How would you drop this tree?

[2dogs]

Brad I neglected to metion (and it has been bugging me all day) that old trees around structures often have tramp metal in them from years ago. It is not as important during the face cut but during the back cut your saw needs to cut fast. Just be careful of those first two inches, bark and wood, that there is no metal to dull your chain.

If you are not already a climber now is not the time to learn. I disagree with those that say climb it. Stay out of the tree and stay on the ground. And, no ladder either!

 

[fishercat]

i agree with some other posts.

I'd like you guys input on the best way to drop this tree. Either way I go about this, I will use my pull rope for insurance, since they're so close to the buildings. BTW, this tree is on my BILs fathers property in Alabama where I vacation sometimes.

1. I could drop each of the two stems individually, but this would require cutting over my head or standing on something.

2. Fall them both together.

3. Should I strap the trunk together just below the Y to insure the trunk doesn't split.

4. Should I pull on both leads simultaneously if falling them together?

Be careful! Not sure how long you're staying when you go down but you could pick me up on the way down or I might be game for a road trip.

Id climb it but I know not everyone has that option.id hate for you to pull and have a problem the the structural integrity of the tree.

I've pull a lot bigger monsters than that with 1/2 stable braid and a toyota. Its all in the weight distribution on the tree and the cuts.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Dang funny thread!
Jeff :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[BlackenedTimber]

Chain it, notch and back cut close to the ground. Hang your bull rope high on the strongest leader you have. Get a 2-ton Maasdaam hoist or similar, and rig it to an anchor point in the direction you want the tree to fall. I wouldn't advise the truck, I have seen trucks lose traction and the tree fall over backwards.

Use a trucker's hitch to take the slack out of the bull rope when you hook it to the hoist. Pre-tension the rope after making your notch, then start your back cut. Have a second man on the hoist, which I am hoping you are smart enough to position out of the drop zone of the tree. Finish the back cut while sufficient tension on the bull rope is applied via the hoist to keep the tree from falling toward the house. Once the back cut is finished, leaving only the hinge, have man 2 click away on the hoistuntil the tree comes over.

Hoists are available at box stores for about 40 bucks.

Good luck and STAY SAFE.

 

[beastmaster]

Its not that difficult of a tree guys. Are there not no other climbers on this thread? It an easy tree, but all that talk of hooking it up to trucks and tractors and trying to horse it over is asking for trouble.
Limb it, and piece it out tell you have an easily managed stick and then pull it over. There appears to be a nice drop zone. Moving from one side to the other you can take them down together. Once those lower branches are off and a top taking out of each side those trunks will be a piece of cake. You could easily take both sides together if it was limbed and the tops taking out.
Finding just the right spot to tie off so it won't twist could be difficult with the all the different leans and branches counterbalancing it.
Its hard to say from a photo. maybe standing there it looks like a easy fall. I'm leaning on the steal cable and the tractor idea, be sure to get a running start. beastmaster

 

[hanniedog]

Have a pro get it on the ground then you can take it from there. I just cut firewood but see a very bad down side if things wouldn't go as planned.

 

[imagineero]

my vote goes to 'not that difficult of a tree'. If it was hacked up some time ago then it probably is pretty dead (and snappy) despite all the visible epicormic. This means wedges aren't going to lean it over for you (though they will hold the cut open) and the hinge is likely to snap rather than fold. Treat it as brittle.

Without seeing the tree in person, its pretty hard to make a call or give advice. If the tree is dead and stiff, then pulling over has some risks, and maybe a bit more risky than climbing (as long as you're a competent climber!). If the tree has rot then obviously climbing is out. I'm going to assume you're not a climber, but a semi competent faller (who can make a reasonably accurate notch) and that falling is the best option for you.

If you decide to fall and the tree is green, then things will go fine. Set a rope about 2/3 up and hitch it to a whinch on a truck if you have one, otherwise the lowest geared truck/vehicle you have available. If the vehicle has only road tyres then try to keep it on the road. I'd take it all in one go, nice big notch (90 degrees) with plenty of depth in to the tree (1/3). Take up the slack on the pull line. Take your back cut as per normal, pop a wedge in for safety, and continue through until you have about 10" holding wood. Back away from the tree at this point and pull her over. Now go celebrate.

If the tree is dead and stiff, then you need to approach it with a lighter touch. Heavy handed pulling leads to mid-tree snapping, or snapping out limbs, all of which can have disastrous consequences. I'd still fall it, but you'd hope to have a whinch or a low geared truck. Set the rope 2/3 up, but dont go any higher. Take the wedge, then take up the slack only, dont tension. Start the back cut and pop a wedge in. You are likely to be overly conservative on holding wood with a dead tree, they often wont fold, they just snap... and they do it when they have barely a wafer left sometimes. You want to use the least amount of force possible to bring it over, so get down to about 10% then try to pull it *gently*. If it isnt going, don't force it. Let the tension off (very important) and keep cutting that holding wood. Then back away and try to pull it again. When it's ready to go, it will go easy, don't force it over. Be sure to ease the tension off before you go back in to keep going with the back cut.

Everything will go just fine.

Shaun

 

[gwiley]

When you feel a gut check, take extra measures to ensure it goes the way you want it to.

I had 2 go wrong in one day. The first was obviously standing dead, I sounded it with a hammer it thought it might be hollow - decided to do it anyway. When I cut the face out I saw that it was almost completely rotted from the inside - not enough wood to wedge with. I made the back cut anyway - not sure why, and of course it sat back on the saw. I am sure my buddies enjoyed seeing me sprint for my pull line. We got it down with the pull line and a backhoe, but I won't do that again. When in doubt the line goes up.

The second had a definitive lean and I just ignored it thinking the wedges would handle it - it fell exactly backwards. Nothing damaged on that one other than my pride (2 friends nearby laughing at my obvious screw up).

 

[sgreanbeans]

wow

 

[sgreanbeans]

Winning

 

[fishercat]

at least two of us offered to climb it.

I thing Brad's afftraid that will rob him of too much fun. I admit,I still enjoy watching the whole thing coming down at once.

I could still pull it over with a Toyota 4x4 as long as its solid.

All anyone can do without seeing it in person is guess. I still don't know what kind of drop zone you're working with.

Best of luck and be safe!

 

[z71mike]

Whichever way you pick to drop it, please do us all a favor and catch it on video. Post it up here later. We all have so much invested in this project by now! hahaha I wanna see how it goes.

 

[trimmmed]

Call a professional tree service that has insurance should something go wrong.

this is the correct answer!

 

[flushcut]

If it were me I would shoot a line up high and pull it over. If there were no targets I would just wedge it over. The tree looks pretty well balanced from your pics and should favor the face with little pressure. From the pics it looks like binding the trunk is not necessary just cut it low, but if there are any signs of a split bind the trunk above and below the main crotch and call a climber or use a bucket. You are going to tear up the lawn pretty good with that largish limb on the fall side but that adds leverage in your favor. Also if you have a bad feeling about it don't do anything call a pro in the area.

 

[Rftreeman]

first you got to start by yelling......"HEY Y'ALL, WATCH THIS".......

 

[prentice110]

The thing that scares me on that tree is havin a dead limb come loose and hittin the roof. I'd def use wegdes and a rope. Love to drop it whole, one shot at the base, but Im not there looking at it. Hate to cut a notch and see shes rotted to hell inside. I wouldnt strap the leads together, but again, its a pic, Im not there.

 

[dingeryote]

Anybody else ever have a Co dominate tree split and go all heywire part way in to the back cut?

Even with a chain or straps, there is a lot of leverage above the possible point of leverage should the thing start to split and no shortage of twisting forces on the hinge.

I vote for individual stems, lotsa wedge/pull, and dealing with some sort of platform...or calling a Saw monkey buddy.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Rowan Gliori]

I'd climb it, carefully (but I'm a climber already). We call it a "dismantle" here (UK), it kinda reminds me of a large diseased elm I did a few weeks ago overhanging a hotel. Lowering rope and section dismantle (take one of these lads up on the offer of a climber!).

If you do decide to just drop it, I'd do the stems separately, and put your cuts in a reasonable height above the fork. It looks suspect to me (just my opinion...).

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Just drop it, already....:msp_biggrin:

We really need better pics of the base, but it looks better than most from here. Wanna have an idea what is inside? Plunge it or, better yet, drill it.

I'd cut the low branch on the drop side and put a rope in it and bring it over nice and easy. Leave as much hinge wood as possible, with slightly more on the side away from the house. Feel free to use wedges.

If memory serves me, Ekka might suggest a second rope anchored perpendicular to the drop zone to discourage it from heading towards the house. I'm not opposed to that idea as long as this line is installed in the house side leader, obviously.

If you want it in two, (which isn't the worst idea) take the far side first and take the second at the base, if suitable. If this is not possible, consider bringing it down piecemeal. I wouldn't want to fell the house side leader above the fork on this tree for a couple of reasons.

-if something goes wrong you are at a huge disadvantage.

-there is a good chance that leader is hollow or rotted.

-you have much more control, leverage, and wood to work with at the base, unless it is completely shot, which doesn't appear to be the case.

When in doubt, bring in a pro.

 

[randyg]

How would I drop this tree?

Couple wraps around the base with 3/8s chain and binder midway between crotch and backcut with binder placed on house side so it will not end up under the log. Next, another chain or strong rope to tie both halves together at 15 feet or so off the ground (just above those first two large limbs), higher would be better if you had a climber. {I know straps are crazy strong but the ratchety part, not so much.} Pull line would go in each half (somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3rds of the way to the crown). If one half seemed like it needed more pull, place that line higher. That 150' rope of yours would work fine for this, one end in each half. Walk the pull rope all the way back in the direction of the fall and tie a double figure 8 loop Figure 8 Double Loop | How to tie the Figure 8 Double Loop | Climbing Knots

Do NOT try a running bolin around both halves to pull together and over at the same time. To many bad things will happen to list here. Do not pull on only one side as this will create undesireable twist at base. Do not try this on a very windy day unless the wind is directly in your favor. Two wedges in the back cut about a foot or so apart (one for each half) and keep em snug with palm of hand. Do NOT tap them with a hammer/axe as the shock wave can go up the tree and possibly send pieces down on you or house. Only pull as hard as necessary to keep the tree upright while making felling cuts. Leaving between 4 and 6 inches of hingewood, with a nice clean face cut, s l o w l y pull it over.

Way I see it, if you don't have all the gear needed, either borrow or buy the rest. If you back out on this one, and some "pro" drops part or all on the house, even with insurance and all, it will still be YOUR FAULT for not having done it the right way? And with family, those things seem to NEVER go away:msp_rolleyes: