Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/04/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yesterday morning I had a large diseased oak taken down in my back yard. The last time I had this done, about thirty years ago, two 75- foot plus red oaks that were threatening to push my garage over were taken down lumberjack-style, with deep-V cuts and cries of "Timberrrrr." In this modern mechanized age, the tree was simply disassembled and carted away. I was in the back part of the house when the bell rang at 8. After I said hello to the crew boss I stepped outside and found this in my front yard. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0516.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4ofh3h http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0559.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4ggu68 The yellow machine on the right is a big wood chipper. There are two teams. The "climber" and crane operator work together to take the tree apart in large chunks and deliver the pieces over the house to the ground crew that cuts them up and feeds them to the chipper. The climber gets a lift to work by the crane operator: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0518.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/46smpr http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0528.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3w8xv6 The first large branch is cut and lifted away by the crane: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0546.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4vvkga The operator places it on the ground, the ground crew cuts it up, and feeds the pieces to the chipper: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0555.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4a9ov2 http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0579.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4lq2cf http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0612.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3se6hc Some of the not quite so large branches go straight to the chipper with the help of the crane operator: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0615.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4dwvxx http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0611.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4kdfsw http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0624.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3kmtas After the crane is free and while the last of that branch is chipped, the climber sets the sling for the next cut: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0591.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/44usfv Finally, the climber gets down on the trunk and takes the top-half first... http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0643.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/429ars ... then cuts the bottom half low to the ground and it's lifted over the house: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0652.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/4e3jbt http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0659.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3wh4rt The pieces that can't be chipped are loaded onto a truck to be carted away: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0672.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3qatmm The climber and crane operator take a break at the end of the action: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0680.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/3sp4kx http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0681.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/53eb2d Finally, as the last step, the driveway is cleaned: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/TREES/300_0683.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/54agve They left just about an hour after they arrived. (Just though I'd take a shot at a photo essay.) All taken with a D300 at ISO 200 and with the Nikon 20 mm f2.8 and Nikon 50-200 mm f4 zoom. C&C welcome as always. Regards, Dick