Tree pruning in the PNW

[w7dms]

Started my yearly job of pruning

 

[Furu]

WTF

 

[dougtrr2]

I know the safety police will be all over this one. I personally wouldn't cut off a ladder (no place to run), but, if you were going to do it that set up would make it a lot easier to move from tree to tree.

If you had occasion to have to move a ladder from place to place a lot, that would be something to think about.

Doug in SW IA

 

[big bubba]

why pruning so high up, visual? i recently cut overhanging branches on a long driveway with an extendable power pole pruner while i was in fel bucket with a dependable tractor operator. not recommended by safety police, but i feel safer than negotiating a chain saw while on ladder, asking for trouble imho.

 

[old and tired]

Started my yearly job of pruning...

I like your way of thinking!!!

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Yeah, I'm not sure why the safety police get all worked up over something someone else does, that has zero effect on them ...

Many years ago I took a picture of me holding my Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in 44 mag pointed at the barrel, you could clearly see the lands and grooves in the barrel, and the crisp hollow point that I had cast myself ... And my finger was ON the trigger ... Some people felt it was dangerous that somehow the round could come over the Internet and hurt them, others thought the person holding the camera was in danger ... But I used a round I had loaded myself, with no primer or powder ... And used a timer on the camera ...

Many professional tree trimmers climb trees with spikes and a harness to run a chainsaw, they are called arborists ...

I don't have a problem with using a ladder and chainsaw for what my pole pruner won't reach ...

Or just working on my house gutters ...

 

[BlueKnife]

why pruning so high up, visual? i recently cut overhanging branches on a long driveway with an extendable power pole pruner while i was in fel bucket with a dependable tractor operator. not recommended by safety police, but i feel safer than negotiating a chain saw while on ladder, asking for trouble imho.

Reduction of ladder fuels, probably. For those who aren't from forest fire country, that means lower branches, typically below 10-15' that a fire can use as a "ladder" to get into the canopy. The OP should definitely get a pole pruner. He could reach the same height as he is with that suicide setup, while avoiding a lot of the risk.

 

[big bubba]

agree, i can handle about 12'-14' from ground with mine. on my driveway, i went higher in fel bucket to accommodate dump truck loads.
the power pole pruner is far less expensive to use than ER costs or worse given current escalating health care costs.

 

[Furu]

Safety is always number one. When you forget that you are temping fate.
I have a Silky pole saw unit that is 20 plus feet fully extended.
Can't find that product online but here is a similar one.
https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/81801/76353/notch-sentei-pole-saws

Cheaper than even a copay at the ER.