How would you drop this tree?

[Bigus Termitius]

"Pro" can certainly be a relative term.

A true "pro" would have it down already with no troubles whatsoever at a fair and affordable price, (likely NOT the cheapest if they are really a well-equipped professional with experience and insurance….get a certificate from their provider) it happens every day, especially if no cleanup is required. Not to mention that at least a pro has insurance. How can anyone with a lick of sense reasonably blame you for calling in an insured professional? In fact, let them call the pro if you are not comfortable. Then it is entirely on them, there is no shame in walking away from anything you are not comfortable with doing.

How many halfarse wanna Bs, with animosity towards the true professionals they are envious of, have screwed up big time where the overall bill, (hospital’s or funeral home’s too often included) makes the professional’s bill look like a coffee shop tip? This too happens every day.

And even when they are successful, they are still operating with gross reckless irresponsibility for all parties involved, but hey, what can you do with Axmen still influencing the masses.

Accidents can happen to anybody, no question, howbeit, with a pro the scope and frequency pales in comparison, especially with relation to experience and proper equipment.

And I’m not saying someone can’t do their homework and figure out a right way to do something like this successfully. This also happens every day, and then, at least, they’ve no one else to blame.

Bottom line, get educated, lots of good applicable advice here in this thread, good luck and be safe.

When in doubt, support your local Arborist and enjoy the free firewood.

 

[Stihl Rules]

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

Insurance is always a plus.

 

[Youngbuck20]

"winning!!!" love it hahaha!!

 

[treemandan]

I would not want to just notch and drop that even if both sides were secured together.

 

[beastmaster]

Its not down yet?

 

[Ertreesurgeon]

Easy. Put a rope on each lead(2 total). This is for insurance. Put at least 2/3 the way up on a sound section of wood. Use a standard notch with the bottom cut as low as possible. These are codominate stems most likely with included bark, so the lower the notch the better. It would also be preferable to put the notch perpendicular to the crotch. Not to deep on the notch. No bypass cuts on the notch( this is crucial).tension rope then back cut. You can use wedges for more insurance if there is a negative lean. You want your hinge wood at about 5-10% of trunk diameter. When your getting close to that that's when you start to pull the tree over. I think two 1/2" ropes are fine.

 

[DangerTree]

That tree is a piece of cake. If you have to ask on a tree like that call a beaver. Have any of you experts even thought to mention that you might try sounding the branches at the union? Maybe sound the trunk with your saw with a vertical plunge cut. Not a big tree you could pull it by hand for Christ sake. Oops I said Christ just cut it down and get it over with.

 

[056kid]

Like 2 dogs said, look for metal. You have 150' of rope, get it up in the tree closest to the house, Make a good face more than 1/3 through, make SURE you keep wood all the way across,(with doubles the most important wood is in the middle of the hinge if you are falling them fork flat). Start a back cut and do it like I have watched you do it before in your vids. That tree might have some dote in it, but I kind of doubt there is any significant rot in it. I looked at the photoes again and it looks like the tree's branch weight would make it fall away from the house. It looks like a pin Oak from the pics.. That union looks strong too. . .

 

[bitzer]

Springboard and someone a tuggin. I've had too many of those split out. Oh yeah, Look up!

 

[DangerTree]

That twig ain't splitting any time soon. Even if it did big deal whats it gonna hurt- look at it! Just tie a rope around it and get some scrawny wimp to grunt while a gentle breeze pushes it over. That's a trainer tree for a girl scout. An easy money tree! Two guys could throw that whole tree branches and all right into my chipper.:bang:

 

[coolhand850]

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?

 

[coolhand850]

Despite what others may think, I would fell each stem separately. I would use the stem you are not going to fell first to work out of in preparation to fell the first stem. IMO it is always easier and safer to set up your rigging line and climbing line in a tree that is not the one you are climbing in. It is easier to swing branches and blocks in a direction away from you if you have the luxury of not having to run your rigging line, and more importantly your life support/climbing line in the tree you are not removing. However, if you have room to drop the tree whole without climbing it at all all the better. Looking at the picture, with the house so nearby, I would definitely climb and remove a considerable amount of it before you drop it. If you have a high powered and very strong winch you could secure the cable near the top and notch it and cut it down, but I would not taking any chances. Climb one side and tie in, set your rigging and start piecing it out. If nothing else remove one side of it and then drop it. Make your notch and back cut above the point where the two stem union begins. I look at it as basically removing two separate trees, and I would approach it as such. I do not have any large equipment and would have no other options. I guess it depends on what kind of equipment you have at your disposal. Unfortunately, despite all the equipment I own, I do not have the money to purchase bucket trucks, pulpwood trucks, and high powered winches. I would also like to own a skidder, and bobcat. Compared to some of the treees I have been removing of late your job looks like a vacation to me lol. As you know though, even the easy looking removals never seem to be as easy as you think when you bid and ultimately are hired by the owner. Bidding tree work may be the most difficult part of being an arborist. In my home of rural Alabama I am continually confronted with the problem of bidding too much and not getting the job, or bidding too little and not making enough money for the effort I put in. I make my living as a freelance arborist by telling clients I can do the job cheaper than the big companies, but I let them know that for that break in cost they cannot expect it to happen overnight. If their is a time limit on how long I have to get the trees on the ground than they need to hire the big money tree companies. The basic rate for a mid range tree company around here usually runs the client around 250 an hour. Most people in dirt poor Alabama where I live have no problem with me taking much longer than the high price companies because they know it will be done correctly and not break their bank. I often wish I was capable to make the same amount of money on a job without having to spend so much time on each one. I do like knowing that I can come an go as I please, which is the primary reason I became an arborist in the first place. My years of punching a clock for the man is over. Thank God