Safely cutting leaners

[kodiakyardboy]

Hello everyone, I am a new member and new to woodcutting. I live on an island in the gulf of Alaska where firewood is a hot commodity due to land use restrictions. We are only allowed to cut firewood from state owned land, or private land of course. Down trees only, no live ones. The state owned land is mostly mountains with no trees. This has lead to many people cutting driftwood off the beaches. After destroying several chains, I decided not to do that anymore. Anyways, I found several large spruce trees that have toppled in a wind storm and are leaning on other trees. I was able to get several of the smaller ones bucked up and out but am down to a few monsters. What is the safest way to get these down? I have been under cutting them with the top of my bar and running like mad when they let loose. Almost always, the tree just kicks out the part I cut and still stays snagged up. I can't afford a chain winch to pull them down, and can't cut the live trees they are snagged on. Any ideas appreciated. Sorry for the long post!

 

[1savagehunter]

Welcome
You have your hands full ... do you have clear space to land the tree without going into other trees?

 

[kodiakyardboy]

Yes, there are about 4 trees left to cut. All of them are snagged at the top on other trees. Two of them I started to cut up already but continue to stay snagged, the other two have root balls attached uncut. The big ones are 36-40" diameter. There are nice open spots right next to the trees they are leaning on, I wish they would have fallen there! This tree cutting is dangerous! I have orders for 3 more cords but am out of wood to sell so I need to figure this out without killing myself!

 

[Brian VT]

That sounds like a job for a crazy man or a big machine.
Pulling them down with a machine is the correct/safe way.
That said, maybe you can keep cutting at them as you have been and eventually they will be vertical enough that you may be able get them out of the live trees.
A bore cut that leaves a backstrap may make this type of cutting a (little) bit safer ?
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpgKTXNZMao&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWXWh6wDOXY

 

[kodiakyardboy]

Beautiful! That's exactly the scenario I have but on a much larger scale. The first video is spot on. I will have to practice some bore cuts- with proper safety equipment of course. What do you do when the tree stays hung up like in the first video and just keeps getting more vertical? No motorized vehicles allowed in this area so that is not an option. Thanks!

 

[kodiakyardboy]

The real scary thing is these trees are 1/4 mile from the road and all wood has to be removed by manpower. The trouble people go to around here for firewood would make a normal person cringe. I have done about 8 cords from this location, all transported by manpower. What I would give for a team of oxen! Green wood sells for $250 a cord so it is worth it for me!

 

[Brian VT]

What do you do when the tree stays hung up like in the first video and just keeps getting more vertical?

Every situation is different and these that you have are very dangerous.
As the tree gets more vertical there will be less lean pressure to deal with and you may be able to direct it down with cables and winches with you in a safe position.
I sure wouldn't be in there messing with these trees for any amount of money. Too scary for me.
Maybe you could hire a pro. just to get them on the ground for you ?

 

[kodiakyardboy]

I think I will cut as much as I safely can and wait for the next windstorm or earthquake to drop the rest.

 

[Brian VT]

Yah, I'd go find some other wood.
I also forgot to mention that those root balls make those 2 even scarier because that part of the tree might want to stand back up when you cut it.
You might be undercutting thinking the trunk is going to drop when it really wants to come up and at you.

 

[John Ellison]

There you go. This time of the year on Kodiak It will probably just be a couple of days or less.

 

[Old Sawman]

Re: Safely cutting leaners.

Hello, I'm brand new here, I signed up to ask questions but I thought I'd throw this in.
When I get a widow maker here it's usually over a line fence in steep woods hillsides where I can't get a line to it. I back/bottom cut as high as I can reach and as deep as I dare, then back off and cut it off with the .243 with a combination of softpoints and full metal jackets.

I have not done one as large as yours, but I have done 16/18" oak with 10 to 30 shots depending on the backcut you can get. Cheap,quick, and safe.

Oldsawman

 

[kodiakyardboy]

Ya, we had 90 mph gusts last week that really dropped some trees! The tree service guys made a killing, and they always salvage the firewood so they get paid twice!

 

[Brian VT]

Cheap,quick, and safe.

...and fun !

 

[Mike PA]

Without a winch or a horse, you are in a tough spot. If you insist on doing it without mechanical help, at least get a rope over the tree as high as possible. Use a snatch block to apply tension to the opposite side you are cutting. As the trees falls, you may be able to apply enough tension to roll it out of the tree it is snagged it. Otherwise, at least there is a little more security that it won't fall on you. Keep working the tree down. As it becomes more vertical, be certain to keep tension on it, and maybe you can pull it over at some point.

Best advice may be to wait for it to fall further on its own.

 

[clearance]

In a word, fencepost.
Leave it alone, I have cut down many trees, worse than the one in the first video, which had some grave errors. Especially where the guy straddles the tree that is cut up (4:46 in the clip). He does not stay out of the bight at all times either. If the tree let go he would have no time to react and be hurt, crushed or worse. Watch it again.

Fence posting is cutting from the top down partially, then from underneath with the back of the bar at full rpm. The butt will come down and spike very hard into the ground, you don't want your feet anywhere near. You keep doing this until the tree comes right over backwards, they usually do. You have to have a decent saw with a long (24" at least) bar and be on your toes. A decent faller up there can show you. Be safe, get some help.

 

[1savagehunter]

hey Clearance ... good advice. Fenceposting is NOT for the faint of heart thou ... remember folks ... my pal does this for a living.

 

[Brian VT]

In a word, fencepost.
You keep doing this until the tree comes right over backwards, they usually do.

Here's a mini-demo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_431jQ6OABI&feature=related

 

[clearance]

Here's a mini-demo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_431jQ6OABI&feature=related

Funny.

 

[NHCowboy]

And I thought the running in one direction while watching the tree [hopefully] not fall on you was taught day one of felling class...

 

[kodiakyardboy]

Fenceposting is what I have been doing, but it really seemed sketchy to me. I think a book is in order, and if I can find a class to take it wouldn't hurt. This tree work is dangerous stuff. Thanks for everyone's input.