Need advice felling this forked, split tree

[Guido Salvage]

Just for the record, I use ladders pretty often when working on trees. Mostly, this bull#### about never mixing ladders and chainsaws is about insurance companies and liability. If you have half a brain, a whole ladder and some patience, ladders can be an important tool for arborist work.

Yeah, but don't listen to me. I've only been using ladders for some of this stuff since 1979 with no mishaps.

And there a few lifetime smokers who do not contract cancer. Consider yourself lucky, but still not a safe activity.

 

[Slamm]

I don't remember who told me, I think it was an arborist, as it was years ago, but it was something like:

Rule #1 never cut from a ladder.

I'm not sure what list of rules he was quoting to me, I just remember that it was Rule #1 on his list of safety items.

There is a guy in Carbondale, IL that was cutting from a ladder and the branch hit his ladder, and he fell maybe 10 feet to the ground and broke his neck, now he is paralysed.

Sam

 

[tolman_paul]

Safe use of a ladder requires 3 points of contacts, safe use a chainsaw requires 2 points of contact. Unless one has a third arm, it's simply not possible to do both a the same time.

The key to working safely is to think about everything that can go wrong, and eliminating as many of those things as possible. The real question is if using a ladder is the safest way to approach this job, or if there is a safer way to approach it. I'm thinking there are some ladder alternatives worth persuing.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

i infrequently use a ladder. but when i do i tie the ladder to the tree AND i tie myself to the tree AND i tie a lanyard to the saw. still, don't like using a ladder but will when no other viable alternative.

 

[StihlyinEly]

i infrequently use a ladder. but when i do i tie the ladder to the tree AND i tie myself to the tree AND i tie a lanyard to the saw. still, don't like using a ladder but will when no other viable alternative.

I bungee the ladder to the brach/tree tightly, and I spike the legs into the ground. I mostly do this when I'm using a hand pole pruner/saw, but once in awhile will run a light arborist saw this way. I also refuse to go more than about 10 feet up the ladder.

More than anything I just object to the blindly stated "never do this" regarding ladders. I've seen it reach near hysteria among some cutters.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Is it on the ground yet?

Is it on the ground yet? I think we've all burnt through this thing just looking at it! LoL

No one has mentioned which way to hold their tongue while cutting!

I'm just a firewood guy with a few years experience. Until I was standing by the tree, I wouldn't have a game plan. Possibly the plan would be to leave it. Talk is cheap! Like the other thread with a similar tree. How the canopy is weighted, will be a huge deciding factor.

OP.....gave you a little color under your name. REP sent!

 

[johncinco]

drive the backhoe out there, reach up with the bucket, and snap that sucker off up there. Knock the rest over over. Cut it up with the chainsaw on the ground. You get to use both toys, and no worries about how the heck to cut it off.
You guys would die laughing, I had to cut trees on my lakeshore bank this summer. 30' extension ladder set up on a 60-70 degree bank. Had the ladder ratchet strapped to the tree. Had the bottom ratcheted to another tree. Clipped my safety harness to the tree and a lanyard to the saw. Dropped limbs into the lake as pontoon boats cruised by watching the wingnut up on the ladder.

 

[user 64030]

Safe use of a ladder requires 3 points of contacts, safe use a chainsaw requires 2 points of contact.....

Good points there.

dw

 

[Ruark]

No doubt, it's a potentially dangerous tree. My observations, from having cleaned up a bunch of old oaks on my property about this size... With all that lean and weight, a shallow notch, just enough to make a hinge, should be plenty. From what I can see, that crack doesn't go all the way down to the ground. I would just backcut it straight through, but LOW, just above that bulge at the base, about even with the notch. Be ready to jump when it starts falling.

 

[smokechase II]

In summary

The safest way to deal with that split leaner is with a piece of equipment or some mechanical advantage pulley set up.
The plan would be to apply force when no one is near the tree during intended fall.
Removal of the right heavy leaner first, by itself.

A back cut coming in from the back is a huge no-no.
However, a problem with a bore cut is that the learner will still pull the main stem and if bore cutting at/near the split there is a opportunity for the main stem to sit on the bar powerfully and quickly.

This tree is very dangerous. To go up on a ladder, no matter how well secured the ladder is, should be thought of as chaining oneself to the stump at altitude.

Despite what you've may have been taught an open face is not desirable for everything you come across. It simply will not make a difference here. {For heavens sake, if one were to try and cut this in one everything goes series of cuts, use chain/binders. Better above and below the cuts BTW}

First, establish the rope for pulling and apply NO tension.
Instinct tells me to put a small face in- not a 1/3rd. Spend less time at the stump and reduce your chances of getting the bar pinched.

I would bore from both sides only one the leaner side and not cut 'back' of the split. Feeling for tension and not intending to complete the bore all the way through. My instinct tells me this tree is just too dangerous for that. Leave some wood other than just the 'holding wood'.

After all are well clear, THEN pull.
My best guess is that there is enough of a split and a heavy lean that will facilitate this separation of leaner and main stem. The higher the rope the more leverage.
But I could be wrong. At least this plan places no one at the stump during the commotion.

===========

This probably isn't possible here but sometimes one can cut at a right angle to the split and remove or limit its effects.

 

[rms61moparman]

Have a GTG and let some of the "EXPERTS" get the thing on the ground while you are grilling a few burgers and watching from a safe distance!!!!!


Mike

 

[OldMontanaFart]

The suspense is killing me!

No news from the OP in 2 weeks.
I just HATE it when some sadist rips the last page outta the book... Guess that's what I get for shopping at the thrift store-

 

[TreeGuyHR]

Maybe Sandy took care of it.

 

[40YearHomelite]

Sorry for disappearing, guys. I've been really busy lately with those pesky "real" life responsibilities (blegh), so I haven't taken this thing down yet. I'm pretty sure I'll take it this Saturday when I have an assistant. I did clear the landing site today, though. I'd hate for that beast to get caught in any of those snags and/or load nasty spring poles.

I'll post back with results, pics, and probably video.

Here are a few things that have been occupying my time:

Check out my custom splitter!

Learned a lesson from ruining a Dolkita big bore P&C

 

[40YearHomelite]

Ok folks, I've finally taken it down; only 6+ months late!

A little backstory: the land actually belonds to my grandfather (Papa). Once I was prepared to take down the tree in December, he changed his mind about wanting me to take it down. I think he was hoping that the tree would heal. Fast forward to this past week when the tree is full of leaves and has split a little more due to weight and wind. He changes his mind again: time to get to work!

As you'll see in the video below, I keep bogging down my saw and throwing dust instead of chips. That's because I didn't file down the rakers when I sharpened the chain. I realized the problem once I started cutting, but I decided just to go with it. The job would have obviously gone much more quickly and I wouldn't have kept bogging the saw if the chain was properly prepared, but whatever.

Anyway, aside from the chain not being aggressive enough, everything went pretty much according to plan.

Enjoy!

[video=youtube;MAEhGTJlaB8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAEhGTJlaB8[/video]

View attachment 297432
View attachment 297433

 

[Trx250r180]

well its down ,he was scaring me walking behind the tree back and fourth though with the back cut started

 

[RiverRocket]

Looks like ya did a good job..I was hoping you took the advice to plunge cut it..... only thing i seen you could have done differently was to use a saw with some balls :msp_biggrin:

 

[40YearHomelite]

Looks like ya did a good job..I was hoping you took the advice to plunge cut it..... only thing i seen you could have done differently was to use a saw with some balls :msp_biggrin:

Trust me, that saw has balls. It's an 85cc Dolkita Big Bore. It just seems weak because it's running dull full-comp on a 32" bar completely buried in hard white oak and I was making the mistake of (subconsciously) compensating for the inadequately-prepared chain by forcing it too hard.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

Trust me, that saw has balls. It's an 85cc Dolkita Big Bore. It just seems weak because it's running dull full-comp on a 32" bar completely buried in hard white oak and I was making the mistake of (subconsciously) compensating for the inadequately-prepared chain by forcing it too hard.

Good job for formulating and refining a felling plan. Lesson learned about the chain. Made that mistake twice in the excitement of cutting down two bigger trees (28"ø cherry and oak) with a 50cc saw. Both times it was sloppiness on my part for not paying enough attention to the depth gauge height.

 

[40YearHomelite]

Good job for formulating and refining a felling plan.

Thanks!

Lesson learned about the chain.

I would say "agreed", but that's not the first time I've made that mistake and I'm sure it won't be the last :bang: