The One-Armed Treeman

[chad556]

I have heard legends of this guy working in my neighborhood for about a year now. I would come home from work and a tree would be gone and I would ask "who took that out?" Well it turns out more often that not it was the one armed treeman. I couldn't believe it, but sure enough just a few days ago I saw him and caught some of his work on video.

[video=youtube;ygfZxkzTJfQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygfZxkzTJfQ[/video]

Now, part of me is impressed with this guy. He certainly doesn't let his disability get in the way. On the other hand I was cringing the whole time I was watching. Entering a cut while one-handing an ms440 with a 28" bar (or something close to that) is just crazy. Doing it with your left hand, without chaps, helmet or eye protection? That's just plain stupid. Especially the part where he undercuts a branch by levering the saw against his thigh while revving it to full throttle. This guy is just an accident waiting to happen IMO

I didn't catch it on my camera but while they were waiting for the power company to come move the service drop the guy climbed up the tree to secure the pull rope but let it drape itself over the power lines. His buddy then attached the bull rope right to the hook on a cable puller come-along device and basket hitched it to a nearby tree (and by nearby I mean about 10 feet into the drop zone, unbelievable) It all worked out this time and I'm sure he got his $150 and made the neighbors happy and all that.

Well, I just thought i would share. Its not something you see everyday and I thought some of you guys might be interested.

 

[tbow388]

hand

Guy looks pretty handy, oops hand to me.

 

[Indycuts]

Makes me wonder how he lost the arm.
:msp_confused:







:help: got a pretty good idea tho

 

[ChainsawmanXX]

I worked with a guy when i was 14 that had one hand. It was his left missing and he had a fake arm, it was one of the metal ones, he would put his left "hand" on the wrap handle and go away, it was always fun watching him drop big oaks on hillsides cause he had that saw strapped to his hand lol.
in all he was a good man, and fun to work for.

 

[Toddppm]

On the other hand I was cringing the QUOTE]

Just had to say it like that huh? Were you hiding behind the woodpile? I have to hand it to him :hmm3grin2orange: he's doing what he can and not sitting around crying that he can't do anything.
Reminds me of the 1 arm polack joke, how to get him out of the tree? Wave to himuttahere2:

There's a few guys that ride motocross with just 1 arm and are fast as hell! I don't see how this is any more dangerous.

 

[chad556]

QUOTE=chad556;3483886 On the other hand I was cringing the QUOTE

Just had to say it like that huh? Were you hiding behind the woodpile? I have to hand it to him :hmm3grin2orange: he's doing what he can and not sitting around crying that he can't do anything.
Reminds me of the 1 arm polack joke, how to get him out of the tree? Wave to himuttahere2:

There's a few guys that ride motocross with just 1 arm and are fast as hell! I don't see how this is any more dangerous.

Haha, i wasn't intending to make a pun there but oh well, everyone else followed suit it seems. I do have to give props to this guy for still working, apparently he has been at it for 20 years or so. I don't know how long hes had his disability but he certainly seems comfortable swinging that saw around with one arm. That said, I still have no idea how he would deal with kickback especially being a lefty. One hand a saw with your right hand and if the bar kicks straight back its coming for the outside of your right shoulder and elbow. It would be a nasty flesh wound for sure if it hit you. But, one hand it with your left hand (and believe me i know I am a lefty myself) and that bar is lined up perfectly with your carotid and brachial arteries, not to mention your face, and much more likely to hit you.

And using your thighs to support the weight of the saw is just poor form as well as being dangerous. Its a good way to ruin a good pair of chaps but this guy doesn't even have them. He needs to use his legs to support the saw with his disability though. It would just be nice to see him taking the proper precautions.

Then there is his assistant, who seems to be able bodied enough to safely operate a saw but hes the one working the come-along :msp_confused: I'm not saying this guy can't run his own saw, hes obviously proven me wrong on that already. I'm just merely suggesting that it might be safer if he chose not to, and left that job in more capable hands.

 

[axetree]

gotta give him credit, most people would just sit and complain they cant do any thing, a little more ppe would be great but at least hes out working and doing what he can. question, how did the start the cut on the notch? dont see how he could hold the saw to cut the notch....did he use his teeth?

 

[thepheniox]

I've seen way worse watching coworkers with two hands. I love the other guy walks over one hand in his pocket and a smoke in the other. Then he just stands there and watches.

 

[tree md]

I got to tell you, I have much respect for this guy. Yeah, the safety factor could be bemoaned and harped upon but this guy is obviously doing what he loves to do. If he's been at it 20 years, he probably don't want the green horn touching his saw.

Sometimes you just got to let people live and prosper the best way they know how. I'm sure he knows the risks. He's probably the type who would rather go while working than dying in a bed or on the couch.

I clipped this pic somewhere a few years ago. Another guy who I have never met but have a lot of respect for:

 

[chad556]

gotta give him credit, most people would just sit and complain they cant do any thing, a little more ppe would be great but at least hes out working and doing what he can. question, how did the start the cut on the notch? dont see how he could hold the saw to cut the notch....did he use his teeth?

It was hard to see from my backyard but I think he started the angled cut of the notch by wedging the clutch cover of the saw against his upper thigh just under the hip bone and using that as a fulcrum to manipulate the bar where he needed it. Thats right, hes got that chain spinning at 1000s of RPMs not 3" away from his junk, oh and his femoral artery too.

And don't get me wrong I definitely have respect for this guys skill and determination to learn to run 70cc saw with just one arm. I just get a little nervous seeing anyone operate unsafely. I would feel a lot better if he at least wore some kevlar while running the saw with the clutch cover and bucking spikes braced against his leg. Thats a bit like sticking your head in an alligators open jaws if you ask me, way to close to all those teeth :msp_ohmy:

Thanks for the pic tree md, enjoyed it. That guy deserves respect for sure, its hard enough with two legs. You know he body trusted all the way up there because he sure as hell didn't foot-lock

 

[sgreanbeans]

One side of me is yelling "wtf?" the other side is saying "thats amazing!"

 

[treemandan]

I've seen way worse watching coworkers with two hands. I love the other guy walks over one hand in his pocket and a smoke in the other. Then he just stands there and watches.

Yeah, it seemed that guy was more dangerous than the other. I also didn't like how they had the anchor strap set up. To loose.

Its die hard all the way.

 

[imagineero]

That's probably illegal for work place safety reasons. I can't imagine this guy is licensed and insured, for good reason. A chainsaw is not a one handed tool. You need both hands to accurately control the tool, operate the chainbrake, and brace against kickback. Not to mention the difficulty associated with backbarring one handed.

I'm all for people getting at it. I had a one legged rock climbing friend, and one of the best crane operator/truck driver/welders I ever met was one handed and born that way. Could outweld any boilermaker I've ever seen and shift gears on an 18 speed roadranger like ringing a bell. Big respect to anybody who can do that. A chainsaw is clearly a two handed tool though, and I've got nothing but contempt for anybody attempting to earn a living by using it with only the one hand, even if they've only got the one hand. There are plenty of other jobs out there, and lots of different ways to make a living.

Shaun

 

[tree MDS]

I think he's pretty badass.

I mean what's it to any of us if the guy cuts himself... and I'm sure he knows the risks involved. Obviously he's a big boy.

And I won't even make fun of chad for hiding behind the woodpile like that. I'm just in one of those rare moods today I guess..

 

[Nailsbeats]

The legendary one armed tree man strikes again! That is priceless.

 

[treeclimber101]

UMMMMMMMM that was pretty ####ing impressive , I mean and that wasn't any tinker toy , and I gotta say I don't like working in the snow with 2 arms ..... So I am only gonna say WTF were you doing hiding behind the woodpile like a peeping Tom , I mean if it was me I would have walked up shook his nub and asked for a pic with that dude and besides with those elvis chops he's gotta be a cool guy , be careful creeps hiding in the bushes become legends sometimes as well

 

[flushcut]

Good for him! He is a better man for doing what he does by working instead of sitting on his ass collecting disability checks.

 

[Zale]

That guy is hardcore. Its hard enough to do this job with two arms but to do it with one is pretty impressive. Yeah, the safety police can ##### and moan but they are probably jealous they can't make a notch that nice with two hands.

 

[oscar4883]

Pretty cool that he is out working when the so many able bodied scumbags are sitting on their butt. He also put a nicer face cut in that tree than 99% of the guys in my area. LOL

 

[treeman75]

I couldnt help to laugh at the way you were hiding behind the wood pile.