I'm the 4th generation in the family doing residential tree work. I tend to stay away from giving felling advice. If you look at the pro guys here, they all have one thing in common that can really change the outcome of dropping a tree. They have big, powerful, sharp saws. THE TIME THAT STRESS IS ON WOOD MATTERS. I've always used 100CC saws for felling. If I'm in smaller wood I'll put a 25 in bar on, bigger 36", bigger 47". If some one is using an MS 290 with a 20" bar and half dull chain, and they are rocking back and forth trying to make a back cut, they are an accident in progress. Now that I'm retired most of my cutting is firewood. So my big saw is a 660. I don't know how many times I've showed up to help friends that have just moved up to their first pro quality saw and want to show it off. Here try my new saw, it's bad azz. I make one cut, shake my head and say, "I can't use this thing, it's dull". They are so used to nicking the ground with each cut, that after 5 minutes they don't even know the saw is dull. Firewood guys should never try throwing a hollow tree. A few BTU's aren't worth your life. Hollow trees scare pros. Most firewood guys don't know enough about them to be scared. I've seen lots of the guys here progress. I've seen the light bulb come on when they learned how to sharpen saws, when they learned how to use face cuts, they have grown. So, I know there are guys here just starting, and they don't know. You can't be aware of what you don't know. Give advice assuming people are using sub standard equipment, most are. Take advice assuming your equipment is sub standard, it probably is. I've made it 60 years with only a few minor nicks and cuts. But I grew up under trees. At 5 I could tie a saw on my Dad's rope with a bowline, and get out from under the tree before he pulled it up. Always cut with a friend. If you have to take a video of your new found skills, we will probably see it on youtube under tree failures. Your cell is your friend, your video is not. To say every one has to start somewhere is true, if you are learning a trade, like residential tree removal or logging. Cutting firewood to heat your house is not a trade. Some trees you should just shake your head and walk away. Wait till nature brings it down. This isn't the Pro Forum, or Logging forum. Just be careful, end of my ramble, Joe.