Not looking forward to this

[jrider]

This tree came down today. It's on a blueberry and cranberry farm my brother works on 5 minutes from home. The owner has given me access to probably 60 cords of easy wood over the last 5-6 years. Most of that has been easy and some of it was delivered in log length all for free. I've never had to move a stick of brush while cutting wood on his property. This oak tree though concerns me. The base was rotted and burned out. We talked about taking it down last week but decided the safest thing to do was let it come down on its own and today was that day. To try and give some scale, the spot where the trunk split goes horizontal is about 15 feet in the air. The tree is still up in the air so much due to the heavy thick branches on the bottom side. I have cut trees like this before but it sure adds a pucker factor I'm not exactly looking forward to. Diameter at the base ranged from about 5-8 feet. The truck to the right is still standing but is also rotted and burned out. We will try to just push it over with the excavator.

 

[Dogsout]

This tree has cluster written all over it. Good luck with it.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

There is no problem that can't be fixed with the liberal application of high explosives.

Good luck with that dumpster fire. Be safe.

ETA
I may be wrong, but you may be able to get a chain around the part that is still connected to the stump and pull it with that excavator. The weight is sitting on that piece. Pull it out and the rest falls to the ground.

 

[VW Splitter]

I love a good challenge, You really got one there. Be careful.

 

[old guy]

You have an excavator? I don't see any problem, throw a chain on that hanger and pull it down you can hook onto any one of those outer supporting limbs and yank it down, I'm sure you'll find the safest one.

 

[svk]

Or short of heavy equipment, eat it from the top down with a polesaw.

 

[Hinerman]

You have an excavator? I don't see any problem, throw a chain on that hanger and pull it down you can hook onto any one of those outer supporting limbs and yank it down, I'm sure you'll find the safest one.

Exactly, an excavator!!!!! What is there to worry about???

eat it from the top down with a polesaw.

^^^^This is what I do. A pole saw is my best friend since I don't have an EXCAVATOR!!!! May have to strap a limb and pull it over with my truck on occasion.

 

[turnkey4099]

Or short of heavy equipment, eat it from the top down with a polesaw.

Top down is my usual approach to any tree. Works well on the problem ones as in this example. Stresses, hazard cuts, etc. all come out a little at a time instead of at one shot. I had a big willow a few years ago propped up by two limbs. I cut all the brush I could without disturbing it then 'blocked down' one of the props. It came down with no problem and I was in no danger at all.

 

[KiwiBro]

throw a rope around the standing one, tie it to the split one, drop the former. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[NSMaple1]

How big an excavator are we talking here? This should be easy and take like one minute with one of those - reach & pull. Or push and pull. Or pull & push. A thumb would be a big help, likely.

 

[sledge&wedge]

If you prefer a passive approach, pile up some brush and dry wood around and inside the split trunk, maybe a bag or two of self-lighting charcoal. Round up a case of brews and a couple packs of weenies and watch it slowly become a not-hazard tree.

 

[lone wolf]

Just don't be in range of it and pull it down with the machine or a truck. A motorized pole trimmer would help keep you away also.

 

[morewood]

Everything looks hard until you have a plan, and a back up. While in its present state it is unsafe if a dose of common sense and well timed mechanical force are used everything should be fine. In complete honesty, I have a tractor with a winch, a dependable 11yr old boy as a spotter/operator, and extra saws. This tree looks like firewood already.

Shea

 

[jrider]

How big an excavator are we talking here? This should be easy and take like one minute with one of those - reach & pull. Or push and pull. Or pull & push. A thumb would be a big help, likely.

Whats left of the trunk isn't whats holding it up I suspect but instead the branches on the bottom. I expect it to remain standing like that even if we push on the trunk with the excavator. I'm not sure the model number of excavator but it's pretty good size - big enough to do what you are suggesting.

 

[jrider]

If you prefer a passive approach, pile up some brush and dry wood around and inside the split trunk, maybe a bag or two of self-lighting charcoal. Round up a case of brews and a couple packs of weenies and watch it slowly become a not-hazard tree.[/QUOTE
Fun but it's now in the way and cranberry season is approaching.

 

[jrider]

Exactly, an excavator!!!!! What is there to worry about???

I would rather worry a little and be safe than not worry and end up in the ER or worse.
We did use the excavator and there are still limbs 20 feet in the air along with limbs on the bottom holding all of that weight. Is it a job I can't handle? No, but there is still enough danger left to make me proceed with caution.

^^^^This is what I do. A pole saw is my best friend since I don't have an EXCAVATOR!!!! May have to strap a limb and pull it over with my truck on occasion.

 

[jrider]

Here are the pics after the excavator did some pushing and pulling and then some pics of what I was able to get done in 2 hours of cutting and moving brush

 

[lone wolf]

View attachment 602738 View attachment 602739 View attachment 602740 View attachment 602741 View attachment 602742 View attachment 602743 View attachment 602744 Here are the pics after the excavator did some pushing and pulling and then some pics of what I was able to get done in 2 hours of cutting and moving brush

Looks like a Hurricane hit there

 

[Hinerman]

View attachment 602738 View attachment 602739 View attachment 602740 View attachment 602741 View attachment 602742 View attachment 602743 View attachment 602744 Here are the pics after the excavator did some pushing and pulling and then some pics of what I was able to get done in 2 hours of cutting and moving brush

Agree with your statement, a person can never be too careful, I don't care what equipment you have.

Awesome job and nobody got hurt. I envy the excavator.

 

[jrider]

Put about 2.5 hours in yesterday and now feel better about the tree. Hard to tell in the picture but there is a lot of wood in this thing. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a 5 cord tree when done. The larger rounds in the one picture are around 30"-35" in diameter - glad I can use his backhoe to load them up! I have about 2-2.5 hours of cutting left before I start to load up and haul away. I could easily fit inside the burned out stump.