# Help felling tall small diameter Hickory



## NapalmDeath (Oct 29, 2008)

Need advice on felling a approximately 70-80' tall 8-10" diameter Hickory with a slight back lean. The lowest limb looks to be too high to reach throwing a rope around it to possibly pull it in the direction I need it to fall. I don't have any experience using wedges on small diameter trees like this. Is it even possible to use wedges on small diameter trees? What would be my best course to take on this?


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## Nailsbeats (Oct 29, 2008)

Yes it is possible to use wedges. You have your quarter cut, the stack wedges in slots cut, the tongue and groove cut, the stack wedges in slots with no face cut cut. Really though just get up an extension ladder and put a rope on it.


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## NapalmDeath (Oct 29, 2008)

TreeCo said:


> Ever hear of a throw line? It's quite easy to hit 50 or 60ft. The throw line is then used to pull a rope into the tree.
> 
> http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=98329&catID=



Not until now. Looks like I'll have to order one. 
Thanks


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## treemandan (Oct 30, 2008)

Nailsbeats said:


> Yes it is possible to use wedges. You have your quarter cut, the stack wedges in slots cut, the tongue and groove cut, the stack wedges in slots with no face cut cut. Really though just get up an extension ladder and put a rope on it.



No, No, the ladder is what killed the last guy, use the throwball.
Now lets see is I got this right: stack wedges, quarter cut, put tongue in groove? I must not be doing it right I keep getting smacked.


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## Nailsbeats (Oct 30, 2008)

treemandan said:


> No, No, the ladder is what killed the last guy, use the throwball.
> Now lets see is I got this right: stack wedges, quarter cut, put tongue in groove? I must not be doing it right I keep getting smacked.



Oh that's right, I forgot, people don't know how to climb ladders anymore. Wait till he takes the throwball to the teeth, then we'll see.


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## NapalmDeath (Oct 30, 2008)

Nailsbeats said:


> Oh that's right, I forgot, people don't know how to climb ladders anymore. Wait till he takes the throwball to the teeth, then we'll see.



I think I can handle it.


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## Jlarnard (Oct 30, 2008)

lol
Dan you are a fun read man!!


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## pdqdl (Oct 30, 2008)

For one time jobs, you can easily make your own throwing weight with some fishing line and any sort of weight you choose to toss into the tree.

Save some money, buy a couple hundred feet of 30# test monofilament, tie it to a 12 oz weight of some sort (big bolts work fairly well), and try that out. Throw away the tangled mess you make pulling the rope over the branch.

I hung some halloween ornaments recently in the front yard with a ball of cotton string and a 7/8th in. nut. But I was only going 12'-15' in the air.


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## NapalmDeath (Oct 31, 2008)

It was only $15 so I went ahead and ordered the Weaver line & bag combo. I figured it probably won't be the last time I'll need to put a line on a tree. First time in the few short years I have been felling trees for firewood I have needed to do this. Now, the next question that comes to mind is what kind of rope to use. I'll be borrowing a friends rigging rope this time as I priced out 150' of rope at a few places including Baileys and that stuff is more expensive then I thought. For pulling trees using human power and no come-alongs can I get away with using 100-150' of regular rope from the hardware store or should I get the good stuff?


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## John Ellison (Oct 31, 2008)

TreeCo said:


> Get one of these:
> 
> http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=21700&catID=
> 
> ...



Really good advice. Those things are as handy as a pocket on a shirt.


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## NapalmDeath (Oct 31, 2008)

Nylon or Polyester rope?


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## wvlogger (Nov 2, 2008)

put on the climbers and put a rope in it


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## Stihl Alive (Nov 2, 2008)

Fear, Emptiness, Despair. 




great grindcore album


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## NapalmDeath (Nov 2, 2008)

?:monkey:


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## Marc (Nov 3, 2008)

TreeCo said:


> Get one of these:
> 
> http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=21700&catID=
> 
> ...



Is there a particular reason to choose a running bowline over a figure eight on a bight?

Everyone I climb with (rock) and sail with uses figure eights instead because the bowline can come undone when it's not loaded and the figure eight generally has fewer sharp bends and retains more rope strength. In the link below, the bowline retains only 63% of the breaking strenth of the rope where a figure eight on a bight retains 77.5%.

http://www.caves.org/section/vertical/nh/50/knotrope.html


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## NapalmDeath (Nov 4, 2008)

Would it be easier for my application to purchase a rope with a eye splice on the end so I don't have to bother with the knot.


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## buzz sawyer (Nov 4, 2008)

A running bowline allows you to catch the rope on the other side of the tree without going clear to the end of the rope to pull it through. If you're dealing with a long bull rope the RB is a lot faster. I don't think a figure eight on a bight can be tied that way, can it? You would have to put the free end of the rope throught the loop after it's tied, right?


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## Marc (Nov 4, 2008)

buzz sawyer said:


> A running bowline allows you to catch the rope on the other side of the tree without going clear to the end of the rope to pull it through. If you're dealing with a long bull rope the RB is a lot faster. I don't think a figure eight on a bight can be tied that way, can it? You would have to put the free end of the rope throught the loop after it's tied, right?



Nope... you can do the same with a figure eight... called a figure eight follow-through.


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## buzz sawyer (Nov 4, 2008)

Marc said:


> Nope... you can do the same with a figure eight... called a figure eight follow-through.



Thanks, any idea where I could see a drawing? Can't seem to visualize it. 
Is it easier to tie than a RB - like one-handed? Sounds like it would be almost impossible to come untied by itself.


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## toddstreeservic (Nov 4, 2008)

I'm a rock/ice climber and use the rethreaded 8 in climbing but never in tree work. It is much slower to tie/untie than a bowline or running bowline.


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## buzz sawyer (Nov 4, 2008)

*figure 8 follow through*

Just found this animated guide. 

http://www.apocalypse.org/~antony/tutorial/intro.htm


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## NapalmDeath (Nov 5, 2008)

How about 150' of Sampson Pro Master from www.wesspur.com/rope/samson-pro-master.html for $49 with an eye splice for another $25? Good/Bad?


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## NapalmDeath (Nov 5, 2008)

TreeCo said:


> That ought to work but I wouldn't get the eye splice. I don't believe the splice will go through the Maasdam, plus you don't need the splice.
> 
> You are going to need a spliced eye sling to anchor the Maasdam. 9/16 or 5/8 diameter should work well and 10 or 12 feet long. The cow hitch would be good to learn for tying that sling.



Thank you Sir.


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## mcoleman88 (Nov 8, 2008)

I rock climb too. You know how badly the figure-eight follow thru tightens up when you take a good fall with just body weight. If you think using it and tensioning it with a rope puller or any other sort of mechanical advantage will allow it to easily be untied you are mistaken.


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## NapalmDeath (Nov 9, 2008)

Well, I was able to nail that limb with the throw bag after several tries and was able to pull the tree in the right direction. I was off a little on my origional estimation as it was actually closer to 85' and 12" in diameter.
Thanks again.


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