I’ve had to have both of my carpal tunnels released likely caused by vibration from the bigger saws. I now use one hand, almost just one finger on the throttle when cutting log wood on the ground. Once the bars in the cut, even if it kicked and the inertia brake failed you only need to be standing slightly to the side to be safe. It annoys the **** out of me when ‘safety’ people with no experience try to introduce measures that actually make things more dangerous. I firmly believe that techniques that make your work easier mean you are less likely to become fatigued and fatigue is one of the greatest risks in any job.I've done that a few dozen times up in a tree. Maybe more. MS200T and MS020.
And at least one of those times I had forgot to flip the kill switch.
I would never suggest it though, the climber would have to come up with it on their own. It's really pretty easy after the motor starts to give the starter cord a quick tug and catch the saw by the rear handle. I would have to say that every time I did it I was out and on top of a limb and wanted to use one hand to balance along with my climbing rope. I would have had my lanyard around the limb I was standing on but it would not have been in a spot to use it well as a positioning point.
I've made thousands of cuts using one hand and many of them were one hand on the saw, the other hand catching or tossing the limb or pushing the bigger wood. Made a lot of use of the 'snap cut'.
Professional recommendations dropping Huge dead oak
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Yeah, but that's not tricks you post... those have to be learned in the tree...I've done that a few dozen times up in a tree. Maybe more. MS200T and MS020.
And at least one of those times I had forgot to flip the kill switch.
I would never suggest it though, the climber would have to come up with it on their own. It's really pretty easy after the motor starts to give the starter cord a quick tug and catch the saw by the rear handle. I would have to say that every time I did it I was out and on top of a limb and wanted to use one hand to balance along with my climbing rope. I would have had my lanyard around the limb I was standing on but it would not have been in a spot to use it well as a positioning point.
I've made thousands of cuts using one hand and many of them were one hand on the saw, the other hand catching or tossing the limb or pushing the bigger wood. Made a lot of use of the 'snap cut'.
I always use both hands on ground saws and have been lucky to not have had carpal tunnel problems. I know a lot of fellows not so lucky.
There's not much chance of kickback cutting logs on the ground unless you are in over the bar length or if the bar tip contacts something on the other side of the log. Push out and pull in risk is why I use both hands on the saw. Most ground cutting I do is with a Stihl 460 and sometimes for limbing and small logs at MS362.
Over the years I've seen so many people who are clumsy with chainsaws that I stick by the book for giving advice or training.
I was up in a tree once and my new ground guy was supposed to be familiar with how to use a chainsaw. I had remove about a 14 diameter leader in a tree and he was cutting section on the ground into firewood length. I saw that he was cutting at the end of his cut with the saw almost vertical. Well a 14 inch log and a 20" bar meant that he was cutting solily into the soil. He complained to me in the tree that the saw was dull and I yelled down from the tree 'I bet it is'. When I was back on the ground I told him I'd seen him cutting into the ground and that was why the saw was dull. He said 'No way'. I took him over the the firewood spaced piles of saw chips and showed him the kerf he had cut into the sod. He only lasted a few days and was on his way. Never trust a guy who says he knows how to use a saw until you see for yourself how he does.
Lol, I used to make my groundies repeat the mantra..."I will not hit the dirt... my saw only cuts wood... I will not hit the dirt..." ...
There are certain people who are just not cut out for high risk work. Luckily, I’ve only come across one in twenty years. It was when I was doing mature tree transplants. Admittedly, it’s harder to see risk when working with cranes. A set of chains attached to a tree look identical with 1 ton of load or 20 ton. This guy couldn’t seem to learn that you have to wait for the dogman to drop the load and give you the ok before you jump into the trench to look for holding roots. We moved him on before he got himself killed.
sand sock
ArboristSite Operative
Stay away from the ladder suggestions. Those will get you hurt. Saws have no respect for the flesh.
As the branches hinge down. They can swing left or right and knock your ladder out from under you. Just avoid it.
If you still think ladders and saws go well together. You havent had enough to drink, if you can still climb the ladder.
I suggest drinking something much harder, till you crawling on the ground, calling out for your mother.
As the branches hinge down. They can swing left or right and knock your ladder out from under you. Just avoid it.
If you still think ladders and saws go well together. You havent had enough to drink, if you can still climb the ladder.
I suggest drinking something much harder, till you crawling on the ground, calling out for your mother.
DutchWoodPecker
ArboristSite Operative
I agree with:
leaving the tree
rerouting the trail or
just cutting the branches that hang over the trail
but some people see a dead tree and just have to cut it - no other options exist
leaving the tree
rerouting the trail or
just cutting the branches that hang over the trail
but some people see a dead tree and just have to cut it - no other options exist
calamari
ArboristSite Operative
Well, I guess I can say I got people thinking. Most didn't look back at the OP's pictures and his question and I didn't see anyone in the videos use the ladder the way I described. The OP wanted to remove two limbs on the tree to shift the weight and center of gravity by doing it on a ladder. He didn't want to climb a ladder and cut the tree down.
If you're foolish enough to not make even a single under cut on the limb, as not seen in the videos, so that when you make the top cut it splits the limb, well I'm not going to list everything that must be done to avoid making the evening news. The OP said he checked the soundness of the tree and it's dead and dry so not likely to split . It can however break but the odds are reduced it being an oak and it's just two relatively small limbs he's interested in.
Yes, you can park your truck or set your ladder directly under the limb you want to remove and get hurt but again I'm assuming a minimum amount of intelligence on the OP's part. Perhaps that's being too generous given the comments from some who replied to my suggestion. There are apparently a lot of people who are the ones who start their saws on the ground and gingerly have it roped up to them. I don't know because I've never seen that done. I'd guess those people would be wearing several layers of orange kevlar, have not one but two condoms on and an ambulance standing by before they leave the house every morning...you know, "just in case."
Tieing the ladder to the tree basically changes it from a ladder to a set of stairs. The limbs he wants to remove aren't way up in a tree and there's nothing for the limbs to fall on if he uses even a little good sense and puts the ladder where the limb would have to ignore the law of gravity and jump sideways to hit him. There seems to be a ton of trees he can rope the limbs to if there's a concern about how they are going to fall but they look like limbs that can't possibly snap back or go anywhere but straight down. He doesn't have to cut the limbs next to the trunk because it's dead. Just be sure to make even a slight undercut to break hinge fibers on the limbs underside
I noticed that some admit to using a top handle saw with one hand while limbing on the ground. I'll look forward to seeing them singled out for a safety talk too.
Here's my disclaimer.
If you aren't comfortable using a chainsaw and the whirring chain scares you, don't do it. That's different than having respect for the saw and what it can do.
If you haven't used a variety of chainsaws including top handle saws, don't do it.
If you think the instructions saw manufacturers put in their owners manuals are written by people who use the saws, they aren't. They're written by lawyers who are hired to limit the potential liability for those that make tools that can maim and kill. They don't always, but they can do you harm which in turn results in law suits in our country.
My last comment is the one I liked earlier. Just move the trail and let it rot in place.
If you're foolish enough to not make even a single under cut on the limb, as not seen in the videos, so that when you make the top cut it splits the limb, well I'm not going to list everything that must be done to avoid making the evening news. The OP said he checked the soundness of the tree and it's dead and dry so not likely to split . It can however break but the odds are reduced it being an oak and it's just two relatively small limbs he's interested in.
Yes, you can park your truck or set your ladder directly under the limb you want to remove and get hurt but again I'm assuming a minimum amount of intelligence on the OP's part. Perhaps that's being too generous given the comments from some who replied to my suggestion. There are apparently a lot of people who are the ones who start their saws on the ground and gingerly have it roped up to them. I don't know because I've never seen that done. I'd guess those people would be wearing several layers of orange kevlar, have not one but two condoms on and an ambulance standing by before they leave the house every morning...you know, "just in case."
Tieing the ladder to the tree basically changes it from a ladder to a set of stairs. The limbs he wants to remove aren't way up in a tree and there's nothing for the limbs to fall on if he uses even a little good sense and puts the ladder where the limb would have to ignore the law of gravity and jump sideways to hit him. There seems to be a ton of trees he can rope the limbs to if there's a concern about how they are going to fall but they look like limbs that can't possibly snap back or go anywhere but straight down. He doesn't have to cut the limbs next to the trunk because it's dead. Just be sure to make even a slight undercut to break hinge fibers on the limbs underside
I noticed that some admit to using a top handle saw with one hand while limbing on the ground. I'll look forward to seeing them singled out for a safety talk too.
Here's my disclaimer.
If you aren't comfortable using a chainsaw and the whirring chain scares you, don't do it. That's different than having respect for the saw and what it can do.
If you haven't used a variety of chainsaws including top handle saws, don't do it.
If you think the instructions saw manufacturers put in their owners manuals are written by people who use the saws, they aren't. They're written by lawyers who are hired to limit the potential liability for those that make tools that can maim and kill. They don't always, but they can do you harm which in turn results in law suits in our country.
My last comment is the one I liked earlier. Just move the trail and let it rot in place.
https://www.stanhouston.com/invento...=1&lo=5&excludedcatids=1038&accountcrmid=3763This is better. No trailer needed.Very stable on uneven ground.We did a similar tree that was between 2 houses with this.Start at the fall zone and cut all the small stuff which in your case,would fall harmlessly to the ground.Work your way around and get everything you can reach.Start closer to the end of the limb and work your way towards the trunk.Don't take too much at a time.Reposition the lift as necessary.We have a 150 ft 3/8 cable that we connected as high as we could reach on a sturdy piece and the other end on the front of the truck.Tighten the cable so there is no slack.Do your notch and back cut as usual but don't go quite as deep as a regular fall.Leave the tree standing strong and get the hell out of the way.Pull it down with the truck.Don't be timid! Let it rip.Best $175 I ever spent.On a side note...there is a house current plug on the basket and we used a small electric for limbing.You must have house current to the lift frame,though.And yeah,move the lift out of the way after you connect the cable.
Oh boy. I use to do stuff like this for a living and I am not about to tell you "procedure" because you don't have the equipment.
My advice is to pay someone $400-$1000 to come and lop off the branches you're concerned with.
Being in the profession, I hesitate to tell you ppl who didn't hire a professional and then ended up in big trouble afterward. Including a man who almost lost his life and ending up a quadriplegic.
Trees do funny things and this is life threatening stuff.
Its as if you're asking how to do a self appendectomy to save the surgery fees.
Lot of things worse...way worse... than spending $1000 in comparison to what could happen.
My advice is to pay someone $400-$1000 to come and lop off the branches you're concerned with.
Being in the profession, I hesitate to tell you ppl who didn't hire a professional and then ended up in big trouble afterward. Including a man who almost lost his life and ending up a quadriplegic.
Trees do funny things and this is life threatening stuff.
Its as if you're asking how to do a self appendectomy to save the surgery fees.
Lot of things worse...way worse... than spending $1000 in comparison to what could happen.
Fell to the lean, if wind were to take it down in the future it would most likely fall to the lean since there isn't much mass for the wind to direct it anywhere else but to the lean side
fishdrivel
ArboristSite Operative
fishdrivel
ArboristSite Operative
Excellent post. That is exactly my train of thought.
How does the saying go?
There are old arborists and bold arborists but there are very few old, bold arborists!
calamari
ArboristSite Operative
HE WANTS TO CUT TWO LIMBS!!! NOT THE ENTIRE TREE FROM A LADDER!!!
There are no fences, houses, power lines, barns, cattle, tractors, small children, rare plants or animals that would hurt cutting THOSE TWO LIMBS! He wants to move the c/g farther onto one side to be sure it goes the way he wants it to go and then he'll cut down what he says is a solid dead oak while standing solidly on the ground.
This isn't Cirque du Soleil trapeze work. Yes, he could rent a boom truck whose bucket would be probably at the height he needs to cut those limbs before it's even moved from the transport position. He could use it to cut the tree down in pieces but he can drop it whole once the two limbs are gone.
I guess basic reading comprehension isn't part of the abilities of a lot of people on this site. I'd love to see how far the separation distance is that they maintain between any ladders they own and their chainsaws because you know "ladders can kill you if you have a chainsaw."
CacaoBoy
ArboristSite Operative
Considering? The photos show a multitude of potential trip hazards around the tree. Regardless how you might approach the job (and I would suggest heeding the advice not to attempt it), the first thing is to create a safe work zone, which means establishing an escape route. And since that thing could go a direction other than what you expect, and branches from it or nearby trees that might be hit by it could fall within the work zone, clearing multiple escape routes would be prudent.
Question, have you ever taken down a tree of this size? If so, was a ladder in the equation?
If you look at the title of the post, he was looking for professional advice on how to safely remove this tree. I haven't seen a single professional recommend cutting from a ladder.
calamari
ArboristSite Operative
Yes I've cut down trees much bigger than what he has and no I didn't do it from a ladder. He's not suggesting that he wants to cut the tree down from a ladder, just the two limbs.
Yes, escape paths are critical and need to be provided. Unless that oak is rotten someplace the likelihood it will twist or barberchair seems remote to me if the tree is solid. It can, however,be solid at its base but have rotten limbs higher up that are ready to break off.
First thing to do is get a heavy rope or strong cable up in one of those limbs hewants to cut since they're the longest and give the best mechanical advantage. Ther rope should be out a ways from the trunk that is long enough that if the tree fell it wouldn't hit the truck. Pull on that limb at right angles to its length in a series of short sharp pulls to set up a harmonic increase in its swaying. That should help knock any dead stuff out of the tree and anything the tree is growing into. If that doesn't make anything fall out of the tree, chainsawing and the vibration of the limb coming off probably won't either.
And actually, "Bless your heart" grizz55chev because you fit the hidden meaning in the phrase more than I do I think.
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