Need advice-hung up tree removal

[StihlyinEly]

Where is the OP? Oh, did you scare off another one?

I've learned a lot from this forum, but what sticks in my mind is that some (not all) professional tree guys are way over testosteroned. Get the man tools, the crane, the man lift, let the homeowner pay for the rental or walk away and tell your tree-buddies not to touch his house as punishment.

Dude.. It's a problem that he chose to share with you all. He's not in a rush and looking to learn as much as possible before doing it. It's not like it's a skyscraper with 48 support beams. It's a tree, in a crotch. He will do it, I'm sure now, because he has learned what a great respectful bunch of people are on this site. Believe it or not there are people in this world that can function without a self proclaimed expert spending his money.

I spend extra at the garden store that gives me free advice, I go out of my way to recommend the saw shop that has treated me well. If in fact you are professionals, you are doing your business no favors talking about it here.

Please rename this forum to the professional firewood sales forum, becuase time and again, homeowners are not welcomed here.:bang:

We're not all arseholes. Honestly. But I understand exactly where you are coming from. I see a lot of things on this site that make me want to

too.

Sorry for my part in the pukage.

 

[ts39136]

We're not all arseholes. Honestly. But I understand exactly where you are coming from. I see a lot of things on this site that make me want to

too.

Sorry for my part in the pukage.

I believe you were the first one to actually spend the time and digest the problem and offer some advice based on your experiences. No need for you to be feeling guilty.

I do have a local tree guy here that is very helpful, too. I recommend him to everyone. Why? Because he told me the best way to trim up a 60 foot tree even though I wasn't going to pay him to do it. He not only just let me, but he offered to clean up some of the brush around my property while he had his chipper out there. Now, whenever someone is looking for tree work, I pull out my cell phone and give them the number.

I know there are good people in this world, but I've run across the other kind too.

 

[StihlyinEly]

I believe you were the first one to actually spend the time and digest the problem and offer some advice based on your experiences. No need for you to be feeling guilty.

I do have a local tree guy here that is very helpful, too. I recommend him to everyone. Why? Because he told me the best way to trim up a 60 foot tree even though I wasn't going to pay him to do it. He not only just let me, but he offered to clean up some of the brush around my property while he had his chipper out there. Now, whenever someone is looking for tree work, I pull out my cell phone and give them the number.

I don't really feel guilty. I'm just making sure I haven't been The Prime Arse Among Prime Arses in this thread.

I actually work pretty hard to be the helpful guy you mentioned. Aside from the arborist work, I used to run a greenhouse and landscaping business, and I'm a fifth generation master gardener. I hire out all that expertise.

But when someone stops me on the street or in the yard or in a greenhouse and wants to chat and get free advice, I cheerfully give them free advice. Why? Because I can find something to like about most people. Because I'm a teacher. Because the satisfaction I see in their faces in learning something important to them puts a smile on my face.

And all that means something else: When they know they need a pro, they come to the pro they know and like.

Guess what? That pro ain't the guy who snickers about stupid homeowners.

And this is a freaking Internet help forum. Do the secretive hire-a-pro-if-you-have-a-single-question folks really expect to lose business by offering help here? Really. Get a grip. It's just the opposite. You list your city and state in your avatar field. You are cheerful, helpful and professional in your posts, and you don't let your own ego snip off your gonads. Hello! You get business that way FOR FREE!!! :biggrinbounce2:

Sometimes I wonder how the human race survives. Is a puzzlement!

 

[oldirty]

you guys done rubbing each other's pee-pee's trying to make each other feel better?

asking the question that the original poster asked and looking for advice on proper treecare/removal in this particular forum (firewood forum) is like asking corky thatcher to do your brain surgery.

you don't get it.

ely just because you have run a saw does not mean you can dole out unsound advice.

ts. you don't need all that equipment you just need to be above what you are cutting to avoid mishap in this particular case.

climb the f'n tree to remedy the situation safely. but since none of you guys are professional let alone proficient of course you are going to be told to get help.

i don't think you realize how many times i have been to a job that the homeowner started and got hurt in the process. it happens because you as a non tree professional do not understand what can happen. you don't know and you can't recognize it. but hey save that money, hospital trips ain't cheap!

 

[JJuday]

No rocket science here with this one. Start right to left in top and buck with care below. I'd rather deal with snags than to cut hollow trees, at least with the snags there is time to take in the situation before hand, with felling a hollow, once you commit...you run or stay with it.

To pay a climber "a few bills" for 100$ of fire wood makes no sense. So OP, either do it or gather the cut wood and go home and stack it. That simple. You have to decide what YOU are comfortable with.

I'd lay the saw to it, but that's just me. JJuday

 

[StihlyinEly]

ely just because you have run a saw does not mean you can dole out unsound advice.

You are correct.

 

[oldirty]

No rocket science here with this one. Start right to left in top and buck with care below.

I'd lay the saw to it, but that's just me. JJuday

you 12ft tall?

 

[oldirty]

in reality though, just like tomtrees said it is about 3 cuts to get it on the ground safely. 2 of them need to be from above. thats the thing.

stay safe boys.

 

[StihlyinEly]

2 of them need to be from above. thats the thing.

stay safe boys.

From my stabilized ladder, the two cuts I mentioned would be downward from my slightly elevated position.

Quit drinking the KoolAid, dirty. Go toward the light! :biggrinbounce2:

 

[Cmccul8146]

Don't see any reason why you don't hook a chain or strong cable on the pine crotch piece just above the Oak that is wedged in & split it off from the main trunk with a pull or 2 with a tractor or pickup truck. Pine is soft & splits easily. With the weight of the Oak in the crotch it's already acting as somewhat of a wedge. A couple of pulls, crotch splits off & BINGO, Oak hits the ground. Just make sure your chain or cable is long enough so that you're well away from where anything will fall.

 

[BryanEx]

Where is the OP? Oh, did you scare off another one?

I've learned a lot from this forum, but what sticks in my mind is that some (not all) professional tree guys are way over testosteroned.

Really glad to see I'm not alone on that view. Good on you ts39136.

 

[tex]

Why is it that the "pros" always think that someone with a different career can't think for themselves? Just because a guy asks a question, doesn't mean he's not capable. I asked a local saw shop once what the max rpm should be for one of my saws. That lead into them telling me that I can't tune my own saw, and I'd burn it up if I messed with it. BS. Different shop told me once that I'd F up my chain if I filed it myself. "Gotta have a pro do or it won't be right". BS. When people ask my "professional" opinion, I give it to them strait up. Those same people always come back with money, and send others my way.

As for the tree in question, if it doesn't feel right, don't do it. If the original poster thinks he can get it down, then he should go for it. From what I see, I'd go for it. I'd top out everything I could right up to the snag, cut the free limb loose, try to winch the rest out to the ground if it will go, and if not, buck it up until it will come out. Not necessarily in that order. I would re-evaluate after each cut and make changes as needed. The idea of breaking loose the pine limb is a good one too, if the landowner will allow it.

PS: I've used ladders before (just yesterday in fact) and I'm still typing with both hands.

 

[Philbert]

Don't see any reason why you don't hook a chain or strong cable on the pine crotch piece just above the Oak that is wedged in & split it off from the main trunk with a pull or 2 with a tractor or pickup truck.

1. No reason to destroy that tree.

2. Wedged tree would probably just wedge lower on the the trunk .


Philbert

 

[smokinj]

in reality though, just like tomtrees said it is about 3 cuts to get it on the ground safely. 2 of them need to be from above. thats the thing.

stay safe boys.

Simplest way would be to climb it but not the only safe way to do it.

 

[doobie57z]

I'm not an arborist, but I would bet an arborists fee I could get this down in an hour, my feet never leaving the ground.

 

[Philbert]

I'm not an arborist, but I would bet an arborists fee I could get this down in an hour, my feet never leaving the ground.

I'm lazier. Some of those branches would take a bit of sawing with a manual pole pruner.

Philbert

 

[doobie57z]

its only two cuts. see pic 3. cut the smaller branch closest to the cam, to get it out of the way. the branch in the crotch is cracked, as I sawed on it it would weaken and slowly droop the tree to the ground. or snap , but either way the back branch would keep it from crushing me, as long as i stayed out from under it. i would be standing far right, pic 3, it appears slightly down hill. If I survived, I would then take the saved arborist's fee to my local indian casino, where i would easily double it.

 

[JJuday]

its only two cuts. see pic 3. cut the smaller branch closest to the cam, to get it out of the way. the branch in the crotch is cracked, as I sawed on it it would weaken and slowly droop the tree to the ground. or snap , but either way the back branch would keep it from crushing me, as long as i stayed out from under it. i would be standing far right, pic 3, it appears slightly down hill. If I survived, I would then take the saved arborist's fee to my local indian casino, where i would easily double it.

There might be a little more to it than that. Slow and steady wins the race here. Nice thing with a tree like this is there are so many options to choose from that can still yield out to a safe.

Someone mentioned earlier on that the OP could just climb up the tree trunk and cut from there. That to me is unsound advice, cutting from a sturdy, well built, carefully positioned and secured ladder is a much better idea. I'm not sure why Stihlyinely is getting so much guff over this.

I put little stock in either term "expert" or "professional". JJuday

 

[DSS]

I put little stock in either term "expert" or "professional". JJuday

1+....Around here we say an expert is any man who is far from home.

When you get farther from home , the B.S level goes up exponentially.

 

[StihlyinEly]

I'm not an arborist, but I would bet an arborists fee I could get this down in an hour, my feet never leaving the ground.

Hey, that's my old pole pruner! I wondered where it got to.

I'll second the idea of re-evaluating after every cut or two. Also, the whole situation would need a careful evaluation once a person got to the site. Peter's pictures give an excellent perspective, but the Internet is the very definition of long distance.

I also second the sentiment that you don't have to be a pro in many areas of expertise to get a job done well. That being said, this particular situation ain't rocket surgery or brain science.

Oh, and I'm getting so much guff over this because a couple so-called pros won't think out of the box. No worries, mates.