[Chipmaker]

Started about 8 this morning and by 11 was on the ground and pretty well give out, but I got the three pines on the ground and a large sweetgum. I had thought the pines were in the area of 100 or so feet but they topped out at over 120 feet each...........Laid the first one down, but had to use a modified feling notch, (wider at one side than the other) as I had to slew it out and away from a large oak tree, but not too far that it would lay on my fence post. It barely clipped the oaks limbs, twisted off the stump rolling it away, and came to rest about 8" from fence post. Pine number two was pretty well the same as Pine #1

Then it came time for the real workout. Hey being a government employee and now retired you sort of get soft, but I made it all the way to the top, and after a few verbal lessons to my wife who worked the ropes on the ground and ropped all limbs down without touching the house. She did fabulous. Almost makes me want to get back in the tree cutting business (Yea, right, I forgot what hard work is all about after a few years of slacking off).

Had entire tree delimbed and she was a little unsure if she was gonnaa be able to handle the top once I kicked it off. I wanted her to take up on the rope as it fell, so I did not get a ot of shock on the top of the tree, and she was afraid she woud not do it right, but she did great, and I have to say I have had worst rides in the tops of trees with experience folks working the rope...........So she worked all the limbs and took pics, now she is in bed, as she has to get up and go to work tonight. I nabbed her first thing this morning when she got home so she put in a littlle more than a shift.

So now I have me a heap of limbs to get up, then I will cut the trees to length and get em sawed up. Once this mess is cleaned up, and I get a couple more doses of glacosimine in me and some more Celebrex, I have a few more to do.......I keep this up and I'll be able to get rid of my vac carts.

 

[Chipmaker]

This is about 50 feet up. I had a 100 foot climbing rope on me, and it was bout one half the ropes length up to thjis point. Stil ots of limbs to go before I get to the top.

 

[Chipmaker]

Some more

 

[Chris]

Sounds like fun Chippy....Love it! "after a few verbal lessons to my wife" ---- (been there, well can say that I -USED- to be there)
:stupid: HAHAHAHA

Thanks for sharing all of your fun with us! More pics!!!

You could just blast them down next time, Chippy!


:furious:

 

[Chipmaker]

Tying of the top for the grand finale cut. This cut had the wife all kinds of nervous. Heck it was me that was gonna get a good side to side ride if she allowed it to drop to far, but she did great.


OOPs. This is where I made the final top cut and kicked it over, I uploaded the wrong pic.......but anyhow the top is on its way over and down.......


You may wonder how you can work a camera and control a rope. Thats where a hobbs lowering device is nice. YOu can tie it off and control a huge amount of weight with no more pressure than what it takes to hold a cold beer, reease your pull a sight bit and it allows it to slip at a controlled rate. She was a bit skeptical at first when I told her to only put on hand on the line and keep the other out of the way, and pretend she is walking a dog, and that she was not going to get a jolt or pulled up off the ground. Sure beats wrapping a line around a tree for a friction break...........I really think that after today she is game for anything.

 

[Live Oak]

Glad to see you got the job done without any further damage or injury Chip. Sure am sorry to see you have to cut down such huge, beautiful trees. Such a shame.

 

[Chris]

Is the reason why you just dont cut em down and let them fall is because you dont have the room around them? I am not a arborist or tree-cutter...just curious as to the rationale and climbing and roping and such...I know you need to maintain some control over the collapse, just curious...How much space did you have around it to work with?

Andy

 

[bontai Joe]

Nice job dropping those trees. Lots of folks up my way, got their trees done by Mother nature yesterday. We got hammered by an ice storm yesterday, and although all my trees were still standing when I left for work this morning, I've easily got a 1/2 cord of wood on the ground. My good neighbor behind me has triple the amount of fallen wood that I have. Thankfully we didn't have anything hanging over the house or cars. Your way may be harder work, but when ice takes 'em down, they fall where ever they want too.

 

[Chipmaker]

Well the top is out, and I needed a quick smoke break, before I started to drop off 4 foot long chunks on the way back down, until I got the tree to a height I had room to drop it in, so I had to bring it down to about the 40 foot mark so I had some leaway and space to finish dropping it al in one piece.

 

[Chipmaker]

The two trees in the back were approximately 12 or so feet from the house and had a slight lean towards house but not too bad. Wedges overcame that and a good hinge, but the one that I had to rope down, was only 4 feet from my roof edge and leaned way over the house / shop, too much to overcome with wedges. I have lots of trees around, and outbuildings, and my electrical service is approx 15 feet to one side as well, so I had to rope it out limb by limb. Once it was down short enough that I felt comfortable in having sufficient space to drop what was left in one piece I did along with wedges to make sure it did not set back on me. Nothing worse than getting a tree hung in another tree.........as they can be a real bi%&h to get out and down then, not to say a dangerous situation.

If you look at the notch in the attached image you will see one side is narrow and the other is wider. This made the tree break off at the narrow portion of the hinge and roll over to one side more instead of falling without a roll. This was done to roll the lower limbs away from the oak that I dropped it by, or ellse it wold have possibly hung or broke off limbs in the oak tree. Normally you try and keep both sides of the hinge equal widths. Just tricks of the trade and simple geometry. Being narrow on one side makes it weaker.......causing it to roll

 

[Fusion1970]

Ah, I could do that!:furious: No really, that looks pretty intense. You wouldn't catch my butt up in that tree, even without a chainsaw! I dunno about that cutting above your head stuff either. Providing I was no more than 20 feet off the ground and cutting a small limb that was not over my head, i'd be alright.

Looks like you've done it a couple times before. LOL

Greg

 

[trs900]

Chipmaker looked like you had to spike up that tree, your a better man than me.. I used to be able to do that sort of stuff and maybe I still could but I dont think my wife would clean my shorts after that climb and I would need the fire department to get me down..... I will be coming up to Tallassee, Alabama next week are you close to that town..

 

[Chipmaker]

I'm probably a good 45-50 mies or so from Tallasee area.....maybe a little further.

I only ever use spikes on trees that are to be removed. Makes for faster c;imbing and manuverabiity. No need to worry about cutting your climbing line or getting it caught in a chunked out piece either.Just spikes, and lanyard for the most part, but I always drag a climbing line up along for a drop line or for a quick exit.

I have been in a tree already and had my youngin putting limbs etc in a chipper, got my climbing line in the arm load of limbs he threw in the chipper. I felt a great big sudden tug, and then it released. I think my heart may have stopped for a few seconds that time.. So any more I am very very fussy where my loose end of the climbing line is at in relationship to whats going on on the ground. Ruined a 150 foot lline but it could have been worse. I aso use a steel core nylon covered braided lanyard, just in case I slip with the saw..kind of heavy and stiff but worth its weight in gold when you see all the nicks and scuffs in the cover braid.


I never climbed a tree in need of triming with spikes though. Thats a sure way of introducing bugs etc into them and possibly mess em up. If you ever hire an arborist do do trimming for you and he starts to put on his spikes, best tell him to let the spikes on the ground or take a hike. My boots (made for use with spikes) felt like lead weights,certainy was not used to them either, especialy after 3 or so years of running around barefooted or with sneakers on...........

 

[Argee]

Very interesting and admirable Chippy What did you do before you retired?

 

[memmurphy]

Chip,
Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures and explanation of how you did it. I have taken down a couple of 30 ft. maples near a house and that was higher than I care to go anymore. I was pretty stoved up for several days just climbing 15ft or so up in them to drop the limbs. You have my respect for taking on such large trees and laying them where you want them. :thumbsup:

Mark

 

[balmoralboy]

Great job, Chip!

I used to do things like that when I was young and foolish, though not nearly as well........ but all that ended when i dropped a 40 foot tree top onto the curling club roof next door.

The tree was condemned for having Dutch Elm Disease and the Arborist wanted $1100 to drop it. So, i came up with a brilliant plan to cut it about 15' up, leaving a big enough stump for a clothesline and to make into a chainsaw sculpture. Seemed like a good idea at the time....

I had it cut and wedged out so it would drop and not hit my house, when a small squall blew through and snapped it off and blew it over onto the curling club roof next door.......... I had to get a ladder up and junk it up and get it off the roof quick! The last part I towed off with the Truck. Don't ever try pulling with poly rope - it melts from the inside when it's overloaded.

Since then I've been more careful what jobs i tackle!

 

[Live Oak]

Chip you made it look like you had ENTIRELY too much fun with this job. Made for a very interesting read though. :thumbsup:

 

[aegt5000]

Chip…

You are amazing.
Talk about a Can-Do Guy !
Great Job, thanks for sharing the pic’s.