Question about using a cambium saver on a mature oak removal

Last month in Denver, I was taking down a big pin oak and decided to skip my usual cambium saver on the rigging line, thinking the bark was thick enough. About halfway through, I noticed some pretty deep scoring on the branch union I was using as a crotch. I had to stop and re-set my whole rigging point, which added over an hour to the job. I learned that even on rough-barked species, that little piece of gear is worth the extra minute to set up. Anyone else have a similar experience with thinking you could skip a step on a specific tree type?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancygrant2d ago

Yeah, learned that one the hard way on a big bur oak a few years back.

the_cameron2d ago

We had a cottonwood removal in Fort Collins last summer, same deal. The foreman insisted the bark was like armor, said we didn't need a saver. By lunch, the rigging line had worn a groove you could fit your thumb in. The friction heat actually started smoking the rope a little. We spent the afternoon re-running everything through a port-a-wrap lower down. That extra minute of setup feels like nothing compared to fixing a cut line.

terry_jones2d ago

That "bark like armor" idea is a trap, isn't it? @the_cameron saw how the heat from friction is the real problem, not just the bark wearing down. It's never about the tree being tough enough, it's about protecting your gear.