You guys are probably gonna ream me but here goes nothing

[treesquirrel]

Removing those trees is not worth your LIFE. Hire a pro.

 

[Nailsbeats]

buy the time you buy all the correct equipment and the class,you'll be well on the way to paying a professional to do it.i'd check and make sure your homeowners covers your learning session.

you have to build muscles up you didn't know you had for climbing plus the wind is different up there.do you know how to recognize a dangerous section in the tree before you climb past it? no matter how much it costs to get it down by someone else,i promise you'll gladly pay it after it's too late and you're messed up the rest of your life.

if you have a few years to wait for these trees to come down.and practice,i'd say go for it.

if you're in a hurry,i'd hire it out.

You bring up and excellent point. Your body is your number 1 tool in the tree. Even if you are in good shape, starting to climb will make you hurt. I was showing a friend how to climb once and after a couple of steps he made the exact statement, "it takes muscles I didn't even know I had". He soon had enough.

Having the head knowledge is one thing, being conditioned to the elements in the tree and having the experience to plan and react to avoid disaster is another.

Even for the experienced, tree work is a lot of educated guessing. When it starts to happen you need to know what to key off of and react accordingly. Without this, you will either "lock up" or kill yourself right away. A good climber lives by having a plan A and a plan B, if you can't accurately lay out a plan A you certainly can't think far enough ahead for plan B.
While you try to think your inexperienced body will be burning and causing confusion.

This is why people say take it slow, and learn from the ground. Put your time in with some pro's.

You also must be an expert with a saw before thinking about taking one in a tree. Like they say, "gravity is 100%" every move made in the tree could be your last.

I don't mean to preach, but I've been around this my whole life, have 15 years climbing, and still see things I have to think twice about.

Hornett22, I completely concur with your advise.

 

[hornett22]

just trying to warn him.

i was fortunate,i had the muscles from rock climbing years before.i had to start climbing though on short notice and learn quick.our climber wound up in jail while we had jobs lined up.lucky for me i'm agile and a quick learner.i don't like to let stuff beat me.being interested also helped but i read and learn.i also watched the climbers we had very closely.i improve quick.i haven't been doing it full time for more than a year and a half but i greatly improved just over the summer.

i had to climb one day for Bruce at CT Valley Tree.i was sick as a dog and didn't want to get out of bed but i said i'd be there and i knew there was a crew depending on me.i had a few moments in the tree where i wondered if i had enough strength to get down but i pushed through.i know i had no business up there that day but it all worked out.you don't know how many times i thought i was gonna puke from 40-50 feet up but i held out till i got home.no groundie deserves that,

 

[Nailsbeats]

Another point is when you first start, you burn a lot more energy in the tree.

I learned this when I was younger and my old man would smoke me in the tree. He'd get up their and work like he was in the coffee shop.

I would be up their with my mind and heart racing, especially before a critical cut, second guessing my everymove.

I was always very physical/athletic and never doubted my ability climbing, but that doesn't mean you can free fall that huge limb without smashing something.

It is fun to think back at where you once were and where you are now. Now it's just the new guys that make me nervous.

 

[reachtreeservi]

If you are planning to stay in the business and cut for a living, then buy all means purchase a couple grand worth of equipment and start practicing on your own trees.
You can do it at your own pace and work from the easiest tree to the hardest tree on your property. It's a great way to learn.

But if this is the only tree work you will do, then forget about it. Hire a service. The Tree Business is too costly and too dangerous to dabble in.
Most people that try to, end up getting hurt.

Something else to think about:
There's a long learning curve with tree work. Without a lot of time, research and help, not only will you not know how to safely do the work ,
you couldn't possibly know even what gear to purchase.

It really boils down to: Do I want to do this enough to justify the considerable expense and commitment to training ?
No one job is worth the money or the risk !

 

[pbtree]

Good luck and be careful. I like to try to do things myself also and can appreciate your point of view.

I would practice somewhere not over your house first.

Keep us posted and pictures would be great.

What he said... And welcome to the site!

 

[mantis]

sound advice

If you are planning to stay in the business and cut for a living, then buy all means purchase a couple grand worth of equipment and start practicing on your own trees.
You can do it at your own pace and work from the easiest tree to the hardest tree on your property. It's a great way to learn.

But if this is the only tree work you will do, then forget about it. Hire a service. The Tree Business is too costly and too dangerous to dabble in.
Most people that try to, end up getting hurt.

Something else to think about:
There's a long learning curve with tree work. Without a lot of time, research and help, not only will you not know how to safely do the work ,
you couldn't possibly know even what gear to purchase.

It really boils down to: Do I want to do this enough to justify the considerable expense and commitment to training ?
No one job is worth the money or the risk !

no sence in wasting money if you are only going to do this once,Then again after diong it you may never want to do it again.If they are near power lines let the power co. take care of it.I had this done over the summer.Cheaper for them in the long run.they usually wont remove the tree but they will take it down.Good luck

 

[BRCCArborist]

The most important thing, in my opinion, is that if you decide to do these removals yourself, you MUST have another climber on the job with you. The reason for this is two fold: You will probably have to do some rigging if it is over a house, so you will definately need someone on the ground working the rope. The second, and most important reason, is that if you are injured in the tree, you need someone both nearby, and someone who can climb a tree to at least administer some type of first aid until a certified aerial rescue personnel can get to you. Just a thought I had that no one had touched on yet.

 

[reachtreeservi]

The most important thing, in my opinion, is that if you decide to do these removals yourself, you MUST have another climber on the job with you. The reason for this is two fold: You will probably have to do some rigging if it is over a house, so you will definately need someone on the ground working the rope. The second, and most important reason, is that if you are injured in the tree, you need someone both nearby, and someone who can climb a tree to at least administer some type of first aid until a certified aerial rescue personnel can get to you. Just a thought I had that no one had touched on yet.

Good point BC, I'm surprised no one thought of that, myself included. Even with SRT rigging and a port a wrap and grigri set up ,
you'd still need someone to lower you if you were injured....

On that safety note, Another piece of gear I'd recommend is the SIP Comfort range chain saw protection pants. Best 200.00 you'll ever spend.
And as a new climber, you're subject to need them.

Something to think about : I was looking at my gear last night and got a calculator out. Just the saddle and hardware on it came to over 900.00 .
Add 350.00 or so for safety equipment. 100.00 or so for throwline,throwbags etc. , 117.00 for a big shot, 750.00 for a couple of bull ropes and one ISC arborist block,
200 or so for whoopie and loopies, 140 for a port a wrap, 375 for 2 climbing lines. 500 for a 200T.

And the list goes on ,and on, and on ....

Just the gear listed above is over 3400.00 And most of it is absolutely necessary. You can always go a little cheaper, but not a whole lot.

 

[Industry]

I thought they just topped it to a few feet under the wire. (sarcasm)

A few years ago i went back to my parents house and found that the electric company had come through and asked them whether they wanted their beech tree which was three feet in diameter pruned or taken down because it was growing too close to the power lines, maybe ten feet away at the trunk.

They said prune it back.

When they came home from work they had cut the entire tree down to a 15 foot stump, with a one inch diameter branch growing away from the lines.

I must say I about S%*T, i couldnt believe how bad it looked and how bad they hacked it. I mean come on, how hard would it have been to take down one or two limbs growing into the f'ing wires.

Least to say I took the butt down and made some boards. :jawdrop:

I think this is the reason I have such a problem with "line clearance" :greenchainsaw:

Your example is definitely an Extreme one. I have to work around people who will not let us remove some trees that should be, and I have to do it day in and day out. When I talk to a homeowner, most have no idea what will or won't actually damage a tree beyond repair. If I have to drastically reduce a tree to get my clearance I always suggest completely removing it and having the owner plant something that is more suitable for being under the Utility lines. I'm sorry you have a problem with line clearance,(and I don't know you so I'm trying not to take offense) but I don't much care for Holier than thou res. guys who have little to no Idea what is involved in the day to day life of a utility guy. I'm not saying you are one of these guys(again I don't know you), but you kind of come off as one in your post. If I Have it all wrong, then I apologize.

 

[deanminor35]

Wow!!!!!!!!

A homeowner with ropes,belt,hooks,etc. No good can come of this,glad the Home depot just sells ladders and Poland chains saws.......homeowners get in enough trouble as it is

 

[Grouchy old man]

I'm going to agree with some of the rest. If you want to do this do it because you want to learn and you want to be a pro, NOT because you are a HO and have a project to do to save money. If you can't commit to that forget it. Start out by climbing easy stuff and try to get involved with another experienced climber or tree company even as a groundie. You will probably after a few days agree to forget those trees for a few years at least. If you need to take them down now, this might be an opportunity to talk yourself into a part time job with a company.

 

[flushcut]

I am think they have been cut down by now.

 

[sgreanbeans]

How much and how far away will line clearance tree workers usually clear-away the limbs no cost?

MDV, really I think you know the answer to your own question!
Here it is quite simple! When I have a make safe, the Big O crew fights over who comes, as they know that they will get a hot lunch right of the grill! It is amazing how much work they will do for ya when ya feed em brats, beans and a cold Pepsi!
I have had them stay all day, do almost the whole job, while my guys ground for them. All because I take care of them like they are mine while they are on my job

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Your example is definitely an Extreme one. I have to work around people who will not let us remove some trees that should be, and I have to do it day in and day out. When I talk to a homeowner, most have no idea what will or won't actually damage a tree beyond repair. If I have to drastically reduce a tree to get my clearance I always suggest completely removing it and having the owner plant something that is more suitable for being under the Utility lines. I'm sorry you have a problem with line clearance,(and I don't know you so I'm trying not to take offense) but I don't much care for Holier than thou res. guys who have little to no Idea what is involved in the day to day life of a utility guy. I'm not saying you are one of these guys(again I don't know you), but you kind of come off as one in your post. If I Have it all wrong, then I apologize.

Some line clearance crews came through and hacked up all the trees on easement between sidewalk and street at brother's house. The beautiful Crimson Maples lining the street were all below the power lines and some even across the street from the lines,yet the crews cut them all back nearly to the main trunk leaving only ugly 3 foot stems for the branches. There were many angry residents calling the city since they were city trees. The city forced the utility co. to finish cutting the hacked butchered trees and replant their trees that were not even a danger to the lines on other side of street in many cases.

On the other hand the utility Co raised the utility poles to get the lines over the top of a relatively rare and huge Chinkapin Oak tree in my area. It was strange to see the poles to suddenly rise up in height and then decrease in height after the tree died and was removed.