When our shop was built about 20 years ago there was a small oak tree about 15 feet away. It was a nice tree and provided some decent shade. It was also a good place to put out the bird feeders (and squirrel feeder) for the wide variety of Woodpeckers, Finches, Cardinals and Bluebirds. It is always interesting how the trees grow so slowly that you don’t even perceive how large they have become. Our once small tree had become 50 feet tall, 28 inches in diameter and was overhanging the shop and required constant trimming to keep the branches off of the roof. We decided it was time for the old oak tree to come down. Since the tree was so close to the shop and there was limited space to drop it we hired a professional tree cutter to bring it down in pieces.
Some friends recommended a tree cutter that they had used so we contacted him and made arrangements to have the tree eliminated. Aaron, our tree cutting professional, arrived early on a beautiful Saturday morning with a single young helper. I am always interested in how things are done and what kinds of tools are needed to efficiently finish a job. Aaron was outfitted with climbing spurs, safety harness, long nylon rope a small Stihl chain saw and a very nice hand saw with a belt mounted sheath. The hand saw was super sharp and could easily slice through smaller branches. I was so taken with the ease and efficiency that Aaron was able to methodically dismantle the tree that I had to take some video. Aaron used rope with a taught line hitch knot to create a climbing line that would slip when required but lock tightly when needed to quickly climb up and down the tree. Having the right tools and equipment really makes a job easier, but having a lot of experience doing a job is priceless. The best part of this story is that Aaron learned his trade in 1982 and is 58 years old and has never been injured on the job. This story should inspire you to buy the best tools you can afford and practice with them whenever you can. As for me I will be staying on the ground for a while finishing the woodcutting started by Aaron’s precision work.
