How would you fell this Maple 11" leaner?

[hammerlogging]

If that hole is facing the direction of the intended fall, and if the you'd be pulling it straight over backwards, the outside hingewood should hold it. face cut and back cut, winch over, healthy 2" hinge i guess on that one. Scary, no doubt. But surely its on the ground by this time, no? It looks like dead wood too. Scary. Straight over backwards only. I'd love to do it but man, the consequences (house, rep.). Must have worked out cause it sounds like you're still in business. So how'd you do it?

 

[hammerlogging]

scary because of the house, not so much cutting the tree. Thats what 1 and 1b escape routes are for.

 

[ropensaddle]

If that hole is facing the direction of the intended fall, and if the you'd be pulling it straight over backwards, the outside hingewood should hold it. face cut and back cut, winch over, healthy 2" hinge i guess on that one. Scary, no doubt. But surely its on the ground by this time, no? It looks like dead wood too. Scary. Straight over backwards only. I'd love to do it but man, the consequences (house, rep.). Must have worked out cause it sounds like you're still in business. So how'd you do it?

Well since ya missed the documentary I got all I could off with my
60 ft high ranger and then set a high test log chain so I could turn
around and hook my pto winch on and also a rope tensioned and tied off
for a safety. I then put a ratchet strap binder around it and tightened it
real good to prevent chair. The tree was more scary because it was fully
alive in the top = more weight and the long red oak limbs went way over the house and I did not trust rigging to itself! Yes it worked out I would never have chanced it if I did not have 100% confidence but my twenty ton winch can uproot most twenty inch trees!

 

[hammerlogging]

I like that, 100% confidence on a sketch-o tree. I like it.

 

[ropensaddle]

I like that, 100% confidence on a sketch-o tree. I like it.

I spent the last thirteen years as a trouble tree crew for local
power company cutting their bad ones near energized conductors,
houses etc. I have scratched my head many times to come up with
a solution and never had and injury to me or my men or major damage.
One thing that helps is to remain calm and sort out the what ifs figure
the best solution and then perform. Danger trees is not for the novice,
nor is it for the production orientated types it is more a slow down and lets
think about this a little! That was not anywhere near the worst tree I have
been put on but was definately worthy of noting.

 

[joesawer]

I'm wondering the same thing myself. Anyone know?

The New Zealand manual says "final cut as low as possible". What does that mean?

My best guess is that it is for logging and they assume that the scarf and hinge is already as low as practical. The back cut should always be lower but imo 1/2 inch is as good as (or even much better) than several inches.
That was a pretty good looking cut. No dutchman, and nice hinge.
A few things to note when cutting leaners-
They don't require a large hinge, they are already commited to a direction.
Also on larger leaners, the canopy is usualy mostly on the side of the lean and if fell straight with the lean they will roll over when they hit the ground. It is often best to cut them quartering away from the lean so that you can control which way the butt will roll.

 

[Zackman1801]

if it were me i would do it as simple as possible, i would just make an open faced notch in the direction of the lean going in about 1-1.5 inches, then i would bore cut the middle leaving a hinge of 1/2 inch. then leave 1 inch of holding wood at the back, step back, cut the holding wood and watch it fall. simple should only take 1 min tops.