Should Children Have Access to Firearms and Explosives?

[Evo]

I have a small tree that died that I need to cut down and there are a lot of thick branches. I also need to cut a lot of dead branches off some other trees and a hand saw will take forever. Also, most of the branches are above my head.

What do you guys think?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

You could get an electric one - much less dangerous.

Had to vote no; that is unless you get Tribdog to supervise.

 

[JamesU]

Don't you always do something like this and get hurt...?

 

[Evo]

You could get an electric one - much less dangerous.

oooh, dismembered AND electrocuted, good idea!

Electric, maybe I will go that route, they're lighter?

 

[JamesU]

Don't do it evo, hire someone!1! You'll never make it!@!@111

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Not so much a weight advantage but they are much safer. They don't have the power to buck and take off your head like a gas powered saw. You can still cut off your toes and fingers, but you probably wouldn't lose your head.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

What is the largest diameter log that you would need to cut?

 

[Mental Gridlock]

If you have the money go for it! If you don't get one, then using a handsaw may seem like a lot of work, but you can just maybe work at it for 20 minutes a day or so until it is done. Consider it your workout.

But if you get the chainsaw, and the branches are too high for you, be really careful if you use the chainsaw on a ladder (or just don't do that) that would be a likely recipe for disaster.

 

[Pengwuino]

Please don't kill me!

 

[JamesU]

Evo, how much to delete the post above?

 

[wolram]

Get a man to do it for you, or even a woman who knows what she is doing,
the thought of you with a pair of hedge clippers makes me shudder, but up
a ladder with a chain saw, how near is your local hospital ?

 

[Astronuc]

small tree that died that I need to cut down and there are a lot of thick branches.

This is a bit puzzling - a small tree, but thick branches. I am kind of wondering along the line of Ivan, what size have you had experience with vs what size are the branches and trunk?

Are the branches one or two inches in diameter? How tall is the tree and what is the diameter?

If you get a chain saw, think about save gloves, glasses and shin guards.

Don't cut overhead unless you know what you are doing.

To drop the tree, do two wedge cuts with the lower one on the side toward which you want to drop the tree. The wedges are so you don't get the chain caught.

I would recommend hiring a handyman or tree service - but the services can cost a few bucks. At least they'll haul away the debris. Then again you could save the branches and trunk and compost them.

 

[Evo]

Get a man to do it for you, or even a woman who knows what she is doing,
the thought of you with a pair of hedge clippers makes me shudder, but up
a ladder with a chain saw, how near is your local hospital ?

I was going to hire a guy to do it, but he turned out to be insane.

As I wrote a friend: "I called a guy that advertised doing lawn care. HE'S NUTS. He's at my house and won't leave. I've called him twice and told him NO. GO AWAY. I found someone else.

GET AWAY FROM MY HOUSE YOU PSYCHO.

AAAARGGH."

This guy starts talking about how religious he is and goes off into these bizarre tirades. He's completely illiterate, yet he's claiming to have a graduate degree in tree care. And on and on.

I was sure by the time I got home, I would have shrines to the Madonna erected in my yard. Or maybe goat sacrifices, I wasn't sure.

 

[Mental Gridlock]

Or save money and get exercize at the same time; use a handsaw even if it takes forever! The tree's not going anywhere.

 

[Mental Gridlock]

I figure they are expensive. I just looked up prices and apparently you can get one cheap so perhaps nevermind. Home Depot has an electric one for 40 bucks. It says it's "lightweight".

 

[wolram]

Read this Evo.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD2487.html

You could paint the tree green and hang decorations on it, if it is not liable
to fall.

 

[Averagesupernova]

Just remember to consider the wind speed and direction when messing with trees.

 

[Chi Meson]

Oh, Get a chain saw! There's no kick-back to worry about these days with a "consumer" model chain. A 14" or 16" long bar is all you need. Husqvarna or Stihl are the best brands, but a Poulan is OK for the lower price saws.

Then you can start getting your own firewood! Do odd jobs around the neighborhood! Take care of that blasted ginko tree on the corner! Clear the way downtown when you're in a hurry! Get your point clearly across when talking with parents of P-I-A students...

delete that last line please.

 

[Moonbear]

I figure they are expensive. I just looked up prices and apparently you can get one cheap so perhaps nevermind. Home Depot has an electric one for 40 bucks. It says it's "lightweight".

It's not the cost of the chainsaw, but the cost of the ER visit. If they have to add in a life flight, even worse.

Evo, find a non-psycho tree service, especially if there's a lot overhead to cut. Maybe you can save cost by having them just take the tree down and cut the trunk into sections and leave you with the branches to attack on your own with your loppers.

At the very least, find someone who knows how to use a chainsaw to help you. Let them teach you and supervise so you learn to handle it properly (and have someone to call 911 when...erm...I mean if...you get hurt using it).

 

[franznietzsche]

The real question is, if this was Tribdog's thread, what would we all say?

Well that's my answer.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I'd have to agree that taking down a tree is probably better done by pros if possible. How much did lawnmowerman quote you for the job?

 

[Moonbear]

The real question is, if this was Tribdog's thread, what would we all say?

Well that's my answer.

If it was tribdog's thread, he wouldn't be asking before doing it, he'd be giving us the count of how many stitches it took to reattach his toes and/or fingers.

 

[Evo]

Ok, I'm going for the small, light electric. Hypatia mentioned one on a pole? That would be good.

Or maybe I could duct tape one onto a pole?

I just repaired my weed eater with duct tape.

 

[Bystander]

What kind of tree? How dry? I voted "No" since you called yourself a "klutz," 'cause it's no fun fighting dry, gnarly, osage orange, and a couple other varieties I can think of.

 

[Evo]

What kind of tree? How dry? I voted "No" since you called yourself a "klutz," 'cause it's no fun fighting dry, gnarly, osage orange, and a couple other varieties I can think of.

Read my journal, you'll be glad you voted no.

It's a plum tree. Trunk is about 6" in diameter, limbs 1-2' in diameter. Need to prune some dead limbs on another flowering plum, finish off the broken willow, take the lower branches off of a Pin Oak, and prune a clump of River Birch. I could do all of it with a hand saw, but there is just so much, i could do it in no time with a small chainsaw.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Ok, I'm going for the small, light electric. Hypatia mentioned one on a pole? That would be good.

Or maybe I could duct tape one onto a pole?

I just repaired my weed eater with duct tape.

Well if you're getting the chainsaw don't forget to get one of these too.

 

[franznietzsche]

Or maybe I could duct tape one onto a pole?

That really sounds like a bad idea.

 

[JamesU]

Well if you're getting the chainsaw don't forget to get one of these too.

Or she can dress up as leatherface for the scare factor:

http://flathat.wm.edu/2003-10-31/Leatherface.jpg

 

[wolram]

It is a bit strange, (Evostick) being a brand name for glue, i wonder is it
sticks Evo,s back together, i think it best to take her photo first, so we
know which bit goes where.

 

[franznietzsche]

It is a bit strange, (Evostick) being a brand name for glue, i wonder is it
sticks Evo,s back together, i think it best to take her photo first, so we
know which bit goes where.

Good idea.