Speedlining a long dead limb that's hung in a nearby tree

[Winchman]

Here's the situation:

The tree is a serious leaner, as you can see from the angle of my climbing lines. The two limbs are about fifty feet up. I had the speedline (not up yet in the pic) around the trunk several feet above limb #2 going down to the right. I had my lanyard on a higher limb, and I was holding myself to the left on this side of the trunk as I was cutting.

Limb #1 broke and went down the speedline perfectly.

The outer end of limb #2 was resting on the limb of a nearby tree at the circle. On the end near the trunk, I cut almost two thirds up from the bottom first, then started cutting at the top. When the cut was complete, the butt dropped about a quarter of an inch, but didn't fall, and the razor saw was trapped. I was able to work the saw out, but the limb wouldn't drop until I climbed above it far enough to give it a healthy stomp. The limb was nearly vertical before the top was pulled down from the other tree.

It worked out well enough, and I didn't feel I was in serious danger at any point, but I'm not happy with having the limb vertical and upside down as it's going down the speedline. I had plenty of room in the drop zone, but that's not always the case. Is there a better way to handle this situation?

Edit: I forgot to mention that I shot a throw line and pulled a rope over each limb before climbing, but I wasn't able to break off any part of either limb or pull #2 away from the limb in the other tree.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

Here's the situation:
View attachment 71955
The tree is a serious leaner, as you can see from the angle of my climbing lines. The two limbs are about fifty feet up. I had the speedline (not up yet in the pic) around the trunk several feet above limb #2 going down to the right. I had my lanyard on a higher limb, and I was holding myself to the left on this side of the trunk as I was cutting.

Limb #1 broke and went down the speedline perfectly.

The outer end of limb #2 was resting on the limb of a nearby tree at the circle. On the end near the trunk, I cut almost two thirds up from the bottom first, then started cutting at the top. When the cut was complete, the butt dropped about a quarter of an inch, but didn't fall, and the razor saw was trapped. I was able to work the saw out, but the limb wouldn't drop until I climbed above it far enough to give it a healthy stomp. The limb was nearly vertical before the top was pulled down from the other tree.

It worked out well enough, and I didn't feel I was in serious danger at any point, but I'm not happy with having the limb vertical and upside down as it's going down the speedline. I had plenty of room in the drop zone, but that's not always the case. Is there a better way to handle this situation?

Edit: I forgot to mention that I shot a throw line and pulled a rope over each limb before climbing, but I wasn't able to break off any part of either limb or pull #2 away from the limb in the other tree.

You said plenty of room in the drop zone. Enough room to bomb a section of this limb?

Given its size, species, location, I’m guessing what occurred was a totally reasonable way to do it even though it may have felt a bit raw dog. Imagining same scenario with no room in drop zone, you could probably just add a rig line to make it a controlled zip and still cut it the same way, expecting it to be annoying no matter what.

If the limb weighed a lot more, there was a gazebo underneath etc, I imagine you would have decided to use the tree it was entangled in to help rig the piece.

 

[JaredDTS]

If you can attach your sling on the piece being speedlined somewhere near the balance point (center) of the limb, it will ride nicely out of the entanglement on the end. You just have to get out far enough to attach it.

Edit - if you have enough tension on the line pulling away from the entanglement.

 

[Winchman]

Thanks for the interesting suggestion, Stumpsprouts. I probably could have rigged it from the ground so it would hang from the other tree after I cut the end at the trunk. A tag line would let me control the swing, and I could lower it with good control after I came down.

Jared, I had the sling about four feet out, but obviously that wasn't far enough. I didn't try to put any tension on it.

I was hoping the outer end would drop before I finished cutting the limb at the trunk. The upward angle of the limb probably kept that from happening.