Fun day cutting a broken top out of a yard tree...

[Missourian]

... Right next to the house.

Didn't bother calling the tree guy for an estimate. Figured at least a grand. Only $230 for 24 hours to rent a trailer mounted boom lift.

The up side... Inexpensive.

The downside, a trailer mounted boom lift doesn't operate like a bucket truck. I had to reposition it on the ground at least ten times get the platform where I needed it to be for different cuts.

The machine has no protection. You have to be extremely carefully where your cut off logs are going. A LOT more rope work tying off chunks and then handling them throwing them. Don't hit the house, don't hit the air conditioner, don't hit the machine.

The rental company didn't offer insurance. It was an 80/20 split on "non-negligent" damages. My share being the 20%.

Is dropping a log on the machine negligence. I'd think so.


The other downside is trailer just doesn't have the mass of a truck, so it's easy to get too far over center. When you're 50 feet in the air and the over-center alarm starts blaring... that will tighten your sphincter.

Should you try this? Probably not. I've done this before... many moons ago, and if you can't handle a saw with one hand or rope logs off... I wouldn't attempt it. It'll tucker you out quick too, if you're not used to it.

↑↑↑ wheee!

↑↑↑ Mrs Mo got an action shot.

↑↑↑ For scale.

 

[MarathonMike]

... Right next to the house.

Didn't bother calling the tree guy for an estimate. Figured at least a grand. Only $230 for 24 hours to rent a trailer mounted boom lift.

The up side... Inexpensive.

The downside, a trailer mounted boom lift doesn't operate like a bucket truck. I had to reposition it on the ground at least ten times get the platform where I needed it to be for different cuts.

The machine has no protection. You have to be extremely carefully where your cut off logs are going. A LOT more rope work tying off chunks and then handling them throwing them. Don't hit the house, don't hit the air conditioner, don't hit the machine.

The rental company didn't offer insurance. It was an 80/20 split on "non-negligent" damages. My share being the 20%.

Is dropping a log on the machine negligence. I'd think so.


The other downside is trailer just doesn't have the mass of a truck, so it's easy to get too far over center. When you're 50 feet in the air and the over-center alarm starts blaring... that will tighten your sphincter.

Should you try this? Probably not. I've done this before... many moons ago, and if you can't handle a saw with one hand or rope logs off... I wouldn't attempt it. It'll tucker you out quick too, if you're not used to it.


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I watched my Wisconsin In Laws take out a storm damaged tree with one of those boom cutter trucks. Wow! Way out of my league. Good job. That is one big ass tree.

 

[Missourian]

I watched my Wisconsin In Laws take out a storm damaged tree with one of those boom cutter trucks. Wow! Way out of my league. Good job. That is one big ass tree.

Thanks. Probably outta my league these days too. I'm channelling my inner Murtaugh tonight. "I'm gettin' too old for this shit."

 

[JGalt]

... Right next to the house.

Didn't bother calling the tree guy for an estimate. Figured at least a grand. Only $230 for 24 hours to rent a trailer mounted boom lift.

The up side... Inexpensive.

The downside, a trailer mounted boom lift doesn't operate like a bucket truck. I had to reposition it on the ground at least ten times get the platform where I needed it to be for different cuts.

The machine has no protection. You have to be extremely carefully where your cut off logs are going. A LOT more rope work tying off chunks and then handling them throwing them. Don't hit the house, don't hit the air conditioner, don't hit the machine.

The rental company didn't offer insurance. It was an 80/20 split on "non-negligent" damages. My share being the 20%.

Is dropping a log on the machine negligence. I'd think so.


The other downside is trailer just doesn't have the mass of a truck, so it's easy to get too far over center. When you're 50 feet in the air and the over-center alarm starts blaring... that will tighten your sphincter.

Should you try this? Probably not. I've done this before... many moons ago, and if you can't handle a saw with one hand or rope logs off... I wouldn't attempt it. It'll tucker you out quick too, if you're not used to it.


View attachment 1166580

View attachment 1166581

View attachment 1166582

View attachment 1166583
↑↑↑ wheee!


View attachment 1166584
↑↑↑ Mrs Mo got an action shot.


View attachment 1166585
↑↑↑ For scale.

Trees can do a lot of damage to a house, I know. I had a 52' high 20" diameter red oak that was leaning toward the house last year when we had a new roof put on. It was staring to drop limbs on the roof so we hired a guy to come limb it from the top down and drop it away from the house.

The guy did an excellent job and it was only $530, which was far cheaper than anyone else. He placed an electric winch up the hill, ran a cable down to the tree, and when he cut it, the tree fell exactly where it should have.

 

[MarathonMike]

Trees can do a lot of damage to a house, I know. I had a 52' high 20" diameter red oak that was leaning toward the house last year when we had a new roof put on. It was staring to drop limbs on the roof so we hired a guy to come limb it from the top down and drop it away from the house.

The guy did an excellent job and it was only $530, which was far cheaper than anyone else. He placed an electric winch up the hill, ran a cable down to the tree, and when he cut it, the tree fell exactly where it should have.

My neighbor has a huge Eucalyptus tree that is shaped like a Y. One of the Y branches is about 40 feet long and hanging out over the edge of my house. I like the guy but he won't get that damn branch cut. I told him OK but if that thing breaks the edge of my house it will be on your insurance. He said yeah I know but it's a strong tree.

 

[White 6]

... Right next to the house.

Didn't bother calling the tree guy for an estimate. Figured at least a grand. Only $230 for 24 hours to rent a trailer mounted boom lift.

The up side... Inexpensive.

The downside, a trailer mounted boom lift doesn't operate like a bucket truck. I had to reposition it on the ground at least ten times get the platform where I needed it to be for different cuts.

The machine has no protection. You have to be extremely carefully where your cut off logs are going. A LOT more rope work tying off chunks and then handling them throwing them. Don't hit the house, don't hit the air conditioner, don't hit the machine.

The rental company didn't offer insurance. It was an 80/20 split on "non-negligent" damages. My share being the 20%.

Is dropping a log on the machine negligence. I'd think so.


The other downside is trailer just doesn't have the mass of a truck, so it's easy to get too far over center. When you're 50 feet in the air and the over-center alarm starts blaring... that will tighten your sphincter.

Should you try this? Probably not. I've done this before... many moons ago, and if you can't handle a saw with one hand or rope logs off... I wouldn't attempt it. It'll tucker you out quick too, if you're not used to it.


View attachment 1166580

View attachment 1166581

View attachment 1166582

View attachment 1166583
↑↑↑ wheee!


View attachment 1166584
↑↑↑ Mrs Mo got an action shot.


View attachment 1166585
↑↑↑ For scale.

Last time I did that, was 10 years ago on a huge maple, and did it even cheaper, as PJ was still working. I tied a swiss saddle, grabbed my ropes, carabiners, and chainsaw, topped it out, so none of the branches fell on the house. When complete, lowered the saw by rope and then repelled down. At 71, with PJ home, I would never get away with it and wouldn't hear the end of it, if I planned to try. Now I would be stuck with hiring the tree trimmers.

 

[sparky]

I don't know a 'tree guy' or logger up my way w/out some story about how they broke their bones ........~S~

 

[Missourian]

Trees can do a lot of damage to a house, I know. I had a 52' high 20" diameter red oak that was leaning toward the house last year when we had a new roof put on. It was staring to drop limbs on the roof so we hired a guy to come limb it from the top down and drop it away from the house.

The guy did an excellent job and it was only $530, which was far cheaper than anyone else. He placed an electric winch up the hill, ran a cable down to the tree, and when he cut it, the tree fell exactly where it should have.

Damn... That's cheap.

 

[Missourian]

Last time I did that, was 10 years ago on a huge maple, and did it even cheaper, as PJ was still working. I tied a swiss saddle, grabbed my ropes, carabiners, and chainsaw, topped it out, so none of the branches fell on the house. When complete, lowered the saw by rope and then repelled down. At 71, with PJ home, I would never get away with it and wouldn't hear the end of it, if I planned to try. Now I would be stuck with hiring the tree trimmers.

I hung up my gaffs 25 years ago. After looking at what was left of my climbing belt, I didn't have much hope for the rope.

 

[sparky]

Methinks you should consider what's left of yer thumbnail Missouri ~S~

 

[Missourian]

I don't know a 'tree guy' or logger up my way w/out some story about how they broke their bones ........~S~

I never broke my bones...but I saw a few nasty ones.

Two electrocutions in the two years I worked power line clearance.

The guy opened a side box door on a bucket truck while the boom was up against an energized single phase wire. He survived but never walked again. The other fella wasn't paying attention as he raised the bucket and the back of his neck came in contact with an energized line. He was dead before he ever knew he had an accident.

 

[Leo123]

... Right next to the house.

Didn't bother calling the tree guy for an estimate. Figured at least a grand. Only $230 for 24 hours to rent a trailer mounted boom lift.

The up side... Inexpensive.

The downside, a trailer mounted boom lift doesn't operate like a bucket truck. I had to reposition it on the ground at least ten times get the platform where I needed it to be for different cuts.

The machine has no protection. You have to be extremely carefully where your cut off logs are going. A LOT more rope work tying off chunks and then handling them throwing them. Don't hit the house, don't hit the air conditioner, don't hit the machine.

The rental company didn't offer insurance. It was an 80/20 split on "non-negligent" damages. My share being the 20%.

Is dropping a log on the machine negligence. I'd think so.


The other downside is trailer just doesn't have the mass of a truck, so it's easy to get too far over center. When you're 50 feet in the air and the over-center alarm starts blaring... that will tighten your sphincter.

Should you try this? Probably not. I've done this before... many moons ago, and if you can't handle a saw with one hand or rope logs off... I wouldn't attempt it. It'll tucker you out quick too, if you're not used to it.


View attachment 1166580

View attachment 1166581

View attachment 1166582

View attachment 1166583
↑↑↑ wheee!


View attachment 1166584
↑↑↑ Mrs Mo got an action shot.


View attachment 1166585
↑↑↑ For scale.

Looks like you got rid of a widow maker.

 

[toobfreak]

Fun day cutting a broken top out of a yard tree..​

Soon as I saw this thread title I thought: 'Gee, gotta be a Missourian thread!'

When you're 50 feet in the air and the over-center alarm starts blaring... that will tighten your sphincter.

I bet. I probably would have tried using a JLG. If you got to paint some asphalt or something over where the bark tore, that will help the tree skin heal and avoid infections from lost fluid.

 

[Missourian]

Methinks you should consider what's left of yer thumbnail Missouri ~S~

The first couple days sucked.

But I don't even notice it now.

The cost of inattentiveness. Hammered the wrong nail.

 

[Missourian]

Looks like you got rid of a widow maker.

It was like a whole tree hung 40 feet up in a much bigger tree.

 

[Leo123]

It was like a whole tree hung 40 feet up in a much bigger tree.

Yeah, from that truck load you showed, it does look like a whole tree.

 

[Missourian]

I bet. I probably would have tried using a JLG.

That's what I really wanted, and the cost difference per day was manageable, but... the rental company requires a 10k# certified trailer to haul it or you have to rent one. Mine are 7.5k rated.

The problem was, it was hanging right next to the house and I was pretty desperate to get a strap on it so if the wind dislodged it, it would swing into the tree and (hopefully) hang by the strap while I chunked it down.

Other than the hassle of repositioning the trailer many times, it worked out fine. I carefully cut out as much weight as I could safely, then tied a rope to the far end away from the strap and pulled it loose (from the ground) to swing into the trunk.

The big problem was, I didn't want to be in the path of the swing as I was cutting the weight out, in case the weight I was cutting out caused a shift and it dislodged suddenly.

White 6 has the right idea. With a climbing rope you can work from above and don't have to worry as much about accidently having a tree sized hanger crash down on your noggin.

Unfortunately a good climbing rope costs as much as the rental.

 

[White 6]

I hung up my gaffs 25 years ago. After looking at what was left of my climbing belt, I didn't have much hope for the rope.

View attachment 1167030

I mostly quit climbing, 30 years ago. Still have carabiners, (spring loaded and screw down), and learned to tie a swiss saddle in the Army. I have rope that will work, but not critical application rope. That kind of rope has a shelf life and use life. Of course there is a lot of difference be 40 ft up a tree in front yard and a hundred feet up the side of a cliff. She worries like hell if I just go solo kayaking. For light climbing, I think I still have it, as in pretty good shape, but doubt I will ever climb another rock face or rappel a cliff, again. Everybody else fkd around and got old, also. Some not too gracefully.

 

[Missourian]

I mostly quit climbing, 30 years ago. Still have carabiners, (spring loaded and screw down), and learned to tie a swiss saddle in the Army. I have rope that will work, but not critical application rope. That kind of rope has a shelf life and use life. Of course there is a lot of difference be 40 ft up a tree in front yard and a hundred feet up the side of a cliff. She worries like hell if I just go solo kayaking. For light climbing, I think I still have it, as in pretty good shape, but doubt I will ever climb another rock face or rappel a cliff, again. Everybody else fkd around and got old, also. Some not too gracefully.

I wish I'd learned to do that.

 

[Missourian]

That kind of rope has a shelf life and use life. Of course there is a lot of difference be 40 ft up a tree in front yard and a hundred feet up the side of a cliff.

The non-gaff method I learned was like this... except the locking carabineer is tied in with a figure eight knot and the tail from that figure eight is used to make the prusik or taut-line with locking half hitch.