On 06/08/13 11:05 pm, micky wrote:

Is this job too big for a gas tree pruner?

A tree about 10 feet outside my yard was at a 45^ angle over my yard
for the last 6 months, and yesterday some time, it went down a bit
lower, not it's maybe a 30^ angle with the ground. The tree is 35 to
40 feet tall, if it were upright, and now its trunk and branches 12 to
18 feet above the ground. The tree branches are resting on some 20'
high bushes in my yard, and I think it's still held up by the roots
too.

What is a good way to cut it up, while it is still up there?*** That
is, cut off ends, working back to my fence (and then it can be cut off
at the base.)

Branches are 2 - 4" thick and the trunk where I want to cut it is 3 -
7" thick.

I have a couple small and medium-small electric chain saws, but no way
to get them up that high**.

They rent gas driven tree pruners, with telescoping poles, which I
think will reach high enough if I'm 5 feet up a 6 foot ladder. Is
this job too big for them. The engine is at the bottom and the chain
is at the top. Maybe it will stall or won't cut for some reason?

Are there electric tree pruners that might be lighter, that maybe I
can find for rent if I look long enough?

**Or could I tie one of my small electric chain saws to my own
telescoping pole

Gas or electric, I guess the weight of the bar and blade (and electric
motor) is what helps the saw to cut.

***I can't cut it off at the base in order to lower it, because then
it will fall on my new cherry tree, whose cherries are just turning
red, and on my fence.

Thanks.

Is the base of the tree on your property, or who does it belong to??

No, it's on never inspected, mostly neglected wild land behind my
house, owned probably by Warren Buffet's company. I don't want its
agents getting in the habit of walking behind my house, on my land,
since their land is full of bushes, vines, and trees.

That will affect somewhat what you do.

Why? Once a tree falls on a person's land, he has the right to cut
it up. Even if they are willing, I don't want them messing with
this. I don't want them coming on my property, and I think it
unlikely they will hire outside contractors who will take adequate
care of my cherry tree, or anything else for that matter (but even if
they would, I don't want them.)

snip

Did the US inherit English "Common Law"? It is my understanding that, in
English law, if any branches of A's tree overhang B's property, B is
entitled to cut off that portion of the branches that overhang his (B's)
property. But if the tree is a fruit tree, the fruit on those branches
must be returned to A, since they are A's property. IOW, the tree does
not have to *fall* on B's property before he is entitled to cut off the
intruding branches.

Perce