...and cut that sucker down, almost silently.

High pressure water cuts through 5" steel like butter, it would cut through wood like melted butter.

The loop gets wrapped around the tree and you pull it closed as it cuts. You could also turn it so you only need one nozzle.
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017

Water cutting through wood. https://www.youtube...watch?v=UF8uytY9jRw
We're still using metal to cut wood why? [doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017]

Good guess, new they go for about $300,000... https://www.machine...-komatsu-pc220-lc-8
But beyond ten years old or so I'm seeing them as cheap as 1/10th that. Like cars I guess. [doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017]

Cool.

I wonder, though, how far away from the nozzle a water jet can cut - whenever I've seen them in use, the nozzle is very close to the substance being cut.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 21 2017


It's almost touching. They're extremely precise so maybe that's why it hasn't been suggested (as far as I know) for doing something big and clunky like cutting down a tree.

Unlike a blade or cable, you wouldn't need to replace any cutting surfaces except for the grit infused water.
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017


As the cutting tube passes through the tree, it could distribute ball bearing spacers to keep the tree from collapsing on the cutting tube. These could be squarish to keep the tree from falling until pushed or spherical to allow the tree to be "rolled" off of the stump.

Additionally, the grit and water mixture could be sucked back by the tube for recycling further reducing cost.

See link to get an idea of how well water can cut through wood. Yikes!
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017


At least it's not in...
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 21 2017


Max, are you there? He's been taken up!

Either that or I don't get the post. I'm guessing the latter.

Besides, if you were abducted by aliens you probably wouldn't bother to type "...".
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017


Ahem; category.
-- pertinax, Nov 21 2017


Oops, sorry.

I'm guessing that machine in the link, as incredibly awesome as it is, costs... $300,000. Wild guess. This would cost... six grand. Tops.

And if it were configured properly it would be a lot safer than a chainsaw. I've had experience with those things. You need to know what you're doing or you can wind up trimmed very quickly.
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 21 2017


(pertinent quote)

" I didn't know how easy it was to halve somebody .... "
-- normzone, Nov 21 2017



random, halfbakery