How to cut tree limbs that are too high to reach 

2 things... 1) you can actually get chains that have cutters on both sides to avoid that potential aggravation. 2) if you can get a helper and use longer straps you can spread apart and it won’t be as likely to bind. And you won’t be right in the death zone.

I have used a rope saw many times and just so you know it is much easier to use it during the cut with two people doing the cut. Therefore, have one person on each end of the rope. The rope is much less likely to bind this way. Also, if you spread out the rope there is much less chance that a branch might actually land on your head.

Wow I used your links to order the straps and saw and they worked great. I am 58 years old and I did not want to fall off of my roof or a ladder. I cut down a huge oak limb that was rubbing my shingle roof and it was about 20 feet high. I used a baseball taped to a string to feed the saw up into the tree. It was a huge rush when I cut through the huge branch. Thanks Tim for your genius idea. You saved me a lot of money and worry. Bless you.

What you can do is feed a holding safety line on a branch above to hold the limb in place while cutting it once cut through it would allow you to lower the cut branch to the ground. It would reduce the risk of kick back from the limb falling to the ground and or the limb bending at the cutting line squeezing the chain making it difficult to saw.

Awesome video. After watching your video and ordered my pocket chainsaw off Amazon and used some rope I had (from camping). Worked great, I trimmed a whole bunch of high branches around my house. I used my dog's Kong as wel!! Didn't bother with the extra throw line, I just tied the Kong directly to my rope. Well done!

Genius idea!! I’m going to do this to my neighbours massive tree.. one large branch literally scraping the roof of my house.. it’s quite higher then the branch you cut but I’ll give it a try.. wish me luck! Lol

I'm a tree surgeon. We don't leave stubs behind because the wound won't heal, the stub will decay, and the decay will become a cavity in the trunk. This results in a structural weakness and the tree above the cavity can topple. All of this is a years long process. By then you'll probably live somewhere else, so, somebody else's problem and a payday for me. Thank you. #ch-ching!

Right on dude. That was awesome! Thanks for the lesson, now it’s my turn.

Oh hell yes sunshine... you made my day... this is exactly the task I’m on today.

So many people here who know sooo much better. Show me your videos then asshats. Good video man, good idea. I've got a couple branches in the 50' range I need to come down, so I'll give it a go.

Nice job and thanks for the video...I used the method you've presented and it worked great! Simple and safe, by avoiding doing the job high up on a ladder. I made sure to stand well to the side and out of harm's way, from the falling branch.

Thank you for posting. I have been trying to figure out what to do about my super tall tree limbs. Respect!

Awesome! Well, you saved one Bosnian guy a lot of trouble - thanks so much

I like how you stood directly under the branch the whole time.

Brilliant idea! Thank you so much! I appreciate the step-by-step instructions!

Tim, what a great solution to exactly the issue I have currently; glad I finally found your post! BTW, nice trio of Mac Pros. I only have one and it seems so lonely now. Ha!

You’re a genius!! Thanks a lot for this video! It saved me a $1,500!

Thank you for making that video, I have that situation, however, wish you had shown how you attached the chain, but I guess it's the same as the string, great solution

No complaints, next time when you have passed the Kong over the limb use that side to pass your lashing over then you will not be cutting you twine.

Good job. I have several branches i'd like to cut. But they're all more than 25 ft off the ground. Some almost 35 ft. I've already cut the lower ones. And my back yard is very small with adjoining neighbors. So i have to be very careful about the other properties. And since the trees themselves are in a neighboring yard, state law allows me to cut only that part of the branch that hangs over the fence line. If i can't get the neighbor's permission. Several tricky operations here. (1) Getting the toss line over the selected branches when other branches are in the way. (2) Once the cutting chain with lashing straps are up . . . not getting stuck when the hanging branch pinches the chain. (3) Not getting hit with the falling branch and not having it damage the fence. My yard is about 25 ft x 15 ft. Wish me luck.

Thanks very much! You're brilliant! Just did it...25 feet high! Used a rope, should have used the lashing straps (hard to get the teeth to turn into the wood with just rope). Thanks again brother!

I felt you were speaking directly to me, accurate to the T... until you said, "...cutting a limb 20 feet high." I am 6'5". My ladder gets me to 25 feet. My extension pole saw gets another 14 feet. I rented a bucket truck that got up to 80 feet, and there's still about 40 feet above my head there... So..... yeah. I'm considering making my own video.

Look at that neighborhood. I'm surprised Little Lord Fauntleroy didn't have a tree service come prune those trees.

I say this as a Certified Arborist who teaches about property pruning methods...Although this method may work, and sometimes you might be able to get a decent cut angle, usually this method would not allow for a good cut angle on the limb, since you cannot typically get the chain exactly where you need it to make a good cut...and if the appropriate cut is not made, it will not heal right which can lead to future problems. So, if you have to get off the ground to prune a tree on your property, and cannot do it professionally yourself, you should consider hiring a professional.

Had a similar situation for a dead willow that could fall on my garage. I shot an arrow with string attached over the large upright but forked limb. Once over I tied a heavier chord to that and attached a homemade grapple that hooked to the branch. I was able to rock it back and forth till it snapped off in the direction I wanted. But I have some other live trees I need trimmed so may try the saw you used.

Brilliant. I would totally try that. Thanks!!

I'am Your Newest Subscriber Great Videos

Works like a charm. Thank you.

Dude! That was very impressive but you were huffin’ n puffin’ like a Steam Engine! U better get in shape before u tackle your next branch!!

It is safe and cheap. Very good.

Young John Schnatter takes a break from cutting pizzas at Papa Johns to cut up a tree

That was so awesome and smart 🧠 as heck, bravo 👏 👍🙌

Excellent idea. Thank you.

Great. Now to tackle mine which is about 70 feet up.

I will be at Lowes tomorrow to get the supplies

Dude. Thats awesome. I'm going out to try it right now

Try to be exactly opposite of the tree limbs mass. If it twista on you it will bind. Dead limbs are much easier than live limbs(resin). I use half of a 2 piece fishing rod with a 1 oz sinker and 30lb braid for initial throw. Good for 100 ft, can always add the second half if taller.

I use a rope saw kit already made. I used a heavy socket to throw it very high with as a leader. my problem is that some the limbs I need to cut are as big as a tree themselves. the limb will hit my house or garage when it falls. it's easy to cut limbs down when it's not close to anything

thank you soo much!

brilliant move

Do you think this will work on thin branches? I feel like if there's any flex in the tree branch at all it wouldn't work.

I need your help. 63 and have limbs to take off. 🌵

So helpful! I got about 5

Great idea, thanks!

excellent job.

If you only have teeth on one side how do you make it where the cutting teeth are facing the branch? I actually have one of those chains but have not used it yet.😊

is this effective when the branch is fresh and not yet dry

Love it , thank you

Good for you!

This is incredible

Nice video showing and explaining how to cut the tree limb down. Now my question to you is where can I buy that cutting chain?

the thing that worries me on these "double-sided" blades is maintaining it. only takes a moment for the blade to become dull if it runs into the wrong thing and doesn't seem it'd fit into my Oregon sharpener as a traditional blade would. how are u putting a new edge on this when needed?

Works great thanks

In my pickup truck with a ladder and a pole saw....still can't reach it. This may work.

That’s how you cut down a branch, in style!

The chain only cuts on 1 side, what happens when the chain lands upsidedown on the limb?

I'm buying 24' telescoping pole to thread the throw line into a specific branch.

I use my fishing pole with heavy test line. Then I pull the rope with the chainsaw over the branch

Wow….. that guy is fast. If you know the length of the line needed…. Cut the string so if you throw and miss the correct branch, you can just pull it through and rethrow them

Why cut the string when all you needed to do is tie the strap to the end? But then I do this a lot higher than 20'. 20' is easy with an extension for the pole saw.

do I remain directly underneath the branch through the entire process of cutting ? 🐰

How would you trim a branch growing nearly vertically? I need to somehow lasso or use a grappling hook to snag the vertical branch and pull it way from my neighbor's fence. I don't want to damage his fence when I make the cut. The branch is 20-25' up where I need to snag or rope it and pull it toward me...or even tie a rope around it to catch it when I make the cut to keep it from falling on the fence. Any ideas?

How do you get the teeth to line up with the branch surface?

Bow and arrow works

Not too bad, for a out of breath , yuppie. ....lol Seriously tho, good job.

You left a stub that will die back and hurt the tree. Get that cut back to the trunk asap so the healing ring can start growing.

dude . use a rock or a hammer when you throw your line . I`m only here now because my ladder is too small I`m crippled and broke . hoping my doing this with handsaws and reciprocating saws since I was 11 , 30 odd years ago may help someone. also tie the branch in one or two places and have someone pull it or tie it to an elevated stationary object so it is drawn away when it falls.

I have the manual chain saw like yours, and intend to use them on similar tall branches. But.....at the same time I'm trimming an individual, vertical branch, I need to somehow lasso the branch to pull it away from a neighbor's fence since I don't want to damage it. How might I lasso a vertical branch? I'm thinking maybe a grappling hook or the like? Suggestions?

Slingshot....fishing line....tied to a nut that will go on 3/8s bolt. Shoot it over the limb, if it goes over other limbs, pull the nut up until it is free and give the fishing line slack, it will come right down so you can tie the saw to it and pull that over the limb. It's much faster and takes a fraction of the energy.

Note to self: Keep rope and pocket chainsaw in bug out bag!

Haha! I’m doing this!!!

Instead of cutting your line so far back you could have easily just untied or cut your knot. Saving you a lot of wasted time and rope/twine. Telescopic pruners/ power pruners will only reach so far. However Stihl, Jameson and a few other companies make fiberglass poles that you can connect. They range from 4' to 12'. Buying multiples will get you higher in the tree and make the job alot easier and faster. Also at 5:08 you mention cutting the sucker growth, (the smaller branches as you called them), but if someone can reach them to cut them then they should be able to reach the branch they are trying to cut. Right? I mean, the sucker growth would only interfere with the throw line if it is ABOVE the branch you want to cut.

I think the tree looked better with the limb. It wasn't in the way... Did you cut this limb, just to cut a limb? 😆

Good idea, but please use safety! Like a helmet! 🤔😉

That branches about less than an Inch and half in diameter and it is less than 20 feet from the flat ground. My branch is 19 Inches in diameter and 35 feet above the roof….

How many times did he say lashing strap?

I just bought and used a manual jamieson pole saw

There was nothing wrong with that branch.

Connect the throw line to a drone.

wow you and i think just a like. i can on you tube to see if anyone had thought of this idea

Where did you get your vest? I want one.

safety glasses dude! not your raybans!!!

You look like Rivers from Weezer with those shades on

Nice work! How did you get the chain to stay with cutting teeth inwards?

MacGyver himself!

How long did it take to cut?

how do you get the cutting side of the chain to face the right way?

Sounded like a B-17 flying overhead to bomb the Germans.

Nice. But cutting a limb that way can tear the bark, causing permanent damage.

Cool! Will it work on a bigger/thicker tree limb? Thanks.

Well that's one way to do it I guess. lol

Almost got a heart attack with this tool. Spent $250 got a Silky 21 ft pole saw.

Super cool! I never heard of a pocket chainsaw. Very helpful video. What's the max branch diameter that can be cut this way?

I know what IAM doing tomorrow.

watch when ya thrw the weight over the limb....it can swing back and git ya in da head

Try cutting a limb that's 50 feet high and under it is my neighbors roof.

Lot of work. But ok.

I suggest you wear a hard hat. Maybe somebody can tell us here what is the best one to use.

Ladder

You never showed how you got chain on straps. I was impressed UNTIL YOU SKIPPED THE MAIN PART....NOT GOOD...