A lame idea? (new guy from Central NJ)

[Tom D.]

Hi guys -- what a pleasant surprise to find this site. Great stuff.

I would REALLY like to try my hand at working in trees. I've been using my chainsaw a good bit recently (helping a friend who just bought property in NY state) clearing fallen trees and felling some small stuff. I really enjoy the work and I've been trying to come up with some way that I could do something similar closer to home (and maybe even get paid--eventually).

Now it sounds like some folks just order some gear from a catalog and have at it. No insurance, little if any instruction, just "side jobs" for friends, neighbors, etc. I'm certainly in no position to judge, but it doesn't seem like a great idea to me....I would imagine falling out of a tree really hurts (I'll leave it to the professionals to confirm this) and getting sued w/o insurance...that'll leave a mark too.

Hooking up w/ a pro makes more sense, but I'm already working fulltime, so my time is limited. I need my current job to pay the bills, but is there any way to properly break into this work on a part-time basis? If I'm willing to volunteer my free time (weekends and maybe even some vacation days for a particularly cool project) for the right kind of experience, any chance I could work something out with a local guy? As far as the future goes, who knows? If I were ever to get back into teaching, I would have my summers off...

So there it is...a lame idea, or what? All suggestions, comments, (ridicule) welcome.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[RandyS]

Maybe some guys work on weekends also. You could help them once in a while. Do you have all the safety gear, hard hat, chaps, etc?
It is exciting work. Just be careful as all the machines that you work with bite. Don't get hurt and not be able to go to work on Monday.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[Tom D.]

Basic PPE (chaps, helmet w/ hearing pro and screen, gloves) yes. And I've adapted some climbing gear I picked up years ago to climbing "low and slow."

But I've quickly discovered that my old harness is not suited to working in (it's more for emergency use, i.e. a fall) and there is an awful lot of other stuff I've read about, but can't see buying w/o some firsthand guidance.

T.

 

[Xtra]

What part of central NJ?
I'm in Ocean County.

 

[Tom D.]

Exit 82? I think that's around an hour to an hour and a half. I'm in Kendall Park (between New Brunswick and Princeton). I drive to Point Pleasant during the diving season and that takes me a little less than an hour (Rt. 33, 34, 35). Besides, I drive an hour to work every day, and that's to a job I don't really like...I think I can handle Ocean County.

Hey, I just looking for some options here. If you're game, I don't mind driving. And I'm used to getting up early....just like deer season!

T.