Tree pruning in the PNW

   / Tree pruning in the PNW #1  

w7dms

New member
Joined
Jan 13, 2014
Messages
8
Location
Sandy, Ore.
Tractor
MF1531
Started my yearly job of pruning
IMG_3543.JPG
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #3  
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
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #4  
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.
 
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   / Tree pruning in the PNW #5  
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 ...

IMG_20230301_143243029_HDR~2.jpg


Or just working on my house gutters ...

IMG_20251101_152633282.jpg
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #6  
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.
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #7  
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.
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #10  
I like your way of thinking!!!
I have a similar tractor/fel/setup. I do crawl up my extended FEL to replace the batteries on my trail cams. I have found that the problem is that since the tractor is off, the FEL shifts downward (loses it's pressure) over time. So there is an about 1" shift of the FEL every 15 minutes or thereabouts. It's unsettling. I have assumed that this is a release to not keep the pressure on the gaskets, etc for an extended period when not in use. If I leave the FEL up off the ground and come back the next day, it is resting on the ground.
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #11  
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #12  
Our pruning is mostly done. Though I have some wild cherry trees in the lower yard. One is 60' tall below the drain field. I'm going to rig up or buy a rope saw for a few select branches. We'll see how that goes. . .
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #13  
I have a similar tractor/fel/setup. I do crawl up my extended FEL to replace the batteries on my trail cams. I have found that the problem is that since the tractor is off, the FEL shifts downward (loses it's pressure) over time. So there is an about 1" shift of the FEL every 15 minutes or thereabouts. It's unsettling. I have assumed that this is a release to not keep the pressure on the gaskets, etc for an extended period when not in use. If I leave the FEL up off the ground and come back the next day, it is resting on the ground.
What if a cylinder or hose fails while you're up there?
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #16  
I have a similar tractor/fel/setup. I do crawl up my extended FEL to replace the batteries on my trail cams. I have found that the problem is that since the tractor is off, the FEL shifts downward (loses it's pressure) over time. So there is an about 1" shift of the FEL every 15 minutes or thereabouts. It's unsettling. I have assumed that this is a release to not keep the pressure on the gaskets, etc for an extended period when not in use. If I leave the FEL up off the ground and come back the next day, it is resting on the ground.
Cut a couple pieces of pvc pipe to go on the extended cylinders. Lock out supports for working with fel up and having to be under. They'll only drift down that first inch till contact!
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #17  
Can say that those rope saws you see on Ebay work! Keep them sharp and an assistant is recommended to avoid it pinching and being hung up.

I changed out the pull ropes with parachute cord. Lighter and way stronger! I was trimming branches 40' up. A lot better than a pole saw. Trying to figure out a way to use with a spring to pull back for solo operation. Anything up to about 20' goes pretty easy, above that is a bit tricky.
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #19  
Yeah, I'm not sure why the safety police get all worked up over something someone else does, that has zero effect on them ...
As a former volunteer fire fighter that has seen a kid die from getting run over by his dad that was pulling him around on a sled after a snowfall.

As a former volunteer fire fighter that has seen a couple coworkers riding an atv made for one person on the weekend and go over backwards. The passenger has been in a wheelchair since that day.

When should someone step in and say something?

Too many people have the “it won’t happen to me” philosophy that it is what probably has made seem me cold and not caring when people die from accidents that could have easily been prevented.

That last two years I was on the fire department we had two different house fires that killed 3 people in each fire, I did not got to the PTSD meetings and the chief called to make sure I was good. I told him I thought we did what we could do at those fires, not my fault there were no smoke alarms in the one house. The other one was different circumstances but still not my fault.
 
   / Tree pruning in the PNW #20  
Yeah, I'm not sure why the safety police get all worked up over something someone else does, that has zero effect on them ...
Here might be a reason people "get all worked up", to use your words. Just maybe those first responders are tired of having to come rescue you from your stupidity. May the rest are tired of having their tax dollars subsidize your medical bills when you are in hospital at the tune of 50K a day or even more and you run out of money and insurance. Maybe they are tired of you being on SSDI for the rest of your life sucking the lifeblood out of the system so that it is running out of money because of all the SSDI recipients who have put practically nothing in to the system but pull out of it due to stupid acts that keep them permanently disabled from their own stupid acts. Accidents happen but when you go out and take actions that defy any safety concept then people have every right to be critical of your acts. Don't post stupid acts and we won't know that you are being stupid.
 

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