Want to but apprehensive

[clearance]

Clearance: rigging down chunks of wood is pretty much a necessity in the residential game - that is if you want to be able to compete. It would be like you refusing to do part of your job to keep the lines flowing.

I have done lots of res. As a groundsman and a climber. I am telling you again, 99% of the wood gets thrown down in a certain place, or is just let go. That is just the way it is here, in my experiencs. And when you don't rig much, you get pretty good at it. I have rigged off branches, and a couple of tops, of course, but I was taught to do things that others wouldln't even consider.

 

[Dale]

Seriously, I could care less if you drop them on your house, your cars or yourself. I was not disrespecting you, but you sure insult us.


my only point was just cut them down.
And why you gotta slam farmers? and you're a computer guy according to your profile, I know lots of real farmers, never would hear stupid $hit like that from them.

You own property that used to be a farm. big whoop, clown.

I see the hits keep comin. You obviously missed all the posts where your brethren is letting me have it for suggesting I TOP a maple or 2. So you can care less if a fellow human being drops a tree on himself ? You're showing your IQ.

Who the ##%^ is ripping farmers. I'm a 4th generation "farmer" that happens to have to work at a job other than farming to make a go at paying for 200 acres. I'm not sure what it's like in Williamsburg Va, but true farming here in PA are all but gone. The only way a "farmer" can keep his land now , and what little livestock if he wishes, is to have a job to support his family and pay taxes. I think you have your head stuck in 18th Century Colonial Williamsburg. Try heading North up 64, 295, 95 a ways. Get north of the Mason-Dixon and see what it's like here in PA before you go spouting your rubbish.

 

[tree MDS]

I have done lots of res. As a groundsman and a climber. I am telling you again, 99% of the wood gets thrown down in a certain place, or is just let go. That is just the way it is here, in my experiencs. And when you don't rig much, you get pretty good at it. I have rigged off branches, and a couple of tops, of course, but I was taught to do things that others wouldln't even consider.

Maybe its just different where you're at clearance. We have got big trees crammed in between houses and over a/c condensers etc. etc. all over the place here. What you are saying would not work here and I would go broke. Of course I flomp logs down as long as I can when the situation permits it.

Nuff said

 

[bobt]

Dale, I have been watching this shouting match go on for a while now,,,,,,,,and to say the least it has been "interesting" and kind of fun from my standpoint as a bystander. Haha! Maybe not so fun for you though.

I say that you have made a good decision when you said that you were going to simply knock those Maples down. Good call on your part. It's safer for you by far and it appears as you really won't miss a couple of trees.

Good for you,,,,keep safe,,,and have fun buzzing them up!

Bob

 

[Dale]

Bob, I thank you and all others for the wishes of safe cutting. Beats the sh!t out of some blockhead wishing one of those perty Maples would fall on my noggin. HAHA !!!

 

[treeslayer]

I see the hits keep comin. You obviously missed all the posts where your brethren is letting me have it for suggesting I TOP a maple or 2. So you can care less if a fellow human being drops a tree on himself ? You're showing your IQ.

Who the ##%^ is ripping farmers. I'm a 4th generation "farmer" that happens to have to work at a job other than farming to make a go at paying for 200 acres. I'm not sure what it's like in Williamsburg Va, but true farming here in PA are all but gone. The only way a "farmer" can keep his land now , and what little livestock if he wishes, is to have a job to support his family and pay taxes. I think you have your head stuck in 18th Century Colonial Williamsburg. Try heading North up 64, 295, 95 a ways. Get north of the Mason-Dixon and see what it's like here in PA before you go spouting your rubbish.

OK jacka$ $, I read the whole thread, and did you not say,
I know of a few that have killed themselves rolling tractors, pulling stumps (incorrectly), and yes, one that even perished in a felling accident. I know every industry has accidents. But you posted on this open forum a foolish statement.

I flew over 15,000 miles last year around the country doing tree work.
I have met, and worked with farmers in a dozen states, and grew up working on farms many years ago when they still existed in VA.
I have also seen thousands of people doing treework wrong, so, I don't really care if you drop a tree on yourself, if you are stupid enough to do it.

Darwin rules.

 

[indiansprings]

I'd get a couple of chains sharp, climb high as I felt comfortable and start ripping, get them down in height that would prevent them from hitting the house and fall them. Hell, we're farmer's too, dosen't mean that we don't know how to take down a tree. I'll be the first to call a professional if there is danger of property damage, I sit on the local board and when there's a question of property damage we call a pro, otherwise, they are felled and made into firewood. I'm all about self sufficency, why hire someone to do a job that if you feel comfortable with let her rip, think your going to get hurt call in the pro's. In my area, there are tree services, meaning guys with bucket trucks that butcher the **** out of tree's, haven't seen a job done by what I would call a true aborist, but we're very rural and it would be hard for one to make a living as most people just get rid any problem trees. Be safe, use good judgement, don't be afraid to call it quits if you change your mind after you start. I backed off falling a huge oak about tree weeks ago, due to the location and danger of a dead top, called a cousin that logs everyday and has for 30+ years and he did it, and he was a little edgy, no possible property damage was involved, just a nasty tree. Be sure and post the pictures up of the successful removal.

 

[Bermie]

I would have no second thoughts standing on solid ground and felling these trees. I've been using a saw for mostly my entire adult life (45 years), and am well-versed in their applications. My thoughts were, if I can just top these trees to prevent them from becoming a hazard to my home, and possibly family, then I would.

...Thanks for all the well wishes on being safe. That is first and foremost on my mind every time that I start my saw. A few years ago I let my guard down felling a dead Elm. I didn't leave the base of the tree as it fell, and a large widowmaker dislodged, narrowly missing me. Quite a wakeup call. It only takes a split-second.

Well, you posted in Arborist 101...so as an arborist who does teach....you cannot top your trees to prevent them becoming a hazard to your home, as is your stated intent/question...you would deface them and ultimately create more of a hazard from rot, dieback, weakly attached excessive regrowth ...you could target prune them to reduce overall size...but that is not topping.

If you cannot target prune/reduce them correctly, comfortably and safely then by all means fell them, just make sure you clear that escape route and get the hell out of there when it goes...and wear your hard hat.

 

[treeseer]

Well, you posted in Arborist 101...so as an arborist who does teach....you cannot top your trees to prevent them becoming a hazard to your home, as is your stated intent/question...you would deface them and ultimately create more of a hazard from rot, dieback, weakly attached excessive regrowth ...you could target prune them to reduce overall size...but that is not topping.

If you cannot target prune/reduce them correctly, comfortably and safely then by all means fell them, just make sure you clear that escape route and get the hell out of there when it goes...and wear your hard hat.

It took 4 pages of nonsense to get to the most sensible post, and it makes sense that would come from a woman.

An acre of grass around a house; some landscape, yawn.

Concerns that seem valid right after a storm may not when the shock wears off.

 

[treeclimber101]

I have 2 hard maple trees in my yard. They are the only two that will make my house if uprooted. For years I've been saying I'm going to top them pretty much in half. I'd estimate each to be in the 50-60 ft range. Well I'm a 45 yr. old male, and not to boast, in tremendous shape. I want to climb these trees (safety belt of course) and top em down. While in my early 20's, I did work a summer with a climber, but mostly pulling ropes, limbing, chipping and stump grinding. On one occasion, he actually told me to strap on boot gaffs, climb about 50 ft. and block it down. He already had it limbed off, and I perfomed the task. He gave me about 15 minutes of ground instructions on how to climb and I must admit, was pretty scared. I'm in no way afraid of heights, and actually would feel safer standing on limbs belted to a tree.

Well, a burning inside tells me to be very careful, but go for it. I like the feeling of self-sufficiency. Of course, there's the other side that say, what are you thinkin dummy, you know better than that. I look at those stinkin trees about every day and say... I can do it... better not..... I can do it.... better not. It's like the Angel and the Devil.

Forgot to add. I'd be using my 028 Super on the climb if I choose to, as I'm completely comfortable with it after having used it for nearly 20 yrs., not to mention, my 015 (small), 361 (big) won't fit the bill.

Are you an Ironworker?

 

[treeslayer]

Bob, I thank you and all others for the wishes of safe cutting. Beats the sh!t out of some blockhead wishing one of those perty Maples would fall on my noggin. HAHA !!!

You clearly misread my remarks.

"I did not wish for one of those perty maples to fall on your noggin". wrong.

I care if anyone I know does something foolish and gets hurt, but what I told you is "I don't care if you do it to yourself" after you asked and having been told, not a good idea.. there will ALWAYS be people getting hurt or killed, doing tree work wrong... an unavoidable fact. you choose to be one, on you buddy.

you asked, I answered as a professional who knows.
Please don't get hurt, OK?

 

[treeclimber101]

OK jacka$ $, I read the whole thread, and did you not say,
I know of a few that have killed themselves rolling tractors, pulling stumps (incorrectly), and yes, one that even perished in a felling accident. I know every industry has accidents. But you posted on this open forum a foolish statement.

I flew over 15,000 miles last year around the country doing tree work.
I have met, and worked with farmers in a dozen states, and grew up working on farms many years ago when they still existed in VA.
I have also seen thousands of people doing treework wrong, so, I don't really care if you drop a tree on yourself, if you are stupid enough to do it.

Darwin rules.

Watch who you talk to, you would not make a pimple on a real treeman's arse even though you own a saw and your grandaddy was a farmer.

Your the first tree climber that I've ever heard that flies to the work that , you must be one hell of tree climber to cover your airfare , why can't you find quality employment within driving distance , it seems someone of your caliber would have the bosses eating out of your hand , you still flying the firetruck?

 

[treeslayer]

Your the first tree climber that I've ever heard that flies to the work that , you must be one hell of tree climber to cover your airfare , why can't you find quality employment within driving distance , it seems someone of your caliber would have the bosses eating out of your hand , you still flying the firetruck?

I've met a lot of guys who move around.
I'm self employed, carry $2 mil in Insurance, and go where there is work. Thinking real hard about staying here in the Chicago area, though as a base. I go home to VA to see my teenage kids, and do the ever present residual work.
For example, typical airfare is about $200 round trip to VA from here in Illinois.($100 one way wouldn't buy gas). Its a challenge to fly into somewhere and live out of duffel bags for a few weeks, but always a good time.
Storms, I get well compensated, contract jobs, pretty good, but sometimes run ads and work with local subs to fill the void. Why stay in one place and do the same old? I get to see a LOT of really cool work, and meet a lot of different people.


And I miss that firetruck.

 

[treeclimber101]

I've met a lot of guys who move around.
I'm self employed, carry $2 mil in Insurance, and go where there is work. I go home to VA to see my teenage kids, and do the ever present residual work.
For example, typical airfare is about $200 round trip to VA from here in Illinois.($100 one way wouldn't buy gas). Its a challenge to fly into somewhere and live out of duffel bags for a few weeks, but always a good time.
Storms, I get well compensated, contract jobs, pretty good, but sometimes run ads and work with local subs to fill the void. Why stay in one place and do the same old? I get to see a LOT of really cool work, and meet a lot of different people.


And I miss that firetruck.

I must be thinking to small ...

 

[treeslayer]

I must be thinking to small ...

probably not, you married with kids? I'm divorced, agile and mobile.

 

[tree md]

I must be thinking to small ...

Top tier salesmen are always flown in to storm devastated areas to sell ahead of the crews to follow. If you have the right contacts and a good resume it is not at all out of the ordinary for a company to offer to fly you in to work storms. I have been offered a couple of jobs to be flown in to help with storm damage. I was offered a job like that last year by a contact in the commercial construction industry. They had heavy equipment and a grunt work force in place in the storm damaged area of AR. They wanted to fly me in to sell, recruit and organize a skilled work force (climbers).

 

[Dale]

treeclimber101, no I'm not an Ironworker. I have 2 very close friends that are Ironworkers and 3 very close friends that are Union Carpenter's. They all work on bridge decks that requires harnesses, and clipped double to safety lines. The one buddy offered me his old harness when I told him I may climb the trees. He mentioned something of being too fat for it. :greenchainsaw:

treeslayer, somewhere in this long line of torturous posts somebody mentioned that a "real farmer" would know how to use a chainsaw. That is such a ludicrous comment that I had to respond. Most farmer's I know certainly are not very well versed in chainsaw use. A few have even had me do some cutting for them because they simply have no clue. A "real farmer" is more apt to have other useful skills, such as, parttime welder to fix the ever-breaking implements, on the spot tire repair man (self-explanatory), self-taught mechanic, because it gets very costly having to trailer equipment to a dealer every time minor to moderate repairs need to be made (see parttime welder). The few cases I've cited as farm-related deaths are a sure tragedy, and goes to show that in a split-second things can go wrong. They were all good men that made simple mistakes. Just as arborists can make tragic mistakes in their trade, farmers can certainly do the same. To think that because one farms, or lives on a "farm", or owns large tracts of acreage, that they are well skilled in the art of handling a chainsaw is a short-sighted assessment. But I digress. This thread is getting old.

Bermie, thanks. You seem to have your head on straight. Must be the sand and sun over there.

 

[treeslayer]

treeslayer, somewhere in this long line of torturous posts somebody mentioned that a "real farmer" would know how to use a chainsaw. That is such a ludicrous comment that I had to respond.

Jeez dude, if you are going to post online grow up a little.

I said a real farmer would not be asking. he would cut the ####ing tree down.
That insults you, too bad, you asked for it. I never said you could not run a chainsaw.

For the last time, on this arborist101 forum where you posted, and hundreds of potential accident victims are reading this, wondering "should I top my own trees?",

Cutting the top half of a tree off is foolish, stupid, and dangerous, don't do it, or pay to have it done.

 

[Dale]

You have no clue about "real farmers" DUDE. Real farmers ask questions, and take advice DUDE. Mybe you can define a real farmer for me DUDE

To use a younger generation phrase........ You're a complete tool DUDE. I posted on Arborist101, oh boy. I should know better than to insult you by making a post on YOUR forum DUDE. Nice attitude DUDE. Does anybody want to rehire you after flying you all over the country, or do all your coworkers want you to just go away, so they cut you a field check. I'm sure you know what that means DUDE. HAHA !!!

 

[treeslayer]

:hmm3grin2orange: good, I irritated you to the point of utter stupidity.

:deadhorse::deadhorse: