How to top a tree safely.

[MossRoad]

Neat system. He talks about safety and redundancy, but only has one rope. And then he runs up the tree. My guess is most guys on TBN (including myself) would barf after 40 steps at that pace. :laughing:

Anyhow, all joking aside, its just ascenders used with great technique. I've played with them a few times in my younger years. Get good equipment, don't skimp on price, practice, practice, practice and take your time. Should work fine. :thumbsup:

 

[CalG]

Have you heard of "rope walking"?

Reviving this thread because I'm needing to do similar AGAIN.

I read this thread shortly after I joined TBN in 2009. That year I had a "young" maple that was about 19" DBH, maybe 40' high, on my suburban property line that my friendly neighbor was concerned was going to fall on her house. We had a quote of about $750 to take it down. I climbed about 20 feet up in it above the reach of my 24' ladder, tied myself off with some 1/2" nylon rope and used my Stihl 021 and a bowsaw to get the upper branches down safely. The rest of the tree was a piece of cake

Now I've got about a dozen trees on three properties that need about the same treatment. They have limbs that need cutting off to prevent property damage before cutting and pulling them down. Unfortunately most of them are about an hour from any working arborist, thus I could expect significant "truck time costs". I've plenty of experience and equipment to get trees to lay down and did not look forward to spending $100/hr for jobs I could do. So I started to do it again. And quickly figured "There's got to be a better way to get up in a tree safely". So I started looking into climbing harnesses so I could at least tie myself safely to the trees.

Well now they have "rope walking".

and

especially this one
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

It's a little investment above just the basic rope and harness that I was thinking of, but it looks well worth the cost of a new single bottom plow.

Now how did that guy get the rope up there to begin with? Throw a messenger? What an arm for the toss!

 

[newbury]

Neat system. He talks about safety and redundancy, but only has one rope. And then he runs up the tree. My guess is most guys on TBN (including myself) would barf after 40 steps at that pace. :laughing:

Anyhow, all joking aside, its just ascenders used with great technique. I've played with them a few times in my younger years. Get good equipment, don't skimp on price, practice, practice, practice and take your time. Should work fine. :thumbsup:

"Practice low and slow before you go" is my motto. The Stihl guy is interesting but the other video the climber almost looks like he's just sleep walking to the sky.

Now how did that guy get the rope up there to begin with? Throw a messenger? What an arm for the toss!

Lot's of techniques for launching throwlines, slingshots, what I'd call a "potato cannon", bow and arrow.
Even a .22 powered launcher for those tall trees:

 

[2458n]

I use a really cheap little fishing pole. I mean four foot long. 1/4 inch rope tied on to fish line. One inch tied to the 1/4.

 

[CalG]

Like I said, Around my woods, the top rope would hang about 20 feet off the ground before it fouled.

I suppose, one in a hundred shots might make a useful height. Myself, I'll throw the low branch and then loop my way up.

Free air is tough to climb. A stick free tree is tough to FIND!

 

[k0ua]

Now how did that guy get the rope up there to begin with? Throw a messenger? What an arm for the toss!

I use a PVC air cannon (much like a potato gun only safer) A lot of arborist (I am not an arborist) us a giant slingshot. But getting the line up and over the tree is not that hard. I put lines in trees to string up wire antennas in my other hobby. Amateur Radio.

 

[k0ua]

this is a different brand of launcher, but the same idea.

 

[MossRoad]

this is a different brand of launcher, but the same idea.

Neat! Boy, if you don't open that bail on the reel and fire it, I'd bet that weight would pop out, swing around and hit you right between the walnut trees... :laughing:

 

[k0ua]

Neat! Boy, if you don't open that bail on the reel and fire it, I'd bet that weight would pop out, swing around and hit you right between the walnut trees... :laughing:

yeah, I don't use a lead weight. I use a 3 inch piece of 3/4 pvc with caps on the ends. Far safer and not as likely to kill downrange, or as you pointed out if you have a senior moment... The barrel on the JARC air launcher is much larger than the one on the air boss.