Asheville Volunteer Work, Day 1 of .... Dangerous hung-up tree

[AussieSawyer]

Hello everyone, how is your week going?

The weather continues to be beautiful here in Asheville, after the mayhem ended.

A local church reached out with my first project - a hung up pine that threatens to cut off part of the community if it comes down (across their access road). And it's nasty - split through down to the ground, evidence of ants, and snapped off at about 8 ft above the ground.

First I cleared out the area - at first it was too entangled with undergrowth and saplings to even assess what-was-what.

My 455 did fine with the clearing, but then it was time to start my new-from-the-store 372XP with 24" bar. It just will not start - even with starter fluid jetting in through air intake at carb. It burbled and ran for apx 2 seconds, no pops after that. The store did run it briefly as I paid for it. Is there an area of the saw to focus on in terms of getting it to run? (it's topped up with bar oil and Husky original fuel). All businesses are on short/unpredictable hours - so no chance to talk to any of the staff over the rest of today.

In the end, I took this as a sign that I should apologize to 'the client', walk away for today, and regroup.

This gives me an opportunity to ask all of you - what are the options for taking out the base of this hung up tree as safely as possible? Of course, I would imagine a crew of sufficient size would potentially have the hydraulics and cables to just tear the lower section out. Once the 'new base' is on the ground, it's still a take-down that requires vigilance and caution, but at least you're past the risk presented here - this could blow out at any point in time.

Back to my AirBnB to be blasted with nerf guns. (host's daughter). Something to make me smile as I pack away gear! Life is grand.

 

[Mad Professor]

Good to see good people helping out.

Be careful besides the tree.

The 3-leaved viney stuff growing on the trunk is poison ivy.

I'd get in the shower ASAP and wash down with cold water and dish soap. Wash your clothes/tools too. Survey the area for more PI.

 

[AussieSawyer]

Very important information! Normally I would’ve noticed, but I think my head was swiveling between the failed points of the trunk, and the hung up remains of the tree.

I am finding it incredibly frustrating. Trying to find tools and supplies to support chainsaw work. Today, I have gone as far as Travelers Rest in South Carolina, but even down here the shelves are cleaned out. If anyone recognizes that they are within an hour’s drive of Asheville, & would be prepared to loan out some chains and straps, I would be most grateful. Ditto for rental or sale.

I was hoping to buy a high-quality cable puller (is this the same as come along in USA?), however, it appears I will have to settle for an off-the-shelf pressed metal, Chinese made unit.

There is a community in the Asheville area which is waiting to have this tree removed that could potentially cut off access to the whole community. I have worked out a deal where they would fund the extra tools I need to drag this tree to the ground where I can easily and safely handle it. (in reality, it will end up costing approximately $15 per household)

I want to generate a separate thread where I ask for opinions about repurposing my 455 to work with a 24 inch bar. The bigger saw that I bought from Tennessee will not run.I have verified spark and fuel… There is nothing else I can do at this point. Internet keeps erasing my drafts/more later/be safe!

 

[Mad Professor]

Very important information! Normally I would’ve noticed, but I think my head was swiveling between the failed points of the trunk, and the hung up remains of the tree.

I am finding it incredibly frustrating. Trying to find tools and supplies to support chainsaw work. Today, I have gone as far as Travelers Rest in South Carolina, but even down here the shelves are cleaned out. If anyone recognizes that they are within an hour’s drive of Asheville, & would be prepared to loan out some chains and straps, I would be most grateful. Ditto for rental or sale.

I was hoping to buy a high-quality cable puller (is this the same as come along in USA?), however, it appears I will have to settle for an off-the-shelf pressed metal, Chinese made unit.

There is a community in the Asheville area which is waiting to have this tree removed that could potentially cut off access to the whole community. I have worked out a deal where they would fund the extra tools I need to drag this tree to the ground where I can easily and safely handle it. (in reality, it will end up costing approximately $15 per household)

I want to generate a separate thread where I ask for opinions about repurposing my 455 to work with a 24 inch bar. The bigger saw that I bought from Tennessee will not run.I have verified spark and fuel… There is nothing else I can do at this point. Internet keeps erasing my drafts/more later/be safe!

Keep up the good work.

Will the other saw pop/fire if you put some mix in the carb?

 

[AussieSawyer]

I tried some starter compound (spray can) into the carb inlet - no change. The shop I brought the saw from told me not to do that again - saying it's a fluid with no lube and can lead to cylinder scoring.

 

[J D]

The shop is right... sort of...
What is your starting procedure? It may just be flodded... remove plug, hold throttle open & pull over lots. Do it upside down if possible & make sure switch is set to off. Re-assemble, do not use choke, hold throttle fully on, switch on, pull till it starts (can help to have a second person).
If it has been left for some time excess fuel may have evaporated & it will just start as normal

 

[AussieSawyer]

Hi JD, thanks for the ideas. I had tried everything except pulling with the throttle wide open.

In the end, the store (begrudgingly) took it back. Apparently it started right up on the second pull after my daughter handed it in (90 min drive from here). 3 of us had all tried to get it going, all experienced power saw operators....

It's one of those 'you'll just never know' things....

Since I could not get the saw to run, I hunted down and found a 24" bar and chain for my 455. I told myself to just take it easy with this 50cc saw, and I was able to completely take apart and stack the grand old oak with 27" diameter.

Only regret - not being able to get that tree to a local mill. That was a gorgeous piece of straight lumber. And in oak!

 

[J D]

In the end, the store (begrudgingly) took it back. Apparently it started right up on the second pull after my daughter handed it in (90 min drive from here). 3 of us had all tried to get it going, all experienced power saw operators....

This seems to confirm it was flooded

Only regret - not being able to get that tree to a local mill. That was a gorgeous piece of straight lumber. And in oak!

Thats what chainsaw mills are for

 

[capetrees]

oak?

 

[fields_mj]

I keep a few 1/4" log chains on hand. I can buy them in 20' lengths for about $1/ft. They are light enough that they don't wear me out trying to work with them all day. I normally have 1 that's full length, and then 4 that are 10' long. At least 2 of the 10' chains have slip hooks on one end instead of grab hooks so that they will cinch down on a log.

As far as that tree goes, personally I'd want to leave it and let mother nature take it to the ground for me. Sounds like that is less than ideal though. I'm not sure if its possible or not, but I'd try to pull it sideways first to see if I could get it to come out of the tree its in.

If I had to cut it, I'd probably make a HUGE face cut going away from the directing the tree is falling. Maybe make a slight back cut first that's angled downwards 10 or 20 degrees. Then start with a normal face cut on the opposite side and just keep making it a little bigger and a little deeper. No idea if that would actually work safely or not.

Another idea is to cut a pocket in it and stick a 1 lb jar of tannerite in it. Might want to talk to local law enforcement before trying that though.

 

[moxiemaul]

I have s 3 lead codom locust to bring down today- the 2 big leads started splaying out last week, one coming down over the trail and maybe the adjacent cemetary fence, the other over some nice young trees.

Going to put lines on both and give them a tug with the truck before going in with a saw. I hope.they give and I dont need to cut.

I sure would be trying to get a rope on that pine and pull.it even if it needed a lot of rope and pulley to get the direction right.

 

[woodfarmer]

If you can’t get a 372 to start I’m not so sure you should be anywhere near a hung up tree….just my opinion.
Pull the choke, press decomp button. Pull the recoil till the saw “burps” shut off the choke and it should fire with one more pull.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

This whole thread is terrifying

 

[chipper1]

This whole thread is terrifying

Seems the powers that be were gracious, this all could have went very sideways had the saw ran. Yes, pun intended.

 

[Chainsaw Pete]

I'm very surprised nobody suggested this for the saw that was potentially flooded. Pull the spark plug, pull the recoil starter several times to blow out the gas and pull clean air into the cylinder, and clean/dry the spark plug before putting it back. I usually put in a new or cleaned spare plug. Then go through the starting procedure.

 

[chipper1]

I'm very surprised nobody suggested this for the saw that was potentially flooded. Pull the spark plug, pull the recoil starter several times to blow out the gas and pull clean air into the cylinder, and clean/dry the spark plug before putting it back. I usually put in a new or cleaned spare plug. Then go through the starting procedure.

I do that, but just use the spark plug that was in it, even when it's wet as can be it usually works.
But, since he returned the saw, I felt no need to explain that, and as I said, I believe it was a blessing it didn't start.

 

[A Standard TreeGuy]

Sounds like you got the tree down? Come along is what I would want but don't have myself.

If can't do that saw a YouTube vid where the guy does it the dangerous "safe" way.



About 3 mins in to just under 6 mins is getting the tree to the "safe" 45° hang up. But then is the slowly cut your way up the tree trick that I'm not a fan of. (Because if it doesn't come off it gets straighter.) Granted rookie here so take my thoughts with massive grain of salt. But was looking this up last night.

If that guy is totally wrong technique I'd like to know, so far best vid I've seen. (Lots of really bad ones too.)

 

[dankas]

@A Standard TreeGuy
If that guy is totally wrong technique I'd like to know, so far best vid I've seen. (Lots of really bad ones too.)

I wouldn't even watch it...if the preview on a youtube shows bad practices - as this one does - don't bother... 1. no eye protection. 2. looks like no cs chaps(could be cs pants-maybe). 3. Cutting at of above shoulders- now there is an exception to that but the option here is the answer. When a leaner is on the root-ball, even an old root - and MUST be removed (i.e. NATURE will take care of it in time...but this is a no time fix...) First get the BUTT on the ground. where sawyer is shown cutting if the root-ball could stand back upright & there can be a LOT of energy released VERY Quickly... So.... why cut so far from the root-ball? I'd cut - and have (mostly dead Ash in the midwest...) - just above the flare. Close as I could to the root-ball. way less energy released. If the root-ball sits back up, it does not have 400# of trunk to whip around. Once the butt is stuck in the ground by the salami-angle cut - 1. the release *may* be enough shock to jog the trunk to the ground...(having the whole tree on the ground is the purpose here right...??) or 2. one now has a solid end braced to work on where reassessing the updated situation is called for. Reassess...cut another section? or cut the tree that's holding it up...??? don't do that!!-bravado does not trump gravity... or winch it out perhaps...

One observation of the vid cover is the sawyer seems ready to RUN ... maybe that's whats kept him still at it.

Best!