With Isabel bearing down on the US east coast I spent most of daylight hours
today cutting branches from a couple big trees in the front yard. (I live
in the Washington DC area.) A new gas main was installed a couple months
ago and they cut about 40% of the roots of one of them looking for the pipe.
:-( A good hurricane blow may bring it over, but maybe I got rid of enough
wind resistance.
The largest branch I cut was 10" to 11" in diameter at the trunk and it came
within inches of taking off the rain gutter as it descended. Better to take
it down now than have it go through the roof if the tree gets blown over.
It took a long time to cut with my manually-activated pruning saw. Standing
on a wobbly ladder and hanging onto a limb with one hand left me one hand
short of using any power tools. ;-)
-- Mark
just cut a grove on the side facing your neighbors house.....
--
Young Carpenter
"Violin playing and Woodworking are similar, it takes plenty of money,
plenty of practice, and you usually make way more noise than intended"
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
<edited>
> With Isabel bearing down on the US east coast I spent most of daylight
hours
> today cutting branches from a couple big trees in the front yard. (I live
> in the Washington DC area.) A new gas main was installed a couple months
> ago and they cut about 40% of the roots of one of them looking for the
pipe.
> :-( A good hurricane blow may bring it over, but maybe I got rid of
enough
> wind resistance.
>
> -- Mark
>
>
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C Cole wrote:
> light and had no problems with that. The main problem was NO ICE to be had
> anywhere for days and then only after standing in long lines for what
I never really thought about that. The last big blackout I had to deal with
was in winter, during an ice storm, so there was ice everywhere. Food
spoilage was the only concern I _didn't_ have.
No power and no ice would suck. You have my sympathy.
> find me with a generator. Last 2 major storms I rented one and this time
> was not able to do that. Some things are just hard to live without.
Buy one. That's what we did. Now that we have a generator, the power never
goes out for more than a few seconds at a time. :)
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17926 Approximate word count: 537780
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, the trees stayed up but the power didn't. Just came back up today.
> That's 5.5 days of no power tool sawdust. <g>
>
> Our water heater runs on natural gas, and is old enough it has a pilot
> light. So unlike many others in the area we had hot showers. When I have
> to replace it with a newfangled electric-spark ignition like our furnace,
> I'm going to wire it with a plug so I can plug it into my computer's
> battery-backup UPS so the water heater will light when the power's out.
>
> -- Mark
Or a generator. Don't forget that you may need to run a pump as well as
possibly a burner fan. More modern gas boilers can be quite hungry for
electricity. Still a good idea though, I have done the same on mine for the
same reasons.
John
Well, the trees stayed up but the power didn't. Just came back up today.
That's 5.5 days of no power tool sawdust. <g>
Our water heater runs on natural gas, and is old enough it has a pilot
light. So unlike many others in the area we had hot showers. When I have
to replace it with a newfangled electric-spark ignition like our furnace,
I'm going to wire it with a plug so I can plug it into my computer's
battery-backup UPS so the water heater will light when the power's out.
-- Mark
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> With Isabel bearing down on the US east coast I spent most of daylight
hours
> today cutting branches from a couple big trees in the front yard. (I live
> in the Washington DC area.) A new gas main was installed a couple months
> ago and they cut about 40% of the roots of one of them looking for the
pipe.
> :-( A good hurricane blow may bring it over, but maybe I got rid of
enough
> wind resistance.
>
> The largest branch I cut was 10" to 11" in diameter at the trunk and it
came
> within inches of taking off the rain gutter as it descended. Better to
take
> it down now than have it go through the roof if the tree gets blown over.
> It took a long time to cut with my manually-activated pruning saw.
Standing
> on a wobbly ladder and hanging onto a limb with one hand left me one hand
> short of using any power tools. ;-)
>
> -- Mark
>
>
Silvan <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
>
> The bow saw is a recent acquisition. I took down a couple of trees in the
> dead of winter last year (getting them away from the neighbor's power feed,
> which runs over my yard) with a Stanley short-cut saw. I thought it was
> pretty effective at the time, but after trying the bow saw, there's no
> comparison. It slices through 4" limbs in eight passes again and again.
> At $8, this thing was an incredibly good investment.
>
> I guess I'm still going to need a chainsaw to get the trunks down. I tried
> using an axe, and I can tell you that axes are not for people who are
> flirting with carpal tunnel syndrome. Every time it bit the trunk, both of
> my hands went numb for a moment. Not cool. I took the first two down with
> my Skil saw, kerfing all the way around and beating the hell out of them
> with a sledge hammer, but this time methinks I need to find a chainsaw
> somewhere and figure out how to use the thing.
>
I'm surprised that using the sledge didn't have the same effect
as the axe. Maybe you had an axe that was an unfortunately poor
combination of head and handle. Personally I like a double bitted
axe, though you don't want to stand behind me when I use it.
You may want to try felling some trees with the bow saw. You cut
a notch on the side where you want it to fall and then from the
other side of the trunk you cut down to the notch at an angle so
that the tree leans away from that last cut and does not pinch
the saw.
If the tree looks to be reluctant to fall in the direction you
want it to then you can tie a rope up high in the tree and have
someone pull it that way as you finish the cut.
Oh, BTW, tie the rope to the tree before you notch the trunk.
--
FF
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, the trees stayed up but the power didn't. Just came back up today.
> That's 5.5 days of no power tool sawdust. <g>
>
> Our water heater runs on natural gas, and is old enough it has a pilot
> light. So unlike many others in the area we had hot showers. When I have
> to replace it with a newfangled electric-spark ignition like our furnace,
> I'm going to wire it with a plug so I can plug it into my computer's
> battery-backup UPS so the water heater will light when the power's out.
>
> -- Mark
>
>
> "Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > With Isabel bearing down on the US east coast I spent most of daylight
> hours
> > today cutting branches from a couple big trees in the front yard. (I
live
> > in the Washington DC area.) A new gas main was installed a couple
months
> > ago and they cut about 40% of the roots of one of them looking for the
> pipe.
> > :-( A good hurricane blow may bring it over, but maybe I got rid of
> enough
> > wind resistance.
> >
> > The largest branch I cut was 10" to 11" in diameter at the trunk and it
> came
> > within inches of taking off the rain gutter as it descended. Better to
> take
> > it down now than have it go through the roof if the tree gets blown
over.
> > It took a long time to cut with my manually-activated pruning saw.
> Standing
> > on a wobbly ladder and hanging onto a limb with one hand left me one
hand
> > short of using any power tools. ;-)
> >
> > -- Mark
I am in the Hampton/Newport News area of Va and finally got power back after
5 days. Many in my neighborhood still have no power. I have a gas stove and
water heater. The stove has an electronic pilot so could not use the oven.
The burners I could light with a match. The water heater has a pilot light
and had no problems with that. The main problem was NO ICE to be had
anywhere for days and then only after standing in long lines for what seemed
forever. I think the next go around with this kind of thing will find me
with a generator. Last 2 major storms I rented one and this time was not
able to do that. Some things are just hard to live without.
C Cole
On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 16:29:26 GMT, "Mark Jerde"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Thanks. I just finished one of the most important storm-preparation items,
>learned many years ago on the windy Dakota plains: Fill a bathtub with
>water.
Excellent reminder.
This is why I love owning camping gear, you're pretty much always
prepared.
In the time it takes to fill the tub, I can have (4) 7 gallon, and (2)
6 gallon water carriers filled, that will stay clean and drinkable..
I have a Coleman stove, gas grill, lantern, sleeping bags, first aid,
a solar shower, quality flashlights and battery powered radios, etc...
All the stuff is kept in Rubbermaid containers for quick weekend
getaways, which has the side benefit of keeping it handy for
disasters. Along with my kerosene heater, I can go without utilities
for quite a while with very little prep.
Heck, if it was cold enough, I could set the tent up in the house for
warmer sleeping,as my main tent is freestanding.
We normally have a week or so's non-perishable food on hand.
My office, which is 2 miles away, has 350KW and a 225KW genny,
complete with 4000 gallons of kerosene, just in case my rechargeable
batteries need some juice. <G>
Barry
Mark Jerde wrote:
> It took a long time to cut with my manually-activated pruning saw.
> Standing on a wobbly ladder and hanging onto a limb with one hand left me
> one hand
> short of using any power tools. ;-)
Funny you should mention this. I live 300 miles inland, and am not *too*
worried, but I've got some pine trees that need to come down before winter,
and it's almost time for free brush pickup.
I spent a good bit of time today limbing and topping pine trees using a 21"
bow saw. No ladder, just incredible bravery/stupidity. Climb as high as
possible, cut as high as possible, hang on tight while it falls. Repeat.
While a lot of arguments can be made about how stupid that was, IMHO it's a
hell of a lot less work than standing on the ground and trying to cut
through 5" branches with one of those stupid pruning pole saws.
The bow saw is a recent acquisition. I took down a couple of trees in the
dead of winter last year (getting them away from the neighbor's power feed,
which runs over my yard) with a Stanley short-cut saw. I thought it was
pretty effective at the time, but after trying the bow saw, there's no
comparison. It slices through 4" limbs in eight passes again and again.
At $8, this thing was an incredibly good investment.
I guess I'm still going to need a chainsaw to get the trunks down. I tried
using an axe, and I can tell you that axes are not for people who are
flirting with carpal tunnel syndrome. Every time it bit the trunk, both of
my hands went numb for a moment. Not cool. I took the first two down with
my Skil saw, kerfing all the way around and beating the hell out of them
with a sledge hammer, but this time methinks I need to find a chainsaw
somewhere and figure out how to use the thing.
Anyway, good luck with the hurricane.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17792 Approximate word count: 533760
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Young Carpenter wrote:
> just cut a grove on the side facing your neighbors house.....
The thought had occured... <eg> He watched me cutting for awhile and had
the expression, "You're getting your d*** sawdust on my yard." But that's
the side sans roots. That tree's coming my way if it comes. :-(
-- Mark
Fred the Red Shirt wrote:
> I'm surprised that using the sledge didn't have the same effect
> as the axe. Maybe you had an axe that was an unfortunately poor
> combination of head and handle. Personally I like a double bitted
> axe, though you don't want to stand behind me when I use it.
I forgot all about this thread. Probably because I was too busy hauling
branches and stuff.
I ended up sucking it up and buying a real axe. Cheapest way to go. I did
try to fell one with the bow saw, but it was definitely feeling like too
much effort.
The first tree with the axe went poorly, but after I got the hang of it, it
was sort of fun. The new axe is double bitted with a fiberglass handle,
and it went a lot easier on my wrists.
Here again we go with the right tool for the job. The old axe, as I have
since learned by doing a bit of reading, was a splitting axe. Somewhere
north of an axe and south of a maul. My failure to realize that sooner
proves I ain't no Paul Bunyan I guess.
> Oh, BTW, tie the rope to the tree before you notch the trunk.
Yeah... :) Oh, BTW, you should have tied a... *crack* *ZZZZZZZZZZZZZt*
Nevermind.
FWIW, I never had to resort to that. I used gravity and wind to pretty good
effect, if I do say so myself.
Now I have 40,000 pickup loads of branches that I'm hoping the town will
assume are hurricane aftermath. :)
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17958 Approximate word count: 538740
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/