Tree cutting skills. Be careful who you learn or take advise from

[sawmikaze]

It’s no joke. My wife understands that each morning I leave, I might not come back. Of course I plan to die of old age, but tree work is dangerous. Period. There are a lot of things we can do to mitigate injury or death, but trees still remain unpredictable, and no 2 trees are the same.

Getting cocky, over confident, or simply thinking that it’s “easy” because a guy has tipped a couple over before, is the most dangerous place to be mentally when felling, removing, or trimming trees.

The moment you think you know what you're doing...that's when it happens. I treat everyday like it's my first try, this past summer was the first time I got seriously hurt...I don't wanna repeat it...I actually have a black eye right now from a loaded pine branch..but those are just the usual battle scars of killing trees.

I learn something new everyday, that's why I never give a desk jockey advice on the internet. There's too many things that go unaccounted for that can go sideways quick and I'd hate to feel like I played a role...

 

[Loony661]

The moment you think you know what you're doing...that's when it happens. I treat everyday like it's my first try, this past summer was the first time I got seriously hurt...I don't wanna repeat it...I actually have a black eye right now from a loaded pine branch..but those are just the usual battle scars of killing trees.

I learn something new everyday, that's why I never give a desk jockey advice on the internet. There's too many things that go unaccounted for that can go sideways quick and I'd hate to feel like I played a role...

I couldn’t agree with this more. 100% how I feel as well.

I’m glad I grew up around men that knew tree work, proper chainsaw usage, and helped me learn. I cringe when some of my friends use chainsaws - I’m sure you know the type.

 

[sawmikaze]

It’s no joke. My wife understands that each morning I leave, I might not come back. Of course I plan to die of old age, but tree work is dangerous. Period. There are a lot of things we can do to mitigate injury or death, but trees still remain unpredictable, and no 2 trees are the same.

Getting cocky, over confident, or simply thinking that it’s “easy” because a guy has tipped a couple over before, is the most dangerous place to be mentally when felling, removing, or trimming trees.

Some of the older guys I learned a little bit from could tell you a story about one of the first pine tops I sent down...they were pissing themselves laughing .. I didn't chase my hinge far enough and got swung back and forth like a paddle ball 50-60 ft up..probably the closest I've come to a heart attack.

And I'm an average tree climber..maybe..

 

[Catbuster]

You guys are giving me second thoughts about my hobby.

that ‘n Jed.

There should always be the little voice in the back of your head whispering “What if this goes wrong?”. The middle of the Dunning-Kruger curve is a dangerous place to be in this activity.

 

[davidwyby]

There should always be the little voice in the back of your head whispering “What if this goes wrong?”. The middle of the Dunning-Kruger curve is a dangerous place to be in this activity.

Little voice was pretty loud on that big widowmaker tree…

 

[Loony661]

Little voice was pretty loud on that big widowmaker tree…

That’s a good thing. Have a plan. Have a backup plan. And listen to your gut. If something doesn’t seem right, it isn’t.

 

[Loony661]

Some of the older guys I learned a little bit from could tell you a story about one of the first pine tops I sent down...they were pissing themselves laughing .. I didn't chase my hinge far enough and got swung back and forth like a paddle ball 50-60 ft up..probably the closest I've come to a heart attack.

And I'm an average tree climber..maybe..

Ha! I know the feeling! Happened to me on a tall, thin, Ash tree removal that was uphill (backyard) over the house. I topped it and didn’t commit to the cut because I was freakin nervous, and it whipped me right off the tree and I swung under it and back and forth. Scared the chit outta me!

 

[Normzilla]

The moment you think you know what you're doing...that's when it happens. I treat everyday like it's my first try, this past summer was the first time I got seriously hurt...I don't wanna repeat it...I actually have a black eye right now from a loaded pine branch..but those are just the usual battle scars of killing trees.

I learn something new everyday, that's why I never give a desk jockey advice on the internet. There's too many things that go unaccounted for that can go sideways quick and I'd hate to feel like I played a role...

That's good, and true.

 

[Normzilla]

I helped pack a guy out of the strip in 2004 that was hit by a smaller tree - He fell a 17" Doug Fir into a brushy Madrone. It shot back, hit him in the chest, rolled over, and then pushed his head
into another Madrone. He made it and eventually recovered almost fully but never cut timber again, and he was never quite the "same" after that. Moving Timber can do strange things to a man.

Wow that's a bad deal glad he made it

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Teaching Chainsaw safety classes can be a pretty humbling experience.
I'm pretty judgmental of the YouTube superheroes because they don't recognize the fact that someone is gonna mimic their technique and possibly get killed, I doubt their ego would admit that all of their mistakes are edited out of the video.
I fully understand that teaching classes students are watching everything I do, even if it's bad habits, so I'm hyper vigilant about my actions in front of a class.
Safely going home is the goal for every tree.
Letting my students know that we are only able to mitigate the KNOWABLE factors of the one tree we are cutting and that we cannot know everything and to take the proper steps for the things that we can know and have a plan for the things we don't.
Students are absolutely going to make mistakes! Which will hopefully lead to a good teaching experience for the whole class and thats probably a good indication of how someone will be in the real world , mistakes are gonna happen. Some can't handle making mistakes ,they have a rough time with reality.

 

[highlander7]

No, Australian climber check out his YouTube channel amazing work

Reg Coates is from the U.K. and now stays in Vancouver Island

 

[Normzilla]

Teaching Chainsaw safety classes can be a pretty humbling experience.
I'm pretty judgmental of the YouTube superheroes because they don't recognize the fact that someone is gonna mimic their technique and possibly get killed, I doubt their ego would admit that all of their mistakes are edited out of the video.
I fully understand that teaching classes students are watching everything I do, even if it's bad habits, so I'm hyper vigilant about my actions in front of a class.
Safely going home is the goal for every tree.
Letting my students know that we are only able to mitigate the KNOWABLE factors of the one tree we are cutting and that we cannot know everything and to take the proper steps for the things that we can know and have a plan for the things we don't.
Students are absolutely going to make mistakes! Which will hopefully lead to a good teaching experience for the whole class and thats probably a good indication of how someone will be in the real world , mistakes are gonna happen. Some can't handle making mistakes ,they have a rough time with reality.

Perfectly said and I agree.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I just cut my own stuff and look over everything as much as I can, have a 150’ cable and a snatch block to pull as 90 degrees to the falling tree. I try to be diligent looking and talk with my tree service buddies if need be. If the trees just to close to a building or dangerous I’ll have them come climb it or use the 70’ bucket truck. Fixed a saw for a guy north of me that worked forest service and fire cutting. He was good friends with a tree guy that was a hell of a feller and climber that died about 2 years ago. Turns out we had a bunch of storm trees and he was doing insurance jobs. Well the guy I fixed the saw for said he called that day asked if he wanted to come help he figured if he could do 4 jobs that day he’d make enough money to be done for the year. Well he was always diligent of being tied in ect but this was a quick easy one so he got on the house Eve made his cuts as tree fell something came back knocked him off the roof and he fell on the propane tank killing him. Guy had been doing tree work for 35-40 years but was distracted by his thoughts of making the money and being done instead of taking 3-4 days to do the same work. Happens way to fast.

 

[NorcalFlyingsquirrel]

Thinking about consequences and Jed…I wonder how many die or get injured from tricky unseen gotchas like him and how many from doing the wrong thing?

Probably 50 50, I know so many people who work climbing and cutting but dont know how to make a clean face cut or not cut through thier holding wood and preload every tree so much it should barberchair but somehow live for years and then pros who pull a bonehead maneuver cause they are tired or distracted and die. You need all the knowledge you can find, lots of experience yet treat each tree as though it something completely new and then also be lucky or have treeflexes every once in a while. Although the better you are the more hairy trees you will find yourself putting down. Still the best job in the world though.

 

[Normzilla]

Probably 50 50, I know so many people who work climbing and cutting but dont know how to make a clean face cut or not cut through thier holding wood and preload every tree so much it should barberchair but somehow live for years and then pros who pull a bonehead maneuver cause they are tired or distracted and die. You need all the knowledge you can find, lots of experience yet treat each tree as though it something completely new and then also be lucky or have treeflexes every once in a while. Although the better you are the more hairy trees you will find yourself putting down. Still the best job in the world though.

Nice. Yeah I wonder what data if any is out there. I agree I size up every tree, and tell most people all trees are different. Not all react the same, and many present different hazards. Agreed too complacency gets us.

 

[Normzilla]

One of my best friends Dagan. To the right, one of the best fallers I know

 

[NorcalFlyingsquirrel]

My buddy George. Climbed and wrecked some of the nastiest trees ive seen in a calm and methodical manner.

 

[NorcalFlyingsquirrel]

https://youtu.be/Teb2bQsqx44 Even though i think orange saws are gay this husky vid is a fantastic primer on basic falling.

 

[Normzilla]

View attachment 364598
My buddy George. Climbed and wrecked some of the nastiest trees ive seen in a calm and methodical manner.

Nice trees. I'm in lake county. From Cazadero
Where in CA are u?

 

[NorcalFlyingsquirrel]

Nice trees. I'm in lake county. From Cazadero
Where in CA are u?

Boulder Creek, in the Santa cruz Mountains, thems the little ones.