Country boy in the city

[jimmycthemd]

Ok, I've got about 80 feet of fence enclosing my back yard. My property goes several feet outside the fence. I've been busy for the past several years and the undergrowth and trees have gotten a little out of hand so I decided to clean it up (there's also a drainage ditch along the back of my property). There's bamboo, English Ivy and saplings to boot along with three trees that need taken out (ranging from about 4 to 8 inches in diameter and 10 to 15 or so feet high). I looked at the work to be done and guestimated that the trees would cost about $300 to $500 apiece to have somebody else take them out and another $500 or more to have the rest cleaned up...around $2k altogether.

So, I went shopping. Chain saw with spare chains, chain oil, etc., around $250 (doesn't need to be a Stihl, it's project based). Gas weed whacker with a brush cutting attachment (got a couple other attachments while I was at it for other projects), around $300. So, for about $550, I have the equipment I need to do the job myself. Since this job is around a drainage ditch, it has to be done on dry weekends, so I've been plugging away at it (about 1/2 done, two of the three trees downed, cut up and disposed of).

So, one of my yuppie neighbors stops by asking what I'm doing. He's about my age (early 60's) and is amazed that I'd do it myself. He says he's 'too old' for doing that stuff. Well, as long as I have the time and am in good enough shape to do it, why pay $2k when you can do it yourself for about $550? He drives a Jag and complains he's always broke (sound familiar?). I told him my house only has 1 payment left and it'll be paid for...I have 1 vehicle payment for about another 6 months and will be debt-free. Again, he's amazed. I plan on working about another 2 1/2 or so years and I'll be able to retire with a reasonable income from my savings/401K's if the economy doesn't absolutely tank (I have other plans if that happens).

A little ambition and sweat equity goes a long way, but all you folks know that.

[DIM TIM]

Good for you jimmyc !
Know exactly what you mean, I'm almost 60, and our house and vehicles are paid for. I don;t have a retirement plan because I'm only going to retire when I die, because I don't have anything besides social security to look forward to, and I try to do for myself whenever I can. Had to take some storm damaged limbs down in one of my trees recently, and will end up just bringing the tree the rest of the way down.

I learned from a friend who had a tree and lawn service how to do it safely by talking with his climber (guy who climbs the tree and starts the process of bringing the tree to the ground) who is a professional cutter that travels all over the country working with different logging companies. He was between jobs with a couple, and while he was in town visiting with family he agreed to help him with a few jobs till he had to head west for a big job there. The guy has climbed and cut some big timber in his life, and so he knows a thing or two ( or several dozen) about bringing a tree down safely. So, I learned what I could from him while he was here. The most important thing I learned from him was take your time and think through your moves from start to finish, Very good advice whether you are 20' or 100' up in a tree with a running chainsaw.

Working with a chainsaw can be dangerous, but more so when you leave the ground. And at my age you need to be as safe as possible Many would say I'm too old to be doing this sort of stuff, but I've cut a bit of wood in my life and climbed my fair share of trees even to this day, and believe me when I say..... When I'm up there with a running chainsaw there is no way I'm going to do something dangerous or stupid.

On three different occasions I have seen mistakes people have made cutting trees, all three that severed electric lines. two were service drops to homes, and one took out the whole neighborhood's service. And one of the two service drops snapped back and hit another neighbor while he watched the one neighbor's tree be brought down.
I can't afford mistakes like those, so extra caution will always be at the top of my list when I'm doing this sort of stuff And I don't want to be injured, or even worse.....DIE while doing this.