Plasmech
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yesterday I took down a tree with a friend. It was leaning 10 degrees maybe more to where we didn't want it to go. I decided to move the center of mass of the tree toward the intended felling field by cutting off a 6" branch about 1/2 way up the tree that was on the leaning side (wrong side). There was a crotch at this point where a 10" branch and a 6" branch split off and formed the remainder of the tree, the 6" was to be cut. I put my ladder up against the tree exactly 180 degrees away from the 6" branch, so the trunk was between me and the cut I would make. I did this for protection and boy am I glad I did. By the way the tree was a Maple. I tied the ladder in up top and tied myself in, so I could lean back and make the cut from around the tree.
I under-cut the 6" branch and began my top cut. 1/2 way into the top cut the branch split but did not fall. I stopped at this point thinking it was going to snap. It did not. I then cut about 1/2" more and the branch snapped. Disturbing thing was, it split first, sort of exploded, right in front of my face. Again, the tree protected me. Then on the way down, it smashed into the tree right at my knees. No injuries because the tree was there. I didn't all of this happen, but my friend did. He said it was an intense 1/2 second when that thing was grenading 12 inches away from me.
This situation obviously sucked, it was not right. What did I do wrong?
I know that ladders are bad news for one, but I don't have any climbing gear.
I'm probably going to get a lot of replies about how I should read a book, what is the name of that book again? Thanks!
I under-cut the 6" branch and began my top cut. 1/2 way into the top cut the branch split but did not fall. I stopped at this point thinking it was going to snap. It did not. I then cut about 1/2" more and the branch snapped. Disturbing thing was, it split first, sort of exploded, right in front of my face. Again, the tree protected me. Then on the way down, it smashed into the tree right at my knees. No injuries because the tree was there. I didn't all of this happen, but my friend did. He said it was an intense 1/2 second when that thing was grenading 12 inches away from me.
This situation obviously sucked, it was not right. What did I do wrong?
I know that ladders are bad news for one, but I don't have any climbing gear.
I'm probably going to get a lot of replies about how I should read a book, what is the name of that book again? Thanks!
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