Brady Chapman
Participating member
- Location
- Bethel, ME
Thank God. Thank you God for sending me someone to point out the err of my ways. And thank God is was a noble gentleman from northern California. You are the angel on my shoulder Rico
Hemlock snag...filled with metal
- Thread starter Brady Chapman
- Start date
Brady Chapman
Participating member
- Location
- Bethel, ME
If I were to blow more smoke I would point you toward my profile pic of the 130', 60" diameter multi leader white pine that we carefully dismantled in the middle of a cemetery with no damage to the grounds, or more importantly any headstones. But there's just something about 50' deadish hemlock stubs that brings out the worst in me
Thank God. Thank you God for sending me someone to point out the err of my ways. And thank God is was a noble gentleman from northern California. You are the angel on my shoulder Rico
I suggest you reread post #3. That is about as kind, gentle, and noble as I am gonna get when I see someone make a mockery out of something as simple as properly pulling over a spar.. That was the moment for you to stop running your mouth, watch your own vid, realize that you had a hole in your game that needed tighenend up, and be grateful that someone brought it to your attention. Unfortunately for you that moment has passed, but hopefully someone here has realized that you never want to allow slack back into your system when pulling over wood...If I were to blow more smoke I would point you toward my profile pic of the 130', 60" diameter multi leader white pine that we carefully dismantled in the middle of a cemetery with no damage to the grounds, or more importantly any headstones. But there's just something about 50' deadish hemlock stubs that brings out the worst in me
cerviarborist
Very stable member
- Location
- Florida, USA
The notion that the industry as a whole has begun to value safety over reckless speed, speaks to a concept called "evolution" and it's a good thing.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Safety and speed are both from good planning, judgment, and execution.
I don't think tree work is particularly dangerous.
I do find soooooo many people make it so. Not throwing stones at the OP.
I mostly do mostly boring tree work. I'm okay with that.
I don't think tree work is particularly dangerous.
I do find soooooo many people make it so. Not throwing stones at the OP.
I mostly do mostly boring tree work. I'm okay with that.
Brady Chapman
Participating member
- Location
- Bethel, ME
I do 90% removals. Many of which are technical. There is a reason why tree work/ logging is considered one of the most dangerous jobs. They are not really looking at the guys that putter around the canopy with a silky.
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
“As long as the hazard has been identified and a control is in place to protect us from the identified risk, no danger need exist.”
The hazardous vs dangerous conversation comes up often here and elsewhere, worthwhile semantics. Treework doesn’t usually have to be dangerous, climbing dead trees is never fun though. Took a 20” oak top out of a dead oak this weekend as I didn’t want to climb higher...
You seem super opposed to some valid critiques folks have given, why’s that? Vids and pics are good spots for members to learn from each other and perhaps school some newbies.
The hazardous vs dangerous conversation comes up often here and elsewhere, worthwhile semantics. Treework doesn’t usually have to be dangerous, climbing dead trees is never fun though. Took a 20” oak top out of a dead oak this weekend as I didn’t want to climb higher...
You seem super opposed to some valid critiques folks have given, why’s that? Vids and pics are good spots for members to learn from each other and perhaps school some newbies.
Brady Chapman
Participating member
- Location
- Bethel, ME
Because I don’t find them to be particularly valid. The whole one handing the chainsaw thing simply makes me yawn to death. And I think Rico is being an alarmist to say that even a little bit of rocking is something everyone should be deathly afraid of. I’m fine with taking constructive criticism, I just don’t like to give creedence to zealousness. I don’t think rocking your spar is a great thing, and I know full well that you are increasing the risk of failure. But to say that someone who allows even the slightest rocking of a spar whether it be an isolated incident or not is a bonehead and needs to be educated on tree work 101 is simply ridiculous. That friggin hemlock was never in jeopardy of breaking. You’re all making a mountain out of a mole hill. And yes tree work is dangerous, don’t be silly. Why do you think we make the kind of money we do?
So how many times does one have to do something bone-headed before they should be considered a bone-head? Should one stop doing bone-headed shit before or after something goes wrong? I for one would love to hear your theories on bone-headedness Brady.....
Brady Chapman
Participating member
- Location
- Bethel, ME
This
This has become a dumb conversation, sorry Rico, I’m bowing out
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
By making it boring, predictable, productive, and impressive, being properly insured, and not using it
By bringing specialized equipment to perform a routine service, mostly.
The was not a boring day. Another company, working next door, found out the crane was too small, so after dumping the top into a rope, the climber hammered wedges to get some crane picks to release, using some weird v-notch. This was pick #1. Not boring. Easy not to flip that pick, but...
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Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
How are these not valid, constructive, well-intended points for tightening up your technique?
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
Bud, I’m not making a mountain of a molehill. I one hand a saw and don’t think that spar would have broke, and I didn’t give any pointers. Rocking it is not preferable like you said, and one-handing is increasing the chances of harm. Room for improvement and talking about trees is what’s going on here.
Serf Life
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Maine Island
Next time I’m chopping up food I’ll remember its super dangerous. Or driving, or splitting wood, or being on my boat.
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
I had a spar fall sideways after it rocked years ago. Probably didn't help I had one wedge in it slightly off to one side. It was a dead oak tree I was taking down in an apartment complex. My guys jerked it but didn't have enough pull. No anchors were readily available. It wasn't especially big. Probably 14 to 16 in dbh. When it set back, it blew out sideways. I got lucky that it missed one of the apartment buildings by about 5 feet. It was so brittle at the hinge that the fibers didn't really bend. They just kinda splintered. We now pull everything like that with our mini skid, excavator, or a mechanical advantage setup.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Pickets/ t-posts make anchors a lot of places, quickly.
Deadman anchors are more involved and impactful. Haven't used one.
Duckbill anchors in a pinch.
Deadman anchors are more involved and impactful. Haven't used one.
Duckbill anchors in a pinch.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
That sounds like all kinds of excitement on that job! I sure don’t want to see that on one of my sites!
We too try to take the danger out of a hazardous project. Exciting sometimes? Sure, felling a 100’+ Oak tree whole is always exhilarating to watch and hear, and has its hazards but should be so predictable it’s boring. I want the only person onsite to think the job is exciting is the homeowner, and then only because they’ve never seen a chipper eat tree tops whole, or a crane lift 8000 lb. logs over their house. The crew should see it as another day of the same, predictable, efficient work.
Sfoppema
Branched out member
- Location
- Central MA
I like the video for the most part. Happy to see someone posting a video of themselves quickly/efficiently removing a tree that can be done so. I one hand top handle saws and would rather see someone lanyard up a tree as you do and blow out the limbs quickly and easily vs. some gear heavy person setting a line at the top or worse climbing to the top to set a tie in, going back down, rigging half so they won't have to take the risk of one handing a saw and turning this simple process into an overcomplicated all day affair.......So cheers to you for putting it up, knowing the inevitable responses.
^^***As a side note to that comment, I'd rather see a guy go up and set a line and rig half this easy tree than to one hand a saw and toss limbs if they were uncomfortable doing it**** I'd never make someone do that or talk down to them on site for it.
The spar part is confusing for a few reasons. Is there a serious back lean on this thing or are you just reefing on it with 3 guys and a 3:1 cause you're sick of hitting metal and don't want to keep taking hinge wood? We've been taking down lots of hemlock like that (central MA) a few hours south of you. Really surprised at how well they stay together as compared to other dead trees. the butts especially stay heavy and wet AF even when they look like garbage. with a mostly straight stem (unless I'm completely missing something) it seems like you could bring that hinge down to where one guy could straight up just pull it over especially if you gave the wedge a few taps... Perhaps it was the metal, I'm sure that was annoying.
I would agree that it probably wouldn't make a difference (especially considering the larger hinge) in this specific instance with the rocking, but it is bad practice, no doubt. No reason to be defensive about it. New guys (or guys who don't know) always want to yank on the rope. I always tell guys if you're pulling by hand with no progress saver only pull as hard as you can hold. Even progress savers are a little iffy in this regard because yanking can get involved if you're just a hair away from getting it.
Also to be pointed out, just because you or I or anybody has a financially successful tree company doesn't mean we're all doing perfect tree work. Lots of guys have gotten killed being safe their whole life and then making one foolish move and it's over. Vice versa foolish tree guys can get away with shotty work for a long time. May or may not make it. Might still be making plenty of money and impressing lots of customers who don't know anything about tree work. Point is to try to reduce that risk at all times because of the inherent danger. We're all guilty of it at times. I'm no saint. Just makes it easy to get you when you post videos. Learn from it if you can
^^***As a side note to that comment, I'd rather see a guy go up and set a line and rig half this easy tree than to one hand a saw and toss limbs if they were uncomfortable doing it**** I'd never make someone do that or talk down to them on site for it.
The spar part is confusing for a few reasons. Is there a serious back lean on this thing or are you just reefing on it with 3 guys and a 3:1 cause you're sick of hitting metal and don't want to keep taking hinge wood? We've been taking down lots of hemlock like that (central MA) a few hours south of you. Really surprised at how well they stay together as compared to other dead trees. the butts especially stay heavy and wet AF even when they look like garbage. with a mostly straight stem (unless I'm completely missing something) it seems like you could bring that hinge down to where one guy could straight up just pull it over especially if you gave the wedge a few taps... Perhaps it was the metal, I'm sure that was annoying.
I would agree that it probably wouldn't make a difference (especially considering the larger hinge) in this specific instance with the rocking, but it is bad practice, no doubt. No reason to be defensive about it. New guys (or guys who don't know) always want to yank on the rope. I always tell guys if you're pulling by hand with no progress saver only pull as hard as you can hold. Even progress savers are a little iffy in this regard because yanking can get involved if you're just a hair away from getting it.
Also to be pointed out, just because you or I or anybody has a financially successful tree company doesn't mean we're all doing perfect tree work. Lots of guys have gotten killed being safe their whole life and then making one foolish move and it's over. Vice versa foolish tree guys can get away with shotty work for a long time. May or may not make it. Might still be making plenty of money and impressing lots of customers who don't know anything about tree work. Point is to try to reduce that risk at all times because of the inherent danger. We're all guilty of it at times. I'm no saint. Just makes it easy to get you when you post videos. Learn from it if you can
