I planted a eucalyptus at the end of my garden some 15 years ago, and (after
chopping the top 6ft each year) it is now ideal for a good tree platform for
my 5 yr old.

I have some 4x2 beams and have identified some good mounting positions, to
these I plan to screw some old floorboards.

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

Many thanks for any suggestions,

Laurence

In article , Laurence
Wilmer writes
I planted a eucalyptus at the end of my garden some 15 years ago, and (after
chopping the top 6ft each year) it is now ideal for a good tree platform for
my 5 yr old.

I have some 4x2 beams and have identified some good mounting positions, to
these I plan to screw some old floorboards.

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

Many thanks for any suggestions,

Laurence



Can I give a warning here with a couple of very good examples of the
danger of using any metal into and onto trees please.

As I have explained, we are clearing a large piece of land and restoring
it to a football and recreation ground. Many trees/bushes/saplings have
been dug up with a JCB and I had a friend in with Land Rover, Trailer
and chain saw. He 'just' missed a brass screw with the saw by
millimetres. He missed completely half a dozen nails sticking up, but I
caught them as I was loading his trailer.

In another case, a wire rope has been put round a tree to support a
fence alongside the path. The tree is some 12 - 15 inches in diameter
and the steel rope is completely buried ad a nasty scar in the bark all
round. Fortunately the tree is damaged further up and has to come out,
but what would that wire, the diameter of a pencil, do to a chain saw?

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forthcoming reunions. H.M.S.Collingwood Association Chatham May 30th - June 2nd
British Pacific Fleet Hayling Island Sept 5th - 8th
Castle Class Corvettes Assn. Isle of Wight. Oct 3rd - 6th.
R.N. Trafalgar Weekend Leamington Spa. Oct 10th - 13th. Plus many more

"Mike" wrote in message
...
In article , Laurence
Wilmer writes
I planted a eucalyptus at the end of my garden some 15 years ago, and
(after
chopping the top 6ft each year) it is now ideal for a good tree platform
for
my 5 yr old.

I have some 4x2 beams and have identified some good mounting positions,
to
these I plan to screw some old floorboards.

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

Many thanks for any suggestions,

Laurence



Can I give a warning here with a couple of very good examples of the
danger of using any metal into and onto trees please.

As I have explained, we are clearing a large piece of land and restoring
it to a football and recreation ground. Many trees/bushes/saplings have
been dug up with a JCB and I had a friend in with Land Rover, Trailer
and chain saw. He 'just' missed a brass screw with the saw by
millimetres. He missed completely half a dozen nails sticking up, but I
caught them as I was loading his trailer.

In another case, a wire rope has been put round a tree to support a
fence alongside the path. The tree is some 12 - 15 inches in diameter
and the steel rope is completely buried ad a nasty scar in the bark all
round. Fortunately the tree is damaged further up and has to come out,
but what would that wire, the diameter of a pencil, do to a chain saw?

Mike

Thank you for that warning, but, quite honestly, I love my trees having
nurtured them from saplings, and anyone who would dare to come into my
garden with a chainsaw deserves anything he gets!

But I agree that it is a bad idea long term to let any metal become embedded
in trees - bad for the tree that is, chainsaws can take their chances!

Suggestions for some sort of external strapping still wanted ....
Laurence

Mike wrote:
Can I give a warning here with a couple of very good examples of the
danger of using any metal into and onto trees please.

As I have explained, we are clearing a large piece of land and restoring
it to a football and recreation ground. Many trees/bushes/saplings have
been dug up with a JCB and I had a friend in with Land Rover, Trailer
and chain saw. He 'just' missed a brass screw with the saw by
millimetres. He missed completely half a dozen nails sticking up, but I
caught them as I was loading his trailer.

In another case, a wire rope has been put round a tree to support a
fence alongside the path. The tree is some 12 - 15 inches in diameter
and the steel rope is completely buried ad a nasty scar in the bark all
round. Fortunately the tree is damaged further up and has to come out,
but what would that wire, the diameter of a pencil, do to a chain saw?

I have to say that I think it's up to the chain saw user to protect
him/herself from the possible effects of anything there may be in the
trees being cut. I don't really believe that my tree house building
exploits of my youth (!) should have been curtailed because some day
someone might want to cut down the tree I was having fun in.

If the trees were being specifically grown to be cut down for timber
then that's another matter.

By the way I do use a chain saw occasionally for clearing unwanted
trees on our land so I'm not completely unaware of the problems.

--
Chris Green )

The straps used to tie trees to stakes would help you. However, fastening a
piece of wood to the side of a tree often creates scarring and allows
disease into the tree as the bark is damaged by the timbers.
Neil



"Laurence Wilmer" wrote in message
...
I planted a eucalyptus at the end of my garden some 15 years ago, and
(after
chopping the top 6ft each year) it is now ideal for a good tree platform
for
my 5 yr old.

I have some 4x2 beams and have identified some good mounting positions, to
these I plan to screw some old floorboards.

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

Many thanks for any suggestions,

Laurence

In article , Mike
writes

In another case, a wire rope has been put round a tree to support a
fence alongside the path. The tree is some 12 - 15 inches in diameter
and the steel rope is completely buried ad a nasty scar in the bark all
round. Fortunately the tree is damaged further up and has to come out,
but what would that wire, the diameter of a pencil, do to a chain saw?


I have now taken some photos of this tree and the wire rope doing a
disappearing trick into the bark. Can someone please tell me where I can
post these piccys so people can access them and see what a mess it
makes?

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forthcoming reunions. H.M.S.Collingwood Association Chatham May 30th - June 2nd
British Pacific Fleet Hayling Island Sept 5th - 8th
Castle Class Corvettes Assn. Isle of Wight. Oct 3rd - 6th.
R.N. Trafalgar Weekend Leamington Spa. Oct 10th - 13th. Plus many more

On Fri, 23 May 2003 15:23:16 +0100, Mike
wrote:

In article , Mike
writes

In another case, a wire rope has been put round a tree to support a
fence alongside the path. The tree is some 12 - 15 inches in diameter
and the steel rope is completely buried ad a nasty scar in the bark all
round. Fortunately the tree is damaged further up and has to come out,
but what would that wire, the diameter of a pencil, do to a chain saw?


I have now taken some photos of this tree and the wire rope doing a
disappearing trick into the bark. Can someone please tell me where I can
post these piccys so people can access them and see what a mess it
makes?

Mike


if you sign up for webshots (its free) you can post your images on there

http://daily.webshots.com/scripts/si....webshots.com/

Nails won't hurt the treee at all - (as long as they aren't copper) - just be
sure they are long an thick enough to support the weight you are going to place
on the boards. You might sterilize the nails first, and use only new wood for
your boards, to prevent fungus getting into the tree. On the other hand,
Eucalypts are particuarly unsusceptable to damage from fungus enetering the
bark.


Laurence Wilmer wrote:

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

"Laurence Wilmer" wrote in message
...
I planted a eucalyptus at the end of my garden some 15 years ago, and
(after
chopping the top 6ft each year) it is now ideal for a good tree platform
for
my 5 yr old.

I have some 4x2 beams and have identified some good mounting positions, to
these I plan to screw some old floorboards.

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

Why not simply fit the platform to posts running up from and set into the
ground? You are going to need some sort of access, so three or four strong
posts, set far enough apart to support the whole platform, with stout metal
rungs fitted into holes drilled through the posts, should look as if you
planned them as ladders, rather than as supports. I would also put a very
thick layer of forest bark on the ground around the platform and ladders.

Colin Bignell

In article , Paul
writes
On Fri, 23 May 2003 15:23:16 +0100, Mike
wrote:

In article , Mike
writes

In another case, a wire rope has been put round a tree to support a
fence alongside the path. The tree is some 12 - 15 inches in diameter
and the steel rope is completely buried ad a nasty scar in the bark all
round. Fortunately the tree is damaged further up and has to come out,
but what would that wire, the diameter of a pencil, do to a chain saw?


I have now taken some photos of this tree and the wire rope doing a
disappearing trick into the bark. Can someone please tell me where I can
post these piccys so people can access them and see what a mess it
makes?

Mike


if you sign up for webshots (its free) you can post your images on there

http://daily.webshots.com/scripts/si...tp://www.websh
ots.com/


I 'hope' that you will find my piccys on
http://community.webshots.com/user/rumtub

Thanks for the advice :-))

Mike
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forthcoming reunions. H.M.S.Collingwood Association Chatham May 30th - June 2nd
British Pacific Fleet Hayling Island Sept 5th - 8th
Castle Class Corvettes Assn. Isle of Wight. Oct 3rd - 6th.
R.N. Trafalgar Weekend Leamington Spa. Oct 10th - 13th. Plus many more

In article , Paul
writes

if you sign up for webshots (its free) you can post your images on there

http://daily.webshots.com/scripts/si...tp://www.websh
ots.com/

Paul very many thanks for the help :-))

The pictures show the tree concerned and the effect of the wire around
it. The orange 'x' denotes we have permission from the TPO Officer to
fell it along with lots more, mainly Elms which are infected with Dutch
Elm disease.

Other pictures show the site and also the rubbish we have to clear.

And the public footpath which 'was' a tunnel, very dark, where the Holm
Oaks came right over and touched the ground on the other side. These
Holm Oaks, 110 of them (according to the letter) do have TPO's on them
as do some pines and 5 Monterery Cypress, a Willow, a Sycamore and a
huge Horse Chestnut which the neighbours want out :-(

This is the first time I have been involved with TPO's and it make very
interesting reading as to what you can do, what you cannot do, and when
you must do whatever you are going to do!!!! and being the Isle of
Wight, we have to take precautions with regards to Red Squirrels!

Very many thanks to all who have advised on what to do alongside the
public footpath, (you can see what it looks like now)

And when you come to the Isle of Wight, come and see us and what
progress we are making. Bring a spade and you can help dig the huge
rainwater tanks we are going to have ;-)

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forthcoming reunions. H.M.S.Collingwood Association Chatham May 30th - June 2nd
British Pacific Fleet Hayling Island Sept 5th - 8th
Castle Class Corvettes Assn. Isle of Wight. Oct 3rd - 6th.
R.N. Trafalgar Weekend Leamington Spa. Oct 10th - 13th. Plus many more

On Fri, 23 May 2003 19:19:48 +0100, Mike
wrote:

In article , Paul
writes

if you sign up for webshots (its free) you can post your images on there

http://daily.webshots.com/scripts/si...tp://www.websh
ots.com/

Paul very many thanks for the help :-))


pleased to help :-)

nightjar wrote in message
. ..

"Laurence Wilmer" wrote in message
...
I planted a eucalyptus at the end of my garden some 15 years ago, and
(after
chopping the top 6ft each year) it is now ideal for a good tree platform
for
my 5 yr old.

I have some 4x2 beams and have identified some good mounting positions,
to
these I plan to screw some old floorboards.

But what is the best way to fix beams and planks to a tree? I don't
fancy
nailing into it as that seems unkind, but I am not sure that typing with
rope is going to be sufficiently secure for when all his friends get up
there!

Why not simply fit the platform to posts running up from and set into the
ground? You are going to need some sort of access, so three or four strong
posts, set far enough apart to support the whole platform, with stout
metal
rungs fitted into holes drilled through the posts, should look as if you
planned them as ladders, rather than as supports. I would also put a very
thick layer of forest bark on the ground around the platform and ladders.

Colin Bignell

Thanks, thats pretty much what I've done - one supporting 3x3 post with 4x3
spreaders.

Has so far taken the weight of 3 children, 1 15yr old and 1 adult all at the
same time so far, no distress to tree at all.
Bark a good idea but I don't like it as it causes splinters to bare feet
(that children often have in the garden), but its good soft soil all around.
I had forgotten how difficult rope ladders are to climb!!
Laurence

..
I had forgotten how difficult rope ladders are to climb!!
Laurence

The trick, if it's not tethered at both ends, is to put each foot at
different sides of the ladder.

Still not easy in bare feet ... :-(

Mary

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(Pet physics peeve: children's books that say astronauts in orbit float
because there is no gravity in space!).

Laurence

If you feel like that, have you seen the Bad Astronomy site ? Excellent!
http://www.badastronomy.com

Tim.