That one Tuesday when I dropped a 60 foot limb on a brand new fence

I was taking down a big silver maple in a backyard near Oak Park last fall. The homeowner warned me about the fence but I figured I had plenty of clearance. Wind gust hit just as I made my final cut and that limb twisted right into it. He wasn't even mad, just stood there silent for like 10 seconds. Has anyone else had a job go sideways in a split second like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenixw111mo ago

Feel your pain man. That sinking feeling when you know it's about to hit and there's nothing you can do. Wind always seems to pick the worst possible moment, doesn't it?

hugoj121mo ago

Two falls ago I had a 40 foot oak limb that I was dead certain had at least 10 feet of clearance from a neighbor's shed. I'd measured it twice with the laser and marked all my drop zones. But what I didn't account for was the branch being heavier on one side than I thought, so when I made the cut it didn't fall straight down, it spun sideways on the way down. That branch caught the edge of the shed roof and peeled it back like a sardine can. Took three weeks of my free weekends to fix it right.

amy_anderson1mo ago

Man I felt that "sardine can" description in my bones. I swear every time I think I've calculated exactly how a branch is gonna fall, physics just laughs at me and decides to make it do a pirouette instead. Last time I tried to drop a maple limb I had it roped off and everything, still managed to take out my own gutter. Now I just assume everything is gonna land exactly wrong and plan for it.