When the choppers are hungry & bored...

hhmoore

hhmoore

Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Messages
11,432
A bored and hungry chopper is a dangerous thing...when a group of them get together, and the pack mentality kicks in, there'd better be a way to keep them occupied (amused). I've been kind of busy; so mine have sat neglected for some time. I began to sense...something. Tension, unrest, and something I couldn't identify that made the hairs on the back of my neck come to attention. That's when it caught my eye, right there in my side yard.
5NsjZCt.jpg
 
Neighbor's house to one side, mine to the other; stupid little fence right behind it, and my pool directly in line behind that. And, just to add to the fun, power lines coming across the front to side. Only partly dead...but a little voice told me I'd better make a sacrifice to the choppers, so up I went.
sgXNIZY.jpg

WS5zvDg.jpg

TI9g9Ax.jpg
 
I'm not done, yet, but there was enough of a pile on the ground to unleash the BKs. It was a little scary for a while - a frenzy of swinging steel, with wood chips and small branches flying every which way - but they eventually slowed down.
Here they are, temporarily sated
6tinsP7.jpg





Just for the record, I wimped out a bit - it wasn't the BKs that took down the branches, I bought myself a new chainsaw for the job: a Husqvarna T435 (shown with a BG-BB13, early in the process)
TCQdfhJ.jpg
 
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Im hoping to do This too soon!
I've got maybe 3 trees to hack up

And not as many knives, as you...... Ugh
 
I'm down to 4 basic pieces, basically stripped of branches most of the way up... all are too long to just cut because they'll hit things. One is dead and rotted (see the piece by my foot, in the last image of post 2), so I can't/wont climb it; the other 3 are high and thin enough where I need to cut that it's unnerving...especially when relatively gentle winds create a 3ft sway at lower heights.
I've been having fun with this project, despite my protestations that I'm too old to be climbing around in trees with a chainsaw... but, now, I'm questioning my decision.
 
Higher today.
0yUlJ7K.jpg

Decided bombing the fence was more desirable than going up another 10 ft to miss it or climbing to the other section of the tree to rig it. Just popped the panel out of the brackets - should be an easy fix... it was worth it.
tYeyrje.jpg

Something came up & I had to bail before I took a progress/update shot... I'll get that in the morning
 
I won't deny the less-than-brave moments. Heck, the wind picked up right after I took today's second picture, and I thought i was going to puke... talk about a
s-----------------w-----------------a-----------------y
(I looked up, and into the distance, until I couldn't feel it moving any more. It isn't so bad if I can't see how far I'm moving)
 
This was how I left it yesterday
d1GofBH.jpg

Too windy today to tackle the last two. I tried mustering my stupidity (courage wasn't going to get me up there), even using my best Goofy voice & laugh...but it wasn't enough.
I might do a little cleanup over the weekend, and give the choppers some more exercise (weather permitting - forecast looks rainy); but I won't be back in the tree until sometime next week at the earliest.
 
hhmoore said:
I'm not done, yet, but there was enough of a pile on the ground to unleash the BKs. It was a little scary for a while - a frenzy of swinging steel, with wood chips and small branches flying every which way - but they eventually slowed down.
Here they are, temporarily sated
6tinsP7.jpg





Just for the record, I wimped out a bit - it wasn't the BKs that took down the branches, I bought myself a new chainsaw for the job: a Husqvarna T435 (shown with a BG-BB13, early in the process)
TCQdfhJ.jpg
Click to expand...
Curious how you like the Husq, have used the stihls and then the echo for a climbing saw, current echo a little tired been looking for a new climbing saw. Looks like a big swamp maple, need a good 5 inch branch to hold my fat ass, stay safe my brother. On second thought could have laid that tree on the fence and pool then new everything. Have Fun, be safe, oh yeh dont cut your rope
 
hhmoore said:
This was how I left it yesterday
d1GofBH.jpg

Too windy today to tackle the last two. I tried mustering my stupidity (courage wasn't going to get me up there), even using my best Goofy voice & laugh...but it wasn't enough.
I might do a little cleanup over the weekend, and give the choppers some more exercise (weather permitting - forecast looks rainy); but I won't be back in the tree until sometime next week at the earliest.
Click to expand...
Nice work :thumbsup::thumbsup: You are a BRAVE ONE :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Just MAKE SURE TO KEEP SAFE BROTHER! ;)
 
nutoknives nutoknives
This is my first top handle saw; so I have no basis for comparison...but I like it a lot. Both Husqvarna and Echo have lighter and more powerful models that I wanted to consider; but the T435 (from what I found online) is a proven workhorse. The biggest factors in my decision, though, were availability and price - this was the only top handle my local equipment dealer had in stock, and I got it at a reduced price.

I'm trying to be safe...but, admittedly, I'm half-assing it. I've got gaffs with upgraded pads, and a safety harness. I'm using an adjustable "climbing" belt that is better suited to safety duty in a tree stand (it has no rigidity, and can't actually be used as a flip line). I'm almost ashamed to admit that I'm not using a safety tether, just in case. I've used ropes, but only for rigging and controlling branches I cut.
If (when) I tackle the one in the back yard, I'll definitely add some gear. (I could have paid somebody to take down the tree for what getting all the right gear would have cost, lol)
 
Great Stuff hhmore and yes the gear not cheap, Thanks for the response and hope all goes good for you wid da tree, have a few to do myself, love the photos and the write up Thanks for sharing
 
Looking forward to seeing the campfire pictures.... :D
 
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