Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Don't Watch This If You Have Feelings Of Inadequacy

Molly Smith has posted some videos from the 2011 Steel Challenge championship match at Piru, California, and I hope they will encourage all of you to get out and practice more.  Molly is one of the bloggers you will meet if you come to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous.  The Rondy is just one week away, so for Heaven's sake, sign up if you haven't already done so!





Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Pro Ears Has Sweetened The Deal!

Mr. Completely has posted more news from Pro Ears, one of the new sponsors for the Gun Blogger Rendezvous.  Click over and see why you really need to go to Reno next week.

Quick Drop Method For Lodged Trees



A few years back I posted a video of a method to drop a lodged tree, by hinging it and letting it fold down in a controlled manner. That method is relatively safe, but it is time consuming, and folding a lodged tree with a hinge results in the treetop becoming vertical sooner than it does with the method in this video. The quick and dirty method is to simply cut downward vertically until you see the kerf begin to close, drive in a wedge, and continue cutting until the the top drops. You have to keep your body parts in the clear, and it is imperative that you dope out whether the top is going to roll, so you can be on the safe side when that occurs. This method saves a lot of time, and as long as you do your part sizing things up, you won't get hurt. The photo below shows how it looks when you have it all on the ground.


Monday, August 29, 2011

Laughter Is Our God's Best Gift

Bar-Room Ballads: Bessie's Boil

Says I to my Missis: "Ba goom, lass! you've something I see, on your mind."
Says she: "You are right, Sam, I've something. It 'appens it's on me be'ind.
A Boil as 'ud make Job jealous. It 'urts me no end when I sit."
Says I: "Go to 'ospittel, Missis. They might 'ave to coot it a bit."
Says she: "I just 'ate to be showin' the part of me person it's at."
Says I: "Don't be fussy; them doctors see sights more 'orrid than that."

So Misses goes off togged up tasty, and there at the 'ospittel door
They tells 'er to see the 'ouse Doctor, 'oose office is Room Thirty-four.
So she 'unts up and down till she finds it, and knocks and a voice says: "Come in,"
And there is a 'andsome young feller, in white from 'is 'eels to 'is chin.
"I've got a big boil," says my Missis. "It 'urts me for fair when I sit,
And Sam (that's me 'usband) 'as asked me to ask you to coot it a bit."
Then blushin' she plucks up her courage, and bravely she shows 'im the place,
And 'e gives it a proper inspection, wi' a 'eap o' surprise on 'is face.
Then 'e says wi' an accent o' Scotland: "Whit ye hae is a bile, Ah can feel,
But ye'd better consult the heid Dockter; they caw him Professor O'Neil.
He's special for biles and carbuncles. Ye'll find him in Room Sixty-three.
No charge, Ma'am. It's been a rare pleasure. Jist tell him ye're comin' from me."

So Misses she thanks 'im politely, and 'unts up and down as before,
Till she comes to a big 'andsome room with "Professor O'Neil" on the door.
Then once more she plucks up her courage, and knocks, and a voice says: "All right."
So she enters, and sees a fat feller wi' whiskers, all togged up in white.
"I've got a big boil," says my Missis, "and if ye will kindly permit,
I'd like for to 'ave you inspect it; it 'urts me like all when I sit."
So blushin' as red as a beet-root she 'astens to show 'im the spot,
And 'e says wi' a look o' amazement: "Sure, Ma'am, it must hurt ye a lot."
Then 'e puts on 'is specs to regard it, and finally says wi' a frown:
"I'll bet it's as sore as the divvle, especially whin ye sit down.
I think it's a case for the Surgeon; ye'd better consult Doctor Hoyle.
I've no hisitation in sayin' yer boil is a hill of a boil."

So Misses she thanks 'im for sayin' her boil is a hill of a boil,
And 'unts all around till she comes on a door that is marked: "Doctor Hoyle."
But by now she 'as fair got the wind up, and trembles in every limb;
But she thinks: "After all, 'e's a Doctor. Ah moosn't be bashful wi' 'im."
She's made o' good stuff is the Missis, so she knocks and a voice says: "Oos there?"
"It's me," says ma Bessie, an' enters a room which is spacious and bare.
And a wise-lookin' old feller greets 'er, and 'e too is togged up in white.
"It's the room where they coot ye," thinks Bessie; and shakes like a jelly wi' fright.
"Ah got a big boil," begins Missis, "and if ye are sure you don't mind,
I'd like ye to see it a moment. It 'urts me, because it's be'ind."
So thinkin' she'd best get it over, she 'astens to show 'im the place,
And 'e stares at 'er kindo surprised like, an' gets very red in the face.
But 'e looks at it most conscientious, from every angle of view,
Then 'e says wi' a shrug o' 'is shoulders: "Pore Lydy, I'm sorry for you.
It wants to be cut, but you should 'ave a medical bloke to do that.
Sye, why don't yer go to the 'orsespittel, where all the Doctors is at?
Ye see, Ma'am, this part o' the buildin' is closed on account o' repairs;
Us fellers is only the pynters, a-pyntin' the 'alls and the stairs."

Robert Service "Let's joy with every moment's breath."

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Not Again

Back To The Old Grind!

Not My Victrola



Helen Kane is always fun to listen to, and "Thank Your Father" is one of her best. Pax41's record is in pristeen condition, and somehow escaped being played to death with old steel needles.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Weekend Steam: Plan For Next Week!


Old Threshers at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa begins next Thursday!  I think that as in years past, veterans get in the gate for half price, and ride the trains for no charge on the first day (Sept 1) of the five day annual reunion.

Click here for Old Threshers info,  and Here for Midwest Central's page.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Crankin' It Up



No More Worryin', by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra.  March 26, 1926.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Mr. Completely's September e-Postal Contest: Trying In Vane

Many years ago, I think it was in the late 1960's, I saw a western that inspired this month's contest.  One cowboy wanted to see if the other cowboy could shoot, and told him to shoot at a nearby windmill.  The second fellow launched several rounds with no effect, then proclaimed that he was shooting between the vanes!  We are going to see if any of our e-Postal shooters can pull that off with our target, "Trying In Vane".

The object of the contest is to shoot ten times, and to make clean shots, totally in the white between the vanes, or in the center of the windmill.  Just to keep anyone from being discouraged, we will give you 5 points for hits on the mill, so everyone should be able to make at least 50 points.  Clean misses in the windmill are worth 20 points, so if you are good and extraordinarily lucky, you could score 200.  Two Bonus Buzzards are circling in the sky, and if you want to try for them, they are worth 50 points each.  (This will even up the odds for folks shooting larger calibers.)  They are small and very hard to tag; but if you can hit them and make eight 20 point shots, you will have an impressive score of 260! 

This contest definitely favors .22's and .17's, but we will include all of the regular classes and see if anyone can keep all their shots in the middle of the mill with their favorite centerfire pistol.  Take 10 shots from 25 feet, or as near to that distance that you can shoot at your range.  Shoot with your favorite unsupported stance; one or two hands.  Just to keep it simple, you can shoot rifles from the same distance.  The distances between the vanes are tight enough that it will still be an impressive shot at 25 feet with a rifle.

Class 1: .17 or .22 rimfire handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, iron sights.

Class 2: .17 or .22 rimfire handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, optic sights, no magnification.

Class 3: Any centerfire (non-revolver) handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, iron sights.

Class 4: Any centerfire (non-revolver) handgun with no more than a 12" barrel, optic sights, no magnification.

Class 5: Any revolver with no more than a 12" barrel, iron sights.

Class 6: Any revolver with no more than a 12" barrel, optic sights, no magnification.

Class 7: Any handgun with no more than a 14" barrel, any sights, scopes, laser, whatever. This class is primarily for target pistols.

Class 8: .17 or .22 air pistol, iron sights

Class 9: .17 or .22 air pistol, optic sights.

Miscellaneous:  Any other firearm that doesn't fit the above classes.

This contest will run through September 30. Send scans of your targets to truebluetravelinman (at) gmail (dot) com.  We are starting this contest a few days early so you can shoot it and Danno's August contest during the same range trip.  Don't miss the August contest, because you might win some great Top Shot swag, just by sending in your target to Danno.

Click the picture at the top of the post or HERE to get the pdf of the target.

Many thanks to Engineering Johnson for making the pdf for this contest!  Yes, he is still out there, and one day he will start posting again!


UPDATE!!  A comment over at Billll's Idle Mind points us to the scene in Five Card Stud that inspired this contest, and it shows that I don't remember things very well after forty years!

More GBR Sponsors!



Sure enough, I missed some of the sponsors when I put my list together, but the problem is being rapidly rectified as everyone helps out with their info.  Mr. Completely posted that The History Channel, and the Top Shot program are the newest sponsors for the Gun Blogger Rendezvous, and I remembered Girls Heart Guns recently reported that Project Appleseed will be represented at the Rendezvous.  GBR-VI is only two weeks away now!  Don't let this opportunity pass you by!

Stand By...


Hickok45 Reviews Some Rugers

I've been looking at some of Hickok45's YouTube video's and it is easy to understand why he has over 93,000 subscribers on YouTube. He is articulate, knowledgable, a great shot with a pistol, and he demonstrates good safety skills while he does his recordings. These videos are a good set to watch together, because they cover three of Ruger's  popular models for concealed carry; the LC9, SR9C, and LCP.

If you have been following this blog you know that Bea recently bought an LCP for her hideout gun. She looked at at lots of pistols, and her problem is not mentioned much on the gun blogs. She has a bad finger on her left hand, and doesn't have enough power in her grip to rack the slide on pistols larger than .380. She gets along fine with her Walther PK380, and also the LCP. We read some reviews on the LCP, and most of them mentioned snappy recoil. Mom doesn't have any problem with the recoil, so I think everyone can disregard that. She does have trouble pulling the double-action-only trigger more than twice without a brief rest. She found that she can switch hands and pull the trigger with her middle finger of her left hand, then switch back to her right hand. She has run several hundred rounds through her LCP now, with zero malfunctions. One of the best features about the LCP is that Mom can wear beltless trousers, and it doesn't pull her pants down.

Anyhow, you will have a good time watching Hickok45 shoot these Rugers, and gain some good knowledge if you are looking for a carry gun. Don't forget that Ruger has donated an SR9C for the raffle at the Gun Blogger Rendezvous. You have to be there to win, so go sign up.





Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Sponsors and Supporters of the Gun Blogger Rendezvous

This list also sits over on the left side of the page, and I just updated it last night for GBR VI.  It represents many good people, and good companies.

    And Bea!

    Please send a comment if you see any omissions.  Feel free to copy and post this list far and wide.


    Bringing Home The Bacon

    It's bad to be down the food chain.  This cicada is being transported to a den prepared by a cicada killer, and a sad fate awaits it; being eaten alive by cicada killer larvae.  The nest is in the ground, so you may wonder why this big wasp is climbing a tree.  The cicada may have to be transported a relatively great distance by this predator, so they will drag their prize up a tree in order to fly most of the way to the nest.  Cicada killers are not generally a threat to humans, and are solitary.  They have their own problems, being stalked by red velvet (cow killer) ants, which are actually big wingless wasps.  The cow killers do the same thing to cicada killers that they do to cicadas.  It's a jungle out there.

    Tuesday, August 23, 2011

    The Joy Of John Deere

    I have seen a few John Deere power units over the years, but I didn't know anything about them.  The fellow showing this one told me that these were unchanged from 1925 'til 1954, and the RPM range was 400 to 900, so now I know a little bit.  I don't know the size, but it looks like it might be the same engine that was used in the D models.  The sound of a John Deere always gets my attention, and this is the first engine I videoed at Pinckneyville this year.




    Are You Ready?


    Monday, August 22, 2011

    No Thanks Necessary



    This fine project was at the engine show in Pinckneyville, and it went home begging for a buyer. The phone number is on the side, so if you are interested you can call. It is in Missouri.

    Saturday, August 20, 2011

    Friday, August 19, 2011

    Crankin' It Up



    Ted Lewis really gets his clarinet wound up on this one! You can tell the great records by the amount of wear, and this one was someone's favorite. Recorded September 5, 1919.

    Thursday, August 18, 2011

    Possibilities





    Gas engine shows always have old engines for sale in various states of repair, and this Cushman looks as though it would be a real challenge. It takes time, and a pretty good machine shop to put one like this back together. Here is what it could look, and sound like if a dedicated hobbyist takes it on.

    Wednesday, August 17, 2011

    Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

    Humans aren't the only ones who recycle.  This mourning dove has commandeered a used robin nest, and I wonder if she will pick up any technological knowledge about mudding her sticks together.  It's a much stronger home than doves build for themselves.

    Tuesday, August 16, 2011

    You Must Register To Win!

    The Rendezvous it happening in Reno, starting on September 8, whether you are there or not, and you must be registered, and be present to win the great prizes being offered by sponsors.  These certificates, being held by Bea in a secure location, are for two pistols by Ruger, and there will also be a Weatherby shotgun, Hi-Point Carbine, and a Glock among the prizes.  You can't afford to miss this Rendezvous, so do the necessary clicking and make your travel plans!

    Corn Country Cruisers



    The Corn Country Cruisers descended on Washington, Iowa during my recent trip north. Bea and I walked up to the square and had a great time ooh-ing and ah-ing over the beauties on display.

    Monday, August 15, 2011

    Mulch Is A Fuse

     Here is a hazard that we wouldn't normally think about in the urban landscape.  This house recently was sold, and the new owner is in the process of moving in.  One of the helpers dropped a lit cigarette Saturday afternoon next to the driveway; unfortunately, it landed in landscaping mulch which was spread around the front porch. 

    Sunday morning a passerby smelled smoke, and discovered that the mulch was smoldering along, and was inches away from being able to ignite the house.  We think about having green space around our homes out in the country, but city dwellers don't usually concern themselves with fireproofing the area around the house. 

    Saturday, August 13, 2011

    Weekend Steam



    80Case shared this video of his 50 HP Case engine on the sawmill at Pinckneyville in 2008. It is a good reminder for us because the Pinckneyville show is coming up August 18-21; next weekend. It's a great show, and maybe the temps won't be so hot this year.

    Friday, August 12, 2011

    Crankin' It Up



    The Cotton Pickers recorded Blue Rose the same day as last week's selection, and it will move your feet! Push the furniture back to the wall and turn up the volume.

    Thursday, August 11, 2011

    Oak Wilt's A Bummer

     I walked around this tree for quite a while hoping to see physical damage from a lightning strike, but finally gave up and cut a twig to find what I figured was there.

    The discoloration in the new wood is a sign that the tree is infected with oak wilt, a deadly fungus that always kills oaks in the red oak group.  There were no other sick trees nearby, so this tree was infected by natidulid beetles that carried the spores to it.  I recommended to the homeowner that he take it down immediately, and maybe prevent the infection from spreading through root grafts to other oaks in his yard.  I had a saw with me, and dropped it for him, then checked the sapwood in the stump and butt log.

    The disease had already reached the stump, as evidenced by the discoloration in the new sapwood.  The homeowner brought a load of firewood and a barrel, so he could burn the stump into the ground.  Even though he acted quickly, hope is the hingepin of his plan to keep it from killing the rest of the oaks in his yard.

    Check these links to read more about oak wilt, and be on the lookout for symptoms in your trees every year.
    1 23 


    Wednesday, August 10, 2011

    Can Crusher!



    No engine show is complete without a homemade can crusher to entertain the crowd. This ingenious contraption is powered by an International engine, and uses a pump jack to provide the reciprocating action. On display at the SIAM show in June, 2011, at Evansville, IN.

    Tuesday, August 9, 2011

    You Could Be The Next Smiling Face At GBR!

     Major Chuck Ziegenfuss wins at the Rendezvous in 2009!

     Mrs. WhiteWolf wins at the Rendezvous in 2010!


    Bea wins at the Rendezvous in 2010!

    Donors have provided the best bunch of prizes ever this year, folks.  The list includes GLOCK, Hi-Point, Ruger, Weatherby, Woolrich Tactical, Pro-Ears, Leupold; and I am sure there will be hats, T-shirts, and more great gun swag from other sponsors.  You can't win if you don't attend!  The Rendezvous raises funds to provide voice activated laptops to wounded soldiers through Project Valour-IT, so please sign up and show your support.

    Photo Credit: Derek The Packing Rat, who is one of the great bloggers you will meet at the Rendezvous.


    Win A Ruger SR9C At Gun Blogger Rendezvous VI!!

    Stolen from Mr. Completely's blog:  "The great folks at Ruger have come through big time in helping the Gun Blogger Rendezvous in our fund raising efforts for Soldier's Angels and Project Valour-IT. Ruger is donating a Ruger SR9C for our raffle. The SR9 series are a hot item right now, and I'm sure they can sell every one they can make, just as fast as they can make them!"

    The Rendezvous this year is going to be incredible, with plenty of activity, and a better list of prizes than ever before.  Click Here to go to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous Site, send in your registration form, and make your reservations.  

    Monday, August 8, 2011

    Mr. Completely's August e-Postal Contest...

    ...is being hosted by Danno, over at Sand Castle Scrolls again.  This is the contest to enter this year if you have been shy about putting your handle on the Internet as a shooter!  The folks at The History Channel have joined up with Mr. Completely and are offering some Top Shot swag as prizes to the entrants!  In fact, you don't even have to shoot to have a chance to win!  You must, however, click over to Sand Castle Scrolls, download the target, and send a scan to Danno with your contact information.  I guarantee that you will have more fun if you also shoot your target, but it is not necessary to have a chance at winning.

    Weatherby Is In As A Sponsor For Gun Blogger Rendezvous VI!!!

    Weatherby PA-08 Synthetic Pump Shotgun

    The pump shotgun is one of the most easy-to-use, no-nonsense firearms in the world. Our PA-08 pump shotgun carries that tradition forward in typical Weatherby function and style. Designed on a similar frame as our popular semi-automatics, the PA-08 features a dual action bar design that is straightforward, overbuilt and made for round after round of high volume shooting.

    All Weatherby® PA-08 pump shotguns feature a ventilated top rib and brass bead front sight to aid in target acquisition. The vent rib works to dissipate heat in the barrel, promotes a smoother "swing-thru" and gives the shooter an excellent sight line for acquiring fast-moving targets. Each PA-08 gun comes with three application-specific, screw-in choke tubes.

    Lightweight and durable injection-molded synthetic stockAll metalwork is matte black to reduce glare
    Vented top rib dissipates heat and aids in target acquisition

    Available in 12 gauge, 3" chamber

    •26" or 28" chrome-lined barrel

    Comes with three application-specific choke tubes (IC, M, F)
     
    Swivel studs included



    Here’s some more great news!


    Weatherby will be having an in-person postal shoot during the range day event. Everyone’s invited to have a go with a new Weatherby S2 Vanguard (wearing some new Leupold glass, of course). We’ll collect the targets just for fun, but everyone who shoots will be in a drawing. 1st, 2nd and 3rd will win a raffle tickets for the Project Valour-IT drawing. A little more money is raised for a good cause and the prize could be pretty cool.

    In addition, Weatherby’s getting together with our friends from SIG SAUER to have a Steel Challenge three-gun stage on Saturday. Once again, everyone gets to shoot on the clock, but we’ll be drawing for more raffle tickets for 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

    This looks to be one heck of a Rendezvous!

    Leupold Returns As A Sponsor To Gun Blogger Rendezvous VI!

     
    Leupold is returning this year as a GBR-VI sponsor! They are donating a VX-R patrol rifle scope and two of their newest trail cameras to the raffle table.  Click Here to read about these exciting products!



    The Rendezvous is only one month away!  Click over to the Rendezvous site, and register with Mr. Completely right away if you haven't already done so.  This promises to be a great get together this year, and you do not have to be a blogger to attend. Only registered attendees can win the raffle prizes, so you better head to Reno!



    Sunday, August 7, 2011

    It's Hardly Like Work!



    Back To The Old Grind!

    Not My Victrola



    Harry Reser must have been quite a joker, but I wonder if his band actually performed in those outfits. It's a cool name for a hot jazz band.

    Saturday, August 6, 2011

    Weekend Steam



    It seems that no matter where you live, there is an old engine show nearby. This one is the Central North Dakota Steam Threshers' Reunion at New Rockford. Upload by TRBUFF.

    Friday, August 5, 2011

    Crankin' It Up



    The Cotton Pickers made this lively recording on November 27, 1923. This record is in excellent condition, and it just about blows you out of the studio when played on the old windup Brunswick.

    Thursday, August 4, 2011

    Meet Millisecond Molly!

    Mr. Completely, Molly, and Derek

    Molly went to her first Gun Blogger Rendezvous when she was just twelve years old, and she is planning to be in Reno again this year with her parents to help promote this great fundraising event for Project Valour-IT.  Click here to read all about Molly on Soldiers' Angels website.  Molly is a world class shooter in Steel Challenge, and you will find yourself standing in a whole lot of awe when you watch her shoot.   Come to Reno and join in the good times!  You do not have to be a blogger to attend; you just have to like shooting, and visiting with others about guns, shooting, and related subjects.  Check Mr. Completely's blog regularly in the coming weeks because there are some very important announcements in the pipeline.

    Ice!! Any Ice?!



    Fred Waring's band provides a hot rendition of "Any Ice Today, Lady?" to help you through this heat wave. From Velvetree's collection.

    You Don't Learn These Things Out Of A Book!

    How do you know the front from the back of a tree? 

    Bubba from Georgia decides to travel across the South to Arkansas to see God's Country. When he gets to Sheridan, he likes the place so much that he decides to stay, but first he must find a job!!!! 

    He walks into the International Paper Company office and fills out an application as an experienced log inspector. It's his lucky day!!! They just happen to be looking for someone, but first, the log foreman takes him for a ride into the forest in the company pickup truck to see how much he knows
    . 

    The foreman stops the truck on the side of the road and points at a tree "See that tree over there? I want you to tell me what species it is and how many board feet of lumber it contains." 

    Bubba promptly answers, "That thar's a shortleaf pine, 383 board feet of lumber in 'er." 

    The foreman is impressed!!! He puts the truck in motion and stops about a mile down the road. He points at another tree through the passenger window and asks the same question. This time, it's a bigger tree of a different class. 
    "That's a loblolly pine and she's got about 456 board feet.." 

    The foreman is really impressed, he has been quick and got the answers right without using a calculator!!!! 

    One more test. They drive a little farther down the road, and the foreman stops again. This time, he points across the road through his driver side window and says, "And what about that one?" 

    Before the foreman finishes pointing, the redneck says, "White oak, 242 board feet at best." 

    The foreman spins the truck around and heads back to the office a little ticked off because he thinks the red neck is smarter than he is. As they near the office, another foreman stops the truck and asks bubba to step outside.. 

    He hands him a piece of chalk and tells him, "See that tree over there?" "I want you to mark an x on the front of that tree!!" 

    The foreman thinks to himself, "How would he know which is the front of the tree?" 

    When bubba reaches the tree, he goes around it in a circle while looking at the ground. He then reaches up and places a white x on the trunk. 

    He walks back to the foreman and hands him the chalk. "That thar's the front,". 

    The foreman laughs to himself and asks sarcastically, "How do you know that's the front of the tree?" 

    Bubba looks down at his feet, while rubbing the toe of his left boot cleaning it in the gravel and replies, "Cuz somebody did their business behind it!" 

    He got the job !

    Wednesday, August 3, 2011

    Ruger Doubles Down For The Gun Blogger Rendezvous!


    Keep an eye on this space and Mr. Completely's Blog for updates, because we do not yet have all the information, but we have news from Ken Jorgensen of Sturm, Ruger, and Company.  Ruger is donating a firearm to the Rendezvous in addition to the .45 Blackhawk that Bea has purchased for the raffle on Saturday, September 10 in Reno.  This is huge, folks!  Go to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous site and register; then make your travel plans!  The Rendezvous is only five weeks away, and you can't win if you don't attend, so sign up for the most fun you will ever have!  Check Mr. Completely regularly as the time draws near, because he will be posting updates about Rendezvous arrangements in the weeks ahead.

    Many thanks to Mike Fifer, Ruger's CEO, and to all of the great folks in the Ruger organization for their generosity and great firearms!

    The Heat Wave Continues!



    Billy Murray and Aileen Stanley perform a cool rendition of "Any Ice Today, Lady?" on this record from the collection of Pax41.

    Bad Stump!

     I ran across this stump recently, and the cutter obviously did not know anything about hinging a tree to make it fall successfully.  You can see that there is no opening made to allow the tree to rotate, and it appears that the fellow hoped to cut it loose from the stump with one cut all the way through from one side to the other.
    Luckily for the operator, the top of this black oak lodged in another tree, and all movement stopped, allowing the guy to go home in one piece.

    Take a look at the video below by ClintNickerson.  This video illustrates why barber chairs are so deadly.  In Clint's video, the leaner needed to be hinged with a bore cut, but he cut from the outside, allowing the tree to move while the hinge wood was too thick.  Clint utters a discouraging word near the end of this vid, and I can't say that I blame him, but consider this a Language Warning in case sensitive ears are nearby.