I guess mine was the most recent when I lost the oak sideways. It almost doesn't count, cause that tree was specifically for playing, and pretty much zero consequences, but my failure exceeded expectations. I figured worst case was it went with the lean. I totally didn't anticipate what happened D^:
gf beranek
Old Schooler
Smarter every day!
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Still makes me wince. Cost me a whole roof made of cedar. The one that went side ways. Nipped the damn hinge. And a few other factors. Last damn tree of the day. Now I pretty much put a rope in every tree with a target near it. Real confidence eater. Could have been worse as they say.
Insurance handled it and promptly informed me they could no longer find an underwriter for me. No one wants to insure anything in CA anymore. We went back the next day and rigged it all off the roof. No crane access.
Insurance handled it and promptly informed me they could no longer find an underwriter for me. No one wants to insure anything in CA anymore. We went back the next day and rigged it all off the roof. No crane access.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Metal roof. Cedar ceiling. Shake is no longer allowed.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Vaulted ceiling had to match. Eave broke. All ship lap (?) Clear cedar. 127000.00 fix. The new tin was the cheap part.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Whoa!!!
Burnham
Woods walker
Roof needed replacing anyway 
.
.
Jed
TreeHouser
Gentlemen and Fiona: Corey Bailey just coaxed me back in here because I am an idiot, and a super lazy imbecile who doesn't deserve to pop in here, but nonetheless, here goes, since Corey texted me.
Uhhh... So... About 3 months ago I had a very problematic white pine to remove in Normandy Park. We almost never get into white pine. Everyone in our entire shop at East side tree works absolutely hates going to some remote village like Normandy Park, situated on the Puget sound and far apart from any civilized living situation. By the way, I would like here, to formally apologize about my voice texting situation. I no longer have access to my laptop, plus I hate it anyways, and so forgive me Brothers and Sister for relating the story in this manner, but it is as follows:
So... I will just assume, for the sake of brevity, that anyone who reads this, who is formally affiliated with a tree service, will immediately know that the project managers / estimators/people who take on the projects that we work on, are also, regrettably, extremely ignorant about how the work actually gets done.
So anyways (Nacho Libre)... There we was... The three or four of us... In this wretched situation which otherwise styles itself (alas!) as (and I actually beg you to believe me here, all ye magnanimous brothers and venerable sister) residential tree work. As I say, I beg ye all to believe me. For why else would I pop in here lest it be to convey TRUTH, and truth such as only occurs amongst us like-minded fellows--and sister--who, for some unknowable reason, might perchance dare to listen.
So anyways:. (Nacho)... There we was/were... All situated amoungst ourselves, and of one mind to take down this poor little ( 38"× 82' or maybe 90') White Pine. She was all locked in with 13Kv (two different power lines at an oblique 70° angle), and with sufficient clearance, but quite locked-in, so as to completely prohibit any responsible roping out of limbs without ridiculous redundancy of tag lines.
We was hooped. "Just gonna send it," I says. I says this because there actually was room enough fer a guy to fall it, provided that he was okay to do so about 25' up the stem. The boys and I had eliminated all undo back and side weight out of er, via the bucket stretched up between the two 13Kv's. (I almost fergot to mention that there was also a 220v house-drop which further limited our shot. NEVERTHELESS we still had about a 35° shot to work with for falling the top. On the left was brand new construction in addition to the 220 house drop; on the right was a God-fearing neighbor (a finish-carpenter by trade who had diligently fine-pruned a ton of rose bushes and four different fruit trees, including a HIGHLY prized White Asian Peach.)
I still had a lotta back weight, so I hung a rope, and then went up on spurs. I knew I could pull the rope with the bucket even though the degree of pull was like, 15°'s off the line of pull. "Don't matter," I says to myself, I says: "It don't matter, cause she'll follow the hinge all day long," I says.
Took slack out with Jordy driving the bucket in reverse down the resi-road and made the face. (Nice and wide so she don't close premature). Started me back cut. Suddenly I says to myself, I says, "Jed," I says. "Don't be an ass." I says. "Bang er over on wedges, and don't pull er." I says. "No. It don't matter," I says back to meself. "Just pull er over and she'll be fine," I says.
So anyways, I cut her up perfect, and Jordi pulled her, and she drifted about 20° off course smashing through the fine finish carpenters fence, writing off the rose bushes, and smashing just about all of his fruit trees. He was watching while we made the pull. He literally Saw it smash about 10 years of his life's work and simply walked back inside his house. I mean he walked back inside without saying anything. His head was hung pretty low. I came down and took all of my Spurs and my saddle and junk off, and walked over. The guy walked outside, and walked over to me. "No it's okay I am also a contractor, and I know that some things don't go as planned," he said to me. But it was all a fabricated speech. He had just gone inside to count to 10 so that he wouldn't bash all of my teeth out. I said my mea culpa's, then he just took off down the street and went for a walk. I cut all of the material out of his yard, and piled up all the fence debris into one little pile, and pruned what I could out of the roses and the fruit trees but they were horribly smashed. When he came back from his walk, may God forgive me but I was a little bit proud of my fine clean up. I said, "see here is the Asian peach, and perhaps she's not even irreparably damaged." He merely said: "It's NOT okay." And then went back inside his house. I made a detailed phone video cataloging all the damage and sent it to my managers. They said (not verbatim, I am paraphrasing and "reading-in" a bit.) "Oh well, the damage was only $2,000, and if you had put that job in the hole by half a day, that also would have cost us $2,000 so there's no difference." This is why I struggle with residential tree work.
Dearest Brothers and my own dear sister, all I can figure is that the sap was runnin, and White Pine is super brashy anyways and the degree of pull was just slightly off and, (for who but God can ultimately know these things) perchance even a wee puff of wind came up just to help fart er over off course a bit. Absolutely perfect holding wood (not bragging).
We scratched our heads and cried a long while over that one but to no avail... I'm still not sure how my behavior will be modified except fer not fallin White Pine when the sap's runnin.
Uhhh... So... About 3 months ago I had a very problematic white pine to remove in Normandy Park. We almost never get into white pine. Everyone in our entire shop at East side tree works absolutely hates going to some remote village like Normandy Park, situated on the Puget sound and far apart from any civilized living situation. By the way, I would like here, to formally apologize about my voice texting situation. I no longer have access to my laptop, plus I hate it anyways, and so forgive me Brothers and Sister for relating the story in this manner, but it is as follows:
So... I will just assume, for the sake of brevity, that anyone who reads this, who is formally affiliated with a tree service, will immediately know that the project managers / estimators/people who take on the projects that we work on, are also, regrettably, extremely ignorant about how the work actually gets done.
So anyways (Nacho Libre)... There we was... The three or four of us... In this wretched situation which otherwise styles itself (alas!) as (and I actually beg you to believe me here, all ye magnanimous brothers and venerable sister) residential tree work. As I say, I beg ye all to believe me. For why else would I pop in here lest it be to convey TRUTH, and truth such as only occurs amongst us like-minded fellows--and sister--who, for some unknowable reason, might perchance dare to listen.
So anyways:. (Nacho)... There we was/were... All situated amoungst ourselves, and of one mind to take down this poor little ( 38"× 82' or maybe 90') White Pine. She was all locked in with 13Kv (two different power lines at an oblique 70° angle), and with sufficient clearance, but quite locked-in, so as to completely prohibit any responsible roping out of limbs without ridiculous redundancy of tag lines.
We was hooped. "Just gonna send it," I says. I says this because there actually was room enough fer a guy to fall it, provided that he was okay to do so about 25' up the stem. The boys and I had eliminated all undo back and side weight out of er, via the bucket stretched up between the two 13Kv's. (I almost fergot to mention that there was also a 220v house-drop which further limited our shot. NEVERTHELESS we still had about a 35° shot to work with for falling the top. On the left was brand new construction in addition to the 220 house drop; on the right was a God-fearing neighbor (a finish-carpenter by trade who had diligently fine-pruned a ton of rose bushes and four different fruit trees, including a HIGHLY prized White Asian Peach.)
I still had a lotta back weight, so I hung a rope, and then went up on spurs. I knew I could pull the rope with the bucket even though the degree of pull was like, 15°'s off the line of pull. "Don't matter," I says to myself, I says: "It don't matter, cause she'll follow the hinge all day long," I says.
Took slack out with Jordy driving the bucket in reverse down the resi-road and made the face. (Nice and wide so she don't close premature). Started me back cut. Suddenly I says to myself, I says, "Jed," I says. "Don't be an ass." I says. "Bang er over on wedges, and don't pull er." I says. "No. It don't matter," I says back to meself. "Just pull er over and she'll be fine," I says.
So anyways, I cut her up perfect, and Jordi pulled her, and she drifted about 20° off course smashing through the fine finish carpenters fence, writing off the rose bushes, and smashing just about all of his fruit trees. He was watching while we made the pull. He literally Saw it smash about 10 years of his life's work and simply walked back inside his house. I mean he walked back inside without saying anything. His head was hung pretty low. I came down and took all of my Spurs and my saddle and junk off, and walked over. The guy walked outside, and walked over to me. "No it's okay I am also a contractor, and I know that some things don't go as planned," he said to me. But it was all a fabricated speech. He had just gone inside to count to 10 so that he wouldn't bash all of my teeth out. I said my mea culpa's, then he just took off down the street and went for a walk. I cut all of the material out of his yard, and piled up all the fence debris into one little pile, and pruned what I could out of the roses and the fruit trees but they were horribly smashed. When he came back from his walk, may God forgive me but I was a little bit proud of my fine clean up. I said, "see here is the Asian peach, and perhaps she's not even irreparably damaged." He merely said: "It's NOT okay." And then went back inside his house. I made a detailed phone video cataloging all the damage and sent it to my managers. They said (not verbatim, I am paraphrasing and "reading-in" a bit.) "Oh well, the damage was only $2,000, and if you had put that job in the hole by half a day, that also would have cost us $2,000 so there's no difference." This is why I struggle with residential tree work.
Dearest Brothers and my own dear sister, all I can figure is that the sap was runnin, and White Pine is super brashy anyways and the degree of pull was just slightly off and, (for who but God can ultimately know these things) perchance even a wee puff of wind came up just to help fart er over off course a bit. Absolutely perfect holding wood (not bragging).
We scratched our heads and cried a long while over that one but to no avail... I'm still not sure how my behavior will be modified except fer not fallin White Pine when the sap's runnin.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Thanks for sharing Jed. Sometimes shit goes sideways. Live, learn, and move on.
Treeaddict
Treehouser
Jed, thanks for sharing. Your heart must have sank in your chest. GREAT to see you again!!
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Jed, thanks for stopping in.
You did reveal Cory's Secret Identity... now we can prank call him... just kidding (fingers actually crossed behind my back).
I wonder if hanging a log on the pull line would've helped (another trick shared by our esteemed colleague, Gerry B).
Never dealt with white pine, personally. I've heard about it from east coasters, though. It's so easy to get used to doug-fir ( like cheating), and be stuck in that mind set.
Live and learn.
Write that guy an apology letter, maybe. Could be good for both of you.
You did reveal Cory's Secret Identity... now we can prank call him... just kidding (fingers actually crossed behind my back).
I wonder if hanging a log on the pull line would've helped (another trick shared by our esteemed colleague, Gerry B).
Never dealt with white pine, personally. I've heard about it from east coasters, though. It's so easy to get used to doug-fir ( like cheating), and be stuck in that mind set.
Live and learn.
Write that guy an apology letter, maybe. Could be good for both of you.
Jed
TreeHouser
That's actually a super cool idea Sean. Well... better than that, really, since, probably the perfect amount of time has passed for it to sink in with the utmost sincerity.
The guy was super cool, man. You'd have never seen a heavier heart over the whole mess. The trouble with me is that I tend to demonize everyone who approaches tree stuff from an emotional level
as a "hippie," and therefore fail at the proper commiserating response.
I'm definitely gonna have Curtis or Amanda dig up that guy's number.
Yer an amazing man Sean, thanks again.
The guy was super cool, man. You'd have never seen a heavier heart over the whole mess. The trouble with me is that I tend to demonize everyone who approaches tree stuff from an emotional level
as a "hippie," and therefore fail at the proper commiserating response.
I'm definitely gonna have Curtis or Amanda dig up that guy's number.
Yer an amazing man Sean, thanks again.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Google Maps let's you right-click on a house and use "what's here" to get the address.
That's a great story, Jedidiah. Probably one of the dandiest in this thread.
The cost of damage not that great but the pain of the damage pretty high.
Carry on My Wayward Son 🎼 🎼. And white pine is often nasty stuff, not to be trusted.
The cost of damage not that great but the pain of the damage pretty high.
Carry on My Wayward Son 🎼 🎼. And white pine is often nasty stuff, not to be trusted.
Marc-Antoine
TreeHouser
And wedging wouldn't have saved the day anyway. Good side of the story, the powerlines are still undammaged.
You've had one of those rare occasions in life where a figurative saying like "going sideways" is exactly literal too.
I yanked the 220 house feed off once, believing that particular maple would hold a hinge for a little side loading. Put the lanyard steel snap into my face that day too. Had my eyeballs on the high tension line just out of reach of the branches on the other side of the tree and thought, perfect trifecta, they find me crispy fried up in the tree. Homeowner was not home but father in law who sent me there was eager to help me get the feed mounted back up before they got home.
Learned a cool trick for pulling up a catenary line. Mini throw line prussic loop. biner. Make several loops between biner and anchor. This gives you mechanical advantage as you pull the single end and the friction tends to hold your progress. Pull up into place, hook on the device, clevice or whatever, release tension on multi loop and remove it and the mini prussic.
I yanked the 220 house feed off once, believing that particular maple would hold a hinge for a little side loading. Put the lanyard steel snap into my face that day too. Had my eyeballs on the high tension line just out of reach of the branches on the other side of the tree and thought, perfect trifecta, they find me crispy fried up in the tree. Homeowner was not home but father in law who sent me there was eager to help me get the feed mounted back up before they got home.
Learned a cool trick for pulling up a catenary line. Mini throw line prussic loop. biner. Make several loops between biner and anchor. This gives you mechanical advantage as you pull the single end and the friction tends to hold your progress. Pull up into place, hook on the device, clevice or whatever, release tension on multi loop and remove it and the mini prussic.
