Stupid mistakes you've made doing tree work

[TIMON]

Not lately but a couple of years ago I nearly section felled a stem with my mainline still anchored in the top of it. I’d cut the gob and was about to start the backcut. (At the end of a long hot week in the afternoon). Sharp eyed groundie saved my bacon....

[billpierce]

Not lately but a couple of years ago I nearly section felled a stem with my mainline still anchored in the top of it. I’d cut the gob and was about to start the backcut. (At the end of a long hot week in the afternoon). Sharp eyed groundie saved my bacon....

I've nearly started the back cut too. Stopped cutting gobs with mainline in above now....

[TIMON]

Stood on top of a shed once to top out a windblown conifer.
The saw landed 40’ away in next doors garden after the rootplate returned (rather quickly) into its original position!
I discovered that day that adrenaline is actually brown in colour and stinks if it gets in your underwear.

[Darrin Turnbull]

not charging enough.

[Mark Bolam]

Clipping into a caritool instead of a side D. That hurt.

Shooting up an SRT line, getting to about 45' then realising I hadn't clipped in my system onto my bridge.

Which was difficult with shaking hands.

[Joe Newton]

mostly complacency. I cut three strips out of my forearm a while ago while cutting with one hand and swinging in with my left. It was a particularly annoying client who was watching so I had to get my groundy to keep him occupied while I came down and wrapped it up.

Good thread Steve.

[Joe Newton]

Also the biggest risk for me while working is driving. Something often not thought about.

[stihlmadasever]

Just remembered i had to send a petzl biner back as it wasnt locking properly.

I was using it on my zillon lanyard...dunno how long it wasnt locking properly...makes you think about equipment you assume is working properly but isnt.

Maybe i'll chuck the climbing too steve!!

[john p]

Tensioning up the winch cable on my old Bedford mk with a shagged thrust bearing and broken stop cable, mate had set winch line half way up tree and I started pinching it up, put foot on clutch to stop the winch but it kept pulling as wouldn’t engage (ground anchors were dug in already), front of lorry started coming up, mate still in tree with much cracking and creaking, got lorry up to probably 30 degrees before after frantic stomping the clutch kicked in,. Horrible.

[Steve Bullman]

2 minutes ago, john p said:

Tensioning up the winch cable on my old Bedford mk with a shagged thrust bearing and broken stop cable, mate had set winch line half way up tree and I started pinching it up, put foot on clutch to stop the winch but it kept pulling as wouldn’t engage (ground anchors were dug in already), front of lorry started coming up, mate still in tree with much cracking and creaking, got lorry up to probably 30 degrees before after frantic stomping the clutch kicked in,. Horrible.

Heck!!  Bet he was swearing at you something chronic!!!