Monkey puzzle - nasty reaction

[Rich Rule]

Even spiking up a stem there are small swirls of spikes.  I always seems to clip my knuckles as I am flipping up.

[Ty Korrigan]

I did a long dead one in 2011, cut and drop.

The wood immediately under the bark was mush and my spikes couldn't get a hold so I improvised and took a small axe up with me to cut away the bark and mush so my spikes could grip solid wood.

It was one of the few trees I left pegs on for pure relief.

It felt solid enough climbing but when I felled the stem it shattered like glass revealing an amazing spalling effect throughout the trunk.

Then back in November I had my second D'espoir des singes' 

This one was in rude health with a very dense crown.

I totally underestimated the volume of chip, two truck loads 7m3 in the end.

Luckily the farm was only 5km away.

2 disgusted arb students and I dragging, Mr Meth climbing.

The students had arm gauntlets ss did the climber, me no.

 My forearms were a state, bloody like bizzare Christian stigmatas they prickly itched all night.

It was on this job I slipped whilst dragging a branch and fell against the wall of the house putting a couple of holes in the exterior polystyrene insulation.

Exterior insulation is now on my list of risks...

  

 

 

 

 

[biggimmer]

Well I'm glad to hear its not just me being a wuss!! the main puncture on my hand has finally gone down and is ok now but it was a real bas%$£d for a few days there....

As someone above mentioned the worst spot was just on my wrist, tight skin, bone and a vein just under that seemed to get a stabbing....

Got a few rounds to see how it burnt....to add to its lack of appeal it is also a bas$£"d to split, first few hits with my axe just bounced off! I had to give it full beans and the coin was only 5" thick....not many conifers can resist axe hits like that....

[Mr. Squirrel]

I’ve removed one mp in my time, it was about 25m and half over a conservatory/house so needed rigged. Worst job I’ve ever done. I was squeezing skelfs out my hands for days. Though I didn’t have much of an adverse reaction besides the light swelling caused by my have being pin cushions. 

[maybelateron]

Another rule I have learnt with working on these vicious trees is wear your oldest trousers and tops - the "sap" is more like super powerful contact adhesive that had crossbred with araldite and PVA!

[Bill C]

I've enjoyed this thread, I thought it was me being a wuss when the wife asked me to move a seven foot tree,  decided that I would rather remove and refit a barbed wire fence. Thick leather jackets and gloves help but you still get spiked. I can see why people use them as a fence to stop people getting on to the property. By the replies in the above thread it makes a mess of your clothes and the saws, but what is it like as a timber,  to mill or work with, I've never talked to anyone that has used it, so I though that maybe someone on here is either brave(or daft) enough to have tried(one volunteer being worth hundred pressed men😁 as they say)

[Mark Bolam]

The timber can have some lovely character.

Turners love it.

 

We made a few stools and bits and pieces out of the one we took down.

 

Priced ourselves out of a takedown last year because we all wanted double money.

[topchippyles]

I recall Rough Hewn milled up some monkey puzzle they were really nice looking boards from memory. 

[Bill C]

So by the sounds of it if the tree is in good condition and not rotten, and you have a spare suit of armour handy it might be worth milling some wood if any becomes available. Might look out for some if that's the case.

[maybelateron]

7 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

Priced ourselves out of a takedown last year because we all wanted double money.

If you have plenty of work, leave the pain for someone else 😂