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Cutting down a tree is no small feat, and before you start, you need to wear the right protection. Always wear a logger's helmet, earmuffs, a face screen, safety glasses, thick gloves, and Kevlar chaps. A helmet protects you from falling branches, earmuffs and a face screen protect your face and ears, and safety glasses keep the dust out of your eyes. Kevlar chaps stop chainsaws the instant the bar hits your leg. Most trees are taller than you think and can reach farther on the ground than initial estimates. By using the "axe handle trick," you can determine how far the tree is going to fall. Hold your axe vertically at arm's length and close one of your eyes. Either walk toward the tree or back away from it until the axe is even with the treetop and the bottom even with the base. Your feet should be located where the treetop rests after falling. Add 1 to 2 feet (0.30 to 0.61m) of extra room just to be safe. Although many crepe myrtles won't be tall enough to pose serious damage, some can reach up to 33 feet (10m). For these trees, cut away any brush around their trunk using garden shears and lay out two escape routes on the side of the tree. Each escape route should be around 45 degrees from the other in opposite directions. Think of the felling direction as the bottom line of a capital "Y", and the two top lines the escape routes. Before cutting down the tree, look out for loose branches, dead branches that are still attached, and buildings, fences, or power lines that are in the felling zone. Loose or dead branches should be removed prior to cutting. Determine which direction the tree is leaning by looking for the side with the heaviest load/branches. If your felling zone contains buildings, fences, or power lines, stop here and call a professional. Using an axe, make a notch cut that is 1/5 of the way into the tree's trunk. The bottom cut should be 30 degrees from the horizontal plane, while the top cut should be 60 degrees from it. The notch cut will be the direction the tree falls. Always start with the top cut. If you meet the top notch perfectly when making the bottom cut, the wedge will drop out. If you don't, you will have to extend the cuts from the top or bottom to let the wedge drop free. Your felling cut should be level with the apex of your notch. Draw a line with a piece of chalk connecting both sides for a guide. Once the tree begins to lean, pull your saw free, hit the saw's chain break, and move to one of your escape routes. Keep your eye on the tree so that you can properly react if it falls in a way that conflicts with your plan.
Wear the proper safety gear to protect yourself. Estimate the felling zone using an axe. Cut a way for two escape routes using garden pruners. Examine the tree for potential problems. Create a notch cut using your axe. Cut the tree horizontally with a chainsaw using the apex as a guide.