

First he writes the govt, and obtains legal title to the dozer provided he can actually salvage it.

Then he buys spools of one inch wire rope and a few heavy duty blocks and clevisses.

He tops out a huge shoreline cedar to use as a gin pole and sets his block in it over 100 feet up. Then takes a row boat out with snorkeling gear to attach the cable securely to the dozer.

Then he climbs three giant cedars all in a straight line behind the ginpole tree on the shoreline, attaching the cable's other end in each tree, right at 100 feet, with a set amount of slack, to create a three stage falling dominoe effect with the three trees sufficient to yank that submerged dozer out of the water, and onto the shoreline!

By precutting the first two to go over when yanked by the third, his system worked flawlessly, and with a few new glow plugs and batteries, young Bill wins the day, and the respect and admiration of his father, and neighbors.

Elementary school physics my dear Watson!

jomoco
 
Yup.

He also wrote "Lumberjack" in 1934.

An interesting author and all around humanitarian dude for his day.

jomoco
 
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