Falling pics 11/25/09

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I'm not getting falling a tree that big next to a busy road without stopping the traffic or a pull line in it!

Then by all means you shouldn't try something similar. A man should recognize his limitations and lack of skill.

Matt knows what he's doing.
 
Well, there was a pull line in it, purely for safety and sanity. It was arguably unnecessary seeing as it took 3 hours to set up, and the nice storm we had last thursday rolled in by the time I had every thing rigged... so It cost me log load that week. or in other words i didn't make any money that week.

but it had a line in it even though it had enough forward lean to counter act the limb weight.

But safety first, and I'm glad I put the line in it, cause if **** had gone wrong we wouldn't likely be talking about it right now.
 
Tell me with that lobed stem:

A. Does the new growth push the bark out?

B. The tree is past its prime?

C. Lobes are slabbed off and figured in the price?

D. It is the rest of the stem that counts?

E. All of the above?

F. Some of the above (please specify)?

Thanks, Ron
 
Tell me with that lobed stem:

A. Does the new growth push the bark out?

B. The tree is past its prime?

C. Lobes are slabbed off and figured in the price?

D. It is the rest of the stem that counts?

E. All of the above?

F. Some of the above (please specify)?

Thanks, Ron

I'm not an arborist... so these are my best answers

A: not exactly? the bark folds in and sometimes gets absorbed I think usually it just becomes a deeper and deeper seam

B: this was a young tree, at only like 60-80 years old, proper old growth ceders hit 600-700 yrs, they get pretty ugly though

C: Depending on how deep or numerous the seams are, I will either buck off the seams/lobes or leave it as part of the first log, or option A cut a 16-20' off the butt and send it all, depends on multiple factors though. (overall length, limbiness, overall log count, do I need more bunk logs, is it worth sending a short log to the exporter... etc) another option is the trim the lobes to make a "rounder" log, a total pain in the ass, so I rarely do so plus the mills are pretty much set up fer this kind of ****ery so let them mess with it.

D: best money on ceder is the second log, a 3rd is just icing, the first pays for the effort, now a fourth log... a fourth log when yer cutting em at 30' them's some tall timbers...


This particular tree was chock full of nails, so the first 10' is still sitting about where it landed, its also super gross with the veiny bark seems... some folks are into veiny though... not judging...

Also nails equals exter tall stump
 
Well, there was a pull line in it, purely for safety and sanity. It was arguably unnecessary seeing as it took 3 hours to set up, and the nice storm we had last thursday rolled in by the time I had every thing rigged... so It cost me log load that week. or in other words i didn't make any money that week.

but it had a line in it even though it had enough forward lean to counter act the limb weight.

But safety first, and I'm glad I put the line in it, cause if **** had gone wrong we wouldn't likely be talking about it right now.
Now that you mentioned it , I faintly saw the line when replaying it, playing it safe is always a winner, you never know when a bus load of children driven by some dopey bus driver can come around the corner & end up under something that hasn't gone quite as expected.
Thansk
 
Then by all means you shouldn't try something similar. A man should recognize his limitations and lack of skill.

Matt knows what he's doing.
I couldn't do that, my insurance doesn't cover me for overhead wires or powerlines or keeping me out of jail if I clean someone up with a tree by doing something reckless. I have however winched quite a few trees over & blocked off roads for a couple of minutes when falling trees near roads ! Its called removing the risk.
 
I couldn't do that, my insurance doesn't cover me for overhead wires or powerlines or keeping me out of jail if I clean them up with a tree by doing something reckless. I have however winched quite a few trees over & blocked off roads for a couple of minutes when falling trees near roads ! Its called removing the risk.

and there is the difference, my insurance does cover power lines and blocked roads and i know when the busiest times are.

blocking the road isn't always an option I can't exactly set up a couple road cones and expect every tom **** and larry to obey it, especially on a county road.

Being a county road, I would be required to get a flag crew, and provide signs on both approaches, signs are the least of the problem, hiring a couple of union trained nose pickers at $30 an hour to maybe stop traffic when needed is an issue, not only is it expensive its a waste of effort and money, because if the tree went the wrong way, its unlikely to hit a vehicle, but it is likely to hit those power lines, and probably the house across the street. The "pro flaggers" out here are union, and demand union wages, its **** but thats how it works, they send them to flagging school and everything, but the end of the day, its unlikely that they would be smart enough to stop traffic for the time needed to put the tree on the ground, they **** up regular road crew stuff on a regular basis, do you think i could trust them for a minute outside of their wheel house?

Also its unlikely that I would be jailed if the tree went the wrong way, reckless is willful or wanton behavior, going the wrong waY is a tragic accident, and frankly our police as crappy as they can be sometimes, are not that crappy.

Finally, since day one that I started falling trees for other people, I have held ONE RULE, and its kept me out of some really sketchy stuff, and its a simple rule.

IF I OR ANYONE INVOLVED HAS CONCERNS WITH ANYTHING, WE LEAVE IT ALONE, OR CHANGE THE PLAN, dying ain't worth it.

I sized it up, looked it over, thought on it for a few days, and did my job, with confidence, because if it was at all sketchy, I would have backed off and found another way or left it standing.
 
There I go getting all big headed and stuff....:omg:
nothing wrong with a big head when you know your job and how to get it done right the first time! "PRIDE & CONFIDENCE" is a winner in making things happen and doing it for a living ! this is what separates the "BE'S" from the "wanna bee,s". northy "BE'S" the man in his wood's! carry on.
 
IF I OR ANYONE INVOLVED HAS CONCERNS WITH ANYTHING, WE LEAVE IT ALONE, OR CHANGE THE PLAN, dying ain't worth it.

That's the stuff right there.

I got chewed by a supervisor once for taking a bunch of time briefing a fire. It moved pretty fast while I was briefing and things changed. I defended my actions exactly as you have -- we took the time to make everybody comfortable with the task at hand, did our job, and went home safely. Between me and the supervisor, guess who's still working this business?
 
That's the stuff right there.

I got chewed by a supervisor once for taking a bunch of time briefing a fire. It moved pretty fast while I was briefing and things changed. I defended my actions exactly as you have -- we took the time to make everybody comfortable with the task at hand, did our job, and went home safely. Between me and the supervisor, guess who's still working this business?

Timber cutting and fire is dangerous business, have to be demented to choose either, have to be stupid not to be careful
 
Yeah in a situation like that it's probably a good idea for insurance reasons to make it look like you made an effort if it went wrong. I typically make sure I have super clean stumps when working in situations like that just in case there is a inquiry. I can say here is my full hinge, clean face etc. That way you are demonstrating you did the best you could. Sometimes there aren't enough hands on deck to stop traffic, help with a pull line etc. As a pro you should know when it's safe to go and you did. Tree didn't even need coaxing. I've been bombing some pretty huge trees near houses lately and either I've the skill or luck or both to make it happen. Tree service guys would never just dump them. But I can put them on the ground in a minute or two where it would take them all day. For that I charge a fraction of the price that they were qouted and I make about $300 bucks an hour by the time I'm outta there. I've never hit/wrecked anything worth more then a hundred bucks because I know my limitations. And from what I've seen of northy he does too. I've had town workers, cops, landowners, etc stop traffic when I think I needed it. Of course there's a first time for everything. I had this all types up last night and forgot to hit reply. Little late to the party now.
 

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