# Tree Jack



## B-Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

Have any of you used them? I have seen pictures and that's all. I did use a bottle floor jack one time to help me get an Ashe tree to fall away from the river(nothing to damage). I had to put a piece of steel on top to keep it from sinking into the tree. I let my expert climber cut it and ask him are you sure you have it back cut enough? Of course he had(that's why there was still over half of it not cut. Anyway it was on a steep hill and hard to get to. We also had a come-along pulling the top and would not have gotten it over without the floor jack so I can see where they would be the cat's meow.


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## tomtrees58 (Sep 19, 2008)

madsens has them $ 2500,00 tom trees


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## motoroilmccall (Sep 19, 2008)

My uncle used to tell me how they used them up in Quebec, but I've never had to use one. PNW guys might tell you stories about them, but we don't get big enough wood out here to justify them, wedges will go a long way.


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## slowp (Sep 19, 2008)

I saw them used way back in the 80s. It was spooky. The saws were quiet while the guys were working the jacks, and then the tree went over. They were used in the old growth. There was room in the tree to use them---very large diameters. What is cut now here has no need nor would it have enough size to use a jack.


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## Tree Sling'r (Sep 19, 2008)

Use them all the time. 
There is nothing like the thrill of having two sets of the big doubles maxed out in the red of a 17,000bf doug fir hanging over the haul road with trucks going by, then using another 5,000bf tree to eventually push it over. Did I mention the second tree had to span a class 2 draw?
True story.


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## toddstreeservic (Sep 19, 2008)

any pictures? :monkey:


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## Spotted Owl (Sep 19, 2008)

If you need jack(s) you're into some big wood. Or some real hairy scary stuff.

Ya, i've used them but don't like too. Those things seem to gain wieght the farther you have to pack them in. We had to use two sets of double pack jacks on a couple big'uns and man that = work.

One time we used a total of eight jack on one drop. The boss wanted to cut this tree like this for hazard safety reasons. Redwood, 13'9" of wood actual wood with 14" of bark on one side and 16" on the other on top of the 13'9" for a total of just over 15 feet. Had 4 sets of pack jacks in that monster with 1.5" plates top and bottom to help distribute the jack weight and pressure . Straight cuts and everything meeting perfect was absolutely neccessary. We had to drop it between two historical markers, one was a house and the other was a carriage house(barn).
Boss beat in a lathe stake in the middles and we dropped it less than half a width toward the barn from the stake. With out that set up it ould have been near impossible to make that work with this particular tree. He had a transit type scope watching us to make sure everything was cutting correctly. 

Bro inlaw was on the other end of that bar and still has it hangin in his shop. Photo of the downed tree painted on the entire length. One cut was darn near a full tank for both of us. 3 or 6 tanks depending to get that b1tch on the ground along with 3 chains, one for each cut. I forget how long it actually took from starting the first cut to the thump when she hit the earth.

Once cut we could not touch it again. The state and historical people and a bunch of others were there.

A couple would have done fine, but I wasn't signing the checks. The boss called for it and it was used, we aren't in the habbit of questioning safety considerations all that often and this seemed like a time when overkill wasn't all that bad.


Cutting I usually have a single in the truck depending on where and what is happening. I will do just about anything I can to keep from having to use it though.

Owl


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## joesawer (Sep 19, 2008)

Packing jacks on bad ground sucks. Some times they are the only thing that will get the job done, and some times they are better than beating your brains out on wedges.
As for leaving a big enough hinge, always cut your jack seat first and a kerf for your bar, then put the jacks in and bring them up to pressure and then cut your face.
Here are some pics of some trees that we jacked, that I posted a few months ago. The jack pics are in post 6 and 8.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=69827


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## 2dogs (Sep 19, 2008)

I would really like to have a set of jacks for limb locked pines and firs. My wife would skin me if I bought them. A friend I work with has a set so they are available in the Sierras, just not near home. I was going to post a pic of a small tree that we beat on for half an hour last week but my wife is on the other computer where the pics are. We were going to hike back to the truck for a throw line and sling shot when the limbs finally let go and the tree came down.


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## B-Edwards (Oct 7, 2008)

I hate the thoughts of cutting old growth Redwoods , but man it would have been an adventure being there when they were cut. I have read about guys getting inside a hollow and staying there on that side of a crosscut saw while the tree fell. I would think it would be a very (scary) safe place to be as long as a hanger didnt bomb in on you.


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