Groundie

[teacherman]

Well, this will be a picture-intensive thread. I have finally accepted that I need to remove a huge old hackberry that has been shading my house for many many years. It split to teh ground in 1990, and I got up in it in a 70 mph wind and cut part of it down, then put two 7/8" thick bolts thru it. I got twenty more years out of it, Time to drop it. My arborist buddy Rob and I are doing it, and eight hours of hard work has reduced it greatly. I am both teh groundman and photographer, so the photos are rather limited. Enjoy.

I will post more pics after i reduce their filesize.

 

[teacherman]

Here's a few. More to follow as time and the job progress.

More to follow.

 

[teacherman]

 

[teacherman]

I worked hard the last two days. Groundie bears a suspicious resemblance to work. Rob says ther are supposed to be two. Lowering, untying, de-brushing with a saw, moving it all out of the way, keeping all the brush out of the rope, etc., almost hard work. I was running most of the time. Rob said "excellent ground work!" I learned to time the swing so as not to whack the house.

It was a blast. I will be doing some of the climbing later on.

 

[epicklein22]

OMG, Did I see an echo top handle and the guy one handing a saw? That guy is a hack:jawdrop: :help:

Just kidding!!!:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

I just see these kind of responds all the time.

The climber reminds me of some guys I see around here. Old school all the way around. Looks like a technical take down. I bet it was fun to help and watch.

Thanks for the thread!!!!

 

[teacherman]

Yes, old school for sure. He/we did a weight reduction and cable on this tree three years ago, and it did not lose a twig three months later in a "microburst" that dropped trees and power poles all over the neighborhood. (I had a brand new car parked under the tree, and I was out running when the burst hit) Car was fine, but the street was full of tree limbs, so I couldn't go anywhere. I cut two trees off of cars that day, glad one of them wasn't mine....

It is a joy watching Rob climb and cut. He definitely knows what he is doing.

 

[Pablo26]

Nice pics, and good work!

 

[blsnelling]

Cool pics. Keep them coming.

 

[aandabooks]

Nice pics. Don't think I could ever do the climbing that some of these pros do.

Just one question: Is he toting around a gallon of water with him all of the time? And if so, wouldn't it be easier to send it up to him on the end of a rope when he wants a drink?

 

[teacherman]

Stihl über alles!

Rob's large saw is an ancient 041 that he got from an old tree guy who was in his 80's in the 80's. Brad, how old could an 041 be?? This saw is original, unrestored, and is stihl in daily use. I look forward to hearing that sucker run. I will be using an 056 Mag 2 and an 084 when we get to the trunk.:greenchainsaw:

The gallon jug is one of his accessories. That is how he does it. He usually works by himself. I enjoy grounding for him so much that I volunteered to work with him on weekends and in summer.

 

[teacherman]

More pics

We will pick it up again in two weeks.

Yes, this is one big old tree. I believe it is 70 feet tall.

 

[Moss Man]

An artist at work sculpting away. Just wow.

 

[bill268xp]

every one around here would want big money to work over a house. I like the part that a couple of men and some good tools can take it out . so it may take a Little longer. great pictures!!! well the next storm you will not have any worries about that tree!!

 

[teacherman]

every one around here would want big money to work over a house. I like the part that a couple of men and some good tools can take it out . so it may take a Little longer. great pictures!!! well the next storm you will not have any worries about that tree!!

Oh, I am paying Rob. I will likely save over $1000 this way, though. I have known him for 25 years, and he is the salt of the earth. I am glad he lets me run the ground job for him. I had more fun this weekend than I have had in a long time! Hope to post some pics of me climbing up high at some point.

 

[rngrchad]

Teacherman,
You look really comfortable way off the deck like that! Nice looking rigging, and beautiful photos. What a great looking day to be in a tree! Bluebird skies. The thread being "photo intensive" makes it all that much better!
I'm stoked on all the great threads like this!
Keep'm coming!

 

[teacherman]

Teacherman,
You look really comfortable way off the deck like that! Nice looking rigging, and beautiful photos. What a great looking day to be in a tree! Bluebird skies. The thread being "photo intensive" makes it all that much better!
I'm stoked on all the great threads like this!
Keep'm coming!

LOLOLOLOL!!!!! I am not that comfortable up in a tree. I move at one tenth the speed as Rob..... I am the photographer and ground man. Rob has båll$ of steel, IMO.

 

[bill268xp]

I let my wife get an estimate to take out one of two trees . they where 36 inch trunk an very sick willows . for one 25 feet from my hose was $6800.00. I hook up a chain and winch . I only owned a 028 at the time but she did the job. my wife can no longer say one word about my new saw collection.

 

[Bowtie]

Awesome pics Jon! I need to get over your way again to visit and play with saws and drink a few cold ones!

 

[teacherman]

I let my wife get an estimate to take out one of two trees . they where 36 inch trunk an very sick willows . for one 25 feet from my hose was $6800.00. I hook up a chain and winch . I only owned a 028 at the time but she did the job. my wife can no longer say one word about my new saw collection.

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

$6800? I'm sorry, even out on the East Coast that is inappropriate. This big sucker is ten feet from my house, and fifteen feet from my neighbor's.

I guess I will have to revise my savings estimate upwards a bit....

Good job doing it yourself!!!!!

 

[forestryworks]

that's one big hackberry... and a nasty lookin' split and those conks on the trunk... she's bound to be full of dirt and rot after all those years

nice pics