Gonna be lots of saws running tomorrow...!

[Viper21]

It's currently just after 9 pm in my neck of the woods. Been raining all day. At times, pretty good. Multiple inches of rain so far.

Now the wind is really whipping up. We're under a "high wind warning", & "tornado watch". Which isn't unheard of but, kinda rare here.

Saw several trees down on my way home a few hours ago. I imagine there's gonna be lots of em down by morning. Just hoping none of mine

Looking at the radar earlier, looked like a helluva storm rolling through. Any of y'all get it good..?

Once I get a few things done in the morning, I should be in the woods for the afternoon.

 

[bagpipingtrucker]

I'm in New England and the wind and rain hasn't stopped for 2 days now.
Got several saws on the ready

I've cleaned up the bar on my Homelite 7-19 after this picture was taken.
Homelite collector in training [emoji879]

 

[Manofstihl661]

Same down here in Texas. Was at my in laws and one almost fell directly on my FIL truck. Told him I’ll be there tomorrow with my crew (ported 046 and ported 660) and make that oak cry.

 

[Viper21]

Well, that didn't take long...!!! hahahaha..

I just got back. My ol lady called me on her way home, she was stuck on the road about 3-4 miles from the house. Decent red oak across the road. Pitch black, not much around.

Turns out, had to take the back way as, the little town we live near, had two huge pines down. One on either side of the fire house. Took out 3 power poles, & obviously power to the whole town is out. I live 1 mile on the other side of the town.

Fire Chief was on the case with some help (VOL FD). I told em about the tree down the only other way into town, & that I was on my way to go handle it. I took a back way, & made it to the ol lady, who was kinda freaked out, & a couple other women behind her, equally amped up.

Took my 562, & proceeded to make quick work of this 20" red oak. About 1/2 way into it, one of the other womens' man showed up with a little saw, & he started yanking on it. A couple minutes later, I had the whole thing blocked up, & asked him, & his sidekick to help clear the blocks out of the road which they did. He never got his saw started..lol.

The women folk were very relieved. Did I mention the wind was still blowing..? Heading back through the back way around where the FD was clearing the huge pine, another little one though it had us blocked again. Fired up the husky again for another few cuts, got it cleared, & got the little lady home safe.

Considering a little over an hour ago, I was sitting in my drawers, contemplating hitting the rack, was a pretty intense last hour or so...lol.

 

[Manofstihl661]

Makes you feel good don’t it? Either way you did a good job and got some folks home. Maybe you should hop on the VFD?

 

[Viper21]

Makes you feel good don’t it? Either way you did a good job and got some folks home. Maybe you should hop on the VFD?

I've considered it. Though, they're mostly looking for young bucks. Coincidentally, my son is married to the Chief's daughter. We're grandpa's to the same two grandkids

My wife told me, part of the reason she was so freaked out was, she saw the tree fall. She was rolling about 45 when it came down, & had to slam on her brakes to not get hit by it. Makes a little more sense as to why she was so wired when she called me.

 

[Manofstihl661]

I've considered it. Though, they're mostly looking for young bucks. Coincidentally, my son is married to the Chief's daughter. We're grandpa's to the same two grandkids

My wife told me, part of the reason she was so freaked out was, she saw the tree fall. She was rolling about 45 when it came down, & had to slam on her brakes to not get hit by it. Makes a little more sense as to why she was so wired when she called me.

Yeh I can imagine that would get someone wired up. My MIL watched the tree come down at her house. I just heard it. I remember a couple years ago or few now we had a tornado and high winds rips through and it was good to see some local land clearing guys and others get to work. We all grabbed saws and just started clearing roads. County and FD can’t get to them all so as long as there were any other dangers out we hit it. And honestly way more experience than the county and FD guys at knocking it out as well lol.

 

[Viper21]

Yeh I can imagine that would get someone wired up. My MIL watched the tree come down at her house. I just heard it. I remember a couple years ago or few now we had a tornado and high winds rips through and it was good to see some local land clearing guys and others get to work. We all grabbed saws and just started clearing roads. County and FD can’t get to them all so as long as there were any other dangers out we hit it. And honestly way more experience than the county and FD guys at knocking it out as well lol.

I hear ya. Nobody has to twist my arm to fire up a saw..lol. I think most of us here, suffer from this complex.

I live in a pretty rural area. The town I'm attached to has a population less than 400. Hell, the entire county is only about 20,000, & it's decent size, area wise. Pretty much everybody that calls themselves a man around here, has a chainsaw, & a decent percentage of em, know how to use em...hahaha. I can't think of single person I associate with that doesn't.

As stated in the op, I'm sure tomorrow there'll be lots of chips flying, & mufflers screaming. The wind is still going but, appears to be letting up a little. Think it's time to hit the rack. Should have some interesting pics to post tomorrow.

 

[Wilhelm]

I wonder why in affected areas they beforehand don't remove all trees that are close to roads and power lines.
Why wait for the thing to come down and then have to remove it while the bad weather is still raging?!

Just a thought as I was reading this thread.

I agree, must have felt real good knowing what You are doing and having properly functioning equipment clearing those downed trees.

 

[Wilhelm]

I'm in New England and the wind and rain hasn't stopped for 2 days now.
Got several saws on the ready

I've cleaned up the bar on my Homelite 7-19 after this picture was taken.
Homelite collector in training [emoji879]

The blue one needs a muffler mod for performance gains and a clutch cover mod for better chip clearance!

 

[Hinerman]

I wonder why in affected areas they beforehand don't remove all trees that are close to roads and power lines. Why wait for the thing to come down and then have to remove it while the bad weather is still raging?!

Just a thought as I was reading this thread.

We had a bad ice storm in 2007 and another in 2008. Ever since, the city, the county, and the whole state has been doing just what you say---clearing power lines. I bet they have spent 10s of millions of dollars doing it; and the job never ends as I see them almost every day. You should see what they do to people's trees that are close to power lines. They don't ask, they don't trim, they butcher the hell out of them, then go to your neighbors house and do the same thing.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I'm never cutting roads open again unless it is for an ambulance, me to pass or emergency workers. Hurricane Sandy and another storm since then I cut out seven main roads and the local EMS building. You listening Tabernacle? Not even a Thank You when I offered to help them cut. They said, "we got it" ,I said "it's already done while you were having coffee and doughnuts." Got some dumb looks and that was it. Emergency meeting my ass. Lazy is what I saw. Took them days to do what I did in hours.

 

[Viper21]

I'm never cutting roads open again unless it is for an ambulance, me to pass or emergency workers. Hurricane Sandy and another storm since then I cut out seven main roads and the local EMS building. You listening Tabernacle? Not even a Thank You when I offered to help them cut. They said, "we got it" ,I said "it's already done while you were having coffee and doughnuts." Got some dumb looks and that was it. Emergency meeting my ass. Lazy is what I saw. Took them days to do what I did in hours.

That would be frustrating.

Fortunately, this scenario wasn't that way. Every one of the VOL FD members thanked me for getting the road open while they were focused on clearing the main drag that was blocking them in. Those were the most dangerous too. Besides large trees blocking the road, you can clearly see downed power lines, complicating the situation.

Here's the pic my ol lady took, after she called me:

She was on the opposite side of town, & from where she was, there was no other way into town, without going back through the way she came, & coming another way. Would've been a 45-50 mile round trip, right back through the danger zone. This was right on the edge of town. The road she's on, comes from the interstate, & is about 12 miles through heavily wooded forest. National, & State. Plenty of houses along the way but admittedly, pretty sketchy when the wind is blowing hard.

Oh, & good morning fellas..! As I refill my coffee, I couldn't help but notice, my 562 sitting in the living room where I left it last night..hahaha. I mean, I wasn't gonna leave it in my truck uncovered... it was still raining & all, when I got in..

 

[GCJenks204]

Our storm earlier this month is in the 100’s of millions in clean up and repair for the electric company. I’m pretty sure they will find the money for line clearing in the budget after having to clean this mess up.

 

[Wilhelm]

We had a bad ice storm in 2007 and another in 2008. Ever since, the city, the county, and the whole state has been doing just what you say---clearing power lines. I bet they have spent 10s of millions of dollars doing it; and the job never ends as I see them almost every day. You should see what they do to people's trees that are close to power lines. They don't ask, they don't trim, they butcher the hell out of them, then go to your neighbors house and do the same thing.

But when a storm drops the tree on their house/car/what ever the same people will look for a scape goat to pay for the damage.
Each to their own, as long as I don't have anything to do with it.

I have been clearing large tall fir trees around my house one by one every other year, there are a couple left that would directly hit the house if they'd come down.
I am looking into getting these last few removed as well.
Those trees got planted by my dad 40-45 years ago, he is not very understanding in me wanting to take them out.
An apple tree planted by my dad is slamming into the house's roof whenever it is windy, I want to take that one out too!
Fixing the roof is too damn expensive to play the nostalgia game and rely on luck rather than reason.
But that is just me and I have been told to be a little "different".

 

[N8TE]

It feels good to help others out for sure!

Many know this already....for those that don't...If lines are down in the area, be sure the utility has the powerline grounded and given the ok before jumping to action.

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

I wonder why in affected areas they beforehand don't remove all trees that are close to roads and power lines.
Why wait for the thing to come down and then have to remove it while the bad weather is still raging?!

Just a thought as I was reading this thread.

I agree, must have felt real good knowing what You are doing and having properly functioning equipment clearing those downed trees.

Lots of people don't want the trees trimmed:
https://wtop.com/maryland/2015/07/pepco-tree-trimming-puts-area-neighborhoods-edge/

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethes...-and-earns-tepid-praise-in-montgomery-county/

https://wtop.com/prince-georges-cou...band-together-to-save-trees-from-pepcos-saws/

Then they complain when there's a storm, and the power is out.

TL; DR - Entitled landowners don't want THEIR trees to be cut, but they also don't want power outages.

 

[Lightning Performance]

It feels good to help others out for sure!

Many know this already....for those that don't...If lines are down in the area, be sure the utility has the powerline grounded and given the ok before jumping to action.

Always and yes, always.

 

[GCJenks204]

It feels good to help others out for sure!

Many know this already....for those that don't...If lines are down in the area, be sure the utility has the powerline grounded and given the ok before jumping to action.

Always and yes, always.

I didn’t take this picture but this was last week when a broken branch fell on and downed some 4KV power lines.


Thankfully no injuries or property damage.

 

[Manofstihl661]

Well there’s the oak that fell yesterday. Thankfully my kids weren’t playing out there and my MIL didn’t park my truck there since she was driving it while she had my kids. That’s my Snellerized 046 wearing a 28” bar. The junction next to it had to be cut from both sides. My FIL had already been limbing and getting most the branches off before I got there since I’m in night shift right now. He saves the big stuff for me because he doesn’t feel comfortable with them and I enjoy them lol. Saved a 10’ section of the trunk and he is going to have it milled then kiln dried for a new dining room table. The rest will be split and saved for next year. Let nothing go to waste right? I also had the 660 out but the chain ended up being dull and I didn’t feel like swapping the bars out so it got one thick cut then relaxed again. The 046 loves to play. And my father in law was using the ms450 I gave him last Christmas. He just went and bought a new chain and already buggered it up. Somehow it was worn on the leading top edge of the tooth.