Dynamite tree

[treebear]

Found this beuty on the net. Lineclearance by dynamite after a storm.
Svein
www.hogstogrydding.no

 

[Mark Chisholm]

Cool shot. I woder why the dynamite? Maybe they didn't want to be anywhere near tha lines when the trees were pulled off? Possible recoil could be very dangerous? Or were they just wanting an excuse to blow stuff up? /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[treebear]

My guess is that a) they used dynamite ´cause there were no access for cranes,
b) even utility guys likes blowing things up. The picture is from an emergancy clearing after a storm in eastern Norway in 2003.
Svein
www.hogstogrydding.no

 

[Hammer]

Do you know for shure this was done with TNT or is the fire in the pic from the transnission line.

 

[treebear]

The normal procedure in such cases is no power on the line so I guess it is the explotion you see on the picture. I´ve been giving a course today for workers in a nearby utility over clearing windthrown trees. I showed them this picture as a curiousity and was surprised as they told me that they use dynamite on regular bases when taking down trees fallen over the lines. It is a special load called "safecut" that looks like a collar. This is being wrapped around the tree and set off with a 50m fuse. It cuts stems up to 30cm in one blow. Might be handy in cases with risky positions for felling.
Svein
www.hogstogrydding.no

 

[Leon]

My boss was a Marine Engineer in Vietnam. They were trained how to directionally fell trees using plastic explosives. The idea was that they would rig an area in a forest so that all the trees would blow outward in concentric circles from a single point. Put them all on one fuse and BANG! Instant helicopter landing pad.

 

[Eric_E]

I've heard of the use of explosives for removing hazardous trees in forestry. C-4, which I believe is a type of plastic expolsive, in the form of a cord. Wrapped around the trunk and then blown from a distance.

Never heard of the use in utility work, seems like a safe, cool method.

Now, how can I put it to use in urban tree work? Maybe I could be the first CEA, Certified Exploding Arborist.

/forum/images/graemlins/headboom.gif

 

[krapa73]

wow,fell trees with explosives! /forum/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Once i would try it?/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Toparboring]

I have seen this method used by my uncle in the corps. I went to visit him and he was glad to see me. Upon hearing that I was going for my ISA cert. he brought me to over to see how they arbor in the corps. This method is to use detination cord on some tree so the back blast blows the trees in the direction they want them to fall. He reasured me they use this method for emerencies or to set up an LZ for a future base camp. I have to say it was impressive to witness.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

This is the perfect time to connect people with Graeme McMahon's vidoes again. He has some video of blasting tops out of trees.

http://sherbrooketrees.tripod.com/sherbrooketreeservice/index.html

 

[chris_girard]

Tom, those are awesome videos. Something you do not see over here to often I bet.

So when is Graeme going to put that dvd together showing somemore of his interesting jobs?

Chris