felling concerns

[b1rdman]

I went to my sisters today to take down a couple small oaks that were wind damaged. I made short work of the first but walked away from the second because it is split pretty good. I told her I'd consult with the pro's and be back next weekend.

So, I'm consulting...

Ten or twenty years ago I would have thrown a chain around it at breast height, and another midway between breast height and the fork. I'd sharpen the the chain real good, notch it, and make a backcut until splinters were flying...then I'd run like hell leaving the saw behind.

You all have me wearing chaps, real eye protection, and head protection ( my wife says thank you) for the first time in my life so I suppose I'm not above asking for felling advice.

It's split from about a foot above ground level to 25/30 feet. It will fall away from the camera and may hang on the beech to the right.

Here are the pics.

 

[ironpig70]

can't tell from the pics what is around said tree like buildings and such??? and how tall is said tree???? if there is nothing in harms way i'd wrap a chain around it attach to a rope thur a snatch block attached to a truck put your under cut in it and tell the driver to get ready:greenchainsaw: start your back cut and pull it over. atleast thats how my oak came down.

 

[jomoco]

It looks like a tricky and somewhat dangerous tree to drop.

It's a little hard to tell from the pics whether or not any damage would occur if you were to fall one half one way, and the other half the other way.

Provided that doing it this way would do no damage to anything, I'd do it that way in an effort to go with the flow of what the tree obviously wants to do anyway. Make your cuts a few feet above the split, and be very careful when you make your plunge cut to avoid kick back.

Work Safe

jomoco

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

Ugly tree for sure but not uncutable .. I would throw a chain on your saw that you dont care for anymore and sharpen it real good and make a good open face notch as low to the dirt as you can , then bore in one side and set your hinge and if your bar is small do the same on the other side leave enough holding wood on the backside and pound a few wedges in there and on the backside of the tree cut right under your bore cut about 2" lower enough to cut the holding wood and let her fly .

It is indeed a realativly dangerous tree to fell but , with the proper method it's a walk in the park . I cut a huge maple that looked similar to this and she came down without any trouble..just make sure you use a bore cut and NOT a old school felling notch shallow face .

And well if you really dont trust it throw your chain around it just incase or have her call a logger or tree service to handle it . Heck Im in NH give me a call I'll come lay it down for you.. Good luck and be safe

Later Rob

 

[tek9tim]

Here's my 2 cents. First, I don't have as much experience with hardwoods and I do with softwoods. But, my experience has taught me that it usually works out better if you drop a twin top in the direction that you would see a V if you were standing in the lay, rather than seeing one top in front of the other. This tree seems like an excellent candidate for that one, since it would put the split perpendicular to your holding wood, rather than parallel. BUT, having not seen the tree or the area in person, I cannot say for sure. From the pictures, it isn't too scary. At least it isn't on fire.

 

[mike385]

I have cut alot of trees like this. I would take each side down seperatly. They lean away from each other so I would make a open face in each tree so as to lay each tree directly away from each other. Basiclly split the tree the rest of the way but in a controlled manner. After notching, I would bore in and be ready for anything. Set your hinge wood and cut back toward the middle of the tree, and try not to cut deep into the remaining trunk. Then just repeat it for the otherside. I may, if the tree isn't split down that far, cut into it and split it with my saw just to help split when you fell it.

 

[woodfarmer]

in the picture the split looks too high to drop seperate ways, how high is it from ground to start of split?

 

[b1rdman]

It turns out that a neighbor had a excavator with a thumb. My brother-in-law and the neighbor took care of the split tree and the stumps from both damaged trees with it.

Boring I know...

Thanks for all the input.

 

[turnkey4099]

It turns out that a neighbor had a excavator with a thumb. My brother-in-law and the neighbor took care of the split tree and the stumps from both damaged trees with it.

Boring I know

QUOTE]

Well shucks, that takes all the fun out of things.

Harry K