Fall cleanup

[gpjoe]

Went out to do a final fall clean up: some leaves, and branches (lots of branches, we had 50mph wind over the weekend).

Got out my backpack blower, and blew some leaves into my wooded lot next door. Picked up what felt like 1000 broken branches, and started a fire to burn them.

I noticed that a large branch had fallen onto a "bush" near our ditch and had broken one of its branches. I grabbed it to try and pull it free and one of its thorns went directly into the center of my hand, through my glove. Not sure, but I suspect there is a piece buried deep in my hand. Dug around with an Exacto knife and couldn't find it, so time will tell.

Next, I ran my zero-turn mower around my lot to broadcast-mulch a few remaining leaves, and went into the house for lunch...but just as i was about to sit down, there was a knock at the door...

It was a local tree service, that was in the neighborhood for another job, and they noticed the 60ft dead ash tree on my lot. I asked for a price, and he came in 300 bucks cheaper than my last quote...Ok, let's do it.

I agreed to clean up the smaller branches (up to 4-5 inches), so i fired up my chainsaw and went to work, after he dropped it:

Anyway, looks like I'm gonna be busy tomorrow.

 

[timetofly]

Easy decision for you. Easy money for the tree guy. Win/Win!

 

[gpjoe]

Easy decision for you. Easy money for the tree guy. Win/Win!

He surprised me. The other quote was for dropping the tree, removal of the entire tree, cleanup, and stump removal.

This guy dropped the tree, cut it up, and "processed" it into firewood for me, swinging an 8lb maul. I thought for sure he would use a hydraulic log splitter. Nope, he did it old school, by hand. He's coming back to remove the stump, hope he uses a grinder.

I cut up the smaller stuff, and had to stack a couple of face cords, clean up some branches, and rake the yard.

 

[timetofly]

Wow!! I was under the impression that he only fell the tree for the Benjamins.
Don't be surprised if he doesn't have a stump grinder and removes it another way.

 

[NormaG]

Went out to do a final fall clean up: some leaves, and branches (lots of branches, we had 50mph wind over the weekend).

Got out my backpack blower, and blew some leaves into my wooded lot next door. Picked up what felt like 1000 broken branches, and started a fire to burn them.

I noticed that a large branch had fallen onto a "bush" near our ditch and had broken one of its branches. I grabbed it to try and pull it free and one of its thorns went directly into the center of my hand, through my glove. Not sure, but I suspect there is a piece buried deep in my hand. Dug around with an Exacto knife and couldn't find it, so time will tell.

Next, I ran my zero-turn mower around my lot to broadcast-mulch a few remaining leaves, and went into the house for lunch...but just as i was about to sit down, there was a knock at the door...

It was a local tree service, that was in the neighborhood for another job, and they noticed the 60ft dead ash tree on my lot. I asked for a price, and he came in 300 bucks cheaper than my last quote...Ok, let's do it.

I agreed to clean up the smaller branches (up to 4-5 inches), so i fired up my chainsaw and went to work, after he dropped it:

Anyway, looks like I'm gonna be busy tomorrow.

Went out to do a final fall clean up: some leaves, and branches (lots of branches, we had 50mph wind over the weekend).

Got out my backpack blower, and blew some leaves into my wooded lot next door. Picked up what felt like 1000 broken branches, and started a fire to burn them.

I noticed that a large branch had fallen onto a "bush" near our ditch and had broken one of its branches. I grabbed it to try and pull it free and one of its thorns went directly into the center of my hand, through my glove. Not sure, but I suspect there is a piece buried deep in my hand. Dug around with an Exacto knife and couldn't find it, so time will tell.

Next, I ran my zero-turn mower around my lot to broadcast-mulch a few remaining leaves, and went into the house for lunch...but just as i was about to sit down, there was a knock at the door...

It was a local tree service, that was in the neighborhood for another job, and they noticed the 60ft dead ash tree on my lot. I asked for a price, and he came in 300 bucks cheaper than my last quote...Ok, let's do it.

I agreed to clean up the smaller branches (up to 4-5 inches), so i fired up my chainsaw and went to work, after he dropped it:

Anyway, looks like I'm gonna be busy tomorrow.

This is going to be a massive amount of work. First I would plant some bushes in the empty lot beside you, they will block out some of the noise, make it look like you are not the only one who lives there and help build your empasse. The chainsaw is the right tool, but I would also get a very good pruning saw and get a tree service to drop the branches for you. Buy a bobcat excavator! If you put all this wood in your shed or garage, it could burn your house down if there is a fire. Better to put it in the woods at least a mile away from your house. But you need a place to store it while you are working on the tree, so get a tree service to drop the branches for you, they will be happy to get them off their trucks. I did a similar job last year and it cost me around $2000, but there were two of us, a chainsaw and a pruning saw. Maybe on your own, it will cost you as much as you think it will. Maybe more. Get a bobcat though! It will be worth it.

 

[ctr]

Fun to be out working in the fall weather. Surprised I missed this thread.

 

[gpjoe]

This is going to be a massive amount of work. First I would plant some bushes in the empty lot beside you, they will block out some of the noise, make it look like you are not the only one who lives there and help build your empasse. The chainsaw is the right tool, but I would also get a very good pruning saw and get a tree service to drop the branches for you. Buy a bobcat excavator! If you put all this wood in your shed or garage, it could burn your house down if there is a fire. Better to put it in the woods at least a mile away from your house. But you need a place to store it while you are working on the tree, so get a tree service to drop the branches for you, they will be happy to get them off their trucks. I did a similar job last year and it cost me around $2000, but there were two of us, a chainsaw and a pruning saw. Maybe on your own, it will cost you as much as you think it will. Maybe more. Get a bobcat though! It will be worth it.

I was done cleaning up the fallen tree in three or four days. The guy that cut it down split the larger stuff into firewood and I moved it with my utility vehicle to the wooded lot and stacked it. I would estimate three face cords.

The branches (6-8 inches in diameter or less) I cut up into 16" lengths for our wood stove, the very small branches and debris that I raked were burned in an outdoor fire ring.

I'm done, baby!

 

[luvmysuper]

The branches (6-8 inches in diameter or less) I cut up into 16" lengths for our wood stove

If you split the 16" main trunk into 6-8 inch pieces, that's a lot more wood available for the stove!

 

[gpjoe]

If you split the 16" main trunk into 6-8 inch pieces, that's a lot more wood available for the stove!

Yep. He split it - by hand with an 8lb maul. I'm estimating 3 face cords, might be more - next winter's supplemental heat.

 

[luvmysuper]

by hand with an 8lb maul

At my age that would be a death sentence!

 

[Whisky]

How’d he get the stump out?

 

[gpjoe]

How’d he get the stump out?

He's coming back in the spring to grind it. He dropped several other trees in the neighborhood, and will get all the stumps at once.

I thought he was going to do it right away, but we got hit with some substantial snowfall, earlier than expected.

 

[gpjoe]

At my age that would be a death sentence!

You and me both.

When he priced the job, he said "I will drop the tree, process into firewood, and remove the stump".

I was shocked to see him swinging the maul. I thought he'd show up towing a gas log splitter.

I need to point out that he's twice my size and half my age.

 

[luvmysuper]

he's twice my size and half my age.

A key factor no doubt!