It was all going great until...

[Haironyourchest]

Hi wood4heat, I'm honoured that anyone would want to ask me questions, and delighted to answer!

1. Yes it's a lady's hat - well spotted...I needed a sun hat, went into the charity shop, only suitable hats were that and another one that your granny would wear to a wedding. Only new hats in town were €50+ ($60) so the €4 ladies hat won out....so far my manhood has not suffered unduly.

2. Had to look up 'halyard' (incidentally it is derived form the nautical "to haul yards") Ok, so pretty much all ladders sold where I live are not halyard assisted. Im sure they exist here, but I'v never seen one. The second extension has a pair of downward pointing hooks near the feet, which engage the rungs of the main ladder. Its not a great system, and getting the thing to full extension is a pain. I like the idea of a halyard assist, may rig something up with a truck strap - thanks for helping me think of it...

3. The skinny tree was just bad editing and planning. There was another tree next to the 'big' one, which had been struck by lighting some years before and had the to blown off about fifteen feet up. So a tall stump basically. After I set up my tree, I realised that when it started to fall there was a chance it would catch in the neghboring 'stump', so we opted to remove the stump first. That was when I pinched my bar. Should have taken more care to explain it properly in the video.

4. The falling of the big tree was not captured because.... well, I made the back cut, as deep as I dared, and then backed away. We looked at the tree for a while, and were about to go and pull the winch, when she started to go - very slowly, bit of creaking etc. I really didn't think she'd go, so I had the camera turned off. Pity, because I would have made great video. We were standing there arguing about would she/wouldn't she, and then she just went...still kicking myself.....

5. Are you offering me a paying job? I'll take it!! Maybe someday I'll make some money doing video but right now the tree stuff (and yard maintenance, small building jobs, painting etc) keep me going. I have other vids at

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrHpSgjWVa1rm3aEYd5Ffvw

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

Was that the beaver cut or the old axe man technique? Next time you go wrenching on a back leaner with a hinge that thin forget the saw and stand clear. The hinge can fail and the tree can slide off the stump. At that point with a rope holding the middle of the tree and the tree wanting to fall backwards you are in TROUBLE. You can leave the bar and chain in the tree and take the powerhead.

 

[derwoodii]

ok not ideal but you survived to tell a tale that others may learn from..... Um can i ask why the big fir needed to go? no reason is required just curious.

 

[Mikeslap Mullerslap]

This is me - Haironyourchest.

Sorry but the video was a bit confusing as there were actually two trees, and I didn't quite explain that too well at the time. I pinched my bar the smaller of the two trees, which was actually just a fifteen foot stump, as lighting had taken the top off a few years ago. That one was safe to take down the way we did.

The other tree was bigger, and I tried cutting the buttresses out so I could judge my face and back cut better, but I went overboard and then it was too late. Just a case of over enthusiasm. Although the situation looks very dangerous in the vid, the angle I was videoing from makes it look more extreme than it really was, I would say the face cut was half way through the stem, no more.

We needed to take out the big fir as there was a cabin due to be built in the land-plot where the tree was, and would have been in range of the tree if it fell in a storm etc... that, and they were blocking the light.

 

[Mikeslap Mullerslap]

The big one fell on its own, without the rope. I made the back cut and we got well away from it. As we were standing there talking and wondering if we should start pulling, it just fell over - where it was supposed to. Next time I do a three footer, I'll chalk out the cuts beforehand and level them with a spirit level.

 

[thetoolnut]

137cc - Thank you for watching, and for your comment; so many people never take the time to leave a response (myself included). Yes, I agree, it is exactly what no to do.

DONT DO WHAT I DID, GUYS!!!

If you have not had proper training and are going to try and fell a biggie - TAKE YOUR TIME. Dont let anyone rush you. Think about every cut. Cut a little then think again before you cut some more.

I'm sorry if if was a painful experience. I hope you're ok now.

What the f&@k was that? I hope it was some kind of comedy sketch! I though it was a chainsaw carving video gone wrong.
If you don't have proper training stay away from trees and saws, your going to end up killing yourself or worse someone else.

 

[Pelorus]

Interesting.
Had a Monty Python vibe to it, minus the Black Knight.
Subtle undertones of Darwinism.