Monday, October 20, 2008

New Toys

Today Michael picked up our chainsaw. 
That tree doesn't stand a chance!*

*That is, it doesn't stand a chance once our protective gear arrives and we also buy a shovel and pick to make enough room to do the undercut in the trunk so the saw blade doesn't get stuck when we try to cut through that monster and we practice on some slightly smaller trees to make sure we have at least some real practice before tackling that monster. 
But right after - Then that big tree is coming right down!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You'd have to ask Uncle Erwin why, but up in Maine, whenever they cleaned up a fallen tree, the branches were always removed before tackling the trunk.

Have fun and be careful!

KayBee said...

Hmm... have Michael's knife skills improved in the last 3 years? Otherwise, maybe Cara should be wielding the sharp objects ;-).

Karen B

Jason said...

Yeah, always remove the branches first. That way you know what you're dealing with. And if the weight shifts or the trunk rolls, you don't get getting whipped with branches. That's the reasons my dad always gave me on those Saturdays fetching firewood, but I'm sure someone else could tell you the real reasons for it.

That trunk is big enough you're going to want to work it in small sections so you can roll it. I wouldn't try to dig out of from under it.

Oh, and let me add...safety gear? Double-ewe tee eff?!? That's un-American.

Michael S. said...

In response to Jason's comment re: un-Americanness of safety gear. Jason, please see KayBee's comment. Safety gear actually comes in handy around me. While I'd readily accept that most American non-professional chainsaw users don't bother with safety equipment, I rely on the stuff to prevent my daily SNAFU from evolving into a full-blown FUBAR. I suppose that makes me un-American: I'm not quite patriotic enough to die for my country after all. Not over a dead tree in my yard, at any rate. :)