|
|
|
|
|
Last night I told my wife that I was thinking about taking down the big maple in the backyard. She surprised me with a hearty "go for it", then she mentioned that it was going to be expensive.
Heck, we are men with chainsaws. What is this "expensive" nonsense?
I took a closer look at the job, and it's not an unreasonable do-it-yourselfer, but it will take some care and planning. And my neighbor has to help. I'm pretty sure he will, because it involves chainsaws, and he's that kind of guy.
I'll talk to him, and might get started with the pole saw and rope saw on lower branches. Taking out the stump and roots is going to be a back-breaking couple of weeks of evenings, but it's cost free if I do it myself, and that's what the backyard is all about. It's my garden/landscaping playground where I test ideas and learn new skills like masonry and rock wall construction and now, maybe, tree removal.
Liz is already thinking small Japanese maple or dogwood to replace the monstrosity.
Posted by Ted at March 2, 2005 05:17 AMTed, I helped the old man around the yard when I was a teen. If you go the garden store (or maybe a hardware store) they'll have this chemical set that you can use to take the stump and roots out. You drill holes in the stump, pour the liquid mixture in/on the holes/stump and let the tree absorb it. Then you come back later and torch the sucker. It's awesome.
Chainsaws scare me though. Never used one. Did you know those things can buck and chop your leg off? I bet that's not a clean cut either, probably looks like a pit bull gnawed you off at the knee.
Posted by: shank at March 2, 2005 01:10 PMJust make sure I am not home the weekend you begin that adventure...haha
Posted by: Robyn at March 2, 2005 06:51 PMI know what you mean, shank. A good friend's son works for a tree removal company, and one of their guys had a chainsaw kick back and catch him in the throat. He was dead before they could get him down from the tree.
Chainsaws are like electricity, they scare hell out of me, and I never let myself get careless because I fear them.
Posted by: Ted at March 2, 2005 08:26 PMI don't want another tree. Get a boulder instead. It'd be easier, no more leaves and it wont need care.
Though knowing you you'd make me go out and scrub the boulder....
Posted by: Mookie at March 3, 2005 06:51 PM