Old Monkey

BLUE BLISTERING BARNACLES! That looks painful. My advice is, don't do that again. Maybe you need nose protection. It'll be the new mandatory PPE, nose screens.

I think he's Speed Racers lost brother.

I like his style, where can I see more Ed?

Steve does. Some of us just climb.

John, on this site don't copy the youtube hyperlink, just copy and past the web adress of the youtube video and paste it. Like this [ame] [/ame]

I had an old boss that had me doing reductions like that. It was very hard to get the shape right. Its like trimming someone's hair from inside their head.

Where I live you might have just killed that tree. Obviously, things are different over there. We have serious lilac ash borer problems and a tree that heavily pruned would be an easy target for them. Nice shaping.

Leaning away from the target you say? If it is in a wild area leaning away from a trail, I think I'd just let it be. If it falls or breaks its still great habitat. The topping seems to be purely for the customers case of nerves. If it is in a garden, remove and replace as you guy's trees seem to grow at a good pace. I top trees for "view restoration" if there is no good windowing option. I am going to tope two spruce trees on Friday. I told them topping was bad, that I did not like to do it and then asked how low they wanted it.

Do nothing. That tree has been like that for a long time, surviving storm after storm. Where are the targets? If it falls over in five years, you still had five years to enjoy a great tree.

I use an orchard ladder for fruit trees and to get on roofs but seldom to get in trees

I'd hate to have to do stuff like that to support my family. Fortunately I just have to put in long days swinging around trees running chainsaws.

States? You mean the 51st state? Canada.

Mobile home parks? There goes my mental image of England. Nice fall on the bed of logs.

"Antipodean," I learned a new word. Boababs are such wild looking trees, I'd like to see a good specimen some day.

That would have given them a thrill. I hate it when guys run under while I am still cutting. I am not above throwing the occasional pine cone to get someone's attention.