Hollow Cottonwood

[Greener]

I looked at a job today where the owner has a cotton wood that was topped and splits about 15 feet up, and the tree is approximately 50 feet. The trunk is hollow, but is about 4 feet in diameter. 1. Should I climb it and chunk it down or is this too hazardous? 2. Should I cut it from the bottom. The lean direction is toward adjacent property and would require the asking the neighbor to take down part of his fence.

 

[derwoodii]

If your unsure, so are we... Ask the neighbor if ok to sox it down with out climbin. Cottonwoods can look ok outside but decay rapidly and leave unpredictable soft timber under your spikes.

 

[newsawtooth]

If there are no healthy trees adjacent to the the target tree to tie into...you may need a bucket or crane. That is the cost of postponing tree work.

 

[kugss]

Sounds scetchy to me.

 

[pbtree]

I looked at a job today where the owner has a cotton wood that was topped and splits about 15 feet up, and the tree is approximately 50 feet. The trunk is hollow, but is about 4 feet in diameter. 1. Should I climb it and chunk it down or is this too hazardous? 2. Should I cut it from the bottom. The lean direction is toward adjacent property and would require the asking the neighbor to take down part of his fence.

Take down the fence - it is cheaper than a hospital bill....

 

[treeseer]

Take down the fence - it is cheaper than a hospital bill....

:agree2:

and it may take less time than chunking down too. neighbor wins by getting liability out, so they may offer to help with their fence.

 

[defensiblespace]

Cottonwoods are extremely brittle. Take down the fence or get a crane.

 

[Greener]

Thanks for the feedback

If your unsure, so are we... Ask the neighbor if ok to sox it down with out climbin. Cottonwoods can look ok outside but decay rapidly and leave unpredictable soft timber under your spikes.

Derwoodii, thanks for your input. For the first time, I walked away from this one after initially climbing and cutting a couple larger branches. I felt that this one was squishy. Your words were in my head during this process (and my mortality). How is it in Australia-mostly hardwood?