IDIOTS WITH CHAINSAWS!!! My First Tree Job as a Business Owner

[@AugustHunicke]

I've felt like that before, I remember one time saying, "I'm not cut out for this." But most of the time. . . I'm Made for This." So are you.

[@messybench]

Listen to August. You pulled it off. You kept going for it. You're the guy doing it. Keep after it.

[@jamesspinks716]

The tree is down, it went the direction you wanted it to go. Perfect job I say. Did you learn anything? Even better.

[@rhyssutherland8937]

Maybe buy a jack ? And stay behind a little more. It’s only gas. No walk involved.

[@bradhocking1858]

Kudos to you for posting this video. So many would be tempted to only post the glory jobs, but you have shared a “bad” day. That makes you all the better

[@donb8447]

"Jack" ...as in hydraulic is the one coworker you cant work without... :)

[@mattsflytying2816]

I have been a timber faller for 34 yrs and am still cutting. Don’t beat yourself up buddy you got it down. You are safe you didn’t hurt any one. You learned a lot on this tree. I’m going to give you a couple of pointers for next time… on this kind of tree in the future. Don’t be afraid to start your back cut first… drive your wedges up tight saw a little more wedge up tight then saw your face cut. This gives you pressure to lift first and also you don’t loose ground sawing the face in. Another thing is the 1/3 of the tree for your face cut isn’t a hard fast rule it’s a baseline most times it works. But when you have to lift the tree more to bring it out of a back lean that shallow face will hurt you more than help you. Your hinge is the pivot point the more weight that is behind the pivot point the harder the tree lifts. Cut your face a bit further into the tree will really help on lifting as you then put more tree weight in front of the pivot point. Also don’t be so concerned about your back cut being level with your face cut. Go 2 inch’s higher with the back cut that helps change the weight dynamics in your favor. But don’t go lower than your face cut. Higher in the back in effect let’s the tree fall into the face were as a low back cut you are lifting the tree up into the face cut. I sincerely hope this helps. Little hard to explain with out being able to show you lol. Keep up the good hard work keep being your worst critic keep being humble and never stop learning. You got this buddy.

[@silverleapers]

best advice ever..."don’t be so concerned about your back cut being level with your face cut. Go 2 inch’s higher with the back cut..". ie allow for a mistake. If you can make extra runway - why not do it?

[@wallaceshell1794]

I appreciate you sharing you knowledge and experience with us

[@mattsflytying2816]

@@wallaceshell1794 you are most welcome 🙏 thank you

[@johns3106]

Yep…totally agree with you that the face cut was woefully small! I have noticed over the years that many fallers that learned “out west” (I’m a north-east guy) and use Humbolt undercuts make then really shallow-this has the dual drawbacks of both not shifting the center of gravity and causing the hinge to break early due to the face closing too quickly. Don’t be afraid to make a wide-open face everybody! All that being said, I think every one of us that cuts for a living have had our fair share of “sky hung” trees!

[@cobyclaypool1520]

Thank you for sharing.

[@nativibesstudio8871]

This video isn’t a lesson on tree felling, its a beautiful lesson on learning and humility. Great job brother. Everyone is safe.

[@groundzero.]

As a well respected arborist and youtuber you just gained 10X more respect for sharing this. Its a learning/teaching moment, it promotes honesty and transparence and will ultimately help others understand the trials and tribulation of this kind of work and that "jobs may appear easier then they are" on youtube lol. Well done and thank you.

[@billrobbins5874]

How you managed to get that leaning tree to go where you wanted that is phenomenal. That was one huge tree! Every tree is different. May have taken longer than you thought. An amazing job! 👍👍

[@puritan745]

100%

[@DylanSkidmore]

always remember the ONE you prayed to that is sovereign and answered your call in that moment. We can do all things in Christ not by our strength but by humble asking for His strength and to give Him the glory. You could have pridefully hid this testimony but I’m somehow commenting on this because you were not ashamed in front of man. Therefore keep His word written on your heart and one day soon friend He will not deny YOU before The Father. Hollar at me anytime east coast. No coincidence with God only divine paths.

[@GreenRiverRider]

You're such a humble guy. No need to be embarrassed. The tree fell where you wanted and you went home safe to your family. That's a victory in anyone's book.

[@VegasEdo]

This is the crowning moment when transitioning from big company tree work to solo. One minute you have 3-10 guys on a job with dozens of eyes and now it's all you and your instincts. Thanks for sharing, this is the real world.

[@levigranger5383]

100%.

[@chelct5057]

that sums it up perfectly

[@ss229er7]

Well put!

[@nate2838]

Well said! Its also the same when you are going from an experienced team to being the only one on the crew with experience, having to teach them on the job. Everything looks a lot scarier when you have to be 100% sure on your own, without being able to get a second opinion from someone you trust who is seeing it from a different angle.

[@arminarbor1484]

@@nate2838 So true man, exactly what iam going through right now

[@RTRALLDAY]

The fact that you were humble enough to upload this tells us what kind of person you are. You made yourself extremely vulnerable to all of us at the end and that took a lot of courage. It was still an entertaining video to watch. I also appreciate that you give credit to our Creator regularly in your videos. You’ll do great things on this new venture

[@jannetteince113]

Don't be so hard on yourself Jake, you are a great tree climber, and trimmer, and faller, never doubt yourself, and don't give up your self confidence, you worked too hard for it.

[@joshjspice]

Massive kudos for sharing this, Jacob. We are all always learning! "If you're not failing, you're not pushing yourself." Way to learn from this and share it so we can too 👏🏽👏🏽

[@stevest1300]

Anyone who has cut down a big tree but encountered geometry and resistance that defied all logic and observation feels for you. It's that hollow chest, high heartrate and abject fear that you can't understand or control. You did good son. The battle ended the war with no casualties on your side. Carry on.

[@peterbachman5965]

First day as an owner-operator solo arborist and you were able to apply every tool you own: knowledge, hardware, perseverance, and humility. The tree landed exactly where you wanted, you're safe, the homeowner is happy, and you insurance company didn't need to be involved. I'd call this a major win. It was from watching your videos I came to conclude wedges are cheap, but utterly indispensable. And you can never have enough :D

[@SturgellatOSU]

Something you said spoke to me, "I was going to charge the customer too much." I am a contract pilot for a living and my job got easier when I realized short changing myself by not doing the job in the safest manner wasn't in MY best interest financially as well as mentally. At the end of the day I'm the guy tasked with keeping everyone and their aircraft in one piece. There are days when I could fly through bad weather and save the owners thousands of dollars in fuel and an unplanned overnight stay by flying through something that I'm 99% sure we can get through it safe but if my gut tells me to go around the weather then so be it...we are going around. Be safe, charge commensurate with your skillset. Professional work isn't cheap and cheap work isn't professional. Remember the proverbial corner you cut could sink your business. I wish you the best and love your humbleness as much as your content. Godspeed with the new endeavor and I hope to watch you succeed for years to come.

[@wayned2315]

very well chosen words of advice. Thanks for commenting

[@CK-et5do]

I’ve been there! Heavy wood back leaners make solo work really stressful. Prayers never hurt in those situations, and Im glad you found that extra wedge. I still learn a lesson at every job, even if everything goes according to plan. Thanks for sharing, Jake! These videos and your thoughts always help me think of better ways to do the work!

[@thomasgersitz338]

It's always good to have more equipment than you need. That way ,you will never be short. Jake, you shouldn't feel embarrassed , you took your time and things turned out, ok. I think we all figure that we don't have to go higher , on the tie off. More is always better. But things turned out for the best. Kudos to you for a job well done, and safe, with no damage. Always a desired outcome.

[@MrSterster]

I learned more about the arborist mindset in the last 10 minutes of this video than any other tree felling video I've watched on KZbin. This is real life and this is how it feels every time I cut a tree. Nobody is ever 100% confident things will go the way they want them to. Every tree is different and has a mind of its own. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaelleduc219]

You have my respect for showing how it happened. You have reminded the rest of us that it doesn’t always go according to plan and we just have to work through the complications and learn from them. You got it down successfully. Good video. A little “humble pie” once in a while makes us better in the long run.

[@joshualancaster5943]

Nice work. Honesty & humility always wins. No mistakes just lessons learned.

[@jamesmooney5348]

Correct! Don't give up.

[@messybench]

Reality is a great teacher.

[@MikfinityPog]

What could he have learned? Could he cut more of the hinge wood off? or make a bigger face cut

[@benjobello]

Thanks for posting this video Jake. I admire your honesty, it took some serious guts to post this. I’ve had days like this too, so I can feel you, I appreciate you.

[@VBGRIM]

This may be your BEST video ever for so many reasons. The emotion, the anxiety, struggle, the doubt, the VICTORY! Loved it brother and thanks for sharing. I think people learn more from these types of videos.

[@ComeatMEOW]

Don’t be embarrassed, you got it down virtually alone, and in the end exactly where you needed it. We don’t have to be perfect. Have fun doing what you do. Even if we get frustrated at times, I’d rather be outdoors than cooped up in a office or kitchen.

[@pyro4869]

I really love the community for this channel so much support and I'm glad you uploaded this.

[@Cooksonite]

The only hard part of watching this video was you being so hard on yourself. The tree came down exactly where you wanted it, you're great at what you do Jake and the fact that you're willing to still put videos out where things didn't go exactly to plan plays testament to your character. There are so many people out there waiting for us to fail that the one person that needs to believe in you more than anyone else, is you. That voice in our heads is always there, make sure it's saying positive things otherwise it can consume you. Stay strong my brother, on to the next one 👊👍🤟

[@alcupone6462]

Honestly, he is hard but true, this could have been a massive fuckup. I like your supportive mindset, but one has to never loose touch with reality and sincerely divide haters and critics. I am super glad that this ended well, I myself have had a very similar experience with just a 20m tree and we got it down just after hitching it to a car, climbing up the already cut tree and taking off few branches. Longest hour of my life.

[@Jcozz]

Safe to say you will always remember your first “0n you own” job. You did great, yea maybe since you were up the tree anyway cutting a few big back side limbs would’ve been good, but hey, alls well that ends well. You are the real deal, honest, and humble is worth a lot. Thanks Jake, keep the videos coming! Thanks

[@jstrevens3959]

12 years experience and still winging it sounds like pretty much every tree man ever, if it works it works

[@fanosoX]

“I think this is gonna work” before every cut

[@BStein434]

Great video of the job. The reason for the lean was the extra growth on the back side. When you climb to set your line, remove the limbs on the heavy side and the front limbs will counter the lean.

[@stephenmills5649]

Thank you for this wise and observant tip.

[@WMC.]

Man, every tree person has their own wisdom, experience, capabilities. We should all be humble and learn from each other. You got it done man👌 I’ll offer you what I see on this. What I do in these situations is set up a good solid 3:1 which will hold the weight, and then I’ll add a fiddle block 5:1 system to do the real pulling, and again the 3:1 will hold and the 5:1 can be reset as many times as needed. Thanks for sharing man 🔥

[@Trevor-ps2oe]

The tree went where you wanted it to go, and it seems you left the experience with more knowledge and resources than when you began. Congratulations! I imagine there is a great future for you as an independent arborist.

[@bengardiner2420]

Thank you for still uploading this Jake . It’s great to see when things go wrong too as it’s not shown online enough. Let’s everyone learn from each other’s mistakes making the tree world safer for all . Your vids are helpful aswell as entertaining keep at it dude 🤟

[@jayzerblazer]

It's funny how we beat ourselves up so bad when we make mistakes. I've been in the tree business for over 20 years and atleast once a year I have a moment just like you did. It took alot to put the video out and for that you gained a tremendous amount respect. We are constantly learning and everything isn't always perfect. Keep on keeping on

[@gs4811]

When you're the owner of a project - suddenly things you could have shrugged off as a worker become big deals. That feeling of "this is all on me now" is really something. Takes some time and fixing some fuck ups to really come into your own. Or at least that's how it goes for me. Not a tree guy. I'm a farmer.. and it's gotta similar feel. The fact he can own it and post the video.. I'm sure this guy is gonna go far.

[@hummer4129]

As a concrete guy and business owner I agree. It all changes to a different level.

[@salmonforever6088]

I have watched a lot of tree felling videos and this one was the best I have ever seen because of the raw emotion and the real feeling I got by your experience. Bravo. I really enjoyed this one to the max.

[@jeremyadams8343]

The emotion and vulnerability you showed in this video is incredible! Never forget how you felt in that moment! Either we stay humble or get humiliated...I think you were very much the former. You are an inspirational young man...keep doing what you love!

[@Battlezax]

Respect for sharing this, we all struggle some times. Turned out good in the end. Lessons learned, experience gained, happy customer. Great videos Jacob

[@rerolley]

As a rank amateur who has been helping his neighbor with some of his dead oaks, it is reassuring to see a pro have difficulty now and then. Glad to see that you got insurance and look forward to following you on your journey.

[@jongunzel]

You dropped the tree accurately, safely, and while filming and narrating. You literally did the work of 5 men by yourself (not including your pulley system). Brother, the first day out in your own is a ton of pressure on top of all that. I'm proud of you, and you'll soon settle in and be comfortable again. Keep up the great work. God Bless

[@timwbeckworth2231]

I just happened across this particular video of yours and I agree with some of the other guys. Don't beat yourself up to much its on the ground and nobody got hurt. You also made mention about not posting this video. Well alot of us are glad you did, it speaks volumes about yur character by being humble when you need to be. You gained a ton of respect from a lot of people including myself for posting this video. With the amount of followers/fans that you have, there's a good chance this video has already saved a life or property damage or both. Always keep in mind that there's youg men out there that are watching you and some that aspire to be like you. It's just a friendly reminder that your occupation is slightly more dangerous then most. Just being sarcastic, but you get my point. But here's something to think about for those of you who didn't. Its something everyone has experienced or will experienced at some point in time. Complacency. Complacency isn't good in any profession. At one point in the video you even said something about being cocky or over confident in the beginning. Anyway, its not that you made the wrong cut. You didn't make a good cut period. Its that simple and you pointed it out over and over again. Along with setting yur line to low. The point is complacency in your line of work can be catastrophic. Thank god this time it didn't. I personally think that when i have a close call like this....and trust me I've had my share. Its gods way of slap'n me up side the head warning me to not be stupid. So heed the warning and tighten up yur game. You're a professional and you're good at what you do. Much respect

[@GuiltyofTreeson]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@otov100]

Your humble mindset is amazing. Never stop learning. Your first job as a business owner added a lot of stess and worry. Keep at it. There is a reason you get so many compliments.

[@55ATA3]

Evey thing has a learning curve, being on you own is not the same as working with a team. Great job on the tree, be safe and take care..

[@py7433]

You never loose, either you win or you learn...I would say you've had both today. Thanks for sharing your journey

[@bigshukas]

When your not expecting to learn lessons.. life never fails to teach you any way. Good job man may have taken you longer then you would of liked but the tree is down safe and your safe

[@shermanhofacker4428]

The extra rope needed to attach higher on the tree would only necessitate a bit more length. I almost always use nylon rope for pulling trees over. The stretch will exert tension over a longer time and help insure the tree goes wherever i want it to.

[@xne1592]

We've all been there. One time i got to a job when a couple of workmates were removing a massive limb off a massive Oak that had grown over a pavilion. As i arrived one was in the tree making the back cut, the other on the ground winching the slack out of the rope. The hinge snapped and the limb fell on the roof. The crowd that had gathered hoping for such an outcome laughed and laughed. The cimbet was swinging on his rope the groundsman cursing and swearing and everyone else laughing. Exept the oner of the pavilion..

[@johnhardt5016]

You are good at it! Don't beat yourself up, s*** happens. You had the jitters, don't let this get you down. The tree hit its spot, the house isn't damaged, and you and all involved are safe. The only advice I can give is in a couple days when you shake this off, watch this video. You learned things today that will keep you with us for a long time. Love watching you. Be safe and God bless.

[@MikeFixesStuff]

You're my tree-felling hero! I just felled a 30 foot Walnut and the stuff I learned from you helped me tremendously and saved my bacon.

[@tatehogan5685]

Great job man, Eirik working for someone is one thing, getting out on your own adds a whole new level of stress and anxiety. You didn't quit which shows value. Speaking of value never be afraid to charge for your skills. You are performing a service that is very niche. You are worth every penny!

[@tomgreenwood4769]

I just wanted to say thanks, your humbleness shows your character you may have saved someone’s life by being honest. I’m 58 years old I have trees on my property I’ve paid arborist to cut the big monsters down and I’ve fell a few myself but understanding the mechanics of it all and those teaching moments you will help people make safe decisions. Blessings my friend.

[@magnuslindvall]

You’re so humble and honest! Great job, safe felling, tree went where you wanted it, house is intact and everyone is safe. Job well done! You’re an inspiration!

[@angeljjustice1345]

Man I really felt ya at 18:48 I have steel wedges and after a few minutes of pounding them in I am whipped! I’m 57 and own 20 acres in SE Ohio and it a healthy mix of hardwood and pine. Always great to watch you as you gave me the courage to buy climbing equipment and being my own personal arborist! Many thanks sir!!

[@raphaelschoen3281]

In summary, nothing and noone was hurt and the tree's on the ground. Life's constantly a learning process. You did a very great job. Love your videos, keep the motivation high and most importantly: be kind

[@wild1bill1950]

No blood and thud. God's grace.

[@stevedempsey8660]

The fact that you spent time obsessing about getting it right is proof you're on the right track. We are all just practicing to make ourselves better at this because, like you, we care about doing it right. Good luck and God bless.

[@dabrokest530]

This is the most inspirational tree video yet. It just goes to show when everything goes as planned trees will teach you something new. I've got a lot of respect for you after this video! I've been doing tree work for about as long as you and I never film myself because of moments like this where you get humbled. Your the man! I'd love to get to climb with some of y'all one day!

[@OBGjoeennis69]

Hey Jake and I'm a retired tree man I did it for 26 years I work with my father for many of those years he taught me a lot of different things and I learned a lot from a lot of tree men just like yourself.. I went and worked for different companies checking out different rigging techniques and everything to learn more about doing tree work.... But nowadays from what I'm seeing the tree industry has really evolved a lot more with new technology and everything. We all have our bad days we all have our days when we're scared that something could go wrong or go smooth as glass.... But you don't know how the tree is going to actually go until you actually go through the trials of everything that you're doing .... But I have to say I'm impressed with a lot of the shows that I have seen of you and the things that I've seen you you do are very impressive. Some of the stuff that you've done with crane some of the stuff you've done with the rigging techniques... But not a lot of guys out there that are in the field have the courage like you do ... Some of them even hire other to do their work and there's nothing wrong with that.... It's just that some people have a little bit more skill some people don't unless they actually keep on moving forward with the business. Congratulations on getting your insurance it is a very stressful, Dangerous and expensive way of making a living and it can also be very rewarding.... So never get yourself down and always keep your head high... Because we all have our bad days but you did a great job you got the tree on the ground and everything was safe and you made the customer satisfied because the job is done and his property is now a lot safer because of what you perform ....Well done keep up the good work I look forward to seeing a lot more videos of anything that you put on here ..Because it makes me feel like I'm back in a tree and I really miss climbing and I really miss doing the job that I loved doing ...I had to retire because of medical reasons otherwise I'd still be doing it. But if you ever South West Florida I would definitely want to be able to meet you and shake your hand .. So take care of yourself Jake keep me climbing through you.

[@monicaayer7470]

What He Said 🌳

[@joshmicallef8148]

Hey man, really good seeing honesty in an industry of show offs! Been loving your videos from New Zealand! Little tip with the 4:1, use a Prussik instead of putting a bowline on the line and (as you mentioned) have your progress capture on your anchor. This way you can pull till the pulleys touch then push your system back up the rope to get more pull. Especially helpful if you’re running low on rope to work with. Happy to make a video if this isn’t clear! Nice one mate! Onwards and upwards!

[@daviddogruel7851]

Learning from and sharing a humbling experience helps everyone doing tree work. Thank you for the honesty, and be safe up and out there.

[@dylancarter7616]

Been there man! Don’t beat your self up!! A old head once told me you learn something on every job you go on, if you don’t it’s time to get out of tree work! Went the right way no one got hurt. A+ job in my book brother!🤘🏻

[@Tipsby_blake603]

Been clearing land for 10 years. I fell a lot of trees for friends and customers. Always confident in my skills and my know how. I had a tree this week near powerlines out in the country. As i stared up after i started my cut for a brief moment i thought "I'm an idiot, what am i even doing here? I should have become a lawyer..." Haha

[@mattjurich4435]

👍😊 I appreciate this greatly. I call myself an Amish tree cutter cut by the seat of my pants my hat's off to you. To show this video. I'm 68 years old don't know what I want to be when I grow up yet. I pray often when I work . I always work alone. Only for one time. 30 ft and I landed flat on my back . Just broke my storm and one rib. Had to pray to God for my first breath after impact. I haven't figured out why I still cut trees😮😢😅😊

[@sergiodeluca4201]

Congrats on the big move. Been here for about a year now and took down my first tree yesterday. Did it all safely but have an even greater respect and admiration for you and everyone in the industry. Thanks for inspiring so many. We'll be here for many more to come. Stay safe and have fun!

[@GuiltyofTreeson]

Nice job man!

[@lukependleton2589]

And now that I've seen the whole video. It's all good. Inch as good as a mile. I'm still learning . Those things you only learn from experience. Higher is better. Always!!. It always works that way. When you try to teach/show something. Just do what you do. Thank you!

[@lukependleton2589]

Sorry I hijacked this comment. Got it confused with mine bro.

[@sergiodeluca4201]

@@lukependleton2589 no worries man

[@pioneerman8467]

Remember all of us had to start some where and it depends if u choose to become safe with it over time or a dumbass

[@wdguild1]

Going out into business on your own takes real courage and can be very very stressful, but you have to start somewhere. Well done Jake and your honesty is to be admired.

[@colinratcliffe2454]

The outcome was perfect. The tree landed in a perfect position. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Not every tree is the same, they are challenging things to overcome.

[@vinimarshall7301]

Kid you did really well im old and we used a block and tackle ,truckers hitches from all directions , the main thing is never compromise the hinge, sometimes ive had lunch and just waited then you hear the creaking and off she goes patience works , one tip make your own wedges from oak there expendable

[@ymap11]

Hey brutha, I’ve been cutting trees 32 year’s and your doing just fine, don’t be so hard on yourself, we all have good & bad moments no matter how long we’ve been doing this so trust me your good & keep up the good work I really enjoy your videos.

[@kentogreeno]

I know the feeling. At the end of the day, the tree is in the right place, nobody injured, and a lesson learned. I like the maasdam rope puller for tree pulling scenarios. No maxing out on that and it’s cheap. Love your content, keep up the good work!

[@Normanntrees]

How many have you sheared there teeth off of? Downside is also that you can only use 3 braid which isn’t very strong and super stretchy.

[@ethobling9548]

Hey, Jake. Logged in (I never log in to KZbin) just to drop something you may find useful. When I'm taking trees out by myself, I use a Maasdam rope puller clipped to an earth auger anchor set in the ground(one of those really heavy duty ones they use to anchor trailer homes). This allows me to pull a tree any direction I want without needing another tree to anchor to. The rope puller has worked perfectly for me every time, even with some trees with significant lean. Just make sure you have that anchor set in deep and you can put as much force as the Maasdam rope puller can output (3/4 a ton). I often don't even need any wedges. Anyway, thank you for the videos. I know you aren't the guy to like a lot of pats on the back, so I'll just say "Keep it up!" And keep talking about Him and letting Him lead you. In the end, it's all that matters, brother. ~~Jesus Loves You~~

[@compilecodebug6430]

Man I really appreciate your honesty. The fact that you feel that way will allow you to learn and get better. I honestly thought the tree was going to clip the house or something. You are better than you think you are!

[@Ckfabworks]

Dude it take so much strength and courage to admit you made a mistake. A lesser man would blame it on something else but a real man admits a mistake and gets better and learns for next time

[@k_hoffman]

One thing I have learned in my 30 years of life, and it applies to everything you may do, you never know everything and you can ALWAYS learn something new. I have felt this way multiple times with tree work, I absolutely love chainsaws, climbing, the adrenaline rush, all the gear that goes into it, and all the hard work we put into it, but sometimes I question myself if I know what I am doing and if I should be doing it.

[@BruceThee]

Good job; happy to see you striking out on your own. I know the “OMG what have I gotten myself into” feeling. I went from being a partner in a very large company to me, myself and I. I appreciate your down to earth honesty.

[@davidg7242]

It’s easy to share success. To share how well things go when they turn out smooth. Real life hits hard and fast and doesn’t care who you are. Thanks for sharing the struggles. It’s brave and inspiring. I have days with doubt. I doubt my skill, my intelligence, my grit. Did I bid it right? Did I choose the right strategy? Should I even be taking on this tree or is the client better off with someone else? Keep up your faith. Keep improving. Stay safe.

[@OnceUponAnotherTime]

The honesty of your videos alone makes it worth subscribing. Very grateful you posted this rather than hid the video from view. But on top of that, the free education you're providing and just watching a guy felling and bucking trees. I'm a follower, for sure.

[@tonymeissner1182]

I know this is an older video but it’s new to me and your candidness on the whole situation made me subscribe immediately after watching this! I’m now a fan!

[@livelylawns3446]

Mad respect for sharing this man. I know it must've been hard, and it shows a lot of character.

[@abandonhope]

Every tree job has it's challenges. You did a fine job man. Congrats on going solo. I look forward to watching you kill it on your own

[@charliefletcher7772]

hey Jacob, I worked for a company for three years and knew every aspect of what I was doing. I went out on my own and the first job by myself under my own company name I looked like it was my first day lol. keep your head up it will only get better

[@mcbroomjacob]

I love the fact that you are including all of your flaws and mistakes. Not pretending you know it all. That is great. We need more of this in our media that we are consuming. Keep learning every day. Keep making mistakes. You are doing it right. Take care.

[@rangehot]

I prefer a large open face notch. It really helps from cutting below your notch.

[@Lexcommentyoutube]

If you're setting a line like that where no one is actually pulling on it, a static line is probably worse. Having a bit of stretch will let the rope pull for a bit longer by itself and since you have a binding mechanism you should be able to get it almost as tight

[@shade38211]

2 come alongs attached to looped 2 prusik loops that you can advance as needed. Got enough cable or static rope and you can place block to run back to yourself on a nearby anchor tree to use com along yourself. Have pulled leaning red oaks from 15% against lean.

[@jaythe306snowmexican]

dude, don't be so hard on yourself! everyone has days that don't go well in this industry. My grandfather told me it keeps you grounded to have days of struggle. And if you're learning on every job you do then you're doing it rite. be safe out there.

[@FishFind3000]

Gotta have a bad day to appreciated the good ones. This mostly applies to me with tools, gotta use some crap to really see the value in a quality one.

[@jamesmooney5348]

Yeah, your too hard on your self. Almost think too much. You'll dial it in.

[@edwardrook8146]

Cool if this is true then I'm fully 100% grounded haha

[@Highlander111172]

Dude, we've all been in that exact same situation. You do it right and the tree won't drop. Don't sweat it.

[@jeffcoulter7181]

Buy a Tirfor winch, they can pull about 5 tons, weigh about 20kg excluding 20m of 20mm wire rope. They are totally bombproof for this kind of job.

[@dylanthompson1831]

Bro, I just started watching your videos. I am starting my tree work journey right now. Your love and passion shine through. From my perspective you had a great day! The tree hit the ground safely, and you learned a lot! I learned a lot watching you! Thank you for posting, and please continue being an inspiration.

[@kadmow]

one definitely needs the strength of 5 men to do tree work alone. people really appreciate honesty - even if / especially if it goes pearshaped - the recovery to get up and ride again - that counts.

[@Dred13657]

Wow man what an exciting experience. Thank the lord. You gotta love the realism that was one of the best videos I've seen. Even not getting the tree falling over. Great work man

[@rogervanalphen3114]

I've done a ton of trees like this and it's never easy. You've left enough of a hinge. For me the hardest is also lining back cut up with the front one. I always seem to have a different angle. I use steel and plastic wedges btw. Every cut stresses me out still. And so it should.

[@russelmuldowney8736]

This is a great video. I had a simple shut off valve on a toilet I did yesterday "it'll take 20 minutes" compounded small mistakes and miscommunications with my partner turned it into 2 hours. STUFF HAPPENS

[@TheTenerifeVibe]

Every time I watch one of your videos I learn something which is great. Don't beat yourself up, it was felled, no one was hurt and the log cabin wasn't damaged. Good Job.

[@simonmurray8220]

Dude - don’t beat yourself up. You did an excellent job. Safety and slow and steady is always better than fast and loose. Most of us only know that the tree is down and in a good place. The technical details are for you to know so you can continue to grow your business safely.

[@matthewl2980]

Slow is safe. Safe is fast 👍

[@jesseshort8]

Thanks for being honest bro. We all have our days. Keep your head up. You're doing a great job.

[@caryadams6645]

Having been there for the entire process of you cutting down this tree I still think you are an amazing arborist! I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I tried to tackle this one myself.

[@dmwi1549]

Don’t believe everything you see on line. Truer words were never said. As someone who has had a tree lean backwards-in the woods. Got her going the right way. As someone who brushed the hood of my truck with the tips of the top-then had to lie to my wife that I planned it that way. These are 18-24” butts I’m felling…on my own property. I watch your videos with amazement and awe at the size of timber you’re tackling. I say-if only I was 30 years younger I’d climb instead of riding the bucket lift. I watch to learn what to do and what NOT to do with hopes of staying injury free and not damaging my house or property. And most of all I call in the pros when I can’t. Thanks for showing us all the good and the not as good. Very honest of you. I appreciate the effort it takes to film and edit this. Thank you!

[@michaelwolf6424]

Let me offer a little advice Tom Hanks gave Gena Davis in the iconic baseball movie, "A League of Our Own". Davis, a star player in the league, told coach Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) that "she didn't want to play baseball anymore. It was just TOO hard." she said, ready to quit. Hanks shot back, "it's SUPPOSED to be HARD. The 'hard' is what makes it GREAT. If playing baseball at this level was meant to be easy, everyone would DO it.". Keep this in mind as you go forth and you WILL go forth. You've chosen THE most dangerous and one of the most challenging jobs on earth to pursue. Someday, you'll be atop this mountain marveling that you accomplished your dream. I never got to fulfill mine. You'll do just fine.

[@peterhearn3297]

I am from Australia, you did well. The only problem l see is you were by yourself, you need to have someone with you at all times for safety reasons. You did good!!

[@rayclark9643]

Had a tree like that myself once and know what you were feeling in this video, or close to to it anyway. You pulled it off and learned from it...same as we all do...you stuck to it and accomplished the task...believe me when I say that you'll eventually figure it all out and that you are made for it! 😉 Thanks for the honesty and sharing your hard days experience with us!

[@TreeMuggs_PatrickM]

Brother, this is the best tree work video that I have seen in a very long time. God bless... - Patrick

[@GuiltyofTreeson]

Thanks Patrick 🙏

[@randyross5630]

@@GuiltyofTreeson At Nichlos Woodworking in Mass, we'd do Crane Logging outside Boston to just your average Road work for the Towns, but we basically just used Bucket Trucks or a Crane if there was any Doubts... We'd have some super super tough plywood and just make a track by rotating the plywood to where we needed to go so we didn't Ruin the Lawn! We got all the Real Tough Jobs referred to us in the State. If you ever worried its not going the way you want, and there's something it can't hit, piece by piece is the way to do it...

[@billnash8131]

This kind of honesty and humility is rare in general, specially on you tube. 99.99% of youtubers would have edited out the difficulties and stood there on top of the log with a hero pose. Well done and GOD is good!

[@MurphyWoodwork]

Dude, look where that tree is lying... nobody got hurt and nothing got damaged. You Learned the lesson and will carry it forward. Great video!

[@Morpheen999]

Awesome Job! You got it down and didn't wreck anything! Insurance these days is tough, Glad you were able to find some!

[@ry3an7]

Dude no one’s perfect but you are good at this stuff. People like me watch your channel and learn a ton of stuff. Might not have gone how you wanted but the tree is down and nothing was damaged. Hold your head up

[@megatron4943]

You did great! I’d guess one reason you’re feeling a little bit insecure is because you’re holding yourself up against guys you’ve learned from that had years and years of experience. Those guys started out feeling the same you you did on this one. All a person can do is learn from this job and apply it to the next one. Your heart and mind are in the right place. And with your genuine enthusiasm and care for what’s right...anyone would be smart to hire you. You’re good now and you’ll only get better.

[@kiwich66]

Hey buddy it’s so good to see you again. My brother told me you were back. We’re all learning, always learning, and we all have bad days at work. It’s ok to beat yourself up for a while, reinforce the learning,sure, but then put it in the book and move on to the next job. You can’t keep a good man down. You are so good to the people around you, that’s what I like about your videos. Be good to yourself. I hope your new business goes well and you keep getting a buzz out of it!

[@sgtpete55]

Absolutely love your humble attitude! When someone thinks they know everything, they have absolutely STOPPED learning. You get it! You know you still have stuff to learn. That being said, I've been dropping trees for over 5 decades and you should give yourself a little credit. You know a lot for a young man about felling trees ;) Stay safe!

[@NoodleFlame]

Sounds like imposter syndrome, I'm sure everyone has felt it at some point. I struggled with it when I landed my first software engineer role after being self taught with no degree. Happy to say that the feeling goes with experience and I ended up with a good career and so will you. You've got this buddy! I also love you channels name.