Any advice for a novice tree lopper?

I am 100kg and never been a fan of climbing trees ... but I reckon I can save some $ by lopping 2 trees in my garden. One is 12m high and the other about 18m and neither have many branches so reckon I could have a crack. Apart form the obvious (full length clothing, safety glasses, calm day), can anyone offer any advice? I am planning to attack it using a ladder and with a good quality saw rather than use a chainsaw at heights. Interested in what sort of safety gear might be available for hire. Even as I write this I am thinking of getting a pro in and saving $ elsewhere .....

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Originally Posted by Spencer74

Even as I write this I am thinking of getting a pro in and saving $ elsewhere .....

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Good advice!

P
:wink:

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Originally Posted by bitingmidge

Good advice!

P
:wink:

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:whs:

Spencer74,
There is a good reason why tree loppers (they actually like being called Arborists) pay one of the highest workcover levies. I know a good one in Adelaide PM me.
Cheers Mike

If you are DIY tree lopping on trees that big....

1: life insurance paid up, check accidental death cover.
2: will up to date & copies filed where they can be found
3: comprehensive 3rd party damage insurance paid up to date
4: kiss wide & kids, tell kids to look after Mum.

At 12-18 meters tall, you would be advised to get a day rental on a cherry picker, along with a chain saw & some ropes. Cut it into manageable pieces one at a time & lower each bit - you tie off to the next lower section of tree, not the cherry picker - unless you want to be a feature story on the local news. Manageable means less than 600mm/2 ft - what you could lift one handed.

You cut almost 1/2 way thru from one side, then from the other side an inch or two higher up so it doesn't jam the saw blade as it breaks loose.

Spencer,
No cranes,
no cherry picker
no chain saw
no workers comp
no public risk
no Angelina Jolie
no sweat!:2tsup:
Cheer
Bill

Spencer I know you said no chainsaw but limbs knock ladders like matchsticks

pay for pro its costly and you will live to enjoy life

Saw fellow who had fight with chainsaw in Central Coast hospital not a pretty sight.

My recommendations:

Watch: The Man Who Knew Too Little (Spencer references)
Buy: Life Assurance with Acc. Death Cover
Pay: Your Ambulance membership
Call: Everyone you care about
Update: Your will
Get: Someone else to do it
Let: The Mrs. watch so she can tell us all how it went

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

If you decide to do it please get some one there with a video camera.
Funny pix are always appreciated here. :U

OK, some good counsel there ... I will stick to the bamboo (ref my other thread) - although it seems that my chances of success will be similar - but my chances of serious injury somewhat less.

Spencer, the only advice I can offer if you decide to DIY - make sure you sit on the correct side of a saw cut!

Silly as it may sound, I knew a priest in a little Western Qld town who decided to lop some trees in his church yard and fell out of the tree he was working on along with the branch he had just cut through. And yes, he sat on the wrong side of the cut.

Someone up there must have been looking after him as he only broke a collar bone.

Barry Hicks

A hybrid method can save money, and save your life too.

Hire a professional arborist to do the aerial work, without duty to clean up. You do the safer tedious work.

I hired a pro to fell a hickory tree in my side yard. Branches would have hit my roof or my neighbour's fence on the way down. We agreed he'd leave about 3 metres of the trunk standing, and pile the branches for me to cut. He saved labour of cutting the pieces, as well as tipping fee for the debris. Also, no stump removal.

I chopped up the branches for curbside pickup. I excavated the stump, and used a come-along on the trunk to lever the stump out of the ground. I got a decent root ball for turning stock, and a substantial amount of timber.

Joe

Do it yourself and stuff it up by putting the tree into the house - no insurance. So, notwithstanding all the other risks, go figure how much damage a tree can do going through the roof, and can you afford it:?

Colin Howkins
Graceville Qld

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Originally Posted by Spencer74

Even as I write this I am thinking of getting a pro in and saving $ elsewhere .....

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Start small and work your way up (ie: tackle that 2m high shrub first, then work up in 1m hights)

Seriously, get someone in who knows what they are doing, and has full insurance cover.

(mind you, if the trees are out in the middle of a 10 acre paddock, they might make good practice, never do a job like that by yourself though)

A couple of years ago, the neighbour and myself dropped an 60' tree that was in my backyard, I went up and took off all the branches with a 12" bar chainsaw, then he went up and cut the trunk off in 10' sections (I got to be the rope boy) Both of us have had previous experience with dropping trees though, still not a job for a first timer !!

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Originally Posted by DavidG

If you decide to do it please get some one there with a video camera.
Funny pix are always appreciated here. :U

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And it's worth at least $500.00 on Funniest Home Videos.

Don't do it.

Mate

Seems like the jury's in on this one
I wouldn't go against their verdict.:)

Hello Team

Over the last month, it seems, a large eucalypt in our back garden has apparently become very sick, and perhaps even died. I'll have that confirmed by a pro as this is part of the Council consent to have it removed.

What sort of price range can I expect for the tree to be professionally removed, or at least felled and remains left in situ? It's on a level block but behind my workshop (a free standing brick garage). Small vehicles (ie up to 2ton trucks) can get into the back garden. Northern Sydney location.

Before anyone says anything - I am not going near it myself :D

Cheers

Tim

300 or more I am htinking.

hey there,
We got a quote today, for 2 x Silky oaks , 2x palms and 5x Casurinas. Big huge beasts, splitting the fences, digging up the bricks and clogging up the gutters....

He reckons he can buy a chain saw, borrow a ladder and do it all himself.

He served with the SES, 25 + yrs ago, but thinks he can still "do it".

I say...."I'm not going to be here, check the life insurance and book the kids and dogs into day care"

Please offer suggestions and/or comments.
Regards, P.

If he going to use a ladder, he is already going about it the wrong way :no:

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Originally Posted by Barry Hicks

Spencer, the only advice I can offer if you decide to DIY - make sure you sit on the correct side of a saw cut!

Silly as it may sound, I knew a priest in a little Western Qld town who decided to lop some trees in his church yard and fell out of the tree he was working on along with the branch he had just cut through. And yes, he sat on the wrong side of the cut.

Someone up there must have been looking after him as he only broke a collar bone.

Barry Hicks

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If there really was someone 'up there' looking after him then he wouldnt have fallen in the first place. :p

Even being on the right side of the cut doesnt help you. I had my extra long ladder up against a near horizontal branch the other week and cutting about 3 feet of it off when it let go all fine - BUT - the sudden difference in weight as the branch went into freefall caused the remaining branch to spring UP, about a foot, leaving my ladder grabbing air, and me grabbing the branch.
I was left dangling from the branch like a stuck cat. Would have made a greta video - $10000 winner !! :2tsup:

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Originally Posted by oldjonesy

If there really was someone 'up there' looking after him then he wouldnt have fallen in the first place. :p

Even being on the right side of the cut doesnt help you. I had my extra long ladder up against a near horizontal branch the other week and cutting about 3 feet of it off when it let go all fine - BUT - the sudden difference in weight as the branch went into freefall caused the remaining branch to spring UP, about a foot, leaving my ladder grabbing air, and me grabbing the branch.
I was left dangling from the branch like a stuck cat. Would have made a greta video - $10000 winner !! :2tsup:

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I wonder why members here voted 10 to 0 to get a pro to do it????????:?
:? instead of DIY :oo:

Rule 1 - Never touch a standing tree when it is in range of anything that could be damaged.

Rule 2. - See rule 1.

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Originally Posted by DavidG

Rule 1 - Never touch a standing tree when it is in range of anything that could be damaged.

Rule 2. - See rule 1.

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Na, have to disagree with that one

Before:
Attachment 72518

After:
Attachment 72517

No damage to any structure (ie: my house) power line for next door remained in tact.
It depends on the tree and if you know what you are doing..

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Originally Posted by Terrian

Na, have to disagree with that one

No damage to any structure (ie: my house) power line for next door remained in tact.
It depends on the tree and if you know what you are doing..

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I would have thought if YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING you would not be classed as a DIY and asking on this forum how to do it. And mentioning ladders in the same post.:roll::doh:

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Originally Posted by Terrian

Na, have to disagree with that one

It depends on the tree and if you know what you are doing..

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My rule is a general one for people who ask what to do, not for experts.

I have removed trees next to structures as well but it is not something I like to do.

Much nicer to have a paddock around the tree. :U

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Originally Posted by Calm

I would have thought if YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING you would not be classed as a DIY and asking on this forum how to do it. And mentioning ladders in the same post.:roll::doh:

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knowing how to do a job does not mean you are not a DIY person...and there is nothing wrong with using a ladder to assist in dropping a tree, depends on the tree, seems many here are assuming that to take down a tree you need to cut through the trunk and drop the thing in one piece... that is rarely the case

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Originally Posted by DavidG

My rule is a general one for people who ask what to do, not for experts.

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my FIL & myself are not experts at tree dropping, cutting this one down without doing damage did not involve any measure of luck...

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I have removed trees next to structures as well but it is not something I like to do.

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Again, depends on the tree :)
the pics I posted show the before and after, but we did not drop it in one piece...

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Much nicer to have a paddock around the tree. :U

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not going to dispute that :)