widow maker

[turnkey4099]

Clearing brush in readiness to fall a big leaning willow. This widow maker is the top of a tree to the right, it is caught in the tree I will be falling at the left. That horizontal branch (widow maker is resting on it) is from the right hand tree. I figured cut the horizontal back at the tree and the widow maker would fall.

Nope. It is still hanging there. Seems to be hung from hook formed from a branching limb way up there. Guess it will just stay there until I fall the tree. I took a pic of it after cutting the support branch but stupidly erased it in error.

 

[chuckwood]

Clearing brush in readiness to fall a big leaning willow. This widow maker is the top of a tree to the right, it is caught in the tree I will be falling at the left. That horizontal branch (widow maker is resting on it) is from the right hand tree. I figured cut the horizontal back at the tree and the widow maker would fall.

Nope. It is still hanging there. Seems to be hung from hook formed from a branching limb way up there. Guess it will just stay there until I fall the tree. I took a pic of it after cutting the support branch but stupidly erased it in error.

What does your wife think about you messin' around with "widow makers"?

 

[Mike Van]

Can you get a line around it & yank it out with a truck? Safer that way -

 

[nk14zp]

From the pic and description cutting the left tree should be ok. But without seeing it in person and not knowing your ability's all bets are off. BE SAFE!!!

 

[turnkey4099]

I've debated pulling it down but falling it seems safe. It is a good 15' out from the trunk, dtree has a good lean so there is no doubt about direction of fall. Only question is what happens when the widowmaker end hits the ground. By that time I will be behind the high stump I plan on leaving.

Harry K

What does your wife think about you messin' around with "widow makers"?

She gave up trying to get me to quit 'firewooding' years ago. Died last Nov at 80.

Harry K

 

[VW Splitter]

Sorry to here about your wife. "firewooding" keeps you active, strong , and healthy. I hope to be going well into my 80s, if some crazy tree accident dont get me. Be safe. I like the rope around it and pull it with a truck idea. If it has a lot of lean to it, it can barber chair when you do your back cut.

 

[chuckwood]

I've debated pulling it down but falling it seems safe. It is a good 15' out from the trunk, dtree has a good lean so there is no doubt about direction of fall. Only question is what happens when the widowmaker end hits the ground. By that time I will be behind the high stump I plan on leaving.

Harry K

She gave up trying to get me to quit 'firewooding' years ago. Died last Nov at 80.

Harry K

Sure hate to read that. I bet it was really tough saying goodbye.......

 

[unclemoustache]

Let us know how it goes. Video if you can!

How long were you married?

 

[turnkey4099]

Sorry to here about your wife. "firewooding" keeps you active, strong , and healthy. I hope to be going well into my 80s, if some crazy tree accident dont get me. Be safe. I like the rope around it and pull it with a truck idea. If it has a lot of lean to it, it can barber chair when you do your back cut.

Willows are famous for barberchair and I usually use a strong tie down ratchet strap on them before beginning. Still cndisering the 'pull it' but from what I can see it is pretty firmly anchored up there.

 

[turnkey4099]

Sure hate to read that. I bet it was really tough saying goodbye.......

It was another case of a very long lingering down hill (6 years). I sure do miss her nagging at me to stay out of the woods

Harry K

 

[al-k]

Sorry to hear about your wife, my wife has been ill for some time now and i no how hard it can be. Some years back i was dropping a 24" red oak and after it hit the ground and i was standing there looking at my handy work saw in my hand, bam a limb i never noticed came down hitting the rim of my hat knocking it off my head and then ripped my sweatshirt open for about 8" before sticking into the ground .Kind of knocked the wind out of me because my stomach sticks out a bit. If it had happened 20 years ago it would have mist me. Put a nice scape on my gut and made me really start to pay more attention to what could happen when doing what seems like a simple thing. be careful and good luck.

 

[unclemoustache]

I read in the WTF thread that you said you know Russian. Sounds like you've had a very interesting life. Where/why did you learn Russian?

 

[turnkey4099]

I read in the WTF thread that you said you know Russian. Sounds like you've had a very interesting life. Where/why did you learn Russian?

Joined AF Jan 54. Straight off a stump farm in Idaho. They yanked me in basic and sent me to Syracuse University for a 6 month inversion course (8hr/day, 5 day wk) all Russian. Then it was on to the United States Air Force Security Service which was the AF "spy" type organization. Spent 21 years listening to the Russians with a couple more 12 month course back at Syracuse between overseas tours. Had some interesting times but mostly pure boredom turning knobs on receiving equipmtne. Best was the Russian invasion of Chezchosloavkia 1968. I was at Hof, Germany and got to listen in and report all the entire happening. The entered Czhech from E Germany and went by our site about 20 miles to the east. Included there was giving a 48 hour prediction of it happening but nobody believed me...They also didn't apologize or so much as mention it ever since.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Update. Just came in with the wood off that tree. I dropped it Wed and took 2 days (okay, my "day" is only about 3 hours anymore) just to clear the brush. The drop went as planned and was one of the easiest ones I have done. I don't know what happened with the widow maker as I was about 2 miles away and gaining speed when it hit. It was all tied up in the brush when I got back.

Harry K

 

[Mike Van]

Good news Harry - Better to be cutting those trees than pushing them up -