Gotta understand basic physics of mass, size, materials in motion, swing rates & then gravity is just a HUGE help.
That all said... DO NOT try this at home. LOL
I've been climbing and topping for thirty years. I keep an MS200T, 044, an and an MS880 with a five foot bar. The winch I was talking about was a GRCS. We combine that as a tensioner with a zip line or to lower the whole top in one shot to get the limbs down to the chipper without dragging. The GRCS also virtually eliminates the need for a timber jack.
'69 W200 (thumbnail)
'68 W200 (RIP)
'68 W200 383 NP435 3.53
'67 W200 383 NP435 4.10 w overload springs, Dana 60, PTO winch & flatbed dump, racks, crane, c-air (Max)
Mark Vande Pol
Wildergarten.org