What to avoid past 70

[nsgnomad]

While we're on the subject of ladders and accidents, about 40 odd years ago I was using my ladder to climb up to the roof at my parent's in law. The ladder (which I still have and use) is an 8ft tubular steel extension ladder, hinged near the top so you can extend it to nearly 15ft, and a safety chain with hook to clip between the 2 sections. Now, the trouble is, and I have no idea why, that the chain is attached to what becomes the top section. As I was extending the ladder and lifting it up to lean against the gutter, the hook on the chain caught in one nostril and ripped it open. 😱😭

Needless to say, now I am very careful to fix the hook to a rung before I lift the ladder up.

[Old Techo]

I've heard about people with their 'nose out of joint' but never that way Roger

Dunno how Murphy could have stuffed your day when he spends most of his time at my house

[Old Techo]

Nov 29, 2023 13:49:12 GMT 10 Old Techo said:

When lopping trees or boughs it is necessary at times to control the fall direction. This is to avoid possible damage, especially to me

Decades ago I made a grappling hook with a very long rope. The hook is 3-pronged and meant to be thrown from the ground or from up a ladder. This is done like a cowboy swinging a lasso in circles before releasing. That is not easy to do from up a ladder

Today I made a single-prong hook with a nut welded on for the rope, but up from the hook shank end.  This is so I can place the shank into the end of a 6 metre length of conduit and safely place the hook in a controlled manner, especially from high up a ladder.

With the hook in place and rope pulled by a helper the direction of felling is far better controlled

[bazza44]

OT while I agree that your hook idea is handy I can imagine it slipping along the branch at the most inconvenient time. What I have done many times when cutting tree branches is to tie a loop in one end of a rope and throw that over the branch, hook the loop and pull down until I can pass the other end of the rope through the loop, then pull that end so the loop slides back up and tightens around the branch, can not slip.

Like you have done I have used a long pole to push loop over branch if it is too far away.

Happy cutting OT, keep Murphy away.

Barry

[Old Techo]

Thanks Baz for extending the ideas

I have used a few techniques but throwing a rope is often a challenge, except when a nice bare branch/bough.

Frequently there are minor branches or twigs with leaves that make rope throwing impossible as it catches in the wrong place. That is ideal for hook placement as it prevents sliding.

I have used your loop method by tying a heavy shifter to the rope end and tossing that over a bough then wriggle the rope till the shifter works down to grabbing height.

My tender belly muscles confirm that we finished the job we began yesterday and without mishap. Restarting the hot chainsaw was the most straining part

[GerryP]

Dec 30, 2023 10:32:28 GMT 10 Old Techo said:

My tender belly muscles confirm that we finished the job we began yesterday and without mishap. Restarting the hot chainsaw was the most straining part

I know the feelong OT. Almost all of my 'stuff' is now battery operated, except for my 4 stroke push mower and when that goes it'll end up battery powered as well. Even my chainsaw, used mainly for camping, is battery powered and so is my line trimmer.

It's all so easy, no more trying to start stubborn 2 strokes!  Just squeeze the switch and yer good ta go. 

[nsgnomad]

Dec 30, 2023 11:13:09 GMT 10 GerryP said:

It doesn't always work like that.

Nearly 50 years ago I bought a (240v) electric drill.  After a couple of years the switch failed, so I ordered a replacement.  The replacement switch proved to be intermittent and I would need to press the switch a few times before it would work.  I persevered with it over the years.  Fast forward to about 2 years ago and the switch works properly every time.  Go figure.