What's the Craziest thing you've done up a tree?

[Rickytree]

Well I'm not proud of it but cut a willow down that the branches were intertwined with the 3phase for a subdivision. Thought that if I cut the branch fast (about 8 inch branch with a 372xp) it would work out. Cut the first one then cut the second. Cut the third and started to get small shockin feelin. Powered through and cut the forth. Was gettin a funny feeling through my spurs and through the saw. By this point I had cleared the line except for some small suckers, and climbing down and was still getting shocked. I now know why even the hydro guy's wanted nothing to do with this thing. I came down and pulled the rest over with a redirect. I won't do that again, hey who am I kidding. Those scary moments lets you know your living! But I will stay away from the hydro!! Question: If a bucket would have been used to clear the lines could the operator have received a shock(with or without gloves) I was under the assumption that the entire line would of have to be shut down therefore cuttingoff the power for a small community. Hence the hydro didn't want to do it. They were called many times to trim and never came to do a thing. Time to call in the re-enforcements!!

 

[Rickytree]

Replying to my thread

Maybe I should have called this thread "The stupidest thing you've done up a tree?''

 

[Mike PA]

"Question: If a bucket would have been used to clear the lines could the operator have received a shock(with or without gloves) I was under the assumption that the entire line would of have to be shut down therefore cuttingoff the power for a small community. "

Yes. Anytime you make a complete circuit, you will get nailed. Gloves cannot be thick enough to prevent it. The reason that there is no insulation on the wires is because it would be very thick, therefore heavy. To get an idea of how much insulation you need, look at the insulators on the poles.

 

[B-Edwards]

I have peed out of a few while trimming r/w. Fell once also (about 15 feet) compressed vertebra. I have been shocked also, live and learn (live being the key word). If you haven't done much/any line clearance I would stay away from trimming around power lines, easy way to wind up dead with no training.

 

[KD57]

Not crazy, but climbed up to top out a tree before dropping it in a narrow alley between houses. When I got up about 20 feet, I could see over the roof of the garage and low and behold there was a lady sunbathing in a lounge in the yard w/ nothing but her birthday suit. I lost money on that job, I stayed up in the tree too long. The yard had a wood fence, so I guess she wasn't aware we were rigging up on the other side. Or didn't care, lol.

 

[TreeTopKid]

I have peed out of a few while trimming r/w.

I've never done such a thing:angel:

 

[Little Monkey]

lots of things but the one that comes to mind was i had to free climb ( because it was too dangerous to use a harness ) a big mac ( about 70ft tall and about 5/6 ft wide at base) to install a cable about 20/30 ft up so as we could pull it over,, whats so crazy about that you ask ???
well a fellow member of the crew had already scarfed it up, done his back cut
and maxed out 2 jacks in the back of it, because he had'nt allowed for the amount of lift needed for the lean of the tree, the jacks had maxed out just as it became vertical,,,, he owes me ,,,,

 

[outdoorlivin247]

Well, I was in sixth grade and was just climbing a willow tree for fun...It had two main leaders off the trunk...I was on one and wanted to be on the other and thought I would just jump across and grab a branch on the other...Needless to say, after my 1st ambulance ride, bruised kidneys, and not being able to sit up for 3 days I learned that falling out of a tree from 35 feet up is something I NEVER want to do again...

 

[zsteinmetz]

Your darn lucky your here to tell it.

 

[Raymond]

:computer: Back when I worked for a line clearance company, my foreman and I went and got good and drunk the night before, staying up crazy late.
After checking in and heading out to where we left off, the day before. He told me he was going to sleep in the truck after we set up our cones and signs.

Told me to go up get tide in and don't start a saw unless you see a G.F. (boss).

SO I got conferable about 40 ft. up in a tree and went to sleep myself.

Best nap I ever had. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[rngrchad]

read a book.

I threw a line into a huge red-oak in my back yard, jugged up it w/ one of my novels from AB Guthrie Jr and read while layed back on a huge oak limb. IT was almost comfortable.

 

[Slvrmple72]

Took a deuce in a hollow about thirty feet up. Glad I had a handkerchief with me! Best part was the follow up later that summer. Keeping a straight face when the homeowner commented on how well the tree responded to the pruning I gave it. If he had asked about fertilizer I would have probably lost it.

 

[Rftreeman]

the stupidest thing I ever did was cut a limb and it fell across a dual circuit three phase line and by the time all the fireballs and popping there were 5 lines burnt in two and the fifth one only had 2 strands left and I could have been killed, this was about one year after I started doing ROW work and I learned my lesson and now have respect for the powerlines.....they can and will kill if you don't know what you are doing. we have never had a problem with ROW crews not wanting to trim a tree from the line, that's their job.

 

[Raymond]

lots of things but the one that comes to mind was i had to free climb ( because it was too dangerous to use a harness ) a big mac ( about 70ft tall and about 5/6 ft wide at base) to install a cable about 20/30 ft up so as we could pull it over,, whats so crazy about that you ask ???
well a fellow member of the crew had already scarfed it up, done his back cut
and maxed out 2 jacks in the back of it, because he had'nt allowed for the amount of lift needed for the lean of the tree, the jacks had maxed out just as it became vertical,,,, he owes me ,,,,

:computer: That's a new one on me. I've never seen a hazardous tree that I felt better not being tied in.
Good luck with that!

 

[(WLL)]

whata whackey thread.

 

[yooper]

Years ago I worked for this dumbass. The boss knowing that the home owner had a pretty hot wife decided he wanted to climb that day(gotta be the cool one ya know) So he is up in the tree for about half hour when he gets the cramps and has to crap real bad. so he decides to do it up in the tree and figures if he craps against the stalk of the tree no one will know. Well talk about the runs! WE where all just laughing hysterically! cause he craps all over his rope and doesn't even notice. he just thinks we just laughing at him poopen. he make a few more cuts and repealed down the rope with a half hitch. crap on his hands chest,pants..well crap everywhere. just them the hot home owners wife walks up, looks at him shakes her head and walks away. For that reason I will never poop while in a tree. but giggle every time I think about the look on her face.

 

[Raymond]

Years ago I worked for this dumbass. The boss knowing that the home owner had a pretty hot wife decided he wanted to climb that day(gotta be the cool one ya know) So he is up in the tree for about half hour when he gets the cramps and has to crap real bad. so he decides to do it up in the tree and figures if he craps against the stalk of the tree no one will know. Well talk about the runs! WE where all just laughing hysterically! cause he craps all over his rope and doesn't even notice. he just thinks we just laughing at him poopen. he make a few more cuts and repealed down the rope with a half hitch. crap on his hands chest,pants..well crap everywhere. just them the hot home owners wife walks up, looks at him shakes her head and walks away. For that reason I will never poop while in a tree. but giggle every time I think about the look on her face.

What a dork! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[yooper]

What a dork! :hmm3grin2orange:

Funny thing is before I even knew him his nick name was S@#$head!

 

[ropensaddle]

The crazyest thing I done up a tree was named debra and it was very much fun but also awkward but we managed

 

[Rickytree]

Yooper That is some funny $hit! man that's stinkin hilarious. How'd that ride back to the shop go? One day it's like 95 outside and I was workin for the Walmart of tree services and we go to Mc D's for lunch. I scarf back 3 big mac's and then on the way home start to sing the song " Two all beef patties special sauce then puke all over the outside of the truck. The good times we had!