Do you think I can reach this with a 50ft Nifty Tow Behind?

climbingmonkey24 said:
For me it isn't a matter of doubting what I think I can do or my knowledge of how to do something, it's playing the what if scenarios in my head that are out of my control. For instance I know I can safely cut and rig a large limb over a house without causing damage because I trust in my skill.


Don't know if it has something to do with feeling like there is a lack of control over things, or what.

And the thing is, I know in some situations the anxiety is irrational and isn't always warranted. But it's "turning it off" or "dialing it back" that I need to work on.
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Oh, I see. Yes, I agree, it is a matter of consciously "turning it off" and intellectually knowing when it's warranted.
Do you have a close connection with one or both of your parents?
If so, it'd certainly help to talk with them on this matter.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Not limited to tree work. Regular part of daily life. I don't think I would have a problem doing this tree at all in regards to the actual removal process / work. How would the anxiety be about it though? That's a different story.

And the thing is, I know in some situations the anxiety is irrational and isn't always warranted. But it's "turning it off" or "dialing it back" that I need to work on.

I've talked to someone qualified in this respect about it which does help sometimes.
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There’s meditation. Exercise. Kung fu? And medication.

Also taking a hiatus for a month or longer- working in a different industry- I’ve had moments where it felt like I had adrenal overload and getting some space away from this stressful work was very helpful.

I think it’s great you are willing to address your struggles with anxiety and that’s a first step. But yea, this is a consistent thread for you and if I were your friend or your coworker, I’d really pressure you to take a break for a bit or consider a lifestyle change or two. The stresses of the everyday compound- there are outlets for it. I wish you good luck on the journey.
 
To me it looks like 50’ would get you to the tips?…. You shouldn’t need to be that tall to dismantle this. Could spear cut a lot of those vertical branches too, if your out of reach(reasonable reach). You got this! Don’t envision it being done in one big shot. Start dismantling it one small piece at a time, like you know how to, and how you’ve done every tree before…. the rest will flow into place.
 
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climbingmonkey24 said:
I think I've lost my nerve, and I don't know how to get it back. I used to not deal with this much anxiety and nervousness about tree work. I'm worrying about things I once never worried about.

For example, all I can think about is what if something goes wrong regardless if I can do it safely. Like what happens if the tree decides to fail of its own accord, knocks the power lines down, whole street is without power, now I look like an unprofessional asshole to the whole neighborhood.
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For any reason you don’t feel comfortable doing this tree I strongly suggest you not doing it and listen to yourself
You don’t have to do every tree you bid
 
I wouldn't get too anxious about the tree failing since it's largely intact. Looks like most of the twigs are still intact. It's not like only the trunk and major limbs are remaining. Drilling a hole into the trunk can provide some indication of it's condition. Or sound it with a hammer if you haven't already. Cutting a couple of low branches with your pole saw can give you an idea of their condition as well. With a 50 ft lift and a ground person, you should be able to have your way with this tree.
 
Lift is plenty tall if parked near the base. I use 50' lift often and am always worried about reaching. I have a golf range finder that works ok for getting a general idea of height from different set up locations. Also like Chris Schultz said one piece at a time. Pictures are always tough but It looks like a cut and chuck job with no rigging necessary.
 
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I constantly have to remind myself that I can cut it down in 6 inch pieces if that's what it takes to be safe and not damage targets. Obviously this takes more time and may cut into your profit, just file it under educational costs to becoming a better tree guy. I use a 50' quite often and you should have no problem using it for that tree and that space from the information you have provided.
 
Pictures make any advice difficult, but depending on how my gaffs felt in the wood I’d probably climb that. Some of it can be handled from the roof with your pole saw. Heck it really looks like it could be dumped over with a little off the tops and some off the sides. I’d agree with everyone else you should be able to handle it with that lift if that’s what your comfortable with.

Ultimately that’s all that matters. Some nerves/anxiety can be good. It will keep you sharp, but it’s all about what you’re comfortable with. If you find your anxiety is causing you to pass on too many jobs like this, it might be a good idea to figure out a way to cope. It could be as simple as working with another outfit until you’re confident enough to tackle these types of jobs, or it could be you need to seek professional help with the mental side of things. Best of luck to you and most importantly be safe.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
I think I've lost my nerve, and I don't know how to get it back. I used to not deal with this much anxiety and nervousness about tree work. I'm worrying about things I once never worried about.

For example, all I can think about is what if something goes wrong regardless if I can do it safely. Like what happens if the tree decides to fail of its own accord, knocks the power lines down, whole street is without power, now I look like an unprofessional asshole to the whole neighborhood.
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If you aren't comfortable and confident, don't do it. It's really that simple. There's plenty of other jobs out there to make money on so paying the bills from this one job shouldn't be the concern.

To expand on this a bit, nothing at all wrong with telling a customer you aren't a good fit for this job. We turn down jobs for various reasons on a regular basis even though we have our own crane and bucket truck. Sometimes its as simple as we can see the customer is going to be a huge pain.
 
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climbingmonkey24 said:
For me it isn't a matter of doubting what I think I can do or my knowledge of how to do something, it's playing the what if scenarios in my head that are out of my control. For instance I know I can safely cut and rig a large limb over a house without causing damage because I trust in my skill.

But it's the, "what if the tree tips over when I'm tied into it" or "what if the tree fails when we are on the property and it had nothing to do with us but the homewner blames us" type business. My anxiety isn't specific to tree work, it's a regular part of my daily life. I regularly will play through the what if sitautions and go through potential future conversations / interactions I may have with people over and over to plan for every worst case scenario. What if they say this, how do I respond, if I say this what will they say. If something goes wrong how should I respond or handle it.

I know everyone has a different view on COVID and this isn't even about that, but I have noticed that this "disaster reel" seems to be much more apparent in my life now than before COVID. I don't recall struggling with all these "bad thoughts" as much before.

Don't know if it has something to do with feeling like there is a lack of control over things, or what.

I've retreated because of my anxiety but now I want to face things head on and break free from it and get back to the way I used to feel. But maybe I should start smaller? I primarily focus on pruning and trimming work and smaller removals. Getting involved with these larger removals while it is something I would like to do from time to time, it's extra. My primary focus is pruning.

So maybe I should try and get a better handle on these feelings and stuff before I start getting involved with these bigger jobs? Again, it's unrelated to self-doubt or my ability to actually perform the work, it's getting control of these negative thoughts about something bad happening that I can't prevent or control.
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I'd say, "To hell with that tree," and stick with what feels comfortable for you. Can you make a living pruning? Well, then become the best pruner in town. Placing yourself in an anxiety-filled situation may indeed lead to an incident, because the anxiety itself blinds us to many things and lowers our overall receptivity and performance. I suffered from crippling anxiety in high school; the result is that I have almost no memory of those years--nor did I learn very much because my receptors were shut down.

I understand that finances may cause us to reach beyond our comfort zone in an effort to pay the bills. But being in an anxious state may not be the best time to expand our work scope; better to stick with what we know until we regain our confidence and sense of place in the world.

To Quote: "Don't know if it has something to do with feeling like there is a lack of control over things, or what."
Yes, you are not alone in feeling that way; I see many of my friends (and myself) becoming anxious these days.

Best of luck.
 
Around here if a dead tree is close to the power lines and poses a threat the power company is responsible for its removal
 
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That sugar maple is a lot stronger than you think. Looks like it died very rapidly judging by the tiny twigs still intact. If the top wire is insulated the lift will be fine or you could probably climb it honestly if you are careful....

That said, if that power line on top isn't insulated, I wouldn't take the job without an insulated boom. I would just tell them you don't have one and move on to the next one. There is so much other work out there that doesn't require one, and you don't have one. Using an un-insulated boom to remove a tree next to an un-insulated wire is not a smart thing to do. You drop a branch on it and it connects to another wire it will trip a transformer and you'll get to watch the whole neighborhood walk outside confused why they just lost power, and if the guy National Grid sends out is in a cranky mood, you're going to get a big fine. You drop a limb and it connects to your lift and you could go up in smoke.
 
Damn I gave up my 12 cup a day morning coffee cold turkey. It was messing with my stomach. Many years of this finally caught up. No caffiene is great. Had some headaches but gone now. Glad I made the decision. Has nothing to do with this post. But maybe OP is drinking too much coffee. The tree seems straight forward. But just do not step out your comfort zone. Keep safe, hope all goes well. Nothing wrong with walking away.
 
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