# Tree Removal



## ggttp (Jun 20, 2007)

This is a video of an Ash we removed, from start to finish,
I am new to the editing, but getting the hang of it.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5966715366253360567&q=fortner&total=65&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2


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## beowulf343 (Jun 20, 2007)

Nice, just a couple comments if i may. Curious why you didn't move your climbing line out of the way for a few of those drops when you were out on that limb near the beginning. Have been in situations like that where the branch gets tangled up in my line and took me right off my feet. Sure, not too dangerous since you won't fall to the ground, and your lanyard will keep you attached to the limb, but annoying nevertheless. 

And am curious why the guy who notched and dropped the stem hung around so long after giving his saw to the groundie. Have seen the ends of those stems hit the ground and bounce right up into the sawyer's chest. Or have seen them hit the ground and roll right into the sawyer's legs. Hurts like hell. When the stem starts going, i start leaving. My hand on the trunk usually doesn't effect the outcome of the drop.


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## Adkpk (Jun 20, 2007)

Ad that to the AS gold collection, enjoyed that a lot. 

Beo, mind answering your questions for us learners. I thought about that the other day as I dropped a limb. Of course I let go of the saw (hand saw) and it went right down into the line. What do you do with the line to keep it away form falling objects? 

I know about running that comes naturally to me. 

And one more from the peanut gallery. I didn't like the position of that guys arm when he was tipping off the logs. Is there a better way to push them suckers off the stem?

And one more thing for gg. Like the shot of the after, I am a landscaper and can really appreciate the way you left that yard. Dosen't always look that good after the tree guy leaves. Thanks


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## beowulf343 (Jun 20, 2007)

Adrpk said:


> Beo, mind answering your questions for us learners. I thought about that the other day as I dropped a limb. Of course I let go of the saw (hand saw) and it went right down into the line. What do you do with the line to keep it away form falling objects?



Sure. About the only time i was concerned was when he was taking off the branches from that lead over the house. I believe he had three or four branches brush into his climbing line pretty good. To be honest, in that situation, see that small branch below his feet that droops toward the roof? I'd have run my rope on the left side of the branch i was standing on (which he may have done) but then also down the left side of that droopy branch. Or i may even have shot the line back through one of the crotches near the trunk. But probably would have simply run the rope through a crotch near where he's tied in then let it hang down the back of the tree. It's just the way i am-if i'm out on a limb, i'll often pass my rope through a crotch near the trunk that is higher than my head. May look a little weird, but when i need to go down, simply pull enough of the rope through the crotch to descend. Sorry, confusing, let me try another way. My rope rarely runs directly below me (not talking about chunking the stem here.) It will run at a right angle away from my body to another crotch and then down to the ground. So if i'm standing on a limb, my rope tail is running off the right side of my waist and back to the stem. Nothing hanging below me. 

Now it's not really a big deal, but i take down alot of big stuff. And it will throw you for a loop when it gets hung up in your climbing line. And it's usually the smallest twig that it gets hung up on. So there you are, yanking up and down on your climbing line to try to shake it free and the groundies are trying to lift and drop it and you are continually being pulled off balance-well, it's an annoying situation to be in. 



Adrpk said:


> And one more from the peanut gallery. I didn't like the position of that guys arm when he was tipping off the logs. Is there a better way to push them suckers off the stem?



Sure-do a snap cut, put your saw away, then do whatever you want to the chunk.


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## Cedarkerf (Jun 20, 2007)

Nice vid thanks for putting it here.


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## ggttp (Jun 20, 2007)

beowulf343 said:


> Nice, just a couple comments if i may. Curious why you didn't move your climbing line out of the way for a few of those drops when you were out on that limb near the beginning. Have been in situations like that where the branch gets tangled up in my line and took me right off my feet. Sure, not too dangerous since you won't fall to the ground, and your lanyard will keep you attached to the limb, but annoying nevertheless.
> 
> And am curious why the guy who notched and dropped the stem hung around so long after giving his saw to the groundie. Have seen the ends of those stems hit the ground and bounce right up into the sawyer's chest. Or have seen them hit the ground and roll right into the sawyer's legs. Hurts like hell. When the stem starts going, i start leaving. My hand on the trunk usually doesn't effect the outcome of the drop.



Well my climber was having pretty good luck with them rolling off instead of getting tangled. Never the less you are correct I personally will put my line through a near by crotch. It is just his climbing preference, he doesn't his line any were but below him. I trained him last year so he is kinda new, like most people they do not change there habits until it causes them a problem.

The video is not high res so you prob. can not see the rope tying both trunk and log together. The reason i did this is so the log would not jump or role onto the deck. For why I was there so long is bc. I wanted to put pressure on the hitch until it was far enough over. Once falling I let go and stepped back, no way it could of came at me. 

Good questions, thanks for posting a comment


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## ggttp (Jun 20, 2007)

beowulf343 said:


> Sure.Sure-do a snap cut, put your saw away, then do whatever you want to the chunk.



The snap cut works great, but he feels more comfortable cutting most of the way through, push up on log, finish cut, and put saw down + throw log. It works but you have to be careful.


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## moray (Jun 21, 2007)

Good discussion, everyone!

I love watching these videos--it is about my only chance to see how the real pros do it.

I am a rank amateur at this stuff, so maybe I was unduly worried by the two things in the video mentioned by Adrpk and Beowulf. I once dropped a big branch with a rope hanging down below me (not my climb line, but a smaller rope, still attached to my belt, that I had used to pull up the saw). Because I didn't undercut the limb, it swung back under me and brushed the rope, much like we see in the video. No harm done, but when I saw what I had done, I determined never to let anything attached to me get in the way of any falling wood. And what about dropping the saw, as we see in the video? I do the same thing, with a similar-length lanyard. Doesn't your climber worry about nicking his rope?

There was one shot in the clip where your guy is cutting off a chunk shortly after all the rigging was done. He is one-handing the saw while pushing the top of the chunk. The saw is about even with his neck and left armpit. Now I admit I can't come up with a scenario that would tend to push the saw back at him, so maybe this really is a safe practice. But it certainly looks scary.

What is a snap cut? It sounds like something I should know how to do...


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## RhodyFresh (Jun 21, 2007)

I did'nt see a helmet on that climber. Any particular reason why?


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## ggttp (Jun 21, 2007)

moray said:


> Good discussion, everyone!
> 
> I love watching these videos--it is about my only chance to see how the real pros do it.
> 
> ...



He doesn't actually drop his saw he turns it off and lets the lanyard slide through his hand. Most climbers will know that when you need your hands free in a hurry this is the best way.

The snap cut is when you make a back cut and then cut even or slightly above towards the back cut leaving enough to break by hand. This way works, but in this case he was over a deck and keeping your hand on the log insures it is going nowhere.


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## Adkpk (Jun 21, 2007)

moray said:


> Good discussion, everyone!
> 
> I love watching these videos--it is about my only chance to see how the real pros do it.
> 
> ...



Snap cut is a level face cut half way through and then a level back cut about an inch above the face cut. Push on the log and snap. Ekka has some good stuff on video in here about that cut. I'll go look for it and be back later.


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## ggttp (Jun 21, 2007)

RhodyFresh said:


> I did'nt see a helmet on that climber. Any particular reason why?



It was only 95 degrees that day and high humidity, sure a helmet is protective but being blind from sweat, or having a heat stroke would probably be worse.


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## Adkpk (Jun 21, 2007)

Adrpk said:


> Snap cut is a level face cut half way through and then a level back cut about an inch above the face cut. Push on the log and snap. Ekka has some good stuff on video in here about that cut. I'll go look for it and be back later.



Well, enough of that palm ch!t. Can't find it, you get the idea, right?


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