Now the pruning Big stuff first

[Henry100]

Hello folks

Lets have a chat about the big stuff (the large thick branches/tree trunk

Now again safe working every time,

I want you to think about the removal of the really large tree branches, They are as the norm high up the tree and so Ladder use comes in here, When you decide to do such work do not be like the driver at the tip with a small trailer on the back of the car and he must reverse the trailer no matter what, (he could just undo the hitching and push the trailer backwards ?  But no other trailer user's are looking at me so i will reveres no matter what, and he makes a fool of himself "Unless he is a pro ref driving with trailers etc

I did 20yrs of H.G.V. 40FTT trailer's And i can assure you it is harder to reveres a small camping type trailer than a 40ft one,

What i am saying is Ladder work again if your not use to Ladders "let alone using cutting tools" you can get hurt, or as my neighbor did last year end up as we thought being a nice bloke and waving to us as we went out to the village market, 3 hours later on our  return he waved again and i waved back,  2 hours later my other neighbor 3km down the lane called around to our place nearly falling over laughing, and then he told me the neighbor in the tree had been up there since 7am, the Ladder had fallen down and he was suck up the tree until after dinner time;

Funny yes "but my point is" (1) use rope to secure the Ladder, (2) let some one know what your doing so if after a time your not seen or heard ???? SAY NO MORE

But using a chain saw up a tree is in my opinion only for very experienced tree surgeon , But you can use the next best thing for removing the larger trunk, and that what i want to talk about tonight,

                                                                                              THE BOW SAW

The bow saw is something that is very well worth having even used, for those new to prune work,

The bow saw is a frame that can look like the old bows the Indian tribes used, except instead of string to fire the Arrow's we have a long saw blade,

Now because you have no chain blade rushing around the guard it is a hell of a lot safer to use, You do not have to set the blade it just clicks into place,

Make sure you have the teeth facing down and outwards so you can cut, you'll soon find if you replace the blade upside down,

Now once you have secured you ladder rope tied to tree, and you are in a good  position to start to saw you can now see the trunk and decide were to start to cut, check to see when the trunk comes down it is not going to fall on anything it should 'not fall on,

Like your greenhouse/ shed/ mother-in-law etc etc, You want a clean clear drop, you can secure a rope to the farthest part of the branch to another high up branch so when you have cut through the trunk near to the tree, the complete trunk will fall away from you and your working area and then later you can lower this cut trunk down to the ground, all this you need to work out before you cut ,

Now by using the BOW SAW Be ready for some long sawing work, it is a lot harder than the chain saw, but at this sort of height a lot safer,

Make sure you have no kids /animals or any danger under the Ladder or under the trunk your going to cut,

Look at the trunk and start to cut under the trunk, cut a  "V" shape  this will be the place the weight of the trunk will bend at,

So cut into this about half way through the trunk and then stop,

Now cut above the trunk in line with your under cut,  Warning BE READY AS YOU CUT DEEPER FOR THE COMPLETE TRUNK TO START TO FALL (your rope should hold the trunk and give you time to lower the rope and the trunk to the ground,

It is now time to use the LOBBERS, these come in two sizes  (1) long handle (2) short handle again well worth buying, these you use to cut all the thinner twigs and branches off this thick trunk, Put these sticks to one side as they are good for fire lighting when dry or supports for plants in the veg area,

Chain saw  Now is the time to use this beast of a machine, I myself cut the trunk when it is down and on the ground in long lengths i can lift up onto the log cutting horse,

The Log cutting horse is again a very worth while making or buying ready made tool, It it a sort of bench  idea but when open it has a line of "V" shape gaps so you can put the long trunk in these "V" shape holding device and when using the chain saw the wood is held in a safe way while you cut to size ,

As  i have said these tools are worth buying as they last for years and make these harder jobs so much easier,

The tools i have talked about tonight are  THE BOW SAW  cheap to buy easy to use and new blade if needed easy to find,

The Ladder, Again a ladder that will reach the heights you will need a ladder for (gutter cleaning: /Prune Work/ etc etc

A good set of ladders  (I have metal as wood do not last as long, and i have both the  "H" ladder and the "A" Ladder

The Ladder known as the "H" is as it looks the letter "H" if you look at the top of this Ladder it has the "H" look and this Ladder will sit against a wall etc but it wont sit on only one side of the top of the Ladder, A builders Ladder

The  "A" ladder was used for years in the Grape vine picking, Because of the "A" shape as you stand the Ladder against a wall you will see the end will sit on a single thick branch and is good for use on difficult to prune lower branches that are just that little bit higher,

Rope,

Again have a good roll of it so you can use it for higher work or to secure the Ladder, I have Nylon it's good if wet and very strong and wont rot,

Tomorrow more about the cutting tools for the prune work,