I think the safety issues have been discussed :deadhorse: but complete discouragement for this guy is over the top here.
If you want to learn from experience you accept the consequences of that choice. He wanted to cut this tree down and felt that he could help by doing some limbing first. Understandable. Not the best tactics but he'll learn and hopefully not hurt himself in the process.
Lesson for the day is Barberchairing. thats what happened to the limb and just imagine what it's like when it happen at the trunk of a big tree!!!
Basically, for a limb this size you just didn't cut fast enough. You have to anticipate that the limb has lots of tension and act accordingly. You didn't need a clean cut near the trunk cause you're not keeping the tree. Undercut a safe distance on the limb and make sure your body is completely out of the fall zone. Top cut a few inches further out and cut fast with a sharp chain and it'll drop clean.
Don't do this on bigger limbs. Call in help when you're out of your league. And be glad you didn't get hurt.:greenchainsaw:
Yes let me take a few steps back here.
1. I have a day job, a pretty decent one. I intend to keep that.
2. I am not in a rush. We were actually working on my friend's property, we had all day. Unless I'm *really* trying to make money doing this stuff, I'm not going to rush, and even then I won't rush with a saw in my hands or a rope around me.
3. I'm doing this because I WANT to, always wanted to. Not to necessarily make money, just a fun hobby that *might* become profitable. I want to be like a pro someday, I look up to those guys / you guys. I have money for things like helmets and harnesses (harnii?) and climbing spikes, I'm not like poor.
4. I'm not *completely* green when it comes to the actual saws and cutting. I've gone through a LOT of 50:1 mix in my life.
5. I don't know #### about climbing. I was hoping that someone would reply to my OP telling me how I should have been roped in and with what gear. I understand that I needed to be blasted for that stupid move with the ladder but maybe like eventually we focus on the actual situation that occurred?
6. I don't see how telling me to hire a pro is constructive. I am trying to learn. And as madrone said, complete discouragement is completely over-the-top.
7. Thanks thanks THANKS for all the constructive replies and help so far!!!
:greenchainsaw: