# Picks of a homeowner romoving his own tree



## trost66

Here are a few pic of a homeowner here in town removing his own tree. Pretty scary. He ladder. a few sets of scafle and a ladder. He took 5 sets of scafle and put it under the tree. Then her took a 20 ft ladder and tied it to the tree and climbed up and started cutting limbs off. What a guy will do to save a buck.


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## PA Plumber

Aw man, you missed the point.  He's not just taking a tree down, he's showing off all his ropes. I'm guessing this fella may be a little familiar with this type of work.


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## ents

I'm certainly not a climber and I don't know jack about how to go about it. But it does seem he has an awful lot of rope and chain and, and, and, 

Well, did he get it down safe??


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## ents

From the looks of the first pic it seems you're hiding behind another building. Is that cause you didn't want to be hit with falling debris?


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## trost66

ents said:


> I'm certainly not a climber and I don't know jack about how to go about it. But it does seem he has an awful lot of rope and chain and, and, and,
> 
> Well, did he get it down safe??



He is still working on it.


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## trost66

ents said:


> From the looks of the first pic it seems you're hiding behind another building. Is that cause you didn't want to be hit with falling debris?



He lives in the neighor hood. He knows that we own a tree service. I didn't want to stand there and watch and make him feels really stupid. I figured he better consentrate on what he was doing.


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## Dadatwins

He obviously has more time on his hands than anyone that I know of. I like the old pipe and bench system of barricade. How close is that aluminum ladder to the power line? :monkey:


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## lilac

Hey, maybe I can save myself some money and take those maples down by myself. I can use this guy's photos as a guide.


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## Jim1NZ

Haha thats insane, how to kill yourself 101. I suppose he must have some idea of what hes doing to attack that job...


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## polingspig

Hey this guy knows something. He is wearing a saddle. Those chains are attatched to the tree in all the right areas for bracing against storms. Look at the two cut to branches directly behind him in the last pic. He cut under the branch and then from above. He knows something.


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## gasman

trost66 said:


> He lives in the neighor hood. He knows that we own a tree service. I didn't want to stand there and watch and make him feels really stupid. I figured he better consentrate on what he was doing.



You could talk to him when he is done for the day. Or even ring his doorbell. I doubt that he is afraid of the attention.


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## treebogan

*Nice*

Please ask him where he got his hat,its obviously a very lucky hat.
I need a lucky hat.


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## rbtree

It's obvious this fella is better equipped than many do-it-yourselfers. But, scaffolding and ladders? Why in tarnation didn't he get a set of gaffs? 
Gotta love the manila ropes....though he does have one new looking white rope.

Good cuts? maybe..but there a few rip cuts that could indicate barberchair...


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## kennertree

Did this guy have any help on the ground?


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## trost66

kennertree said:


> Did this guy have any help on the ground?



Every time I drove by he was by himself. It look like he had a few real old minila ropes. They were probably inch in diameter. Didn't look like they would hold much


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## RedlineIt

I'm thinking this guy must be in a construction biz where he has scaffolding and ropes at his disposal. Around here to even rent that much gear for a couple of days, you're well on your way to the price to have that tree down and gone.

Yeah, some undercuts, but also some wicked peels. Dude's learning as he goes. (Though on a removal I will use a peel when I need it.) Maybe this guy is not so dumb, just unable to part with a penny.

He's going to be stunned by the clean-up. DIYers always are.

Hope we can get pics of his work on the spar.



RedlineIt


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## Ax-man

He is a little better equipped than 99% of the DYI'ers I have seen do this. Little rough but he is getting the job done. Typical spring thing, gotta give that chainsaw some excersize by hacking on a tree while the weather is nice. 

Larry


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## SRT-Tech

wow. no PPE except for that belt..... ladder on scaffold tied to tree. ropes everywhere...(what are all those ropes for? is he drying them?) 

scary.


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## polingspig

He's definitely not doing everything right, but he is doing better than some of my competition. It's like when a guy who owns a boat trailer thinks he can back a tractor trailer. He knows he has to turn the steering wheel opposite the direction he wants the trailer to go, but he's probably going to hit something important before he gets all the way back to the loading dock.


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## beowulf343

Hey, these pictures can actually help me out! My groundies love to pick on me about the number of ropes i'll sometimes have in a tree. These pictures prove that there are bigger rope freaks out there than me.


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## 820wards

*What Would It Cost?*

Trost,

What would it cost to have a tree that big taken down by a professional arborist? 

Maybe he just wanted to see what the neighbors had in their backyards from his birds eye view...  

jerry-
820wards



trost66 said:


> He lives in the neighor hood. He knows that we own a tree service. I didn't want to stand there and watch and make him feels really stupid. I figured he better consentrate on what he was doing.


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## trost66

820wards said:


> Trost,
> 
> What would it cost to have a tree that big taken down by a professional arborist?
> 
> Maybe he just wanted to see what the neighbors had in their backyards from his birds eye view...
> 
> jerry-
> 820wards



We could of came in and just got it on the ground for around 350. There wasn't alot under it. You could of got to it with a bucket truck.


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## trost66

820wards said:


> Trost,
> 
> What would it cost to have a tree that big taken down by a professional arborist?
> 
> Maybe he just wanted to see what the neighbors had in their backyards from his birds eye view...
> 
> jerry-
> 820wards



It would around 350 just to come in and get it on the ground. There isn't alot under it and you could get to it with a bucket truck.


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## 820wards

trost66 said:


> It would around 350 just to come in and get it on the ground. There isn't alot under it and you could get to it with a bucket truck.




I live here in California and have an Oak tree up at my cabin that is easly 60' high. I need to get it trimmed to have mistletoe removed before it kills the tree. The tree is easly 100yrs old. Do professional trimmers base their prices for trimming on the height of the tree, or by what needs to be done to the tree? I will be contacting someone up in my area to do the work. Is there anything else I should be asking when I get a quote? Any infor you can offer is appreciated.

BTW I have a Westbend WARDS 820 with a 32" bar that I have rebuilt and use for cutting oak and madrone firewood. Bigger carb/manifold, elec. ignition and carbon reed valves. I've been working with Art Martin having him teach me how he sharpens chains. The guy is good...

jerry-


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## trost66

820wards said:


> I live here in California and have an Oak tree up at my cabin that is easly 60' high. I need to get it trimmed to have mistletoe removed before it kills the tree. The tree is easly 100yrs old. Do professional trimmers base their prices for trimming on the height of the tree, or by what needs to be done to the tree? I will be contacting someone up in my area to do the work. Is there anything else I should be asking when I get a quote? Any infor you can offer is appreciated.
> 
> BTW I have a Westbend WARDS 820 with a 32" bar that I have rebuilt and use for cutting oak and madrone firewood. Bigger carb/manifold, elec. ignition and carbon reed valves. I've been working with Art Martin having him teach me how he sharpens chains. The guy is good...
> 
> jerry-



It kinda depends on alot of things. If the tree is out in the open. Nothing under it and main thing is if you can do it with a truck or have to climb it. How close to the house it is any powerlines by it. Lots of dif thing play into the price.


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## jerseydevil

I'm no expert but... gotta say, this guy looks to be more than twice my age and looks like he is doing ok, by himself. Seems to know what the score is. Must have lots of free time, so might as well use it up and save some money. I say good for him.


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## trost66

jerseydevil said:


> I'm no expert but... gotta say, this guy looks to be more than twice my age and looks like he is doing ok, by himself. Seems to know what the score is. Must have lots of free time, so might as well use it up and save some money. I say good for him.



I would say there is easier ways to save money. Not worth getting hurt of killed over.


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## gasman

trost66 said:


> I would say there is easier ways to save money. Not worth getting hurt of killed over.




How's he doing? I hope he is okay.


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## trost66

Here are a few updated pics. Looks like he is at a stand still


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## PA Plumber

From my untrained eye, it looks like he is doing okay. No big mess, wood being stacked, and the wires look to be in the same place as the first pics. Thanks for the update.


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## trost66

PA Plumber said:


> From my untrained eye, it looks like he is doing okay. No big mess, wood being stacked, and the wires look to be in the same place as the first pics. Thanks for the update.



The power line are acually pretty fare away. They are acually on this side of the street. Just the angle makes them look closer.


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## ScottTree

*Holy Cow*

That is one nutty erector set he's got going there !!! Well i really can't tell the angles from the pics. Is that erector set attached all the way up the tree. Will he be able to block it down from the scaff? Guess my point is he starts blocking above his head he could have problems. Trost maybe you should give him a super cheap price or just be a neighbor and pull that thing over for him. Put it on the ground let him do the rest. Looks like there is room towards the road. One pie cut one rope, DONE. If there's room that thing could be on the ground in 15 mins. Save the guy a ton of time too. All n all looks like he did a good job, ( He's still alive ) and that sure is a nice saddle for a DIYer........... I just LOVE that erector set though !!!!!!!!! Oh and trost not trying to tell you what to do of course, it's just a thought.


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## ScottTree

Man falls to his death from scaffolding while trimming trees
http://www.kansascity.com/116/story/90486.html

The TV news said that a branch he was cutting fell on him, knocking him from the scaffolding to the ground where he landed head first and died instantly.

The reporter called the people on the scene a "tree trimming crew", but I get the feeling that they were just some guys with scaffolding and a saw.

This is in Kansas i believe, but good lord i hope this isn't the same guy


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## NYCHA FORESTER

polingspig said:


> Hey this guy knows something. He is wearing a saddle. Those chains are attatched to the tree in all the right areas for bracing against storms. Look at the two cut to branches directly behind him in the last pic. He cut under the branch and then from above. He knows something.



Yes he does (Know something)............. I'm just scratching my head wondering what it is?  

Maybe he borrowed the saddle from a friend :hmm3grin2orange: 

The saddle looks NEW though!


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## BigUglySquirrel

Hey...how bout an update? Did Bob The Builder get it figured out? Actually guessing he's a painter with internet access.  I mean...you don't have to know what you're doing to see other people that DO know in action. (AS is a GREAT case-in-point scenario....) He's never done a tree this size before, but he's done some homework (books, internet, videos) and has what he thinks is a good set-up at his disposal. The sickecning part is that he has never had a tree service bid the job...he's just guessing that it'll be thousands instead of actually checking into it. 

So...hey DIY guy. You go with yer bad self. I sincerely hope that you are well read and and have your lucky hat on REAL tight for this one. Just think....for $1200 you could have sat on the front porch drinking beer while those idiot tree service guys loaded all that firewood into a truck...


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## trost66

Hes got it down to a 12 ft stub. It took him awhile before he started cutting the bigger logs off. I think he must of had to think about it for a few weeks.. It wouldn't suprise me if he tries digging the stump out by hand. I will get some updated pics


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## hockeypuck

*wow*

Have any of you heard that jingle in the "Ricola" cough drop ad? I like to replace recola with "retarded" , because if that guy did that for 350 bucks, he is a short a few cards of a full deck.:jester:


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## 1savagehunter

did he ever get that tree down?


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## Pruitt1222

hate to bring this back up but gonna, in pic 1886 this poor fella aint even using a chainsaw. Hes got a freaking reciprocating saw hanging from his saddle, if you look close you can see his cord. Man this guy is cracking me up


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## treemandan

That man is OG


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## markct

well i gota say i am no expert, and all my work technicaly would be homeowner work i guess, but he is definatly doing it alot better and safer than most storys that end in tragedy. usualy the common thing is they fell off the ladder while cutting, atleast with a saddle that is largely eliminated. i have to admit i have done a good bit of cutting off a ladder myself, but always with two lanyards around the tree also, never just standing on the ladder. it realy looks like he thought it out well, and took his time to carefully plan and excecute his tree removal.


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## bruce6670

Pruitt1222 said:


> hate to bring this back up but gonna, in pic 1886 this poor fella aint even using a chainsaw. Hes got a freaking reciprocating saw hanging from his saddle, if you look close you can see his cord. Man this guy is cracking me up



Is that a reciprocating saw or the handle of a handsaw?
At least he cleaned up the brush before dropping the bigger wood.


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## TheLazyBFarm

You need to send those pics to that Navy Safety site.


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## ChiHD

PA Plumber said:


> From my untrained eye, it looks like he is doing okay. No big mess, wood being stacked, and the wires look to be in the same place as the first pics. Thanks for the update.



that's why you are a plumber and not an arborist my friend!


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## markct

> that's why you are a plumber and not an arborist my friend!





so if you repair the sink plumbing in your house does that neccesarily mean ya cant do an ok job in the end cause your an arborist? might take you a little longer than a plumber and might not have all the gadgets he does but still could likely do a good job. i agree the guy isnt doing the tree like a pro tree service would do it, but at the same time i cant see anything thats extremely dangerous about the way he is doing it either. he appears to be tied into the tree, the ladder is just for access so thats not realy a danger, the scaffolding appears to be secure and blocked up properly. if he were working on the side of a building or chimney with that scaffolding setup no one would think much of it! its just that it looks a little outa place in tree work cause most dont do it that way since scaffolding is kinda slow and labor intensive to set up compared to the other options, but i wouldnt deem it unsafe i dont think


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## bruce6670

markct said:


> so if you repair the sink plumbing in your house does that neccesarily mean ya cant do an ok job in the end cause your an arborist? might take you a little longer than a plumber and might not have all the gadgets he does but still could likely do a good job. i agree the guy isnt doing the tree like a pro tree service would do it, but at the same time i cant see anything thats extremely dangerous about the way he is doing it either. he appears to be tied into the tree, the ladder is just for access so thats not realy a danger, the scaffolding appears to be secure and blocked up properly. if he were working on the side of a building or chimney with that scaffolding setup no one would think much of it! its just that it looks a little outa place in tree work cause most dont do it that way since scaffolding is kinda slow and labor intensive to set up compared to the other options, but i wouldnt deem it unsafe i dont think



I would deem the ladder on the scaffolding to be unsafe.


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## Vibes

that's why you are a plumber and not an arborist my friend! 


I bet you wouldn't bet your plumber freind paycheck to paycheck. 

You guys crack me up! Someones doing your work and because he's doing it his way you think he's an idiot. Obviously this guys an oldtimer and can't come up with climbing gear, and probably doesn't have the knees to climb anyhow. So what! Those bucks got him up there. He's got his ladder secured, and he's tied off. 

He's probably taken some time off because he has something else to do. Do the other neighbors have him on a deadline. Maybe his chainsaw got the hick-ups. 

My dad was one of those guys that went out of his way to save a buck and him and my uncles took down some massive trees with some basic rigging that he borrowed from work. No harm done. Thats the way those old guys do things.


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## ChiHD

*another tree death*



Vibes said:


> My dad was one of those guys that went out of his way to save a buck and him and my uncles took down some massive trees with some basic rigging that he borrowed from work. No harm done. Thats the way those old guys do things.




Unfortunatley most of the people that get killed are good people trying to save some money. Nothing wrong with that...but is it worth any dollar amount to lose a father, son, brother?


http://www.sharon-herald.com/local/local_story_206214413.html


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## ts39136

ArborCARE(705) said:


> Unfortunatley most of the people that get killed are good people trying to save some money. Nothing wrong with that...but is it worth any dollar amount to lose a father, son, brother?
> 
> 
> http://www.sharon-herald.com/local/local_story_206214413.html



I know you guys probably need the business, which leads to part of your resentment, but I'd rather die knowing I tried to save a buck than live knowing I gave away all that fun. Death is nothing to be scared of.

Self reliance is a way of life.

He could just as easily died of a heart attack or stroke from sitting in a chair watching the whole thing. If the dude is having fun, offer to help him, leave him alone, or simply comment on his hard work (even though not perfect work).

Life's too short. 

P.S. I know I just summoned the death squad to my door.


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## ChiHD

ts39136 said:


> I know you guys probably need the business, which leads to part of your resentment, but I'd rather die knowing I tried to save a buck than live knowing I gave away all that fun. Death is nothing to be scared of.
> 
> Self reliance is a way of life.
> 
> He could just as easily died of a heart attack or stroke from sitting in a chair watching the whole thing. If the dude is having fun, offer to help him, leave him alone, or simply comment on his hard work (even though not perfect work).
> 
> Life's too short.
> 
> P.S. I know I just summoned the death squad to my door.




Wow...nothing else to say.


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## Nailsbeats

ts39136 said:


> I know you guys probably need the business, which leads to part of your resentment, but I'd rather die knowing I tried to save a buck than live knowing I gave away all that fun. Death is nothing to be scared of.
> 
> Self reliance is a way of life.
> 
> He could just as easily died of a heart attack or stroke from sitting in a chair watching the whole thing. If the dude is having fun, offer to help him, leave him alone, or simply comment on his hard work (even though not perfect work).
> 
> Life's too short.
> 
> P.S. I know I just summoned the death squad to my door.



I agree, that's why I love treework.


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## bowtechmadman

I say good for him, little initiative, some ingenuity and not afraid of some work. I'd be the neighbor asking him how I could help.


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## Grace Tree

bowtechmadman said:


> I say good for him, little initiative, some ingenuity and not afraid of some work. I'd be the neighbor asking him how I could help.


You bet! Give 'em a hand. I pulled up to my first job this week and a young guy across the street was about to pull a tree over with a rope and pickup. I helped him get it on the ground safely. The homeowner came over later and gave me a couple of days work. Sometimes I get kicked in the arss for offering to help but not often.
Phil


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## ChiHD

you are all right and im wrong. tree work is the safest thing in the world, life is worthless and if you die trying to save a buck whatever.

who needs certified arborists, they are a dime a dozen.


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## Blakesmaster

ts39136 said:


> I know you guys probably need the business, which leads to part of your resentment, but I'd rather die knowing I tried to save a buck than live knowing I gave away all that fun. Death is nothing to be scared of.
> 
> Self reliance is a way of life.
> 
> He could just as easily died of a heart attack or stroke from sitting in a chair watching the whole thing. If the dude is having fun, offer to help him, leave him alone, or simply comment on his hard work (even though not perfect work).
> 
> Life's too short.
> 
> P.S. I know I just summoned the death squad to my door.



The business aspect is part of the resentment but most of it stems from tree guys who came up the right way. Dragging brush and humping logs for a slavemaster, learning the intricacies of running a chainsaw, learning how to climb, cut, notch, rope, run equipment, do bucket work etc. and make it home at the end of the day. This job is EXTREMELY difficult to do safely yet is generally not perceived that way by most. Homeowners like this guy...cheers to him, but he is nothing more than lucky and he only serves to make what we do, everyday, look simple when it is far from that. We're not lucky, we're good. Brains and brawn are great copilots, but experience is what lands the plane every time. That's where, IMO, the resentment comes from.


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## ChiHD

Blakesmaster said:


> The business aspect is part of the resentment but most of it stems from tree guys who came up the right way. Dragging brush and humping logs for a slavemaster, learning the intricacies of running a chainsaw, learning how to climb, cut, notch, rope, run equipment, do bucket work etc. and make it home at the end of the day. This job is EXTREMELY difficult to do safely yet is generally not perceived that way by most. Homeowners like this guy...cheers to him, but he is nothing more than lucky and he only serves to make what we do, everyday, look simple when it is far from that. We're not lucky, we're good. Brains and brawn are great copilots, but experience is what lands the plane every time. That's where, IMO, the resentment comes from.



it is amazing when someone else can put into words the exact way someone else is thinking...thanks Blake you made my day and made me feel less resentful all in one post.

:wave:


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## Blakesmaster

ArborCARE(705) said:


> it is amazing when someone else can put into words the exact way someone else is thinking...thanks Blake you made my day and made me feel less resentful all in one post.
> 
> :wave:



No problem. Each man's safety is his own business but it ruffles my feathers a bit when someone foolishly says, "I can do that." Here's a saddle dip####, have a blast.


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## ts39136

Blakesmaster said:


> The business aspect is part of the resentment but most of it stems from tree guys who came up the right way. Dragging brush and humping logs for a slavemaster, learning the intricacies of running a chainsaw, learning how to climb, cut, notch, rope, run equipment, do bucket work etc. and make it home at the end of the day. This job is EXTREMELY difficult to do safely yet is generally not perceived that way by most. Homeowners like this guy...cheers to him, but he is nothing more than lucky and he only serves to make what we do, everyday, look simple when it is far from that. We're not lucky, we're good. Brains and brawn are great copilots, but experience is what lands the plane every time. That's where, IMO, the resentment comes from.



Well said.


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## ts39136

Blakesmaster said:


> No problem. Each man's safety is his own business but it ruffles my feathers a bit when someone foolishly says, "I can do that." Here's a saddle dip####, have a blast.



Then the anger returns....


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## Vibes

I was in a neighbor hood buying a saw that was on Craigslist yesterday. I wish I had my camera. There was a 40' ladder up in a 60' to70' tree. All the tallest limbs were on the ground. As I was leaving that street after my purchase the guy was back cutting up what was on the ground. The biggest pieces were in the 10'' range. It was a pretty big pile. I look over and the guy had a Remington limb and trim electric saw. 

I looked up in the tree and realized the guy cut everything that that saw could make it through. The trunk of that tree was 24 to 28''. I asked him if he was saving the wood for firewood he told me he was. I told him I would drop the rest of the tree and block it if he gave me a couple loads of wood. He looked at me like I was trying to steel from him. I should go back today and get some action photo's.


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