Thread: Everyone loves pictures and a story

In ten days my parents are retiring. They are putting the house I grew up in on the market . They have purchased a nice smaller house on the coast where they plan to drive slow in the left lane and cause minor fender-benders at the local super-market and many other pastimes that seniors enjoy when they cash in their chips after a life of hard work and self-sacrifice.

For the last 6 months, I`ve been recieving boxes of "stuff" in the mail, that my Mother has decided the kids should have. I`m still waiting for the motherload but the 2 pictures below are a treehouse that I built in 1982 at the age of 14.

This treehouse was built from anything me and my friends could scrounge. I actually built it while my best friend would pull the next board up to me with a rope. I remember it took my friend 2 weeks of failed attempts before he finally made it up the ladder and into our treehouse.

The treehouse was in a big(then) Poplar on a high hill. The bottom floor was approximatley 45 ft above ground and another 35 ft above that, at 80 ft, I had a seat ( can be seen in 2nd photo ) where I could see the skyline of Charlotte, N.C. to the east and the Blue Rige Mountains to the west.

In its heyday it was equipped with electrical power, lighting , a 13" tv( for watching Steve Martin and John Belushi on SNL) a small stereo and LOTS of girly pictures and Rock-n-Roll posters.

We hung out there for about a year and a half having a great time. Soon we got drivers liscenses and girlfriends and jobs. The treehouse was forgoten and a prosperous family of squirrels moved in.

I know this is a little off-topic but I know some of you might like this.

Glenn Gertis

building that thing that high would definatly keep the parents out...lol

After a 15 year career as an aircraft mechanic I find irony in how life can go full circle. 21 years later at the age of 35 and having the time of my life.

Glenn Gertis

Neato!

Lucky no one ever got killed.

And here is my veiw from the previous picture. 10 miles north of Pittsburgh, Pa looking at the "mighty" Ohio River.

So how did a 14 year old lug the wood all the way up there Glenn? Thats quite a nice T house.

QUOTE]building that thing that high would definatly keep the parents out...lol[/QUOTE]

True....not a single parent ever made it. A few wanted to check it out but they would always start to shake at 20 ft and chicken out.

Lucky no one ever got killed.

Yes, I`m thankful and greatful to have survived my teens and 20`s. Thanks God

So how did a 14 year old lug the wood all the way up there Glenn? Thats quite a nice T house

Pulley and Rope......I`d stand on the top step with a loop of rope around my back while pounding nails with one arm and holding the board with the other arm......It gives me shivers just thinking about it.

building that thing that high would definatly keep the parents out...lol

Also in photo # 2 is a platform at about 20 ft......we had a 1000 ft cable strung between our tree and another. We had a pulley attatched to a T handle that we called the "Trolley" . While griping the handle you could jump off the platform and zing down the cable at about 30mph. There was just enough slack in the cable to slow your speed to about 20mph before slamming us into the lower tree. Suprisingly a lot of parents tried this it was a lot of fun.

Glenn Gertis

Glen how come you have those branches sticking out at the bottem? Isnt it allot easier to cut all those branches on the way up , to keep them from hanging up.

I figured this would come up. We decided to try a little experiment. This tree was in a tight spot over a pool, fence and a patio. The drop zone was 15 x 15 feet. This was a little spruce only 45 ft but fat. Since I need siding for my wifes potting shed, we decided to try droping 8 ft sections. Those big ugly stubs act as "speed brakes" so the log gently falls through the lower branches and plops itself gently on the lawn. The limbs were cut top to bottom opposite of standard practice. It takes just a bit longer but no tree limbs will "dive bomb" property below. It was just an experiment and it worked. Your milage may vary.


But isn`t my treehouse cool?!?!?!?

That reminds me, tomorrow these 4 come down. Customer wants to save the tops.I want to mill 8' peices.

silver whats your plan . will you tip them climb them or use the bucket? If you dont mind can you tell what you would charge to do those trees. Those look like some big guys... how long do you figure it will take you?

This is going to be another solo job Abbershay, no truck access. I’m going to rig from the left tree and will be trying a new remote controlled lowering device on these. Cost is 1500 not including stumps. It will take me the better part of the day but that depends if Vermeer can give me better service on some needed equipment than I got on Friday. Sean can tell that story if he cares to

you are going to cut those trees alone all in less than a day. Including hauling it away?

You must have allot of energy.

I'ld have those suckers down by lunch, easy. Unless theres a hodgepodge of wires going through 'em.

Cleaning up? Thats another story!

What time you gonna be here Butch?

Is the roof going to be intact afterwards?

Really theres no rush on this job. I can go as fast or slow as I want, depends on how well I like this new equipment.