Big nasty leaner, no crane access, would like some opinions/ advice

[Kottonwood]

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So I was all excited about this tree because I thought I was finally gonna have a good reason to bring in a crane, but alas the crane can't make it up the twisty mountain dirt road, so I will have to do this old school.

The tree is a cottonwood that is approx 80 years old but is still alive. We are removing another one on the property that is roughly the same size. They are approx 50"dbh.

My major concern is whether or not the interior is rotted and if I am going to get any hinge on the holding wood or if it is just going to fall apart. I would like to try to drill though and see if I can tell how rotted it is.

I am thinking of three different plans of attack to take this thing down.

Option 1: Climb up and limb it out so there is just a spar, then take the spar down in two cuts. I will make one cut about halfway up and yank it with a truck, then take the final cut on the ground, again pulling with a truck. There is a field on the other side of the tree that I can easily get a truck in and pull the tree.

Option 2: limb out the back side over the house and leave the stuff in the direction of pull. Then grab my balls, say a prayer and yank the whole thing over with a cut at the bottom. I am thinking I would leave 4-5 inches of holding wood and pull it hard. Also I could put another truck in the field and tie off the bottom of the tree just above my cut to help prevent it coming back or twisting.

Option 3: I have enough money on this job to rent a lift. So I could climb up and limb it out then use the lift to take out small pieces with my big saw and just work my way down.

Obviously option 3 is the safest way to go, but I would really rather not rent the lift. Anyone have any ideas/opinions on how you would take this nasty bastard down?

 

[tomtrees58]

top it out and slab it down that Wait i would do its takes some time but its safe

 

[NCTREE]

Do you have a drill? You might be able to get a better idea on where the good wood is at.

 

[mckeetree]

I encountered a big nasty leaner in a private club in Athens, TX just this past Spring. Luckily, I was able to get her off on my friend Tom and made my exit.

 

[Kottonwood]

Thanks for the response

I have a half inch dewalt drill that I use for cabling. I don't have a drill bit long enough to get all the way through (or at least halfway) but I could get one. The drill plugs into the wall, it is not battery powered.

When I drill through though how am I really gonna know how bad it is? Also what type of bit do you recommend and do you think my half inch dewalt has the balls to go through it? If not any other drill recommendations?

 

[VA-Sawyer]

It looks like you have maybe 2 ft between house and trunk, is that correct ?

If it is that close, there is no way that I would consider option 1 or 2 with 50" DBH Cottonwood. I think you're going to have to 'pizza box' that thing down.
Rick

 

[Kottonwood]

I encountered a big nasty leaner in a private club in Athens, TX just this past Spring. Luckily, I was able to get her off on my friend Tom and made my exit.

So did he end up using a lift on that one?

 

[VA-Sawyer]

About the drill bit, make sure the extension section is smaller than the bit. 1/2" stub bit or spade bit on 1/4 or 5/16 extension. If you hit a hollow area or real soft wood, you will be able to tell by the change in feed rate. I would try to get at least a 24" bit. Hardware stores will sometimes carry them that long in stock.

I'm not sure how much drilling will help, even if you don't hit hollow/rot, it doesn't mean things are good a foot up the trunk. Of course if you find hollow/rot in the first hole, that does tell you something.
Rick

 

[Kottonwood]

It looks like you have maybe 2 ft between house and trunk, is that correct ?

If it is that close, there is no way that I would consider option 1 or 2 with 50" DBH Cottonwood. I think you're going to have to 'pizza box' that thing down.
Rick

Yeah if I remember correctly 2ft sounds about right. It has been a while since I looked at this tree because the guy was #####ing about the price. I gave him a bunch of numbers and told him to get as many estimates as possible..... he ended up saving up the money and calling me back.


I am leaning towards the pizza approach. I was hoping somebody on here would come back saying they have had success pulling trees like that.

I may try chunking down cookies without the lift. I have two days on site because of the other tree, which will only take a half day. I could get the top and limbs out on the first day then come in strong in the morning to chunk down the rest.

If I am just slicing out cookies I am thinking I can just make my cuts all the way straight through with a couple of wedges and have the guys pull them over from the ground. Is this how you would make your cuts or would you use a notch or snap cut?

 

[Kottonwood]

I'm not sure how much drilling will help, even if you don't hit hollow/rot, it doesn't mean things are good a foot up the trunk. Of course if you find hollow/rot in the first hole, that does tell you something.
Rick

Yeah I take down a lot of cottonwoods and they are fairly unpredictable. I was thinking that I would drill through exactly where the apex of my notch would be, that way I get it pretty much right where I need the holding wood.

 

[flushcut]

Did you consider just pulling her over if there is room? If it is not to rotten.

 

[Kottonwood]

Did you consider just pulling her over if there is room? If it is not to rotten.

Yeah, that was my original idea. But I sort of backed out of it just because it seems a little risky. My only worry is the holding wood not holding because it is a cottonwood. I have never had good luck hinging cottonwoods especially big ones.

 

[tree md]

I'm with Tom. Just drop it in pieces big enough to manage and push them in the clear. Safest way. You might could pull it over but hard to tell from pics. Piecing it out would be the safest way.

 

[mckeetree]

So did he end up using a lift on that one?

I'm not real sure just how that one did end up.

 

[mckeetree]

Did you consider just pulling her over if there is room? If it is not to rotten.

Thought about it.

 

[xdmp22]

I agree with the pizza box idea, but I was succesful in tying a leaning rotted to a buddies van and tugging and cutting a largish notch in the direction I wanted it to fall. That said though, it was a really rotted elm and only 19" in diameter (my 20" bar barely stuck out the other side)

After we got tension on it, I cut the notch then he floored it and I ran like hell holding my balls.....worked but not sure the odds if we had more than one to do.

About the drill bit, make sure the extension section is smaller than the bit. 1/2" stub bit or spade bit on 1/4 or 5/16 extension. If you hit a hollow area or real soft wood, you will be able to tell by the change in feed rate. I would try to get at least a 24" bit. Hardware stores will sometimes carry them that long in stock.

I'm not sure how much drilling will help, even if you don't hit hollow/rot, it doesn't mean things are good a foot up the trunk. Of course if you find hollow/rot in the first hole, that does tell you something.
Rick

Agreed, drill a few holes atleast halfway through.

If you could get a wood cutting core drill, you could inspect the core, but that bit may be hard to find and pricy.........


Good luck

 

[flushcut]

I cut the notch then he floored it

Yeah, that is exactly the wrong thing to do. Steady even pressure is the way to go.
I was just throwing the idea out there. I would bore into the tree first before you be anything. If she is punky get a boom and bombs away.

 

[the Aerialist]

Vertical Plunge Cut ...

Just stick your saw in it and watch the discharge, you can also feel it when it hits punky wood (or no wood). Works for me when I am in doubt about having a hinge that's solid.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

back lean

Trunk solid enought to notch and pull-drop. Use two pull vehicles. One can stabalize. One to pull. Two 4x4 vehicles best. The more vehicle weight you have for pulling better. Hollow trunk for notch area. Stablelize hing area with chain or straps. Some people use this technique to reduce or kill any barber chair efect. If unsure just part it out. Best of luck..

 

[tree md]

Me and another guy from this site pulled a 3' DBH Oak over with a bad back lean. We took some limbs off on the side over the house to reduce some weight from the back lean, anchored the tree with my 2 ton dump and pulled it over with his GRCS. It was hair raising to say the least but we made it work.