Co-Dominant Fir Question

[Greener]

Question for you all. I am looking at a job that involves a bifurcated douglas fir (main trunk that splits into two stems about 12 feet up). I am hesitant to cut the main trunk from the bottom because the seam appears to travel down a ways from the joint and has some included bark so it may split if I cut from the stump. My question is can I climb it and cut one stem just above the joint while my groundie pulls it with a bull line? Each stem is about 25" in diameter at the joint and approximately 100' to 125' in height. I have face cut and free fell a lot of tall spars but never an entire stem from the bottom while up in it. I'm inclined just to top out each stem and pull smaller sections independently for safety reasons. Ideas?

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

Put a few ratcheting straps around the trunk to hold it together if you are worried about it splitting.

 

[Greener]

Put a few ratcheting straps around the trunk to hold it together if you are worried about it splitting.

But if it splits good, it still won't go the right direction will it? Especially if the far stem is leaning away from the lay?

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

You would need more than one strap at the trunk. Put a strap just above your cut, one six feet up and one at 12. If you still are worried about them separating climb halfway up the tree and tie them together...

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

If you wrap the straps around a few times and really cinch them down you can pull a tree back together after it has split. (although as a disclaimer I have never done this on an evergreen).

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

If you are worried about the tree splitting when you are felling it you should be more worried about it splitting with you topping it. Strap it together whatever you decide to do.

 

[woodchuck357]

I have cut a lot of trees by notching and dropping them while on spurs. In my younger days we sometimes climbed up removed the top and cut log lengths off on the way back down. I also take tree size limbs off walnuts so the trunk won't split when it falls. If there is significant lean I notch then bore cut to prevent chairing, there aint no place to run when you are up a tree! If you can drop the whole thing in the direction of the seam, cable, chain or multiple wraps of strong strap will hold it together. I wouldn't trust wrapping it if you have to drop it to the side and one side has much lean away from the direction of fall.
It sounds to me like you have two trees that have grown together.
I have put cable in both trees ran thru snatch blocks to vehicles then notch one deep and bored in at the seam, cut to the hinge and tried pulling that one over. If it fell, the second was then notched and pulled over. If the first didn't break loose, the back cut was continued thru the other tree while keeping tension on the cables. Wedges need to be put in before the last of the cut.
I seldom use rope to pull anything large. I use cable from 3/8 to 3/4 to pull big stuff.

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

If you pull them both at the same time make sure and tie into each one separately so the force of pulling does not pull them together too much. For example tie them together very loosely and put a biner on both sides of the loop that ties them together to pull from. If you pull the biner on just one line that ties them together it will force the two stems together with a lot of force. I don't know if I am explaining this correctly... maybe someone else can explain it better.

 

[juttree]

If your that worried about it splitting I'd just climb up 12' and drop one side first.

 

[Greener]

If you wrap the straps around a few times and really cinch them down you can pull a tree back together after it has split. (although as a disclaimer I have never done this on an evergreen).

I have cut a lot of trees by notching and dropping them while on spurs. In my younger days we sometimes climbed up removed the top and cut log lengths off on the way back down. I also take tree size limbs off walnuts so the trunk won't split when it falls. If there is significant lean I notch then bore cut to prevent chairing, there aint no place to run when you are up a tree! If you can drop the whole thing in the direction of the seam, cable, chain or multiple wraps of strong strap will hold it together. I wouldn't trust wrapping it if you have to drop it to the side and one side has much lean away from the direction of fall.
It sounds to me like you have two trees that have grown together.
I have put cable in both trees ran thru snatch blocks to vehicles then notch one deep and bored in at the seam, cut to the hinge and tried pulling that one over. If it fell, the second was then notched and pulled over. If the first didn't break loose, the back cut was continued thru the other tree while keeping tension on the cables. Wedges need to be put in before the last of the cut.
I seldom use rope to pull anything large. I use cable from 3/8 to 3/4 to pull big stuff.

BuckmasterStumpGrinding. You know your stuff. I have to drop it to the side and one side has notable lean away from the direction of fall. It is also the direction of the homeowner's house. Your post is good and affirmed my concerns. Thanks for you info. here, brother. It is appreciated.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Pictures help alot in answering questions like this.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

Pictures would definitely help a lot.