highpointtree
ArboristSite Operative
cut'em down and consider planting a smaller ornamental tree of a much smaller variety..much better than topping. I agree, just be safe.
Want to but apprehensive
- Thread starter Dale
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I would have no second thoughts standing on solid ground and felling these trees. I've been using a saw for mostly my entire adult life (45 years), and am well-versed in their applications. My thoughts were, if I can just top these trees to prevent them from becoming a hazard to my home, and possibly family, then I would. As I said to somebody in a PM regarding this post, I'm not scouring the countryside making it my life's work butchering every Maple Tree I encounter. I have thousands of Maples on my farm. Maples are a very prolific tree, and grow at a much faster rate than trees I consider more beneficial, such as Red and White Oaks. It can take 50-60 years for these Oak's to produce an acorn. You can grow a Red Maple from a simple bare "whip", to a 14" breast height diameter tree in a matter of 15 years. I practice proper stewardship on my farm, and know solid, valuable timber from trees that are diseased and can be culled for firewood. Tree value and/or aesthetics weren't the reason for starting this thread, and shouldn't have come into play. As I said, I made a mistake posting on this forum and got attacked by the swarm. At first I didn't quite understand why, but then came to realize, your professions put each of you in the same collective state of mind.
Thanks for all the well wishes on being safe. That is first and foremost on my mind every time that I start my saw. A few years ago I let my guard down felling a dead Elm. I didn't leave the base of the tree as it fell, and a large widowmaker dislodged, narrowly missing me. Quite a wakeup call. It only takes a split-second.
Thanks for all the well wishes on being safe. That is first and foremost on my mind every time that I start my saw. A few years ago I let my guard down felling a dead Elm. I didn't leave the base of the tree as it fell, and a large widowmaker dislodged, narrowly missing me. Quite a wakeup call. It only takes a split-second.
Wishie22
ArboristSite Operative
Wow...I know I'm at home with today's storm beginning and all (economy sucks too). But are you'll bored 
?
Dale, if the two maple trees are a concern of yours. Dig out around the base and a exit path. Fell them since you know how, head back to the fire with some soup and crackers. They will be there when the snow melts and you can finish the job.
That's it I'm call the neighbor he had mentioned he had a few tree to fell for next years firewood.
?Dale, if the two maple trees are a concern of yours. Dig out around the base and a exit path. Fell them since you know how, head back to the fire with some soup and crackers. They will be there when the snow melts and you can finish the job.
That's it I'm call the neighbor he had mentioned he had a few tree to fell for next years firewood.
Wow...I know I'm at home with today's storm beginning and all (economy sucks too). But are you'll bored
Dale, if the two maple trees are a concern of yours. Dig out around the base and a exit path. Fell them since you know how, head back to the fire with some soup and crackers. They will be there when the snow melts and you can finish the job.
That's it I'm call the neighbor he had mentioned he had a few tree to fell for next years firewood.
Yeah, I know I'm a little bored.
Things are picking up for me though. I'm actually supposed to finally go back to work tomorrow (thankfully). This snowstorm, coupled with the usual out of shape from winter factor, has me feeling less than optimistic though.
You know TreeCo, I pretty much have had my fill of you. You my friend, are a dolt. If your piss poor demeanor shines through when trying to scrounge some work, I'm sure folks just trip over themselves looking to use your service. You do remind me of a few friends I have, they keep goading and goading just because that's all they really have in life. If they aren't making somebody miserable, they just aren't happy. Everybody knows that their antics can't be helped, that it's their way of being accepted, and all of us accept these cheeseheads as friends. Maybe you'll be my friend someday too TreeCo. HaHa. :love1:
tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
You can take it as an attack if you want or think that we all hold ourselves in such great esteem that we are just trying to crow like roosters here. Not the case. Anyone who comes to this forum and asks about topping trees are likely to get a friendly admonition at first and then get ripped if they persist in asking about topping trees.
Yes we are trying to be of one collective state of mind when it comes to topping trees. Like I said earlier, knowledge of the bad practice of topping trees is arborist 101. It's not necessarily all about you. It's also for the would be newbie in this business that might stumble across the thread. When you ask about topping trees you are going to get a collective no around here.
And I really was not trying to rip on you. I recognize you from the boards and have no ill will towards you. My comment was mainly for the other do it yourselfer who came on here crowing about removing his own tree with his wild thang. And I don't really have any ill will towards him. Good for him on removing his own tree, glad he didn't get hurt. I have nothing to say about that in the firewood forum. But this is the pro forum and his advice is ludicrous here.
I agree that some species of maple are not the best to have around the house. It shows poor planning. They throw them in there in hopes of having a fast growing shade tree, they grow to behemoths over the house and I have seen them fail and tear #### up. But you would exacerbate the problem by topping them. That is my point to you.
I was also not trying to talk you out of taking the trees down if that is your desire. when I look at trees like this for people I try to give them an honest assessment on whether or not the trees are hazardous and let them make a decision on whether or not they want to remove them. But if they are healthy and not a problem tree I will tell them of the benefits they will be loosing by removing them. Especially if I think they are making a kneejerk decision after a storm.
As far as your age, I'm 41 and still climb on a daily basis so I wouldn't discourage you there. If you think you can handle it more power to you but I wouldn't turn any climber of mine loose on a large removal like that who had only spiked up a tree or two. That's not something I would throw a rookie into and I can't imagine any pro that would. You talk about blocking the trees down but I wonder if you even know what that term means. Blocking a tree is not bombing out chunks, it's setting a block, rigging large chunks of the tree and lowering them to the ground. It can be deadly to someone who is not experienced at it. Even rookies are mostly supervised when learning how and not something that would be very wise for a rookie to take on by himself without some supervision from someone with some experience at it.
Best of luck in your venture.
You are correct, bad choice of term I used. I'm not going to "Block" the tree down using rope and tackle. I've assisted in doing that while working as a ground-man for a summer some 25 or so years ago. I should have said "chunk" it off, or "Whack" it into smaller sections.
I'll have a person on the ground to put tension on the rope if needed. Well, I should say, I WOULD HAVE HAD a guy on the ground manning a rope. I've made the decision to cut these all the way down.I made a mistake posting on this forum. I actually looked up and down the subforums hoping to choose the correct one to post on. Honest mistake as I've come to find out topping a tree is sacreligion. But to be called a Troll by TreeCO, Gimme a break. I know folks of his ilk. I started posting on this site some 6 years ago. To think that I all of a sudden woke up, looked at my laptop, and said "I think I'll be a Troll today and piss off a bunch of Arborists", well, is a but ludicrous right ?
newsawtooth
ArboristSite Operative
Dale,
...we're talking about different things here. Your summer stint as a groundie obviously didn't impart any knowledge of tree biology on you. Topping isn't some term coined by arborists to wave over your head so you feel inferior. It has nothing to do with religion or creed either. It just doesn't work. Topping will create more of the problems you are trying to avoid. Topping makes trees more hazardous. Quit acting like you've been attacked because you strolled in here looking for affirmation of your machismo and didn't get the response you wanted.
...we're talking about different things here. Your summer stint as a groundie obviously didn't impart any knowledge of tree biology on you. Topping isn't some term coined by arborists to wave over your head so you feel inferior. It has nothing to do with religion or creed either. It just doesn't work. Topping will create more of the problems you are trying to avoid. Topping makes trees more hazardous. Quit acting like you've been attacked because you strolled in here looking for affirmation of your machismo and didn't get the response you wanted.
I'm thinking Treeco might be onto something here.
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
Actually, blocking down a tree means getting it on the ground in blocks, whatever way you do it. And that means throwing them down to me, thats is the way it is done here at least 99% of the time.
Rigging down large chunks out of the tree you are in is a mugs game. It has led to death, and has been talked about here endlessly. I won't do it for anyone, been told not to by a man who is a legend here and he is still alive.
So, I guess definitons have different meanings in other places.
Dale, you do whatever your heart desires, but be safe.
Ya think TreeMDs ? I make my first post on this forum all in good faith, receive a beating for suggesting I want to top off some maples that are threatening my house, then I get called a Troll, told to get a life, and get lost, then an inference made I'm just trying to be Macho. You guys want to beat-up on a fella having the gall to post such atrocity on your professional forum, then send him home squealing like a puppy. WOW, there are a few good guys on this here ARBORIST 101 forum, but they seem to be few and far between. Y'all for the most part are arrogant cheeseheads. HAHA !!! :monkey:
Really?? WTF did you get that idea?? care to elaborate??
Clearance: rigging down chunks of wood is pretty much a necessity in the residential game - that is if you want to be able to compete. It would be like you refusing to do part of your job to keep the lines flowing.
tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
People sometimes forget proper edicate when corresponding over the distance of the web. I always try treat people as if I were talking to them in person. If a friend had asked me about topping his own trees I would have given him the same advise and in the same manner as I have you Dale. Hope you didn't take it any other way.
This is the web though. You have to take some comments with a grain of salt.
This is the web though. You have to take some comments with a grain of salt.
and yes newsawtooth... my summer "stint" as a groundie was just that, a stint. I've since moved on to bigger and better career choices. Better because it's not as labor intensive, and much safer. But during my "stint", I needed the work to pay the bills, just married and broke. My short "stint" was an educating experience, and the climber/owner put his full trust in me. Mostly because I'm and educated man that pays attention, catches on quick, and LISTENS when someone tells me something. I might add, during my "stint", there were no injuries to either one of us, which in retrospect, and after reading the "Injury" forum on here, I'm grateful for.
Again in retrospect, the only suspect thing I can recall being out of line was when the owner gave me a 10 minute HOW TO, then cut me loose up a 70' or so pole with boot gaffs and had me take the tree down. I have balls, but the feeling of suspending off the tree and trusting my belt was an uneasy feeling.
Again in retrospect, the only suspect thing I can recall being out of line was when the owner gave me a 10 minute HOW TO, then cut me loose up a 70' or so pole with boot gaffs and had me take the tree down. I have balls, but the feeling of suspending off the tree and trusting my belt was an uneasy feeling.
tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
Actually, blocking down a tree means getting it on the ground in blocks, whatever way you do it. And that means throwing them down to me, thats is the way it is done here at least 99% of the time.
Rigging down large chunks out of the tree you are in is a mugs game. It has led to death, and has been talked about here endlessly. I won't do it for anyone, been told not to by a man who is a legend here and he is still alive.
So, I guess definitons have different meanings in other places.
Dale, you do whatever your heart desires, but be safe.
Have to beg to differ with you there Clearance, I have heard people use it as a general term for dropping chunks but it has and always will mean just what it says. Using a block to lower wood, hence blocking wood.
treeslayer
Addicted to ArboristSite
topped trees look like :censored:.
Seriously, I could care less if you drop them on your house, your cars or yourself.
I was not disrespecting you, but you sure insult us.
my only point was just cut them down.
And why you gotta slam farmers? you're a computer guy according to your profile, I know lots of real farmers, never would hear stupid $hit like that from them.
You own property that used to be a farm. big whoop, clown.
Seriously, I could care less if you drop them on your house, your cars or yourself.
I was not disrespecting you, but you sure insult us.
my only point was just cut them down.
And why you gotta slam farmers? you're a computer guy according to your profile, I know lots of real farmers, never would hear stupid $hit like that from them.
You own property that used to be a farm. big whoop, clown.
