If you consider a 10' (10 foot) diameter tree "relatively small", I'd like to hear tales of your "large" trees.
Like Nixon, I'm always asked to cut down other people's trees. There's a tree in front of the house we just bought but I know my limits and will be calling someone in to take care of that one.
10 Inches.
Typo sorry.
Yes, we should all know our limits. Many last words cutting trees went something like "Here, hold my beer."
20 years ago I was relatively fearless about tree cutting. Once dropped a 45' Pine tree onto a 24' X 24' patio in three 15' pieces all at once. Made a north cut at 30' then one from the south at 15',,,; and then dropped it with a cut at the ground. Didn't damage the house, the garage or one leaf on adjacent trees. Genius???, maybe,. Pure luck mostly.
I've dropped them on my Ozark property and made side money trimming and removing large ones all over town. Most in our subdivision know to call me when their Braddford Pears are dropped/damaged by a storm. (Makes really nice smoking wood for pork) Last year we had an old pin oak trying to die. The wife said "NO WAY you are climbing up that tree" So,I hired a crew to limb it. Sadly we did the surgery too late. This spring it did not come out at all.
Trunk is 36" (that's inches) diameter, and it towers over the house so,,,,; I'm bringing the pro's back to take it down. The trunk, (about 26' or more) will go to a friend who makes huge rustic table tops at his saw mill.
The limbs and upper trunk, they can leave in my yard or load to my 20 foot flatbed, will make a full chord or more of dry seasoned firewood. I'll tackle that myself.
I have two face chords from the original trimmings. I have no idea where I'm gonna store this new stuff. But with two wood burning fireplaces, and a patio fire pit at my house, we can sure use it up.
And I can use the exercise.