quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
1. Climb halfway up tree.
2. Cut off top half of tree and allow it to fall to the ground.
3. Climb down and measure cut off half.
4. Multiply by 2 to get original height of tree.

Nice! If you do this, you may choose to have a rope around you and the tree as a safety against falling. If so, please wrap and secure a stout chain around the tree above your rope and below the cut.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
This is the exact reason I'm renting a lift, makes the job safe for an amateur to perform.

This is the exact reason I'm renting a lift, makes the job safer (less dangerous, but still not safe) for an amateur to perform.

Wood is weird. It doesn't always do what you think it is going to. Anything you can do to maximize your margin of safety is a good thing. The point about the bigger manlift (so the boom is less vertical and the base farther away) is a good example of this.

I guess the type of tree matters too. While limbing on the way up and cutting the trunk on the way down would be doable with a manlift on a redwood, lodgepole pine, or other similar tree, it might be a non-starter on the Coast Live Oaks (red oaks) that is mostly what we need to cut here. There you look at the tree and figure out how you can best work your way into the trunk and start cleaning from there. It might be high, it might be low, it might be in the middle. The structure of the tree matters.

Another thought, if you have a pole saw available to you (or can rent one), take it with you in the manlift. I typically take a pole saw, and a few regular chainsaws: a couple of Stihl 025s or the newer MS250s with 18 inch bars, and a bigger saw with a 28" bar. What saw I use depends on how I can position the bucket and the size of the limb. In the perfect world, I have great access and can reach down below the top of the railing and cut off the limb with an 025/MS250. If I can't get a good enough position to use one of the smaller saws, I can get there with the pole saw. If the limb or trunk is too big for the smaller saw, out comes the bigger one. My preferred cutting position is a comfortable reach below the top of the railing with the boom close to perpendicular to the limb and the boom and machine as far away from the limb as possible.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
positive thoughts and a prayer for you

Thank you, Brother B.

again , for calugo

We 're going to need you to come in on Saturday to give us an update on the whole tree situation ,
that would be great!
ok then.

Get a object of known length (stick, friend) stand it beside the tree, backup til you can easily see the tree from top to bottom, hold a yardstick at arms length so the bottom of the yardstick is even with the base of the tree, count the inches of your object, then your tree, divide the tree height (on the yardstick) by the height of your object.

You might try getting a 12 oz Weaver Leather Throw Weight for around $11 and attaching some .065 trimmer line to it. You should be able to throw it up in the tree from 50'- 80' depending on arm and technique. Than use the trimmer line to pull up a tape measure to get close to your height. The trimmer line will slide far easier on branches than strings or ropes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod..._title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would recommend using a reciprocating saw with 9" and 12" pruning blades for much of the upper work if your not in a big of hurry. It will be much safer than a chainsaw for the average guy working up in a tree.

BTW Half dead to dead trees can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous to work on.... work safe.

Well.... Ho high is the darn tree!