ok, so its at my parents place, storm blew down half the crown out of a london plane. Approx 10" trunk at 1 foot above ground. Failed at an area where 4 branches originated not an included union. seems it twisted at the failure point. This is not my normal business practice, I am mainly landscaping yards (installs and some maintenance) and pruning from the ground only. I got to use my Dad's POS 12" bar ELECTRIC chainsaw so he would shut up. I made the face cut with it and used my silky the rest of the cuts, it cut 3 times as fast. Piled the bits and waved as I left for home. oh, failure point was about 6 inch diameter.
First takedown
- Thread starter jimmyq
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next shot, I am sure there are things I could have done better so, I will invite constructive critizism from those who wish to offer it. I wore my safety glasses, gloves and boots. I used my helmet with muffs and full face mesh while sawing with the chainsaw (about 3 minutes). I didnt use gaffs to get up the tree as I dont own any, I didnt rope in as I also do not own any. I climbed up to about 7 feet off the ground, stood in the large crotch and used my silky to cut away what branches I could reach. I laid the branches where I intended on falling the stump to keep the lawn from getting too smushed. The yellow rope is a 1/2 nylon that I had looped through the crotch that I could reach, used it to start the tree over in the direction I wanted, inline with the face and backcut. Pulled firmly as it failed at my cuts and as it started to come over, sprinted in a catlike fashion to my safe spot and watched to see it head groundward. Since I was running away I didnt actually see it hit the ground, just heard the thump.
chain?
I hope you sharpened Dad's chain if he has to cut that up for firewood. Even POS electric saws cut better with a sharp chain. Next time tie your rope in a little better, looks like the tree could slide left or right in that rope leaving you with no control, one more wrap around the tree would give you a little more control. Dad's happy and no one is hurt, job went well, you had a good day.
A hank, 120' of Arbor- Plex could be had for under US$60 and would be handy to have, it would let you get out from under the trees landing zone when you pull the tree over. Another $15 for a carabiner and you could have thrown the rope up and around the tree, then clip the biner back over the rope and pulled it up tight. Any excuse to buy more equipment to get you out to a safe distance where you can watch the tree fall. Too bad about the tree having to go.
I hope you sharpened Dad's chain if he has to cut that up for firewood. Even POS electric saws cut better with a sharp chain. Next time tie your rope in a little better, looks like the tree could slide left or right in that rope leaving you with no control, one more wrap around the tree would give you a little more control. Dad's happy and no one is hurt, job went well, you had a good day.
A hank, 120' of Arbor- Plex could be had for under US$60 and would be handy to have, it would let you get out from under the trees landing zone when you pull the tree over. Another $15 for a carabiner and you could have thrown the rope up and around the tree, then clip the biner back over the rope and pulled it up tight. Any excuse to buy more equipment to get you out to a safe distance where you can watch the tree fall. Too bad about the tree having to go.
Me and my pops. ( and my wifey in the background waving hi to all the arbo's that keep me up on the computer ), so proud of our trophy takedown. Dad has an Oregon hand saw, my wife is packing my Fanno and I have the Silky. POS electric chainsaw is in the background to the right , not being used....
Yo jimmy,
Good job!!
If I had a such an awesome trophy, (the upright one just to your right) I'd by MIA on the internet...
Good job!!
If I had a such an awesome trophy, (the upright one just to your right) I'd by MIA on the internet...
Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
I was called to a similar-sized maple 2 days ago. ice had cracked open a codom stem fork and Isabel broke it out. Client values tree highly, cut away breakage, slapped on some sealant and called an arborist.
Next month when the leaves are off I'll cut the stem below the crack to a south-growing lateral and angling the cut to the north to avoid sun on wound. Then I'll pull four laterals together toward the middle to train them more upright, after cutting the sprawling side branches off.
Yes there will be some hollowing in the stem but redmaple like planetree make good CODIT. Yes there will be further pruning needed after next growing season to train the tree upright. But bottom line for the client and me is, the benefits delivered by the tree will be preserved and increased. The expense is still far less than removal and replacement.
Now customer sees codoms in a nearby maple so selective reduction/subordination pruning will be done to avoid that one failing too. I hope jimmyq you look at trees this winter with experienced eyes and use your climbing or even poletool ability to address defects so landscape assets in your customers' yards don't turn into liabilities as happened to your dad's.
Could the plane have been salvaged, as the maple will be? Maybe not; they're more excurrent in form. But maybe so; imvho arborists should look first for the tree's potential to retain and increase value before deciding to remove what value remains. After removing the damaged portion, stand back and :Eye: hard at ways to train the rest. The tree will do most of the work for you if you just point it in the right direction.
