I just started tree work and have been doing it for a year now. I am really trying to not be an uneducated arborist who hacks trees. your videos are helping lots!
Gavin, I have been doing these videos primarily to help new tree workers. Send me your email and I will send you a PDF that I wrote to help get started in business. Blairglenn@gmail.com
Hi Blair, I am an Arborist too. In the green industry for 15 years. Started out as a faller and been in tree care since 6 years. I always enjoyed pruning and tree biology as much as I do removals. You are making a difference with your channel, filling in a big gap. Thank you for that
My grandfather passed away recently and he had a male and female Japanese Maple that were planted in the late 50s or early 60s. The trees are massive, for Japanese Maples, pushing 40 feet. Looked in great condition, I couldn't find one wound or broken off branch anwhere.
I hand file my chains and if I need to fix a driver I do the same. I use a fresh 7/32 and touch the rakers when they need it, maybe every 3rd sharpen run on the chain. I don’t bother with any guides, I know exactly how I want it, rakers a little hungry and cutting big fat happy chips. Pickup tailgates and stumps will stabilize the bar to get the job done, quick and easy. A 32” chain maybe takes a sharpen or two a day and takes me 5-10 minutes, if I’m just touching it up in the morning probably 2-3 minutes. I keep it so sharp it rarely gets dull because that’s the only way I can have the sensitivity to feather through the end of the cut without touching dirt and rocks. I cannot imagine having to switch chains just because it’s dull only to try and plan a time to sharpen them. I run a business so that would not be an option. I tell everyone, learn to sharpen your chain. You save time through the speed of processing the tree, work safer through not pushing a spinning chain through cuts, preserve your body energy/stamina through the day, less beating on your saw and your bar/drive components..and without a sharp chain honestly the work just isn’t fun! So Blair I salute you for teaching maintenance in our throw away world..keep up the videos:)
Beautiful working environment & lots of great life experience...thank you for sharing your wisdom, Blair! Better to learn from others than the hard way! 😄
In my years of experience, it's better to buy a new chain once the bottom of the drive links are worn out so that you don't mess up your bar or the clutch sprocket . I've done exactly what you're talking about and ruin both the clutch sprocket and bar on my chainsaw more than once. Also, I thought about my time on filing them down to fix them to fit back into the bar and what a new chain cost. I definitely feel like my time is worth more a brand new chain. Save money in the long run.
Unless-, you don’t have a new replacement at the job sit and need to get the job done. Most important is making the money for the day so you can afford the new chains--, and stuff😊
Just stay smart and know your limitations. The older you get in this business, the more you remember the close calls and “what ifs” that happened to you when you were young and dumb.
Seen it all, well except for that. 😂 Just kidding. The old skills still have a place in modern times. Might be the difference between making it through the entire day. 😎✌️
Trees don't have to be alive to look good. That madrone, suitably trimmed, might be very decorative in the deck. Of course, if it rots out and collapses, that is a different story.
Sure, if you have a 36" or 48" bar, the chain is going to be pricey. If it is a shorter bar, then what is the cost of your time? I imagine you have to charge a reasonable hourly fee to meet your payroll, insurance, etc. etc., but your time as the owner has an impact as well. Every minute you are filing a chain is time you are not contributing to the job. I like your videos and I appreciate the concept of repair vs replace, but maybe save the repair for a weather day? I dunno, you have been running your crew for many years so I will defer to your expertise in this matter.
Well, if it was really bad, I would have just put on a new 65.00 chain BUT, a 65.00 dollar chain is worth saving. Sometimes the time to repair isn’t really that bad so common sense comes into play here.
It's Joe Biden's America. Everything is expensive and everything is worth making last as long as possible. It will literally take 5 minutes to clean that chain up. It's gonna take longer than that to go buy a new chain. Stop your belly aching and be a man.
I just started tree work and have been doing it for a year now. I am really trying to not be an uneducated arborist who hacks trees. your videos are helping lots!
Gavin, I have been doing these videos primarily to help new tree workers. Send me your email and I will send you a PDF that I wrote to help get started in business. Blairglenn@gmail.com
70 and strong, keep moving forward brother!!
I’m trying
I love the Blair tips, so fun!
Thanks
A rake upgrade only a woodworker would think of.
Yup!
Very interesting. Thanks for the useful tip for the 'pusher'!
We have two and use at least one almost every day
I do really enjoy your videos. It’s so nice to see this side of tree work too. Not just removals. Thanks for sharing your great knowledge and prudence
Are you in the tree business as well? Thanks for your kind comment.
Hi Blair, I am an Arborist too. In the green industry for 15 years. Started out as a faller and been in tree care since 6 years. I always enjoyed pruning and tree biology as much as I do removals. You are making a difference with your channel, filling in a big gap. Thank you for that
My grandfather passed away recently and he had a male and female Japanese Maple that were planted in the late 50s or early 60s. The trees are massive, for Japanese Maples, pushing 40 feet. Looked in great condition, I couldn't find one wound or broken off branch anwhere.
Send me photos !
Blairglenn@gmail.com
I hand file my chains and if I need to fix a driver I do the same. I use a fresh 7/32 and touch the rakers when they need it, maybe every 3rd sharpen run on the chain. I don’t bother with any guides, I know exactly how I want it, rakers a little hungry and cutting big fat happy chips. Pickup tailgates and stumps will stabilize the bar to get the job done, quick and easy. A 32” chain maybe takes a sharpen or two a day and takes me 5-10 minutes, if I’m just touching it up in the morning probably 2-3 minutes. I keep it so sharp it rarely gets dull because that’s the only way I can have the sensitivity to feather through the end of the cut without touching dirt and rocks. I cannot imagine having to switch chains just because it’s dull only to try and plan a time to sharpen them. I run a business so that would not be an option. I tell everyone, learn to sharpen your chain. You save time through the speed of processing the tree, work safer through not pushing a spinning chain through cuts, preserve your body energy/stamina through the day, less beating on your saw and your bar/drive components..and without a sharp chain honestly the work just isn’t fun! So Blair I salute you for teaching maintenance in our throw away world..keep up the videos:)
Thank you. I’m trying hard!
Beautiful working environment & lots of great life experience...thank you for sharing your wisdom, Blair! Better to learn from others than the hard way! 😄
I hope this video was helpful
Looks great Blair!
Thanks Larry
In my years of experience, it's better to buy a new chain once the bottom of the drive links are worn out so that you don't mess up your bar or the clutch sprocket . I've done exactly what you're talking about and ruin both the clutch sprocket and bar on my chainsaw more than once. Also, I thought about my time on filing them down to fix them to fit back into the bar and what a new chain cost. I definitely feel like my time is worth more a brand new chain. Save money in the long run.
Unless-, you don’t have a new replacement at the job sit and need to get the job done. Most important is making the money for the day so you can afford the new chains--, and stuff😊
Awesome Blair, thats what I wanna do when Im 70! Good on you man
Just stay smart and know your limitations. The older you get in this business, the more you remember the close calls and “what ifs” that happened to you when you were young and dumb.
@@arboristBlairGlenn already have a few of those and i think about them every day now
The long chains aren't to bad, I really don't enjoy doing the 2511 chains!
Too small?
@@arboristBlairGlenn yeah, end up giving myself a manicure trying to hold em and file. Probably about my technique
Seen it all, well except for that. 😂 Just kidding. The old skills still have a place in modern times. Might be the difference between making it through the entire day. 😎✌️
Old school rules! Well, sort of🤔
How I wish you were available a couple hundred miles north.
The travel time would kill you
Well done.
Thanks
Every time I cut oak my chain ends up dull and often needs to be replaced.
Different species of Oak effect the chain differently. We do sharpen often. Continued cutting with a dulling chain makes it worse.
hello I saw a tree fall over today from rot at the bottom
Surprise!!
Do you think those trees in the wells are growing roots upwards to deal with the compaction lower down?
Must be, they have been like this for 35 years
Trees don't have to be alive to look good. That madrone, suitably trimmed, might be very decorative in the deck. Of course, if it rots out and collapses, that is a different story.
Each person justify their reason for keeping a tree. Even a dying tree.
Sure, if you have a 36" or 48" bar, the chain is going to be pricey. If it is a shorter bar, then what is the cost of your time? I imagine you have to charge a reasonable hourly fee to meet your payroll, insurance, etc. etc., but your time as the owner has an impact as well. Every minute you are filing a chain is time you are not contributing to the job. I like your videos and I appreciate the concept of repair vs replace, but maybe save the repair for a weather day? I dunno, you have been running your crew for many years so I will defer to your expertise in this matter.
Well, if it was really bad, I would have just put on a new 65.00 chain BUT, a 65.00 dollar chain is worth saving. Sometimes the time to repair isn’t really that bad so common sense comes into play here.
It's Joe Biden's America. Everything is expensive and everything is worth making last as long as possible. It will literally take 5 minutes to clean that chain up. It's gonna take longer than that to go buy a new chain. Stop your belly aching and be a man.
You are 70 and still working why working pass retirement.
I enjoy it and it keeps me fit. Been working in the trees since 1973. Love to climb. Great clients. Why not?