On the third Saturday of each month, the city of Hewitt will take tree limbs and other brush type items. It works this way; a resident of Hewitt cuts the tree limbs or shrubs, loads them on his truck or trailer and hauls said items to the city water well. City employees will unload the cuttings and they run them through a chipper. No they don’t give you the chipped wood back.
This system works ok but the city of Waco will come to their citizens home and pick the cuttings up curb side, saving the residence loading and hauling.
This past Saturday was the third Saturday so on Thursday I decided to, “Trim some limbs”. I made this decision when I learned that I would not have, “The Alex” on Friday. Trimming tree limbs is an all day job and it is too dangerous to attempt while the boy is here.
Donna and Alicia were having a garage sale at Alicia’s house, so I would be all alone.
I started work at 7:15, hoping that the weather man was wrong. He had predicted it to be windy, possibly 20 mph and that is not good when working from a ladder. Having saw dust and or limbs falling from on high is difficult enough without the wind adding surprises.
The limbs I wanted to remove were all more than 20 feet above the ground. I was working from an 8 foot step ladder (sitting on top the ladder) using a manual pole saw extended to its full length.
The wind was not blowing when I started the trimming. The problem cutting these limbs was that I was almost directly under the limbs so when they decide to start to fall I need to be able to get out of the way.
The proper process to cut these limbs (Fords Method) is to make a cut in the underside of the limb first, then cut directly above the bottom cut from the top. This procedure allows the limb to fall free and it does not strip bark from the tree as it would without the underside cut.
I have learned, being “an experienced Woodologist” (aka Wood Butcher) that not making a cut from the bottom will most often keep the limb partly attached to the tree, which to me is usually safer than a 6 inch diameter limb falling 20 plus feet while I am on the ladder.
The limb staying partially attached to the tree creates a problem. What do I have to do to get the limb to break loose and fall? There are two methods I use, first I try tying a rope to the limb and pulling on it. The rope process works about half the time. The second method is to use the saw and cut the remaining attached wood. Note; you can use the rope (tied to the limb and to another tree) to assure yourself that the limb falls away from you.
Being alone at, “The Ford Homestead” I decided to be even more careful than usual. Even though my climbs up and down the ladder were not OSHA approved, “three points of contact during the climb, two feet one hand or two hands one foot” I did climb methodically and carefully. I was wearing my safety glasses which kept the saw dust out of my eyes.
I also think that an, “unseen force” was helping me (the good Lord for anyone who doesn’t know what I mean by and unseen force). I would make a cut from one side then move the ladder to the opposite side and make a second cut. The object was to cut in the exact place as the first cut, but from the opposite side.
“We” cut 4 limbs Friday and each time I was able to hit the precise cut from the other side of the limb, even though I could not see the first cut.
I began to cut on a limb which was over the kids swing set and I had not realized how long it was. What I thought was two limbs was just one long limb. Well I had started and there was no going back, it had to be cut.
Using a manual pole saw is not easy work, so I decided I would get my gas pole saw. I would need to stand higher on the ladder because the gas pole saw is not as long as the manual saw.
I had not ran this motor since last season but I had properly stored it for the winter. I filled the take with gas and put oil in the chain saw oiler. I set the choke and primed the gas line and attempted to start the motor. Nothing, the motor would not start.
Being a first class mechanic I removed the spark plug and cleaned it. Replacing the plug I again attempted to start the unit, again nothing. Being of sound mind, and tired of pulling on the rope I put a new spark plug in the unit. Again the same results, nothing.
Being slightly upset at this outcome I decided to remove the spark plug and let the unit sit for a while.
I went back to cutting that big limb by hand. It took a while but I was able to get it to brake over, it hit the kids swing set.
Bow saw in hand, I began to remove the smaller branches from the main limb. Once I had most of the branches cleaned I was able to cut through the rest of the limb.
Now that I had the limbs on the ground, I needed to remove some of the branches in preparation for loading everything on the trailer.
I usually pull the limbs to the trailer and load them but I decided to try something different. I used my riding lawn mower to pull the trailer around the yard. This worked surprisingly well. I have no idea how much the trailer loaded with limbs weighed, but the lawn mower pulled the entire load easily.
Once I finished loading I began to put the tools away. In this process I decided to try the gas powered pole saw again. I replaced the spark plug, set the choke and primed the carburetor. I pulled the rope about 4 times and it fired off. I ran it a minute or so and shut it off. Will it start a second time, yes it started easily. The master mechanic again knew what to do to make the saw run.
Saturday morning I took the trailer load of limbs to the city. Returning home I decided to take an old igloo dog house to the city. When I backed up to the trash truck (they also take larger trash items on the third Saturday) I heard one of the fellows say, “look a dog house”. They set the dog house to the side. I had my old flat screen TV in the truck. I asked if they took TVs and they asked if it worked to which I replied yes and I have the book along with the remote. They seemed happy to get the TV, I was happy to get rid of it.
I was on a roll, so I decided to take some other items from the garage to the Good Will. On the way back I procured a cup of coffee and an oatmeal raisin cookie from Star Bucks’. Lots of work topped off with a Star Bucks coffee, nice!
I hope your oatmeal raisin cookie will be fresh, mine was.
Don Ford
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