Dropping a Few Trees This Weekend Next to the House

[bulletpruf]

Both trees are on the ground. No drama. Pics and details to follow. Thanks again for all the input!

 

[bulletpruf]

Ok, so we took the dead ash down first. I was using the 044 with a 28" bar. It was hooked up with about 90' of chain to the tractor.

Took the slack out of the chain and put some tension on it after I notched it. Landlord and I agreed that he would not pull until I finished the back cut and got out the way.

Notch wasn't great -- too shallow of an angle on the top, so it ended up being a bit deep. Back cut was a bit too low, too. But when I got close to finishing the back cut I put a few wedges in and cut just a tad more. Pulled over easily, right where we wanted it to.

Pretty much the same deal on the smaller oak that was still alive, except I used the 026 with the 18" bar, and we went with about 75' of chain this time. The 18" bar was a tad short, but I made it work. Notch wasn't perfect, but definitely better. Same with back cut.

Managed to get much of the brush cleaned up and a lot of the smaller oak bucked. Will work on bucking the rest and splitting it this week/weekend. My new Fiskars maul should arrive in the mail tomorrow, so I'll give it a good workout soon.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Ok, so we took the dead ash down first. I was using the 044 with a 28" bar. It was hooked up with about 90' of chain to the tractor.

Took the slack out of the chain and put some tension on it after I notched it. Landlord and I agreed that he would not pull until I finished the back cut and got out the way.

Notch wasn't great -- too shallow of an angle on the top, so it ended up being a bit deep. Back cut was a bit too low, too. But when I got close to finishing the back cut I put a few wedges in and cut just a tad more. Pulled over easily, right where we wanted it to.

Pretty much the same deal on the smaller oak that was still alive, except I used the 026 with the 18" bar, and we went with about 75' of chain this time. The 18" bar was a tad short, but I made it work. Notch wasn't perfect, but definitely better. Same with back cut.

Managed to get much of the brush cleaned up and a lot of the smaller oak bucked. Will work on bucking the rest and splitting it this week/weekend. My new Fiskars maul should arrive in the mail tomorrow, so I'll give it a good workout soon.

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Well done... so what would you do differently? Just because I know many have been watching this thread, and I know you have learned a lot.

 

[bulletpruf]

Well done... so what would you do differently? Just because I know many have been watching this thread, and I know you have learned a lot.

Would have gotten the chain higher up in the tree. FYI - landlord mentioned why he uses chain. He has used rope in the past and snapped it. Probably used regular hardware store stuff.

I also would have used the old Chevy dump truck or diesel F350 4x4 instead of the tractor to pull them over, but that wasn't my call.

I also would have done a better job on my notches and back cuts.

Thanks

 

[rwoods]

Maybe the LL will give you a chain or two or three. He made quite an investment.
Glad it went well for you.
Ron

 

[arathol]

Would have gotten the chain higher up in the tree. FYI - landlord mentioned why he uses chain. He has used rope in the past and snapped it. Probably used regular hardware store stuff.

LOL for what that chain cost he could have purchased two or three time as much rope that would be just as good and so much lighter and easier to work with.

 

[Brufab]

Unless that branch is rotten enough that you're concerned about it breaking off by itself there's no particular reason to take it off before the tree is laying on the ground. Do the tree with the satellite dish first, then the other one. Cut that stump behind it off first and drop it that direction. Be sure you have the proper rope (which is not available at normal hardware stores, FWIW) and pull with the tractor, not the Gator, or better yet, a 7,000+ lb. 4x4, pickup or truck, if the ground is nice and hard. Be sure to get the rope high enough, 10-15' above the first big crotch on the satellite dish tree. Hopefully this is obvious, but make sure the rope is long enough and keep in mind that ash breaks into pieces when it falls, sometimes sending chunks flying quite a ways.

I would add available weight on hand to any equipment being used to pull with. I have used 12k winch to pull/direct trees with great success

 

[Brufab]

I use straps like this on the tree connected to a clevis to a cable to a winch that is tied off to another tree

 

[bulletpruf]

It was like the tree had a back up plan to get you with a back falling stem if you survived the falling top and explosion.

When trees fight back!!!

 

[bulletpruf]

I would add available weight on hand to any equipment being used to pull with. I have used 12k winch to pull/direct trees with great success

Yup. I have a 12K winch back home in Texas. Not doing me a lot of good there! Landlord does have a winch on the diesel Gator, but it's a little bitty one.

 

[bulletpruf]

LOL for what that chain cost he could have purchased two or three time as much rope that would be just as good and so much lighter and easier to work with.

I hear you, but overkill isn't always a bad thing.

 

[Brufab]

When trees fight back!!!

 

[junglejohnny28]

Fellas -

I'm not new to chainsaws, but I don't have a lot of experience with falling large trees in tricky situations. I'm currently in a rental house in Northern Virginia and this weekend, landlord and I are supposed to drop two trees next to the house. One is dead, and it has a large limb hanging over the house. Other is a few feet away and alive. Both hardwood.

Landlord is in his 70's, but does have some felling experience. How much, I'm not sure.

Equipment that we'll have - rental towable articulating man lift (not sure of height), numerous saws (I'll have an 020 top handle, 026, 044), chain, rope, John Deer tractor, John Deere Gator, 4 wheelers, etc. Gator has a winch. I'll be wearing chaps, steel toe boots, helmet with hearing protection and face shield.

No plan for anyone to actually do any climbing. I don't plan to get up in the articulating lift.

First things first - I'll get the satellite off one tree trunk Saturday morning and I'll clear all the limbs and other debris around the tree trunks.

I think the limb overhanging the house is the big concern, and I hope we can take that down, piece by piece, with the lift. From there, I believe the plan is to get a chain secured on the trunk fairly high up and then get it hooked to the Gator with some tension. From there, face cut, back cut, wedges, and drop it. But this is where I could use some input.

Any tips on how to do this safely?

Trees in question are the two at the back corner of the house; in some pictures, they're marked with tape.

Thanks

Scott



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Use a few nylon chockers and put line to ground and zip line pieces down line . To ground , might help from lift . Make sure all clears on line and line (bull rope) is well anchorcherd and landing area is clear

 

[Brufab]

Some of the lean isn't in your favor but the lift should help you chunk that thing down. Great set of pics you took to help guys to offer advice.