comingbackdown
ArboristSite Lurker
I don't even know where to start. I suppose a very brief introduction is in order. Eh, screw brief. I lie through my teeth. I always say "brief introduction", and I end up writing a book. My apologies. Read if you have the time. My apologies if I'm too wordy, or if any of my questions seem really, really stupid. I just have no idea where to start. Once I'm started though, I run with things.
Keep in mind two things. I have occasional bouts of insomnia. When I'm tired, I tend to ramble just a bit too much for anyone's good. At this moment, I'm so stupidly tired I can barely type. At least I know what I want to ask about.
I'm 20 years old, 21 in December. I've been running saws out cuttin' firewood for a good while now. Got a few saws under me, some borrowed, a couple owned, some in need of work or minor tweaking.
I love running a saw. First one was my grandfather's Echo 302 trimming a massively overgrown tree. That saw sits in my garage waiting for a little TLC.
I've loved climbing trees since I was real young. By the time I was about 12 years old, I had enough muscle and long enough limbs to do some real climbin'.
I scared the daylights out of my mother once. She came outside lookin' for me, rounded the barn and just about jumped out of her skin when she realized I was staring at her from near forty foot off the ground the whole time.
I've been searching for something good to get into, something that I love doing, for quite some time, and after being dropped here during a search for parts, I realized I'd already been whetting the appetite for it.
I want to work in tree service, whether it be with a company or on my own. My goal is to become a certified arborist, that I may take proper care of my own trees and those of anybody who'd have me do the job.
I have a lot to learn though. I'd like to start by looking for a job with some of the local companies. There are some things that I'm missing, though, and some I'm sure I'd have to learn on the job. Let the education begin.
Most of what I know, I learned cutting firewood. I don't know much about tree care, so any knowledge you can impart would be much appreciated. Our Pin Oak is in bad need of trimming, and I don't want to hurt the tree in the process, or have it grow back looking like it got a haircut from a drunken barber.
I've studied up on felling, limbing, bucking, etc. I've got experience there. I've never worked off the ground though, other than very, very short ladders.
Direct me to books or articles or whatnot if nothing else will do. I'm here to learn, and will follow any advice y'all can give. If something is in no way possible to learn and practice on my own and must be learned in the field just let me know.
What I don't know:
Climbing: Sure, I can climb... until I run out of limbs that are thick enough to pull myself up with. Never used climbing equipment, don't know much about it. I've certainly never hauled a saw up in a tree with me either.
Let us say you have a tree that needs dropped, very large, close to a house. Not something you'd want to just try felling and hope. How do you go about it? I'm guessing from watching it being done that you'd need to take some of the top out and then sculpt somewhat to keep weight pulling it where you want it to drop, working from the top down. Or, as I've seen done more than once, slice the top out, tie off and remove the limbs, chop the log down piece by piece, and drop the main log when it's too short to hit anything breakable.
Educate me.
Jeez... I have so much to learn. I may or may not have a shot going to work for a local service. I'd enjoy that. Problem is most of them list a CDL as a job requirement, and I can't even get one yet.
Anything you can elaborate upon, recommend some reading on, etc. I'm all ears. I'll meet my goals if it takes everything I've got.
Now, to end this post, I want to thank this site in general. I started lurking here after I stumbled upon the site in a search for parts. After five days straight of poring over page after page of information trying to find parts for a saw, I found my answer here. The saw is an Olympic 254, my favorite out of all the saws on this property. Two weeks ago, it was a seldom used saw in desperate need of a carb kit and a new air cleaner. Now those parts sit in the garage, and soon enough it'll come alive again. Thanks much, y'all. If I hadn't found that one post on this one forum among all the information one can find on the internet, that thing would've ended up as an ornamental reminder of better days, collecting dust day after day.
My sincerest apologies for being a forum novelist. I'm just fighting a losing battle against impatience. I wanna get out and do more than "Go into the woods, fell tree, cut up tree, split, load, bring home, stack, dry, burn in wood stove, repeat." Don't get me wrong, that's fun, but... I've got the itch. I want to advance, I want to do more, to learn, to excel, to grow, and to do things the right way from the get go!
I'm gonna grab some sleep now. Much to do in the morning. My backyard is decorated by a massive stack of wood chunks that need split (busted the handle on the splitting maul. I get to wake up, eat, get dressed, and go to town with an axe, a sledge, and wedges. Wish me luck.) and a pile of sawdust that'd take several of me to cover it. I also have a chain to sharpen.
Peace, y'all.
Keep in mind two things. I have occasional bouts of insomnia. When I'm tired, I tend to ramble just a bit too much for anyone's good. At this moment, I'm so stupidly tired I can barely type. At least I know what I want to ask about.
I'm 20 years old, 21 in December. I've been running saws out cuttin' firewood for a good while now. Got a few saws under me, some borrowed, a couple owned, some in need of work or minor tweaking.
I love running a saw. First one was my grandfather's Echo 302 trimming a massively overgrown tree. That saw sits in my garage waiting for a little TLC.
I've loved climbing trees since I was real young. By the time I was about 12 years old, I had enough muscle and long enough limbs to do some real climbin'.
I scared the daylights out of my mother once. She came outside lookin' for me, rounded the barn and just about jumped out of her skin when she realized I was staring at her from near forty foot off the ground the whole time.
I've been searching for something good to get into, something that I love doing, for quite some time, and after being dropped here during a search for parts, I realized I'd already been whetting the appetite for it.
I want to work in tree service, whether it be with a company or on my own. My goal is to become a certified arborist, that I may take proper care of my own trees and those of anybody who'd have me do the job.
I have a lot to learn though. I'd like to start by looking for a job with some of the local companies. There are some things that I'm missing, though, and some I'm sure I'd have to learn on the job. Let the education begin.
Most of what I know, I learned cutting firewood. I don't know much about tree care, so any knowledge you can impart would be much appreciated. Our Pin Oak is in bad need of trimming, and I don't want to hurt the tree in the process, or have it grow back looking like it got a haircut from a drunken barber.
I've studied up on felling, limbing, bucking, etc. I've got experience there. I've never worked off the ground though, other than very, very short ladders.
Direct me to books or articles or whatnot if nothing else will do. I'm here to learn, and will follow any advice y'all can give. If something is in no way possible to learn and practice on my own and must be learned in the field just let me know.
What I don't know:
Climbing: Sure, I can climb... until I run out of limbs that are thick enough to pull myself up with. Never used climbing equipment, don't know much about it. I've certainly never hauled a saw up in a tree with me either.
Let us say you have a tree that needs dropped, very large, close to a house. Not something you'd want to just try felling and hope. How do you go about it? I'm guessing from watching it being done that you'd need to take some of the top out and then sculpt somewhat to keep weight pulling it where you want it to drop, working from the top down. Or, as I've seen done more than once, slice the top out, tie off and remove the limbs, chop the log down piece by piece, and drop the main log when it's too short to hit anything breakable.
Educate me.
Jeez... I have so much to learn. I may or may not have a shot going to work for a local service. I'd enjoy that. Problem is most of them list a CDL as a job requirement, and I can't even get one yet.
Anything you can elaborate upon, recommend some reading on, etc. I'm all ears. I'll meet my goals if it takes everything I've got.
Now, to end this post, I want to thank this site in general. I started lurking here after I stumbled upon the site in a search for parts. After five days straight of poring over page after page of information trying to find parts for a saw, I found my answer here. The saw is an Olympic 254, my favorite out of all the saws on this property. Two weeks ago, it was a seldom used saw in desperate need of a carb kit and a new air cleaner. Now those parts sit in the garage, and soon enough it'll come alive again. Thanks much, y'all. If I hadn't found that one post on this one forum among all the information one can find on the internet, that thing would've ended up as an ornamental reminder of better days, collecting dust day after day.
My sincerest apologies for being a forum novelist. I'm just fighting a losing battle against impatience. I wanna get out and do more than "Go into the woods, fell tree, cut up tree, split, load, bring home, stack, dry, burn in wood stove, repeat." Don't get me wrong, that's fun, but... I've got the itch. I want to advance, I want to do more, to learn, to excel, to grow, and to do things the right way from the get go!
I'm gonna grab some sleep now. Much to do in the morning. My backyard is decorated by a massive stack of wood chunks that need split (busted the handle on the splitting maul. I get to wake up, eat, get dressed, and go to town with an axe, a sledge, and wedges. Wish me luck.) and a pile of sawdust that'd take several of me to cover it. I also have a chain to sharpen.
Peace, y'all.
