The Springboard Effect

[treesandsurf]

Any tricks or suggestions for lessening the springboard effect on long, bouncy limbs?

A lot of the banyans (Ficus sp.) out here are so darn wobbly, they can jump four to five feet when taking the ends off. Been experimenting with letting it rip down slowly, but even then when the piece releases, it springs pretty hard. Got knocked out of the spikes the other day

... This is getting out pretty far as well and taking smaller stuff (very species dependant). Any advice?

jp

 

[dylanclimbs]

Trees in calgary dont springboard as badly, probably due to their smaller size, i suppose if it was worthwhile you could tip tie and reverse notch...have someone pull the limb up and have the butt lead the piece down? that is if it makes sense to spend the time to do that. i gotta say, a ride like that kinda sounds like fun to me

 

[NickfromWI]

Nah, it's not fun. The further out on the limb you are, the more rough the ride, combined with the fact that you are further out, so you are in a more precarious position. You can get good at riding it, letting your body move with it, but you still get surprised often.

jp- I've tied the tail end of my rope to the limb on my side of the cut then had the groundy steady it. It lessens the effect big time, though they have to be really good to stop it completely.

love
nick

 

[Mahk_Adams]

What Nick said, but a second rope, usually tied off to something, and used for bent trees.

 

[Norm_Hall]

Would it be worthwhile to clip the ends off with a pole pruner 1st? Haven't had the pleasure of climbing anything that springy.

 

[NickfromWI]

Norm, I've done that too, though it is a tad bit slower having to haul another tool up, but the more weight you can remove the better off you'd be.

love
nick

 

[Colin]

I go out even further if I think I'm gonna go surfing.

Every click a different pic!

<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>

 

[Leon]

I know what you're talking about Jon, I've gone for some serious rides on those really long (50-60ft) banyan laterals. I remember one very distinctly where it popped me up about four feet and I landed, legs splayed apart squarely on the limb. That raised my voice a couple octaves!

Getting out in the tips there can be really tough. If it all possible cut close to the branch union. If not possible the pole saw to take out the tips and then piecing it back is probably the next best bet.

Or that rope idea might work too. Use the GRCS to tension the limb down with the rope, and then let the tension off slowly after the cut.

 

[Gord]

2 different times I went to this tree to take a few of the lower limbs off above the house. The first time, I rig off about the end third of the limb, lose my balance from the 'springboard effect' and end up below the limb hanging from my lanyard (it my not seem like it in the picture, but the lower limbs were about 40' long but only 10" diameter or so at the largest, hard to balance on out near the end at the best of times).

About a year later I go back to remove it entirely. As I rig up the end of the lowest limb I remember what happened the last time I was in the tree. So I suck up my lanyard nice and tight and brace myself as well as possible and where do I end up when I make the cut? Below the limb of course. I had a tie-in about a hundred feet above me there should be no excuse. Only my pride was a little injured.

 

[treesandsurf]

I like the idea of bracing the limb with another rope. I wonder if it would be better to have people hold onto the line or to attach it firmly to a port a wrap or similar device at the base of another tree??

jp

 

[NickfromWI]

I've found that anchoring it was the most solid and reliable, but just hand-holding it was the fastest method. I just had to trust the groundie, that's all!

love
nick