I ended up phoning the main manager today in regard to this excavator practice. It's not the fact that there is an excavator invoved, but the fact that the guy doing the cutting really has no idea of the proper techniques involved when doing tow or push over felling. The position he is placing his cuts is actually quite dangerous and he's lucky to have not had a tree come over on the excavator yet. In saying that though the excavator is probably getting over 3 times the trees that I am yet would be costing 5 times as much (at least).
I also met up with Peter (fatkoala) today. He reads AS a lot but I don't think has ever posted. Really nice guy and he bought my 5100-S off me plus had a play with my other saws - they were the first lot of modded saws he'd used - I think he enjoyed them and know he liked the little Dolmar. What I didn't realise is that he's a climbing arborist with his own business and only an hour and a half away. We don't have any climbers here so I said I'd keep him in mind for some tree jobs in the area. If the local guys can't fell it at ground level safely or get their high lift trucks in there they won't touch it. Oh and Peter also agreed with my above statement about improper cutting techniques with this excavator scenario.
Well good looking job so far! Looks like a few I had, but mine were smaleer, but man that brush pile's up fast! Excavtor's aren't cheap, but in the right hand's should make quick work of that brush for you. My first though was man, gonna be alot of brush to drag LOL! Surprised me though thought aussie's always wore short's LOL! You guy's have my respect, a very tough breed. About my biggesst passion in life is running my boar dog's. When I saw how you guy's do it Bull Arab's, short's, and a knife. Big boars. Respect is due for sure! You guy's also do some monster tree cutting. Have some big Eucalyptus in spot's here, and that take's a tough cat as well! Good thread, nice picture's Like to see more NORM...............
Thanks mate. I actually put a tree over the fence today into the neighbour's property
Wayne (gmax) got it on video but I had everything setup and was trying to fell it into a pretty stiff headwind. Got a sudden large gust from the South which tore off the hinge and over she went, the wrong way
I wear shorts maybe 9 months of the year but when working with these trees I've found I get the absolute crap scratched out of me so wear long pants and long sleeve shirts now. I've got some really good scars on my legs from dead sticks - they dig in pretty deep when dry.
I'd rather sit back and shoot pigs, although no gutless wimp, there is no way in hell I'm going to run in on a wild boar and stick it with a knife, no matter how good my dogs are! In fact doggers are causing a few issues in our region as guys are getting into national parks as they can hunt quietly but illegally. Some are also losing their dogs. Next time they see them they're attacking local farmer's sheep.
I'll continue to keep this thread updated
hey matt,
i carry a hammer too but I've been looking at hatchets a lot lately. Gransors Bruks makes some incredibly nice hatchets... the wildlife hatchet or mini forest axe would probably be a go'er. Downside (and upside?) is that they can me made sharp enough to shave with. About $180 too, but so nice to use. I used a friends wildlife hatchet a couple times and it was very tempting to just not return it.
More sensible would probably be one of the smaller fiskars hatchets. Just as much weight in the head but a lighter handle, and you wont cry when it gets all ugly. The metal isn't as good as the gransfors, seems a bit soft to me actually.... but they can be made sharp. They're sharp enough(and blunt enough not to cut you) off the shelf to go good for wedge purposes.
I think I'll have to buy all 3
Shaun
Yeah Shaun. I was at the Sunraysia Agricultural Field Days the other week and the local Stihl dealer had a Swedish guy in their tent selling hand forged and genuinely shaving sharp axes. Beautiful pieces of work but a tiny little hatchet was $70. Their full size axes and log splitters were $290. I was tempted, REALLY tempted. The Swedish guy worked for the company that makes them - nice guy and we had a good chat.
They had genuine American Hickory handles but unlike any I've ever seen. They were really pale, very light, and quite flexible. He said that the typical Hickory axe handles you see are crappy grades of wood - they only use the best grade of Hickory on their tools.
I already have a good Swedish made full size axe but if I was back at that Field Day again tomorrow I'd buy one of these for sure...
Oh and it looks like one of the trees I felled did a bit of subterranian irrigation damage
They had to whack a joiner in. This was where a pretty big tree got dropped and I wouldn't be surprised if this pipe was actually speared by a branch that snapped and dug in a bit too deep.
