putting a 60' tree in a 40' landing zone

[murphy4trees]

Do you all have a preference for getting these trees down..
In the past I would have tended to take 20' off the top, then drop the 40' remaining...

Last couple of days I've taken a few medium trees down by setting a pull line and notching them around 15-20'... one red maple, one norway maple and a couple of dry ash trees... All backleaners.... Seems a lot faster and easier than taking out the tops.... but also riskier.. There is no where to go when tied in..

I just started using a prussic on the 3:1 Z rig, which makes me a lot more comfortable trusting the pulling power. That would work well with a 5:1 as well...
One concern is over pulling against a backleaner and spliting the tree or tearing out half the hinge should there be some hidden decay....

Your thought, experiences, or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Phug easier. Take out the top.

 

[BigJohn]

No where to go? Where would you want to go? Do you get bored and want to go somewhere? Is there somewhere to go at the top? How much harder is it to climb another 30 feet? Why is everyone wanting to go somewhere and run away when they drop trees? I say its all risky and do what feels most comfortable for the situation. Remember shortcuts aren't really shortcuts. Sooner we learn this the sooner we will become better.

 

[a_lopa]

every situations diffrent but id probably take it in 4-6 hits,take any chance out of it,IMO if you got your gear on safest thing to do is keep climbing

 

[MasterBlaster]

If I'm understanding Daniel correctly...

The options are to take a chance and throw it, or err on the safe side, and blow the top out.

I err on the safe side daily!

 

[Treeman14]

I thought he was asking, "Do I drop a 20' top, then a 40' stick... or, drop a 40' top and a 20' stick?" I'd do 30' and 30'.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Who nose?

 

[NeTree]

I'll blow the tops out, 99 percent of the time.

Climbing up 20' and taking the rest is something Joe Homeowner would do from a ladder; just something to keep in mind. I prefer somewhere around the halfway point.

In some situations what you have in mind may be better; if there were decay at the top and none down below, you know you'd get a better hinge below. A better hinge = safer fell.

On a backleaner, I'll notch, load up the lines LIGHTLY first, then make my backcut while loading up the lines some more. Idea being to gradually have the line(s) take up the load as the wood is removed, then pull it over. Don't get too machismo on the cranking, either. Let the hingewood do its job, and the pull lines do theirs. Don't try to crank it over with 4" of hingewood. As you gradually pull the tree towards upright, the hinge can get thinned more and more, down to an inch maybe a little more.

In these cases, I prefer the Humboldt notch; getting some "push-off" to give it some distance from me, and getting some room if the top draws back on landing. After all, once it's going and committed, the hinge has fulfilled its purpose and leaving it be attached any longer can only get you in trouble (ie drawback from top part not landing flat).

 

[Scars2prove-it]

I would take the top out and then the trunk wood in eight foot (or less) sections. I'm a conservative climber. One tiny screw up in tree work can be too costly.

 

[NeTree]

Experience breeds confidence. Procedures like Murphy brought up in this thread aren't inherently unsafe- if done by a skilled faller. To presume Murph would suggest it without first considering alot of aspects would be an insult.

What has been suggested is a valid technique; another useful trick in the bag, if you will. By gaining and retaining many such tricks, we become the expert fallers we should be.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Simple!

 

[SilverBlue]

Even if you explicitly trust your ground man the odds are not satisfactory when dealing with back leaners, on the ground you can at least plan an escape route. Getting yourself into trouble 40 ft up and in a best case scenario waiting for rescue is not the way to go. Perhaps it’s time to look at a GRCS for creative removals?

 

[NeTree]

I find the odds are what you make them. After all, that what seperates the pros from the joes.


I've pulled over backleaners that were almost 45º. Pulled an oak over a few months ago that was about 65º.

 

[Climber2]

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7450&highlight=jacknife

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wonder where that Hillbilly took off to?

Amsterdam???

 

[SilverBlue]

Originally posted by netree
I find the odds are what you make them. After all, that what seperates the pros from the joes.


I've pulled over backleaners that were almost 45º. Pulled an oak over a few months ago that was about 65º.

40 ft in the air?

 

[NeTree]

Sometimes.

Faster down, faster done.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by netree
Faster down, faster done.

"As long as the damage done iz none!"

:angel:

 

[NeTree]

Never bothered to take any, and I didn't say from 40' up. At height, 25º of lean or so is my cutoff point, depending on the tree. I was talking about backleaners in general.

I did that 65 degree I mentioned with Newfie.

 

[NeTree]

No sweat, bro!