FabSwingers.com forum: cutting down a conifer tree

By *riskygaz OP Man
over a year ago

birmingham

I have a massive conifer right in front of my living room window, it has to go lol, has anyone done a DIY job on one without falling and breaking your neck lol, trying to get my hands on a climbing harness and rope, I think I could do it if I had the equipment.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Harness? How tall is the damn thing?

In any event i seriously doubt the upper trunk will be suitable to hang an harness off.

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

"I have a massive conifer right in front of my living room window, it has to go lol, has anyone done a DIY job on one without falling and breaking your neck lol, trying to get my hands on a climbing harness and rope, I think I could do it if I had the equipment."

How tall is it?

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

Harness? How tall is the damn thing?

In any event i seriously doubt the upper trunk will be suitable to hang an harness off. "

SNAP!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

in 100 years, a conifer starts producing money leaves...

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By *riskygaz OP Man
over a year ago

birmingham

Harness? How tall is the damn thing?

In any event i seriously doubt the upper trunk will be suitable to hang an harness off. "
I would say it's about 20 foot tall, I cant really let go with both hands to use a chainsaw if I am not attached to the tree in some way.

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

Harness? How tall is the damn thing?

In any event i seriously doubt the upper trunk will be suitable to hang an harness off. I would say it's about 20 foot tall, I cant really let go with both hands to use a chainsaw if I am not attached to the tree in some way."

Lol - what could possibly go wrong?

Is it near anything that it might fall on that you could video of to send to You've Been Framed and get £250 to offset the damage?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Hmmmmmmmmm im thinking more loss of limbs or even death but hey what would I know?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

at 20 feet, its not strong enough to support you on a harness, best bet would be to hire a local pro to take the top off then do rest yourself. personally i stood on the roof of my mates van... but it wasnt all that safe.

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By *r and mrs sanddancerCouple
over a year ago

BOLDON COLLIERY

Cut lower branches off with a bush saw leave about 8in on the trunk and then work your way up it standing on the cut stumps till you just have the trunk then you can use the chainsaw to do the final felling

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Depending how big it is and if your explaining on removing the stump don't cut it at ground level do it about waist height then you can use that hight as leverage when truing to get the stump out once you've cut all the big roots and need to break the ones directly underneath.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

hire a platform scaffold

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Hmmmmmmmmm im thinking more loss of limbs or even death but hey what would I know?"

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

"Cut lower branches off with a bush saw leave about 8in on the trunk and then work your way up it standing on the cut stumps till you just have the trunk then you can use the chainsaw to do the final felling "

The first sensible thing said in this thread

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By *ce WingerMan
over a year ago

P.O. Box DE1 0NQ

At 20' it's a mere shrub. A couple of hours with a bow saw should do the trick

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By *riskygaz OP Man
over a year ago

birmingham

The first sensible thing said in this thread"
I was going to just climb up the tree branches and cut what I feel are safe to cut, but the more I think about it I really would like to cut down the main trunk, I wouldn't risk cutting the whole thing down from the ground, I might flatten the house if it fell the wrong way lol

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

"I was going to just climb up the tree branches and cut what I feel are safe to cut, but the more I think about it I really would like to cut down the main trunk, I wouldn't risk cutting the whole thing down from the ground, I might flatten the house if it fell the wrong way lol"

Now you have a plan.

Don't forget the video camera

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By *eneral HysteriaMan
over a year ago

Newcastle

"... I cant really let go with both hands to use a chainsaw if I am not attached to the tree in some way."

Chainsaw?

Chainsaws are for pussies.

Get a work-out and use a handsaw.

You can hang on with one hand that way.

Invite a hotty round telling her you need her there just in case... as a safety measure y'know?

You'll be pumped, sweaty, hot, manly... she'll wanna fuck your brains out when that trunk is sunk

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

Dynamite, I thought

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By *riskygaz OP Man
over a year ago

birmingham

"Dynamite, I thought "
mmm nope I see the house suffering again lol

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Dynamite, I thought mmm nope I see the house suffering again lol"

Wrap det cord around the base enough to cut it then plant a kicker charge at the top on the side facing the house.

The det cord cuts the tree the kicker knocks it to fall the right way ^_^

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Cant you just move house?

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By *ce WingerMan
over a year ago

P.O. Box DE1 0NQ

Stick some netting over it then chuck a load of woodpeckers under the netting

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By *icky999Man
over a year ago

warrington

stick a price tag on for £35 and in five short months it'll be gone

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Conifer ?

That narrows it down a bit

It's more than likely a Leylandii in which case you're not going to be climbing it.

As said above start at the bottom and work up

Bow saw until it's stripped.

And you're going to love digging the stump out

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We have conifer issues it totally blocks all the sun in our back garden ts taller than the house and god knows how wide it is.

its not ours its next doors along with her pissing ivy I constantly battle with

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By *ophieslutTV/TS
over a year ago

Central

It depends on which conifer it is - there are many species. Typically shallow rooted, without tap roots anchoring them to the ground, they can be easily pushed or blown over.

I've had friendly young men get up them for me, taking them down from the top, piece by piece. It helps if there's a structure by it, to climb over from, such as a hardwood tree.

Id love one outside my bedroom window now, due to long day light early in the morning.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Try the holy grail of everything that is. YouTube

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Conifer ?

That narrows it down a bit

It's more than likely a Leylandii in which case you're not going to be climbing it.

As said above start at the bottom and work up

Bow saw until it's stripped.

And you're going to love digging the stump out

You can always burn the stump out.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Ohhh, please do video. More fuckwits die atempting diy tree felling than any other diy job.

It's the most dangerous profession to be in for a reason, 3 tree surgeons killed so far this year.

You never know, you could win a Darwin award

Love

Jane

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Ohhh, please do video. More fuckwits die atempting diy tree felling than any other diy job.

It's the most dangerous profession to be in for a reason, 3 tree surgeons killed so far this year.

You never know, you could win a Darwin award

Love

Jane

.......& tree fellers from Dublin!

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By *ippcoupe2Couple
over a year ago

cahir/cashel

ffs, get a professional in. its safer !

no brainer on this one

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Ohhh, please do video. More fuckwits die atempting diy tree felling than any other diy job.

It's the most dangerous profession to be in for a reason, 3 tree surgeons killed so far this year.

You never know, you could win a Darwin award

Love

Jane

I didn't notice much love, Jane!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

im a lumber jack and im ok

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I sleep all night & I work all day

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By *innamon!Woman
over a year ago

no matter

I think it best to get a tree surgeon ..they can cut and take away..

Friend of mine hung himself using a harness. Never try tree cutting /cropping alone

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By *bi HaiveMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Cheeseville, Somerset

I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Like your thinking - it's only Birmingham after all

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By *estmidscoupleCouple
over a year ago

West Midlands

I had a few massive ones removed and used tree surgeeons and was not prohibitive cost, £400 ish and they took them all away etc

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Harness? How tall is the damn thing?

Dude I'm a trained tree surgeon and viking.... Do you have room to drop it on the garden? If not jus get half way up on a ladder and use a silky saw! They'll rip through a conifer tree no sweat

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By *olgateMan
over a year ago

on the road to nowhere in particular

Use a junior hacksaw, it will keep you occupied all summer.

C...

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By *arry247Couple
over a year ago

Wakefield

The first sensible thing said in this threadI was going to just climb up the tree branches and cut what I feel are safe to cut, but the more I think about it I really would like to cut down the main trunk, I wouldn't risk cutting the whole thing down from the ground, I might flatten the house if it fell the wrong way lol"

If you are not capable of cutting it down leave it alone asking a forum will not provide you with the skills to do the job.

Or you could stack some milk crates up and climb them. Then cut the tree from the top down

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If you have the room, I'll drop.it for you, but your cutting it up and cleaning up afterwards as that's the bit I can't stand!

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

I've been out on a few felling jobs with a friend and the likelihood of something going wrong is pretty high. I'd get someone in to not only fell it, but to also dispose of the rubbish, as that is a pain in itself.

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By *bi HaiveMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Cheeseville, Somerset

1. Get a beaver

2. Get beaver to eat tree

3. Get a shovel

4. Shovel up beaver shit

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When it comes to removing the stump.

Drill a few holes down into it, as far as you can. Add some caustic solution with bit of copper sulphate in. The copper will kill it. The caustic will rot the fibres. Leave it for a week or two then the stump will come up easily.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If you are not capable of cutting it down leave it alone asking a forum will not provide you with the skills to do the job.

Or you could stack some milk crates up and climb them. Then cut the tree from the top down"

not seen a milkman for years

think Ernie was the last one

but he was the fasted milkman in the west

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

This is the right way to go about it.

At 20' tall I don't imagine the trunk is very big, so you wouldn't be able to get to the top, anyway. How much clearance do you have in front? If enough tie a rope over half way up, get a mate to hold it and guide it down as you cut. You could top it out first if you prefer. You shouldn't need a chainsaw, just a good pruning saw.

If you intend to remove the root, as somebody else said, leave enough trunk for leverage. Around 4-5' is good.

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By *he Ant Hill MobMan
over a year ago

Norwich

1. Get a beaver

2. Get beaver to eat tree

3. Get a shovel

4. Shovel up beaver shit

This made me giggle - Thanks For brightening my day

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

20 feet!!.

Get a ladder lean it on branches five feet from top.

Attach rope around ladder to trunk.

Cut the five foot off the top with a hand saw....DO NOT use a chainsaw

Drop ladder down another five feet from top and repeat.

Leave the small branches on the trunk as there'll steady your ladder!

DO NOT USE A CHAINSAW EVER unless your trained and have the correct safety equipment. That includes trousers boots and gloves not just some goggles

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By *oachman 9CoolMan
over a year ago

derby

Harness? How tall is the damn thing?

Lol - what could possibly go wrong?

Is it near anything that it might fall on that you could video of to send to You've Been Framed and get £250 to offset the damage?"

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By *oachman 9CoolMan
over a year ago

derby

"When it comes to removing the stump.

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By *uby0000Woman
over a year ago

hertfordshire

my hubby planted a line of leylandi 20 years ago in our back garden two years ago we had to get a man in to lop the tops off as they were 13 foot high I would recommend getting someone in cos disposing of it is dreadful

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By *eforfuncplCouple
over a year ago

Morecambe

"When it comes to removing the stump.

Where would I be able to pick up these items plz

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I've cut down a tree or two in my time.

My advice to you OP, is if you're not sure about how to go about it - call an expert tree surgeon in to do the job.

If you get it wrong, you can cause damage to your own or your neighbours property.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"When it comes to removing the stump.

Where would I be able to pick up these items plz

Caustic from a diy shop, copper sulphate from any good copper sulphate shops! Kidding, some chemists might do it, or order it in for you. You only need about 25g. If you can't get it there, get it from a lab supplier like fisher scientific or sigma Aldrich. It's very cheap and not dangerous so it won't be a problem ordering it. I got a 250g to kill some roots off and showed the kids how to grow a crystal.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

All you need is a spade, a grub axe or similar and a bit of graft! Shouldn't need anything else!

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By *alandNitaCouple
over a year ago

Scunthorpe

"When it comes to removing the stump.

This would also work for killing off the previously mentioned Nuisance Neighbour Tree... but don't say I told you

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"im a lumber jack and im ok

Don't tell me Paula, you put on womens clothing and hang around in bars

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By *ce WingerMan
over a year ago

P.O. Box DE1 0NQ

'kin ell, is it not down yet

I'll get ma gran to come and give you a hand OP

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"'kin ell, is it not down yet

I'll get ma gran to come and give you a hand OP

"
.

This reminds me of the planning department of the PFJ or was it the JPF

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

maybe it fell on him

someone's going to have to nip round n check

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Just call in an expert

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Sounds far too much like hard work, just pay someone else!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Hello everyone, - it's only 20ft;

Not meters, 'FEET'!!!

as in what your little piggies are on the end of, you know!!!

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

So, did you come to a decision?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I have just knocked 42 evergreen leylandys they were 40 ft lim any heavy branches from tree u can cut birds beak out about foot off ground in direction u want it to fall then cut at 45degree angle about ft above tip birds beak all tress I knocked perfect and they were about 10 ft from the house

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"When it comes to removing the stump.

Can you get rid of bodies using this method?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Bodies take longer and you need concentrated caustic solution for that. Hyd

uoric acid will do it in a couple of minutes though. Bones, teeth, fillings. The only thing it won't touch is PTFE.

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By *avebi48Man
over a year ago

Lordswood

"When it comes to removing the stump.

This would also work for killing off the previously mentioned Nuisance Neighbour Tree... but don't say I told you

or dig a hole your side as close as you can to the base of their tree and find it's roots, pour in some sulfuric acid and fill the hole back in

Or hammer some copper nails into the trunk when they're not around...

to OP as others have said, if you've not done this before get someone in. Being up a ladder even with a handsaw if you get it wrong and the section falls your way you'll be in trouble.

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By *urreyfun2008Man
over a year ago

East Grinstead

Having removed 3 or 4 15 to 20 foot conifers and a dozen or so 10 foot ones from my garden the advice about removing lower branches and then using rope to help direct the various higher sections as you cut them is what I've done.

All done with a handsaw as chainsaws are real nasty when they go wrong.

Cut back one large laurel that was close to neighbours greenhouse and found a small hand axe worked better than the saw, with a rope and ground anchor to tension and direct falling trunks. Never chopped to the point things fell on their own, but stopped early so that extra weight on the rope snapped the tree.

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By *amplemeMan
over a year ago

Working here.

My mate got a traveller/gypsy to do his!!!

Chain around the tree, hook onto a loaded wagon and drive off.... Resulting in a damaged drive, water main and nearby car....

Worst of it all was ..............I didn't get it on video ;-(

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

With all the bad reports from travellers doing jobs ie tarmac drives etc why would you get one to do it

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By *amplemeMan
over a year ago

Working here.

"With all the bad reports from travellers doing jobs ie tarmac drives etc why would you get one to do it "

Cost was the reason...lesson learned

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I have just knocked 42 evergreen leylandys they were 40 ft lim any heavy branches from tree u can cut birds beak out about foot off ground in direction u want it to fall then cut at 45degree angle about ft above tip birds beak all tress I knocked perfect and they were about 10 ft from the house "

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing indeed.

Love

Jane

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Don't get last comment aimed at me is it I have 20 years experience use in chainsaws the tree he is knocking is only 20 feet small thing really

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By *avebi48Man
over a year ago

Lordswood

"Don't get last comment aimed at me is it I have 20 years experience use in chainsaws the tree he is knocking is only 20 feet small thing really "

yeah its small but if he's never done it before the info here so far could encourage a try that leads to a mishap... Same with anything tho, electrics, working under a car etc. In the end he needs to assess the risk and decide if its a job to try or get a man in...

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By *umpkinMan
over a year ago

near the sounds of the wimborne quarter jack!

"Don't get last comment aimed at me is it I have 20 years experience use in chainsaws the tree he is knocking is only 20 feet small thing really

You can bet your life that the height estimation is much shorter than the reality and the available space to drop the tree into is much smaller than what you imagine. Trouble is you only find out when the tree crashes through your neighbour! window!!! OP, just get an expert in!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Find a cpl of beavers

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By *riskygaz OP Man
over a year ago

birmingham

"Don't get last comment aimed at me is it I have 20 years experience use in chainsaws the tree he is knocking is only 20 feet small thing really

"
you got that right I said 20 foot, I was up it today and have made a start on it, the tree is actually taller that the roof off the house, so I think more like 30 foot+ lol, I have been using a titan electric pole pruner, basically a small chainsaw on a 2.7 metre extendable pole, only a 20 centimetre chain, I have been very impressed with how well it cuts thick branches.

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By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

"you got that right I said 20 foot, I was up it today and have made a start on it, the tree is actually taller that the roof off the house, so I think more like 30 foot+ lol, I have been using a titan electric pole pruner, basically a small chainsaw on a 2.7 metre extendable pole, only a 20 centimetre chain, I have been very impressed with how well it cuts thick branches."

Lol - just be careful - and don;t forget to video it!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

A very entertaining thread indeed!

Well done OP!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Just be careful with that cutter as branches may fall wrong better with chain saw u are there at base tree u can see what wat it falling and move best luck hope house still standing worse case u knock house build tree house in one them

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Use a professional, I'm not a tree surgeon, but I work with chainsaws. Too dangerous a DIY job to be honest. A chainsaw need only to bite you once...... P.

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