The dirtiest job you ever have done??

[Jumper]

I ran into it today......we had to remove over 80 feet of torched cedar hedge, which must have been quite the blaze! Kids on Canada Day on the 1st (the equivalent of 4 July)with nothing else to do to do but go around burning up trees!!!! This was in Chapel Hill, a rather upscale neighbourhood here....the fire also melted all the siding on one side of the house. Apparently this is a fairly common occurance around here. What a mess, I was covered in ash from head to toe, and to top it all of I got stuck with the truck dumping our load of chips. Oh well at least it was not hot today, only 72F.

 

[Treeman14]

Washingtonia robusta off of a ladder. My Florida compadres can relate to that, I'm sure. You're guaranteed to get covered in dirt, roaches, ants, palmetto bugs, scratches and sweat. Bonuses include snakes, rats, squirrels, possums, bats, and wasps.

 

[kf_tree]

i once topped a silver that was scorched by a shed and fence fire. my ropes and hands and face wear black. then i had to go back a year later to remove it only to get all filthy again. i told him to remove it the first time but he wanted to try and save the tree.

 

[kf_tree]

oh i forgot one more. i was removing an atlantis that half was over a greasy spoon restaurant. part of the tree was covered in grease from the exhaust fans. no limb walking on that job, just big wacks and a greasy rope.

 

[treeclimber165]

Originally posted by spike_it
oh i forgot one more. i was removing an atlantis that half was over a greasy spoon restaurant. part of the tree was covered in grease from the exhaust fans. no limb walking on that job, just big wacks and a greasy rope.

YECHHHHH!!! I was just about to log off and go find something for dinner, but that just ruined my appetite!

 

[kf_tree]

i remember reading about a guy in FL that went blind for a few days from removing a tree. the tree released some kind of dust or sap that blinded him. it was only temporary. i forget the name of the tree. i think it had some thing like pencil in its name.

 

[Treeman14]

That was probably a Melaleuca quinquinervia, aka punk-tree, aka paper tree. Some people are highly allergic to the dust and/or pollen. Paper, pencil, same thing.

 

[treeman82]

Dirtiest jobs besides working on removing white pines... Would have to be when I worked for my old bosses. First guy had me remove wet milorganite from the back of one of his trucks. Talk about a STINK. The next guy got a wall clearing job. We had to remove poison ivy, pricker bushes, and small trees from several thousands of feet of rock walls. I remember we went there one Saturday and it was like end of August / Early September. I got poison ivy BAD for the first week of school, I believe I had to go for pills for it. Next week or the week after again on Saturday we went back to the place. Got it BAD yet again. Just to put the size of this poison ivy in perspective... We couldn't chip a few pieces they were so big. 12" diameter!

 

[treeclimber165]

Removed a large Chile Pine once (monkeypuzzle tree). Back in my 'early days' of climbing/ treework. Didn't even have to climb it, had room to flop it. Was still the nastiest thing I have ever touched. Refuse to ever do another, and I make sure to let any employer know.
Did some removals once when working for Davey, there was a monkeypuzzle in the front yard but it wasn't on the work order. We did our other removals and never touched it. I went by a week later and it was gone. I guess the salesman took me at my word that I wouldn't touch one!

 

[budroe69moni]

treeman14,
you're right on the money w/ the washies!!!!!
had to hit 3 out of 5 off my 28' ladder today.
could'nt reach them w/ my power prunner.
when you sweat, the crud just sticks to ya!!!!
gotta love it though!!!!
quick 150 this morning before the rain moved in!!!
budroe

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

All i vere get is the moss and smut covering me on rainy or foggy days. My family keeps threatening to buy my grey tshirts so that they will wash out the same color.

BTW that guy that went blind was from a pencil tre e-Euphorbia tirucalli not a true tree but a large succulent

 

[monkeypuzzle]

I remove a few Chilean pines(Monkey Puzzle) each year.They are simple jobs,lot of limbs.Sticky too.Now,I wouldn't want to tango with the real deal (Araucaria araucana) never had the pleasure to even look at one,but wow, looks like it would eat you alive.There are 20 to 30 species,I could be cutting a Norfolk Island for all I know. "I can do them in my sleep"

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Norfolk Island pines are house plants up here. Seen a few in hotel lobbies.

 

[Treeman14]

The Norfolk Island Pines get up to 80 feet in south Florida. About 50-60' around here. I don't think they live much farther north than Orlando, unless they're inside. Real easy to chip though. Soft wood and needles.

I spent all morning cleaning up a fallen oak. Rained off and on the whole time. Pretty messy.