That big oak removal in Portland nearly went sideways when a branch swung back

I was cutting a heavy limb about 30 feet up, and my notch was a bit too shallow. The branch didn't drop clean, it hinged and swung right back toward the trunk I was standing on. I had to shove off hard and ride my rope over to the next spar. My ground guy just stared, his saw idling. Has anyone else had a close call with a shallow notch on a leaner?

3 comments

3 Comments

king.val22d ago

Yeah that "shallow notch on a leaner" thing is no joke. My buddy had a similar scare last fall, a big maple limb barber-chaired back at him. He still gets quiet when we talk about it.

keith_bennett22d ago

Man, that's rough. Seeing a buddy get shook like that really sticks with you. The sound of a barber chair is something you don't forget. It's a good reminder to take our time on those tricky cuts.

emery29022d ago

Ever notice how the barber chair sound is basically nature's way of yelling "you messed up"? @keith_bennett is right, that noise gets in your head for good. It's like the tree's last laugh before things go bad. Makes you want to triple-check every cut on a leaner, even if it takes all day. My hands get sweaty just thinking about it.