Just a couple of pictures of a recent tree cutting exercise in my garden. This (was) one of 10 pines at the top of my garden. Already dead it was one of the smallest and thus 'managable' (with great difficulty) without calling in a tree surgeon. Mind you Health and Safety would have had a field day with my methods! For some idea of size the felled portion was measured at 18 feet, while the bit still in the ground was 6 1/2 feet! Now do the maths.
The felled bit has now been tidied up and used as a rustic border edging in my woodland garden.
Heres whats left of the tree:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/richardfiler/New%20Pictures/DSCF2367small.jpg)
And heres the felled bit:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/richardfiler/New%20Pictures/DSCF2365small.jpg)
Good few logs there! :)
Crikey GC that is not a tree cutting exercise a more apt title (imho) should read How to live dangerously!!!! Glad you are safe and sound.
I'm glad you were wearing your tin hat & goggles!
One of our grand-daughters is a tree-surgeon, so we appreciate your problem.
Like i said before , Health and safety would have had a fit. No special safety equipment, just a long rope a bow saw and a ladder (to cut as high up as practicable). Not even a hard hat (dont own one!). It was just a case of cut throught the trunk far enough, then pull in the right direction with the rope (also used to stop it falling on the greenhouse - my main concern!), then try not to get in the way when it (eventualy) fell.
Fortunately I was able to use one of the other trees as a kind of lever (not sure this is the right word?), so that i could pull on the rope from a safe position rather than right underneath where i wanted the tree to land. In the end i needn't of woried about where it was to fall, since when it actualy came down it lodged half-way against a neigbouring tree and needed a second (far more controled) pulling effort to get it on the ground.
Unothodox the methods may have been but since noone got hurt and the whole operation was 'within garden'and no money involved, I cannot see any problem with any of it. Obviously I wouldnt dream of doing similar in anyone else's garden. In such a situation a professional tre surgeon would have to be called in.
PS The trunk is now installed in its new home as a border edging. Looks pretty good too.