someone please give this novice a thumbs up

Thomas Buys

Hey guys.
im totaly new to this forum.
thought id post my first considerably large tree removal video here for people who can relate. not like facebook users!
It took me a few months with the death of my first ryobi chainsaw 36cc. a hired Stihl 08 which also died on me- lost compression. a hired Husqvarna 365. and then finally bought a Husqvarna 61 & a 20inch bar to finish the job.
All climbing was done without spikes I have a full time job so this project was in my spare time. and on weekends. every single cut was made by me. the most help i got was my dad hardly pulling rope in the desired direction of fall.
hope u like

cheers
Thomas

Eric Frei

Not a bad effort.

Just watch the PPE, should have it all the time.

Also that whole last half of the video was ...... bloody boring. Next time just edit it down so we see you start the cut (3 secs) then see the piece go down (5 secs).

And get a real man or machine on the rope . Oh, the scarf was a bit shy, make it bigger like 1/3 of the dia.

But seriously, a few hard tips on ya there fella to straighten you out but overall a half decent job.

Really appreciate you showing that and joining in here, does take some balls for a new bloke.

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Jeff Darby

Congratulations Tommyb23 you survived your first tree removal, oh and by the way Welcome to Treeworld. I feel you need to find some formal training or read some good books on climbing and proper felling techniques that way you have a much better chance of making Tommyb24.

Overall you did a good job , grab yourself a good arborist harness and some hearing protection,safety glasses and wear your helmet when climbing. Remember think twice cut once and above all recognise when it's out of your capabilities.

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Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard !

Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others

© Jeffrey J Darby 2011

Tony Knight

What can I say..... I'm glad we got to see the video as it means your alive. With the cash you saved blocking that one down get some training and gear.
You won't regret it.

Tony

Thomas Buys

thanks for the reply's.
tree work can be highly specialised, and I really appreciate any words of experience from the pro's.

my occupation is unfortunately not in the tree service industry.
I'm a computer support guy. though i would rather work felling trees, its a huge adrenaline rush.!! just hearing an idling saw gets me going..!! lol.

Eric whats PPE? and i agree with you about the last half of vid. totaly boring indeed. ill do another edit sometime.

its a bit difficult to put every thing together as it all happend over such a long period. sometimes there was a cameraman others not. my girlfriend only came to the party near the end not many action shots at the begining. i guess i wasnt as focused on getting recorded as i was on the actual job. he he. rightly so.

Tony Knight

PPC = Personal Protective Clothing = Chainsaw trousers, boots and alike
PPE = Personal Protective Equipment = Head, Eye and Ear Protection and alike.
I believe one of the first things you need to arm yourself with is education, in lou of a formal one for the mean time ask as many questions as you like to get the "good oil" on how the jobs done safely.
Stick to small trees whilst learning, hand saw work until familiarity comes with a chainsaw whilst climbing. Learn and practice best industry methods, know the regs in your state/country, finally become competent and accredited. Don't attempt or solicit for paid work until you have appeased the above.
As for practical see if you can't get a bit of part time work on weekends with a crew behind a hogger or on a rake, watch them ask em questions but don't get to pushy.

Finally a killer for any tree worker, Eric posted this in another thread and it highlights the speed in which your lights can be switched off.

Regards

Tony

Thomas Buys

im afraid tree work is not that specialized here in SA from what i can tell.
I called in proffesionals to take down 2 of the branches that were hanging over the garage.
omg you guys would have been disgusted seeing how they did it. I was...
ok the first one was quiet impressive using rope attached to the falling limb. lowering it safely. but still none of them had any PPE or PPC. the second time they came they asked if i could remove 2 wooden board sections out of the fence. i guess they were too lazy to use the teqnique that they did before. cos there were 5 guys. 1 put on spikes took a rope and climbed up half way and just cut like it was nothing serious. no technique was used just straight cut from above. no saftey glasses no ear protection no gloves. nothing.
they guy waiting on the ground to buck all the fallen limbs was wearing all my PPE - helmet+earmuffs+gloves. cos they had seen the equipment i had. cos I asked them to only drop the limbs and i would do the cleanup operation. so my equip was out ready to be used. so once they understood what i was talking about the guy wearing all my equip had to take it off without using it.
so they came as 5 and only 1 did any work and i was charged the same as the first time they came when they lowered the limbs safely with 5 guys working together.
basically the tree work that ive seen is not very skilled. Im not racist but the majority of tree work is done by black guys who live in the poorer townships. who dont have access to all the info and training out there. black labour is cheap. look they did the job successfully but with none of tecniques used by you fellas. asked and told the boss to get his guys at least ear and eye protection. before they go deaf. not much response. not even sure he understood me. just a smile. the language barrier is tough. i mean one can surely even charge more if your guys are wearing all orange!
anyway im a bit sad that the tree is down as it leaves me with nothing else to cut down. fyi I did cut about 10 smaller trees before i did this pine. and did do lots of re search and planning.

i would like to change carreers but i dont think there is enough money working for someone else as a tree worker as most of the work is cheap and unskilled. i would have to start my own tree services with my own crew to get anything close to the money i earn right now doing computers.

so tree work for me i think will remain a hobby for the landowner. which is sad cos ive run out of trees to cut down already. lol

ok great talking with the pro's. the more i know is the more i know. lol
cheers

Garry Brockley

I have been doing this for fourteen years this year and i have to say for a computer guy no matter how fit you think you are! you will think your world has ended mid summer dragging crap out of someones yard trying to get all the days jobs done then realise you have another 8 hours to do then you remember it's only monday
so many people believe they can do this job easily! but the truth is its a job that requires hard yakka 8-10 hours per day! you need to be switched on other wise the climber will drop something on you or the chipper will smash your hands against the sides or you get bitten, stung, slapped for being a knob and not keeping up the pace.
yes there are really bad crews out there but adding another one won't make it better the nobs end up working for you at some point.
complain to the boss and say you wont use them again they will do something about it honestly.

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Thomas Buys

I agree with you. you chaps are super tough working like that all nd every day. and for a computer guy by day, im glad to say i know how 1% of that feels.

I think my case is lately that I like to learn different skills and put them "under my belt" if you will. i also spray paint and do all sorts of auto body repair work. on the other end of the scale im into astronamy, i have a telescope, like to watch the night sky, the moon, planets, meteors etc.
did you know that one can see the moons of Jupiter and the rings around Saturn with a decent pair of binoculars.
back to subject excuse me.
so to conclude im glad im still alive and did not sustain a single injury from this project. and that i can at least look back and say -- I done it! put what ive learned under my belt and look forward. not up like i was doing so much when the tree was still standing

Thomas Buys

Hey guys.
ive put another mix together.

could i have some opinions on the cutting technique i used @ 1:15 and similar @ just before 2:00. looking back... im not sure where that technique comes from. but i can say dont attempt with a bar shorter than diameter, mine just just long enough and it presented potential danger. but in the end was sweet.

thanks
tom

Eric Frei

I'll give you some opinion.

Where does the technique come from? Laziness and ignorance, usually here the stereotyped "tree loppers".

Cutting through on an angle like that, big bark tear down on the back side, so imagine if you had a pole belt (flip line/lanyard etc) would you like the weight of the piece hanging on it? What about cutting downward like that toward your lanyard?

It's a shit technique used by idiots.

It's up there with the angled back cut technique in tree felling.

Bark remaining attached like that is dangerous, always cut the bark which you did in the second one at 2mins. Use scarfs (notches) and step cuts (mismatch cut). If cutting flat through the piece the block will not run away from you and you can cut side to side so you can see the piece is clear. On large heavy pieces you can cut almost all the way through leaving an inch or two then pull the saw out, line up and cut the little piece and the block sits down .... then push it off. There's many ways and I cannot write about them all here in one post but jeeez, stop doing that.

For others here's some pics taken from the video.

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Jeff Darby

I agree with all that Eric has said, some the things you are currently getting away with will sooner or later kill you! However I feel with the correct training you would make a good Arborist... remember all critique is good critique.

Mate get some training before it's to late!

__________________

Member: Australian Tree Association

Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard !

Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others

© Jeffrey J Darby 2011

Drouin Tree Service

You could learn a lot by the videos and research on this forum.

Also if you did a weeks work with a decent company i feel you would learn quite a bit,Having employed quite a few younger guys (i have 4 guys under 25 working for me)You either get in and get it done(which you seem to want to do) and learn quick or your behind the chipper,I think you should make the move into a tree company.

p.s couldnt you have hired a work platform to access that tree?

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Drouin Tree Services | Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland | Landclearing Melbourne

Thomas Buys

ok so you guys all already own your own tree service companys, now i get it!
thats why the comments on technique are so strong! ..
but how right they are!
was thinking until now that that cut was very nicely under my control, but infact cutting like that from top down angled, depending on the wheight of the block could snap and slide instead of tearing after being pushed in the video. that would have been a disaster.

Eric I will never do that again.

yeah ill just keep it my hobby for the landowner.
not to worry i have no intension of using my skills for paid work, ill stick to cutting down my own trees

all the best to ya fellows

Tony Knight

Nah you don't get it, mate, its got nothing to do with working for ourselves or others. You are not educated to analise your own technique and make appropriate changes. Learn not only how, but why various cuts are used in differing situations and only then will you slap yourself and realise how lucky you have been in the past. Its just not the cuts but different reactions of timbers ie hardwoods, softwoods and much much more..

Don't be in a hurry to get hurt or worse.

Regards Tony

Thomas Buys

ok maybe i can learn from this thread.
the piece sectioned off with red lines is the one that falls. how would you cut it? im not being funny. i would really like to know. so i know better what to do, if there is a next time.
and the one at 2mins that did not tear but there was twisting.
should i have used the scarf and backcut rather?

Regards
Tom

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Eric Frei

I hope it makes sense.

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Thomas Buys

yes it does. nice one man. i can see clearly now.
easier than typing words hey, you can throw thousands of words with a picture