The most dangerous trimming of the tree branch with a John Deere backhoe in my life..

[jkk04]

I have a digger pine tree next to my house that is more than 100 years old.
It needs to trim the agley branches which look so ugly.
It is quite high, about 30ft or more.
So, I had to utilize my Ryobi pole saw, a Husqvarna 450 chainsaw and John Deere 410 backhoe.
It was very dangerous to cut the branches and would be the last cutting for that tree in my life.
Jkk

 

[ruffdog]

The tree looks much better.....but, no work platform or harness...it only takes one misstep.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have a digger pine tree next to my house that is more than 100 years old.
It needs to trim the agley branches which look so ugly.
It is quite high, about 30ft or more.
So, I had to utilize my Ryobi pole saw, a Husqvarna 450 chainsaw and John Deere 410 backhoe.
It was very dangerous to cut the branches and would be the last cutting for that tree in my life.
Jkk

Nope, ain't gonna do that!!!

 

[EddieWalker]

I've done a few things from the loader bucket on my backhoe, but I never tried trimming a tree. What I like to do is have a list of things that I need to do up high, and then rent a lift for the day. I'd rather spend a couple hundred dollars for a safe platform instead of thousands in medical bills.

For pruning trees, I bought an Echo tree saw that works great, but it gets heavy real fast. Now I use a hand pole saw that extends a lot farther and it's a lot lighter. You have to cut the branches by pulling it back and forth, but it goes through pine super fast and easy. Oak takes a little more effort.

Than danger with all pruning is when the branch swings down. I saw a few times in the video where you dodged the branch. It only takes one time for it to hit you just right, to send you flying off of that bucket.

The brother of a client of mine was a Vietnam fighter pilot that knew better, but decided that he had to trim the branches along his fence line before they fell on his fence. He said that he could get it done by himself if he was careful. Eventually a branch surprised him and caught him just right. He broke several ribs, and was cut up pretty badly when he hit the ground. It took months to recover, and he was never the same after that. Fortunately his grandson came over to visit and went out to see how his was doing. Who knows how long he would have been laying there?

I use one of these from Lowes. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Corona-16-ft-Fiberglass-Pass-thru-Pole-Pruner/3586926

 

[WranglerX]

My solution was to have professional come in and drop the tree..... Just because you can do it does not mean you should do it....

 

[Smokeydog]

I have done the same thing when younger and dumber. I wouldn’t do now but still need trees cut. Know your limitations, trust your experience and get better equipment and expert help when in doubt.

We had a cat0 tornado come over us. Had some insurance and out of pocket expert tree cutters. I disposed of trees on site. Most of the remaining trees down in driveway and around would have been $40-50k if professionally done. 1.5 years later about 70% cleaned up. Some big trees were made leaning but took over a year to come down. Some still leaning.
Installing a soft ride system on the tractor helped carrying off debris.
Made a pallet platform to hold tools and me safe. Long manual and battery power polesaws. Fall protection. Wanted sturdy rails to lean or brace on.

It’s still dangerous work but not worth dying over a tree or money.

We have orchards and berry patches to maintain too.

 

[Forky]

Not even a hard hat for protection?

 

[bcp]

I have done the same thing when younger and dumber. I wouldn’t do now but still need trees cut. Know your limitations, trust your experience and get better equipment and expert help when in doubt.

We had a cat0 tornado come over us. Had some insurance and out of pocket expert tree cutters. I disposed of trees on site. Most of the remaining trees down in driveway and around would have been $40-50k if professionally done. 1.5 years later about 70% cleaned up. Some big trees were made leaning but took over a year to come down. Some still leaning.
Installing a soft ride system on the tractor helped carrying off debris.
Made a pallet platform to hold tools and me safe. Long manual and battery power polesaws. Fall protection. Wanted sturdy rails to lean or brace on.
View attachment 731745
It’s still dangerous work but not worth dying over a tree or money.

We have orchards and berry patches to maintain too.

I've been thinking of building something like that, but taller so the tractor can move it and stabilize it while on the ground, but I could stand on the top, 10 - 12 feet high.

Bruce

 

[ericm979]

Not even a hard hat for protection?

And under a digger pine too. They have hard dense cones that can weigh a couple pounds.

 

[rekees4300]

My solution was to have professional come in and drop the tree..... Just because you can do it does not mean you should do it....

They are expensive but potentially worth it. In November had a professional remove a 70 foot Sugar Gum that was growing 20 feet from my house. Living here now is much less stressful, don't have to worry about severe storms or ice that could have demolished the whole house using that tree.