Finally scored one, but it's scary too...

[stumpy75]

I got home from camping last Sunday, and I heard a saw going and a couple of big crashes from my neighbor's yard in back of me.

When I investigated, there was a huge pile of brush and trees all over his back yard.

I cringed when I saw what he was doing though... He has no idea how to drop a tree, and every one had barberchaired on him. There were no notches. He just started cutting through them at an angle, and when they broke, they went wherever. And he was working alone. With no safety equipment. There were 4 mulberrys and 3 tree of heaven on the ground, all on top of each other in a mess... Most of the trees were 12-18".

So, after I was sure he had not done himself in, and was done cutting, I walked over and asked him what he's going to do with the wood. He said to take all of it, as he just wanted more sun in his backyard, and was going to rent a chipper for the brush. There's also 3 more mulberrys and a big oak he's going to have someone drop for him, as they are too big for his saw(thank God...).

So, Sunday afternoon, I waded into the mess, and started to brush it out. That's when I saw a cut 12" TOH that was hung up in one of the still standing mulberrys on the other side of the property. With the mess back there, there's no way to get a truck near it yet to pull it down. Luckily, it's a ways from the mess, so it's safe to work around.

There was one other mulberry that he also wanted to cut down right away, so I volunteered to cut it, and showed him the safe way to drop a tree. Notched and dropped it right where I said it would go...

So, I have a lot of wood, literally in my back yard. I like the mulberry and oak, and have to take the TOH(part of the deal). And he's helping me split the bigger stuff, so it's easier for me to haul. And I'll get the other mulberrys and the oak when they are dropped. Probably a years worth of wood...

I'm glad he didn't kill himself, and that I was not home to see him drop those trees... Scary!

 

[sawjunky23]

This is more common than you might think, it seems that some people are so oblivious to what they are doing that they just go balls to the walls and never even stop to think how dangerous some of their actions are. Then you have the guys who have skills and are cautious and seem to have really bad luck and can't seem to buy a break. It makes me scratch my head sometimes.

 

[stumpy75]

I guess it might be more common than I might think, but boy, what he was doing sure scared me! I watched him drop the last tree...

And it could have been done so much better and easier, without everything all dropped in a pile... I'm still getting wood from it (and will for a few more days at least). I work about 4 hours in the mornings, and then the heat, humidity and storms have been getting me. It's been like a sauna here for the last few days. More like August than June.

And I've had to gently talk with him to keep him from cutting the logs in 9" pieces! But that's ok too, I guess, because he wants some for bonfire wood, so we have been splitting the smalls somewhat thin for that.

LOTS of brush piles yet too. He's got a chipper rented a couple Saturdays from now, so that will be a full day... I've had to explain to him how and why to cut straight brush pieces, so they will easily run through the chipper. And to pile them all butt ends first.

He's now realizing how much work this has become...

And we still can't get a truck in close enough to pull that hung up one over yet. Maybe tomorrow.

But my wood pile IS looking better!

And, yes, I've known some very skilled people that could not buy a break too. Makes you wonder...

 

[JB Weld]

Sounds like a great score!

I am glad your neighbor is OK.

 

[Whitespider]

We, as a modern civilized society, have done an override on Ma' Nature's natural selection process... we breed stupid people.
People do stupid stuff every day without getting hurt (or worse). It's sort'a like drinking and driving... you may get away with it a few times (or you may not), but do it often enough and sooner-or-later something bad is gonna' happen. People doing stupid stuff is one big reason why we have emergency rooms... and why we have to pay for "warning" labels nobody reads.
*

 

[Casrep]

Reply to WS
All true, but stupid-people's antics make great YouTube videos.

 

[Whitespider]

...stupid-people's antics make great YouTube videos.

On a rainy Saturday morning I can be entertained for hours by stupid people YouTube videos while waiting for the rain to stop.
*

 

[stumpy75]

On a rainy Saturday morning I can be entertained for hours by stupid people YouTube videos while waiting for the rain to stop.
*

 

[Full Chisel]

That mulberry makes great smoking wood for BBQ...

 

[mallardman]

We, as a modern civilized society, have done an override on Ma' Nature's natural selection process... we breed stupid people.
People do stupid stuff every day without getting hurt (or worse). It's sort'a like drinking and driving... you may get away with it a few times (or you may not), but do it often enough and sooner-or-later something bad is gonna' happen. People doing stupid stuff is one big reason why we have emergency rooms... and why we have to pay for "warning" labels nobody reads.
*

Amen! We've flipped Darwin and survival of the fittest on its head. In many cases we are paying them to produce more too. Ugh


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[unclemoustache]

There was one other mulberry that he also wanted to cut down right away, so I volunteered to cut it, and showed him the safe way to drop a tree. Notched and dropped it right where I said it would go... I'm glad he didn't kill himself, and that I was not home to see him drop those trees... Scary!

Sorry to scare you like that. Now that you showed me how, I can do it all perfectly....... if only I can remember which order to do the notch and back cut..............




.

 

[stumpy75]

Sorry to scare you like that. Now that you showed me how, I can do it all perfectly....... if only I can remember which order to do the notch and back cut.............. .

Yeah, I wondered about that too. The one I dropped was one of those almost no-brainers, Lean and weight was just where I wanted it to go. I tried to explain about that, but I doubt it took. I was thinking about Darwin when I was watching him drop that last tree....hoping I wouldn't see that theory in action....

 

[AIM]

I like REALLY stupid people. They make people like me, the SORTA stupid look better.

 

[ppkgmsy]

We, as a modern civilized society, have done an override on Ma' Nature's natural selection process... we breed stupid people.
People do stupid stuff every day without getting hurt (or worse). It's sort'a like drinking and driving... you may get away with it a few times (or you may not), but do it often enough and sooner-or-later something bad is gonna' happen. People doing stupid stuff is one big reason why we have emergency rooms... and why we have to pay for "warning" labels nobody reads.
*

It's funny you say this because my wife was scolding me this morning because I hold the same attitude as you. Nature culls the weak, the feeble and the stupid. Our society is so divorced from Nature that the weak, stupid and feeble rise to the top. Just look at the Federal government.

 

[sawjunky23]

It's funny you say this because my wife was scolding me this morning because I hold the same attitude as you. Nature culls the weak, the feeble and the stupid. Our society is so divorced from Nature that the weak, stupid and feeble rise to the top. Just look at the Federal government.

We as "society" have ruined the concept of natural selection, nowdays if you are lazy,unmotivated or just plain dumb, there are special intrest groups and bleeding hearts lined up to help take care of you....back in the "old days" the problem just fixed itself.......

 

[ppkgmsy]

Swajunky, I agree with you. It's gotten to the point where it's hard for my 12 year-old son (a healthy and rugged young man) to find friends. It seems like every boy his age isn't allowed to do something, isn't allowed to eat something, is allergic to something, or needs to have his hand held. I'm talking about reasonable activites with a reasonable degree of risk. Parents hear "adventure" and they think "danger." Physically, psychologically and emotionally, we're turning our society into a bunch of mediocre people.

 

[Oldman47]

Its happened before. At one point it was return with your shield or on it. Then we saw both the Greek and Roman societies fall when folks got soft.

 

[Marine5068]

I like REALLY stupid people. They make people like me, the SORTA stupid look better.

Couldn't have quoted that better myself....about me I mean....not you

 

[Marine5068]

Sounds like you scored some great firewood and maybe helped a man from not killing himself in the future.
I'd be happy with those accomplishments for the week.
Good Job.

 

[stumpy75]

Sounds like you scored some great firewood and maybe helped a man from not killing himself in the future.
I'd be happy with those accomplishments for the week.
Good Job.

Thanks.

Finally were able to get to the hung up TOH this morning and pull it over. Still working on the brush, but should have most of the wood out of there in the next few days, if the weather cooperates. Rain over last weekend got the ground so wet that I actualy walking in water on the site, and the past few days have been tropical here. Finally into some nicer weather...