Fell it or blow the top out

[nytreeman]

I've done similar trees,spruce is fairly tough and it's still green,if it was a white pine no way but I'd def chain it or wrap it in a cple places nice and tight,climb and drop the limbs as I go then see if it seems strong enough to pull the top but I would def consider tying off in the other tree be a pain but to be on the safe side.Good luck Ozy and stay safe neighbor!

 

[ozy365]

Good input. I am still a little leary about blowing out the top. Seems as the church is only 40 feet along the fall, pulling over is less likely to roll wood into the place. If I blow the top and it rolls or bounces, it is very close to the structure. Dropping the whole thing with a huge face cut to keep it on the base seems to reduce bounce issues. Heck, I can even tie the base back to the other tree as well.

This is one creaky bugger...force and barber chair with the vertical split make me think I'd rather be on the ground.

 

[ozy365]

NYtree

You can't tell me you know where DeRuyter is can you? Upstate NY is a lot of territory and DeRuyter only has the one set of stop signs.

 

[nytreeman]

NYtree

You can't tell me you know where DeRuyter is can you? Upstate NY is a lot of territory and DeRuyter only has the one set of stop signs.

yup not too far south from Caz,New Woodstock,you know where Vernon Center is ?lol

 

[jrparbor04]

i say to fell the entire thing,,,obviously with a nice open face notch with a rope in it,,,get it on the ground faster and safe that way,,,,

just my two cents

 

[ozy365]

Vernon center

Out by Oneida/Utica? But I think you have a traffic light.

Felling after some limbing to clear the church looks like the plan. Pull line or two and some wraps near the base.

I tell you guys, thank you for all of your time and suggestions. Arboriste is one of the best tools that I have.

 

[nytreeman]

no light,lol ,between utica and oneida about prob 35-40 miles north of you on rte 26
well then if you got the room and the lean then it sounds like a plan ozy chain her up tie her off and cut her :chainsawguy: down!!LOL supposed to be a nice day too

 

[CoreyTMorine]

Ozy,

It sounds like falling pull trees isn’t a thing with which you have a ton of experience. I don’t think that this particular tree is a good one to try something new with. Were it me I would climb up the supposedly solid tree next to, tie in at about 5 inch diameter, then come down and start limbing the damaged tree, just bomb everything. Climb up past the lightning damage or to 6” diameter and cut the top out, then chunk it down. Let us know how it goes. When are you going to do this?

 

[booboo]

Good input. I am still a little leary about blowing out the top. Seems as the church is only 40 feet along the fall, pulling over is less likely to roll wood into the place. If I blow the top and it rolls or bounces, it is very close to the structure. Dropping the whole thing with a huge face cut to keep it on the base seems to reduce bounce issues. Heck, I can even tie the base back to the other tree as well.

This is one creaky bugger...force and barber chair with the vertical split make me think I'd rather be on the ground.

A couple of thoughts...

Evergreen tops don't bounce or roll hardly at all on level ground. The limbs act like shock absorbers when it hits, so it'll sit down right in place, especially if you land it flat or close to flat.

Also, it's hard to tell from the photos just how tangled up the limbs on the 2 trees are, but it looks like they're pretty intertwined. If you decide to drop it whole, then you'll have to take this into account because the crossed, intertwined branches will steer the tree away from the other one and towards the building. Not a major issue if they are small diameter, but if they are larger diameter and/or close to the trunks where they'll impact the fall direction, you could easily loose the falling direction that you're after. Look for large diameter or branches close to the trunk either coming from the tree to be taken across to the back side of the tree that stays or from the tree that stays across to the front side of the tree to be taken, if that makes sense. If the tree is safe enough to climb and strip, top, chunk out, pull over etc..., that will be the best way to ensure no damage to the building.

Most of all, be safe and have fun. :yoyo:

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you still want to fell it, then do a but tie with a marl on the stump and one over it passing over the scarf, then back the last one up with a running bo'lin.

I do this on down-slope falls that I'm worried about flipping or rolling

 

[northernmover]

Ever had that job where you overthink the plan only to change your mind once you get into it? Let's get this puppy on the ground! Pictures will follow.

 

[joesawer]

I have looked at your pics and read the replies. My opinion differs somewhat from most arborists. I would rather make one big cut than a bunch of smaller cuts, but I have more of falling experience than climbing.To me that damage is almost a non issue when it comes to falling the tree. I don't think that it will have a huge effect on the hinge or barber chair potential. To be safe I wont say not to wrap it. There could be a problem that does not show up on the pics. I also would make sure that the hinge was not in the "strike" just in case.
If it was in the woods I might try to force the tree over with the limb lock, but with the property liability I would definitely limb the spar first. IMO you are right about the open face to help keep it on the stump. Take into consideration the hight of the stump also so that the cut spar is not suspended after the top hits, the flatter the trunk that hits the better. Wedges will still put tremendous lift on the tree, as long as the stump or trunk does not split off, or compress it is lifting. Don't let the lightning strike intimidate you to much, just really observe and evaluate it as you go up.
Good Luck!

 

[ropensaddle]

I have extra heavy duty ratchet strap binders that I use to prevent
chair they are twenty foot long and five inch wide and thicker than
a lot of strap binders! They hold the wood together tight just need to
put ratchet to where it will be on top when hits ground so you don't
ruin ratchet!

 

[ozy365]

Down

Baby is delivered. Note to stick trick and cross sight users: Ground elevation makes a big difference. That 75' Tree worked out to 92' on the ground. I won't be dropping them like Ekka any time soon. Thanks for all of the input.

 

[ozy365]

Ground Crew

You have to be careful who you hire.

Weather topped out in the 90's with thunderstorms, so we did have to wrap up before everything was cleaned up. My partner and I busted hump, but weather won today.

Thanks again

Todd

 

[jrparbor04]

great job there,,,well done,,,i thought just felling it from the ground would be the most efficient and still safe,,,,woooohooooo

 

[adkranger]

Nice flop Ozy365! Hieght estimation is an art. Had groundie I worked with 'round Syracuse that had the "occular estimation" thing down pat. He'd look at a spar be w/in 4-6' everytime.

That tree was a gonner for sure between the lightning damage and the heartrot you did the church/neighborhood a service. Now comes the cleanup........between thundercells.

 

[Dadatwins]

Well done, nice landing in a tight spot.

 

[treeseer]

nice pics--can you post one of a cross section of the lightning cracks?

 

[joesawer]

nice pics--can you post one of a cross section of the lightning cracks?

+1 I also would like to see some cross sections of the lightning damage.

Good job!!