Felling hollow trees.

[beastmaster]

I hate passing on a tree. I've been doing tree's my whole life, but part of being a professional is knowing when to walk a way.
We had a burnt out pine. It had a large cat face from the ground up 4 feet. The fire made a chimney of the tree, it was hollow as far up as I could see. It was on a steep muddy hillside leaning toward HV lines. It was maybe 60 ft tall and 38 DBH.
The cat face was facing up hill. There was no place to put a face cut. No wood to form a hinge.
It got dropped by someone else. But they used a prayer cut (cut and pray it don't hit nothing)
Is there some method used on tree's like this?

 

[jefflovstrom]

Is it possible to put a rope in it, probably kinda low, like 20-25 feet?
Kinda time consuming but, the root should be shallow and maybe a gentle tug?
Otherwise, cut it or walk away.
Jeff

 

[beastmaster]

Is it possible to put a rope in it, probably kinda low, like 20-25 feet?
Kinda time consuming but, the root should be shallow and maybe a gentle tug?
Otherwise, cut it or walk away.
Jeff

If it had been a residential and i was getting paid to remove only it, I could of put two ropes to stabilize it, then dismantle it a little at a time, but we can't spend all day on a tree normally.

 

[jefflovstrom]

If it had been a residential and i was getting paid to remove only it, I could of put two ropes to stabilize it, then dismantle it a little at a time, but we can't spend all day on a tree normally.

Do you have a pic?
It is what is is,
Jeff

 

[BC WetCoast]

I've heard of guys, cutting burnt large red cedar snags, crawl inside and make the cuts from the inside. If it wasn't for the HV wires, I would have suggested blasting it.

The other way would be to put guylines to keep it out of the wires and a big pull line. Put in a notch (for what it's worth) and use whatever shell you have as the hinge. Back cut as much as you're comfortable and pull it over. Cable may be more effective than rope.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Hum, I might just pull it slowly away from the lines, limited chainsaw use,,install the pull lines about a third of the way and go slow,or walk away,,the tops will probably break off when pulled if you want to piece it out,
Jeff,,,,

 

[treebilly]

A pull line or two plus notching and back cut. Just not the usual way. It's an oddball but you can still notch and back cut on them. Better be with or opposite of the lean though. Using a guy line for side lean gets really iffy on those

 

[ATH]

There is nothing worth dying over. Somebody else wants to take the extremely high risk trees....Let 'em. There are plenty that still require your expertise and you have a much higher chance of being there tomorrow and the next day to keep at it.

That one sounds nasty, but some of those do behave better with plunge cuts (not to rehash that thread!) instead of traditional back cut... Still doesn't sound like one I'd do without some lines in it.

 

[david1332]

Just did a hollow maple today . I put a notch and a very very very slight backcut in it but pulled it 90 degrees via the lean and took it right over. You just need to make sure there's room to fall it where you want I spiked up to good wood and blocked it down in tiny tiny pieces. It's cray hoe a tree can be 90% hollow on the bottom, solid in the middle and hollow up top.

 

[david1332]

Left lead was about 30" and the right was about 25"

 

[beastmaster]

What worry me on these burnt out tree's is they'll implode then the weight shifts as it's coming over. A live tree that's hollow can still have a lot of strength if it's live wood. But my experience with these dead burnt out tree's is still growing.
That's what I like about this job it's always interesting. I'm on one of the top crews, we get tree's other crews pass on, but if we mess up they fire the whole crew without a second thought. So we can't take chances or let ego get in the way.

 

[david1332]

What worry me on these burnt out tree's is they'll implode then the weight shifts as it's coming over. A live tree that's hollow can still have a lot of strength if it's live wood. But my experience with these dead burnt out tree's is still growing.
That's what I like about this job it's always interesting. I'm on one of the top crews, we get tree's other crews pass on, but if we mess up they fire the whole crew without a second thought. So we can't take chances or let ego get in the way.

That's the way you gotta be

 

[scheffa]

Falling this monster dead, burnt hollow peppermint was a real learning curve for me. Tree was approx 2.4m diameter. Scarfed it, back cut then pounded wedges for about an hour to get it down. Couldn't use a pull rope due to the vegetation around.