Today I fell my first tree. It was a huge 75-85 foot pine that the teacher estimated weighed over 600 lbs at least. It was much more difficult than the instructors made it look, using a chainsaw precisely is very difficult when it weighs so much. I sized up the tree, decided where I wanted to put it, and made my first cut. It was at that point that I realized based on the way the tree was leaning it would fall slightly more to the right, so I adjusted accordingly and made my 45 degree pie cut (I have the piece as a souvineer). Then I came around the backside and made my cut a few inches above my pie cut, causing the tree to topple over exactly where I had aimed it. I had some trouble initially with my 45 degree angle cut because I overshot it slightly, and adjusting it afterwards was very difficult because holding the chainsaw in that manner was very tiring on my arm and difficult to wield. However, it was FREAKING AWESOME! And I can't wait to do it again...
The whole process of sizing up the tree, noting where it leans, where the branches are distributed, where you can put it down, how it's going to fall, etc is really cool. It's was kind of like an art form because it's not exact, but up to some interpretation.
Don't worry, the tree had to come down in order to save other trees, so you hippies don't have to worry, I was cutting it down for the good of the others! Also, it looked sweet.
-J
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Why do you need such a large chainsaw? Sounds like the bar must be three feet long. Please be careful especially when you're tired.
ReplyDeleteI think using the Pulaski, though difficult, would eventually be easier because you use more muscles and body parts than primarily your arms with the chainsaw. I hope they don't recommend cutting with the saw while keeping your pack on.
Can't wait until you get back home so you can trim some trees for me. Wahoo!
Dad
It was a 360cc chainsaw I think, the bar was probably a good 2 1/2 or 3 feet long. We needed to use the larger chainsaws because if we were clearing things that's what we would realistically use. They had a larger, 450cc one that was as tall as me, but that was for falling huge trees. They wanted us to get experience using bigger ones because they could explain things easier and we could get the experience.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be happy to know that there were no injuries, and I am very proficient with falling, bucking and de-branching a large log. I can do it all now, and the government puts their seal on it.
-J
Oh man Joey, you are making cardinal mistake after cardinal mistake. First, you increase your overall stamina and muscle strength, then you learn how to break up rough dirt and dig ditches proficiently, next you train in carrying lots of gear for long distances, and now you've learned how to operate a chainsaw. If you learn how to use a level properly to build structures and how to carefully set cement, dad will have you out in the yard working for every day that you are in Tulsa while he sits in a lawn chair sipping lemonade and directing you. I, on the other hand, have developed no working skills, so when I come back all dad will be able to tell me to do is to translate the orders he's giving you into Spanish so you can understand, thus requiring me to also sit in a lawn chair, although I will be sipping Strawberry Fanta.
ReplyDelete-Kevin
Well, I think Kevin has assessed the situation properly. Your dad is probably at the drawing board right now with a front yard project for you.
ReplyDeleteWhat you are doing sounds so cool. Using both mind and body to accomplish a task is the epitomy of fun, in my experience. That is why I love biological field work so much. I get to use problem-solving skills, think about fancy science, AND be dirty and tired, all at the same time! Keep up the good work.
Dr. Mom
Whoops. I meant "epitome"
ReplyDeleteWhat's an epitome?
ReplyDelete-J
Your face is an epitome, hahahaha.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, it all sounds super sweet. I am jealous of your huge tree cutting skills.
An epitome is like the ultimate example of something, the best possible version of something, for example: "Fabio is the epitome of the lonely houswifes' fantasies" or "Chuck Norris is the epitome of baddasses."
ReplyDeleteOn a more important note, why am I the only one (as of this posting) who voted for music?!?! Everyone that reads your blog must hate music if they didn't vote for that. SERIOUSLY, what's wrong with these people? HAVE YOU EVEN FUCKING HEARD HIS MUSIC?!?!?!!? I'm serious man, half the people who read your blog must be insane to not vote for music. They only get away with it if they haven't heard you play any music ever, which seems unlikely, since you tend to gush out musical talent at a higher volume than Amanda Zurita gushes out semen (that's an inside joke that I don't know if you're in on). Oh well, it's a good thing that my vote counts 10X more than any of their votes, otherwise you might have ended up straying down the wrong path Chalk up another victory for me!
-K
Biggest Bad Ass award goes to Joey O'Brien for his awesome feats with a chainsaw! (That is biggest bad ass I know, sorry if that lessons the impact of recieving such an award.)
ReplyDeleteBest Comment Ever award goes to Kevin O'Brien for his continual use of the never ending awesomeness that is exploiting Zuritas sluttiness(sp?)!
Oh yea the last comment was from Summer...
ReplyDelete