Neighbour #1 has a Eucalyptus (?) tree with a couple of branches hanging over his new Merc he is after me cutting back.

I have a chainsaw purely for cosmetic purposes only (leccy one, use for chopping up fuel for STW standard issue wood burner) and have never worked on anything live. But quite fancy a go at this. Apart from donning my safety flip flops, any tips about how to do it?

About 8-10ft up; probably 4-6″ diameter (no bigger) and up to 15ft long I reckon. Have access to step ladder or ladder and nearest A&E is about 7 mins away. Was thinking of undercutting the branch to form a notch, then cutting from the top down so it goes cleanly. Does that sound like a plan of any worth?

Also have a decent, sharp splitting axe (Fiskars) as an option.

Neighbour #2 has a row of closely spaced conifers (about 30 of them), 8″ trunks, that if felled would give a lot of light to our house so I am tempted to offer my services (they want them dropping but can’t afford the pros yet).

Any tips for cutting trees down? Happily all these are small enough to be well away from any houses if I cock up! Neighbour #3 has some 25-30ft conifers which I might be tempted to have a go at in due course… ;o)

Any help or advice gladly accepted – even if you tell me “no”.

Never cut anything with a chainsaw from a ladder. There are countless clips on YouTube that illustrate how dangerous it is.

http://youtu.be/njxvrf5VSes

If neighbour #1 can afford a new Mercedes, an hour or so contracting a tree surgeon should be within his means too.

Can’t help you with the chainsaw, but if I had that in my yard id be up the ladder with my handsaw. I’d have it down pretty quick without having to worry bout where the nearest A&E is.

I follow the ‘chainsaw below shoulder level’ rule, and both feet on the ground. I still have two arms and legs.
If it’s only 6″ diameter use a hand saw.

6 inch round, 15 foot long, full of sap? I’d guess about 100 kilos? What’s that going to do to a stepladder? More importantly to the chap stood at the top of it wielding a chainsaw. Seems legit….

A pole saw would be safer than climbing a ladder but the undercut first technique is the right one. Definately don’t use a chainsaw up a ladder.

I’d also avoid felling trees unless you can get someone to show you how to form a gob and make a backcut leaving a hinge. If the tree ges hung up or sits back on your saw you’ll have a dangerous situation that you’ll likely need a felling lever / wedges / winch to fix.

A bow saw with a “wet” blade as opposed to a dry one will cut it in no time.

I’m hearing you all! Hand saw it is. I’ve got a bow saw somewhere that should do the trick. I’m glad it wasn’t just me being a wuss that was worried about the log wanging back onto the ladder!
Thanks.

Re the row of conifers, if they’re close together the branches will be completely intertwined and will be an utter pita to cut down. Do not go into it thinking you can just cut the trunk and it will fall down because it won’t… They’ll need pulling down.
I did a 5 tree Leylandii hedge once (9ft tall) and it took all day.

As others have said, pole saw for the first job, bow saw up a ladder if you have to. You can cut most of the way through and then pull it down with a rope from ground level. Jobs like that I sometimes cut it a bit long and then have a second go to tidy up the end.

For the conifers, take off the lowest side branches first to give yourself some space and clearance. Should be an easy enough job if you have room to fell them safely.

Once you are doing things for other people on other people’s land you’re moving into a grey area between ‘personal use’ that doesn’t require a chainsaw license and ‘business use’ that does. You’d only really find out whether that grey is actually black or white after something goes wrong 🙂

I don’t believe that is an issue unless you are doing it for money. Or else possibly your neighbour has permission to take down a tree in a conservation area, the permission may specify using a “competent contractor”. Doing a favour for a neighbour is not commercial activity.

What were you thinking of using to take down the 30 conifers (probably leylandii) and the 30ft conifers?
Because 30 is a lot of Leylandii and a 30ft high conifer (so, what, 600mm + dia?) is a fair lump of a tree and your electric saw won’t do it.
And don’t even go near the big stuff unless you know, not just think you know, what you’re doing and certainly not with any electric saw. Imagine – you’ve made your directional notch and you’re 75% into the felling cut and the motor burns out. Or there’s a power cut or the RCD trips or the fuse goes……..You’ve got 30ft of unstable tree sitting there and what do you do then?

Get a pro to take them down, don’t even consider it with your experience/gear.

Yup, What Andy R said. ^^ Get a pro – conifers ‘expand’ when cut, create an extraordinary amount of brash. Get a crew in who can chuck it through a chipper, and sort out the Eucalyptus at the same time. Spend the days you would save biking instead.

Didn’t see it was Eucalyptus.
IF you do it make sure you cut and split the wood immediately as it is impossible to split with an axe once it’s dried a bit (I wouldn’t even try it on my screw splitter) and it will take years to dry properly, burns well after about 5 years though.

Go Nuts! (video it).

First rule of chainsaw use?

If you have to ask, don’t use one.

Go Nuts! (video it)

Second this, don’t do anything with a chainsaw unless you have a mate filming it 😛

PS Injuries with chainsaws are seldom trivial…………..

I have used my husky up a ladder once. Never again, was the scariest thing I’ve done, a wee gust of wind and it’s all in the lap of the gods.

Honestly, this place is just no FUN anymore! (thestabilser and natrix excepted)

Where’s all the encouragement to gain additional man points? 😉

Anyways, i’ll have a good think about the conifers before saying no. Still going for the euc branches though as it does burn beautifully (sharkbait – I asked on here previously about it as it was rock hard 18months after felling, ta).

Seriously though, thanks for all the help. I could have ended up doing something a bit daft.

I’m always amazed at how well a good saw gets through wood.

It’s harder work yes, but it’s still very efficient and much more controlled

Yeah I wouldn’t be doing stuff like that as a favour for a neighbour. Politely decline.

The most I would ever impose on a neighbour of mine is asking permission to go into their garden with my ladders so I can reach otherwise inaccessible bits of my house.

An 8″ trunk is a **** twig. Get on with it. Assuming you have plenty of room around the trees and are not a complete numpty, it sounds like a perfect opportunity to get a little bit of experience and a few man points.

But don’t forget to take a video and post it up here 🙂

I chopped a eucalyptus tree in the back garden that sounds a bit bigger than the one you describe with a handsaw. Took every branch off of it right back to the trunk, took a couple of hours.

Why can’t your neighbour do it himself?

Sounds like you just need one of these:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb426gdo-20cm-750w-electric-pole-saw-pruner-230v/99641?kpid=99641&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Outdoor%20and%20Gardening-_-Shopping%20-%20Outdoor%20and%20Gardening&gclid=CIyBv_LTrswCFbEW0wodWaUHZg

and the ability to leg it…… 😆

Me and my dad took one down in my front garden, probably about 15′ high and a foot across at the base of the trunk.

Garden centre had them labelled up as “Dwarf” Eucalyptus, could watch the damn thing growing.

We did it in sections with a ladder and bow saw. Went through easy enough with a bit of care.

By the time you get to the base it will be weeing out sap like there’s no tomorrow.

I originally intended to use it as firewood but was cautioned that even when dry, it’s quite resinous and can condense out the resin in the chimney where it can burn quite happily – not a fire expert, never tried to see if it was true, but I had no reason to not believe the person who told me as they had wood fires throughout the house.

I use these – amazing things.

Silky Gomtaro 300

Although if you already have a good bowsaw, it should be fine.

I’m currently taking down 5 massive conifers bit by bit. The climbing/sawing/felling bit is fun.

The chopping up small enough to get in the car and driving to the tip are the pains.

The chopping up small enough to get in the car and driving to the tip are the pains.

You’re doing it wrong the answer is FIRE!!!

Oh and OP forgot to mention, 8 Ace, £1.49

You’re doing it wrong the answer is FIRE!!!

To get to where we could have a fire is 36 steps up – so a similar pain 🙁
Although I should consider it – what does a load of floppy green conifer branches burn like?

My neighbour lent me one of these last night to chop some logs – I was very very impressed with how good it was. It went through six inch logs with no trouble.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Decker-GK1000-Alligator-Powered-Lopper/dp/B000EOOJQI

what does a load of floppy green conifer branches burn like?

rocket fuel, especially if you let it dry for a while. Can be very smokey if fresh.

Step 1 : move mercedes

mcmoonter – Member

Never cut anything with a chainsaw from a ladder. There are countless clips on YouTube that illustrate how dangerous it is.

OK I know this wasn’t your intent, but I could watch these videos all day. And most of tomorrow.

Pole saws are pricey if you want a decent saw, but with some zip ties, you can get a great saw on the end of a good pole and save a couple of hundred quid.

Dismantled a 25/30ft willow from the ground a few months ago with these below. And the sugoi comes with a decent leg holster which is very handy if you’re using it up a tree. Very clean and very quick. Even on the ground, you need to be doing a fair bit for it to be worth getting the chainsaw out instead.

http://www.darlac.com/products/expert-5m-telescopic-pole

http://www.silkysaws.com/Silky_Saws/Curved_2/Sugoi-360mm-Handsaw-1373#sthash.6O8VgyUB.dpbs

We took out a massive Leylandii hedge, or rather, got someone else to do it for us. Would have been happy taking it down myself, but we’d have had to hire someone to take it away for us afterwards anyway.

We’ve still had a huge amount of green waste to get rid of and more to come.

AlexSimon: we hired one of these for a day. Took 4 full loads to the tip. 10′ x 5′ x 4′, 800 cubic feet of green waste. All lifted twice. A month later and my back’s nearly back to normal!

I’d be telling the neighbour to stop being so tight and get somebody in.

I have spent too many Saturday afternoons helping neighbours with “a 5 minute job” when I could have been out riding my bike or doing something with my family. Same with borrowing tools, get it back 3 weeks later filthy, blunt blade and only half the accessories.

Looking at the pictures, I think the ones I’m taking down might be Leylandii – far too fast growing! About 4 trunks per tree, now as tall as a 3-story house.
It’s in a communal car park for 8 houses. I could just burn it in the car park if I got all the cars to move, but a bit worried about the scorching, etc.

Why bother cutting it down? Burn it all in situ. Cut out the middle man, save time and effort.

Gotta say this thread has kept me amused this morning while I’m on daddy daycare duties.

Anyway, I’ve had another look at the Eucalyptus and I’m gonna man up – sling a rope over it and cut it with my (t)rusty band saw. After moving the new Merc. The owner is a heart consultant or something so I’ll keep him sweet!

The row of fir trees is a bit more intriguing as the council have already had a go at the bottom branches… pic to follow. They are quite closely spaced so it’d be the first one I’d be nervous to have a go at.

Link to pic of 2/3rds of them…

blob:https%3A//drive.google.com/72d2024f-96ac-4a29-a9ab-e4dcc577770e

Sorry, don’t know how to hotlink.