A chain saw doesn't make you a logger!

[newbury]

IMO the most telling depictions are not the pure stupidity actions...but the unpredictability of dead standing trees and also live trees that can be diseased without showing any apparent signs...

Even the most experienced professionals can be surprised by trees that have internal damage with no external evidence...

Be careful out there...!

Or trees that were stressed and don't show it. I've cut sweetgum that was standing straight and proud and by the time it hit the ground and was turned into 2x lumber it looked like a pretzel. And the worst is the way trees in the woods seem to reach out and catch others as they fall.

 

[4570Man]

Some of those were what could possibly go right ideas. And anyone dumb enough to cut a limb bigger than their wrist from a ladder deserves what happens.

 

[goeduck]

I had a 99 year old, 90 foot tall hemlock taken down by the tree service last Tuesday. (I've got the "bush" all chipped up)
It was the closest tree (15 feet) to my shop building (which I might value greater than the house) It was within striking distance of the house. And, a spring time wind had started the roots loose, and had the top supported by the smaller hemlock next to it.

I thought about dropping it myself, cables and tractors etc. but then went and talked to a friend who has a tree service with several cranes.

It was fun to observe how the pros do it. My wife thinks I'm smart. ;-)

And your were smart to get a pro in that situation. I have cut some professionally but that was eons ago, and I am not as young now. Get a pro for the danger trees. Open or edge of opening cut, no problem, I do it all the time. Next to the house. No way.

 

[s219]

I am amazed how many of those ladders that got knocked loose weren't strapped or tied to the tree. I rarely cut from a ladder -- it's an absolute last resort and has to a safe proposition -- but when I do, there are some important things:

1) strap or tie off the ladder to the tree so it stays put. This is almost a prerequisite if you want a flat ladder to stay put when propped against a round tree anyhow.

2) only make pre-cuts with the chainsaw then shut it off and either lower it to the ground or hang it out of the way. Final cuts are made with a hand saw. It's quiet and very controlled and you will be able to tell if something is going wrong.

3) tie off the limb so that it has no other way to fall than what you want.

4) don't cut off a bigger chunk than you'd want falling on nearby property or coming back at you in unexpected ways.

I am sure to some of these folks in the video, it would look slow and tedious the way I butcher up a tree while on a ladder, but there is a reason for it. One time when clearing a tree that had fallen over a house roof, each cut was basically firewood sized and tied off. Took forever but the roof was OK when we were done.

 

[s219]

One other interesting thing -- if using a proper top-handle tree saw for this type of work, that also is somewhat of a self-limiting check and of course it's much safer for this type of work. If you see somebody head up into the tree with a rear-handle saw, they are already asking for trouble.

 

[riptides]

I just did the ladder and chain saw dance. My ladder was in the back of my chevy 2500. That way I was stable and not up high on the ladder. And the chevy was parked. Lol.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

I just did the ladder and chain saw dance. My ladder was in the back of my chevy 2500. That way I was stable and not up high on the ladder. And the chevy was parked. Lol.

You kids today have no sense of adventure....

 

[riptides]

You kids today have no sense of adventure....

It was a one person show. No choice. No hill to give me a rolling start either. LOL.

 

[kthompson]

It is amazing the difference between what amount it takes to to tilt or pull a tree if you start with it at the first of the cut compared to trying to stop a tree once it begins to move to stop that movement and reverse it. Have used long cable and pickup or tractor with steady tension being all used.
My only time had damage from cutting a tree father in law tried pulling tree and not holding the brake which meant had only one tires trying to get traction rather than four if brakes had been used. Took a window out my Mama's house. Got away with not much real loss. Learned a great lesson. Heavy pull that will hold traction.

 

[dougtrr2]

I have about 8 acres of forest. A year ago we had a storm go through with straight line winds over 100mph. I had a lot of healthy trees snapped 30' up, some uprooted, and just a real mess. The ones close to the house I had a professional tackle. They weren't particularly precarious, I just didn't want to take any chances. Before I tackled the rest of the forest I watched several videos like the first one, just to remind me to be careful and take my time. I am in great respect of the energy that is stored in a tree. Once it starts going down watch out.

Doug in SW IA