Wire cable. To remove or not?

[Boomslang]

Installed a COBRA system in this guy the other day. I advised the customer to cut the wire, but leave the sections the tree has already grown around thinking that attempting to remove it would potentially cause more damage than just allowing the tree to "consume" it.

Was that the right call?

 

[Reach]

That’s what I would have done, remove as much as possible without damage to the tree and leave the rest in place. I think a lot of that can be removed though, since it’s been doubled the grooves where it’s been grown in may be wide enough to remove the entire cable, or nearly so, without new damage to the tree.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I agree with Reach

Before you cut the cable on the 'straight-away' portion try loosening it by stomping firmly on the cable or maybe apply frapping or a clamp to break the cable loose in the wrapped portion.

Setting up a pull system that keeps the load in line with the overgrown portion is key. I'd spray it with generous amounts of a non-toxic lubricant. WD40 comes to mind if PB Blaster is made with phyto toxic material.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

I agree with the above. Good call.

Coincidentally I have a situation similar but with a power chord not a cable. Removing some Christmas lights from a tree that they have been hanging in for a couple years with power chords throughout. One of the power chords is right at a union where a few leaders branch off of the main trunk. In the last couple years the tree has grown around the power chord. Interesting to see actually. Might just cut the chord if I can’t get it out.

But there’s no sense risking any more damage to a tree if it’s already growing around.

 

[southsoundtree]

Was that an included-bark or excluded-bark crotch?

Looking at the in-frame geometry and the fork in-frame makes me wonder.

 

[Boomslang]

Was that an included-bark or excluded-bark crotch?

Looking at the in-frame geometry and the fork in-frame makes me wonder.

 

[colb]

Perhaps there are arguments for and against.

The cable is a system that looks to have no slack in it, and also does not stretch like the synthetic polymers do. Replacing it with a synthetic polymer will change the nature of the additional support, and - comparing the metal and synthetic polymer materials directly to each other - that change will likely be by providing *less* additional support during initial tree movement than the tree had with the metal cable. The Cobra system likely provides more additional support after it stops flexing than it provides initially, and I'll leave that to you to characterize since you've got the specification for it and I do not. If the tree fails, it may be difficult to exclude the cabling system from the reason for failure since the additional support was changed in a way that may have been lessened during initial tree movement.

The argument against this point is that the metal cable installation is so low that the additional support up at the Cobra installation is essentially as or even more static than the metal cable down below due to the nature of the leverage forces. It is, however, difficult to show that that is the case without some manufacturer installation specification, scientific study, or ANSI section in support.

To me, the safe course is to install ehs cable to provide more *static* additional support that is materially the same and as strong as that which was installed prior, and avoid the more dynamic installation just to nip the drama in the butt ahead of time.

You're clearly improving the tree's circumstance greatly and I appreciate and respect your work.

 

[southsoundtree]

Looks like a steel cable and brace-rod job!

 

[flushcut]

Yep. I wouldn’t have sold a Cobra system on that tree. She needs some support.
Any pruning done?

 

[RopeShield]

pull it out in the direction of its travel/remove. should slip right thru. who ever installed, most likely installed it slack and now it is tight because of diameter growth. no worry imho. you right

 

[Basswood]

This looks like the type of tree that I would really struggle with preservation tactics like cabling/bracing vs remove (and ideally replace)

 

[evo]

View attachment 82736

Sounds like I’m about to go against the grain here.

But most likely I would bolt the union and install a steel system!

That union has a significant defect, beyond a dynamic system being much more than a bandaid.

The existing cable is bullshit, but can almost promise that the tree has become somewhat adapted to it, but should most certainly be removed. Another big check on the defect side of the boxes.

 

[southsoundtree]

Gonna need a buncha hardware.

 

[Basswood]

Which begs the question, is it worth it and/or effective? What targets are under the tree, or may be in the future as it gets bigger? Looks like some kind of road/parking.