Could you safely fall this tree?

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My prediction- when the tree gets 10+- degrees from vertical, it snaps where the hole is.

What happens next? The suspense is killing me!
 
That's one where the sphincter goes waayyy tight!

Danger is that only part of the tree will begin to fall. I might consider chaining it but the guy doing the falling is obviously a pro and knows what he is doing.

I fell a similar one once back when I thought I knew what I was doing. Wouldn't do it again.

Harry K
 
goop points

Aggie:
Good call. It didn't happen but that weaker spot about 15 feet up could easily have failed during the fall. This is of course a very big deal has the tree can jack knife at that point and that spot can go backwards, (if failure occurs early), and this portion can then go backwards over the stump or at an angle toward an escape route. This puts this tree in a barber chair level of danger class.

I'm going to suggest, I wasn't there, that while this cutter looks very good from the photos that despite that this tree should have been dropped by a D-7 Cat or similar piece of falling equipment.

Note the collapse of the tree below the face. There was just too little wood there. No technique could make up for that.

My experience has been the only trees like this that one could argue are safe are the ones where the open area of the stump, (Cat Face) matches the lean and felling direction. You can then put in mini face cuts and book a flight out with the start of the fell at whatever point that is in the back-cut.

An odd item that can get some use rarely is to cut a pry bar from something dead nearby and pop the thing while being say 10 feet away.
 
"There are very few problems that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives."

If I had that to deal with, I'd be very tempted to saw it down with some C-4!
 
Yeah I could take it down no problem. First thing id need is a case of Courage (12 pack of coors light gives ya the courage to talk to the hottest women and take out the dangerous trees). After the about 8 bottles of courage I would take off my shirt put on my sandals, grunt like a gorrila and fire up the old 55 Rancher with muffler mods !!!!

Then id proceed to stagger to the tree and cut straight through like a real man "beer in one hand saw in the other"!

See boys thats how a real man cuts a tree like that!



lol just so you know im just messing with you all plz never mix beer and chainsaws, also keep the shirts on, and work boots as well and all of the other proper safety equipment.

Darryl
 
need

FirstSmoke:
It was above a road. Apparently you come from a district that likes to leave hazard trees beside roads.
That would mean something if I was any better off. We may have 1,000 more dead trees than you guys along traveled roads, but yours are bigger and die from more bugs/fungi and are falling all over B&B as we speak. Ours are good for a couple months.

The tree does look like it needed to come down. Just methodology is the question.

With regard to explosives. Probably OK, but any falling technique that requires more concentration on ground level than above on a tree that hazardous is unacceptable.
This applies to opening beverage containers also.
One nice part about a hollow tree with explosives. Placing the charge inside will gain some increased return deflection of the blast wave. This even with a pyramid stack is a positive. Just removal of the face area wood is all that would be necessary.

Heavy equipment, like a dozer, possibly with a choker cable, is usually a better option.
 
Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll no. That's out of my league. I wouldn't even think about trying that one.

I'd stand way off and watch somebody do it, though.:laugh:
 
smokechase II said:
With regard to explosives. Probably OK, but any falling technique that requires more concentration on ground level than above on a tree that hazardous is unacceptable.
...
One nice part about a hollow tree with explosives. Placing the charge inside will gain some increased return deflection of the blast wave. This even with a pyramid stack is a positive. Just removal of the face area wood is all that would be necessary.


No sweat. A block or two of C-4 on the face would do the trick, and could be placed in much less time than it takes to cut, with MORE attention overhead.

Less time in the danger zone, more ability to pay attention to overhead dangers (C-4 won't cut you!), and a big kaboom.

What's not to like? :biggrinbounce2:


Okay, I agree - pulling would be safer. :(

Spoilsport!

;)
 
how to fall small trunk tree

i need some option from you all ,some info about how to fall small trunk base app 15'' to 20'' height tree is 25' to 50' tall. the trouble i had is by time i make face cut and back cutting it pinch my bar and i had no room put my wedges in becuz my chainsaw is in the way. the tree become unstable.once i decided to put wedges on the side and pounded in i may be lucky to get my chainsaw out and rewedges into center and still not going forward. i had few experience those tree felled backward and sideway. those lodgepole and Jack-pine are so unpredictable than any tree i ever felling, i am asking you if you know any method fell this kind safely. i do have rope rackets with 150 ' long rope and push-pole to pushed down but there time these option is not available
i appreciates if you can shared this info and experiences i can use to fall safely
Treeman67
 
hollow trees and wedges

I would suggest that on trees where there is this little wood to work with, skip any wedging period. Ship any back-cutting prior to face cutting etc.
Drop with lean, and yes use a face cut. The tree needs a two stage release. The face provides the first part of the release and gives it an initial direction. The back-cut completes the release. Just back-cutting means you want lots of splitting action. Not good.
Don't think twice about boring on significantly hollow trees. Bad idea. Pinched bar and faller with funny look on his face wondering how to save saw.

Again, picture a choker cable going through the area below where the cutter put the face, (utilize the two holes). Pulling out that wood with no one around. That is the wood that is supporting the tree and there isn't enough wood in the rear to hold anything once it is gone. Of course, there would be plenty of splitting action with this technique or blasting. It’s just that no one has to be in the danger zone when stuff hits the fan.
 
H'mmmm,

Q: Can you SAFELY fall this?........NO,....Can you get it on the ground without getting hurt.....possibly.....are there better way's to deal with it.....Yes..... But I am there the saws topped up, sharp, running good, that's what makes us all individuals.
Good one, you asked for thoughts and prediction of outcome.
That's not fair, we gotta see the whole tree.

Well it's these that can get y'a, in my oppinion this guy knows what he's doing, he chose a good spot higher up (good move), it can't take of his nose if it barberchaired up, I doubt that it would going by the pics but you gotta minimize the risk, he chose the meateast spot (good move). He was smart enough to use a face cut and kept it small (good move). presuming he kept up this skill level up throughout the backcut I predict all when't well. Give the man TWO :cheers:
 
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photos

Rigger:
The photos came to me and I did crop them for posting. But I didn't exclude any of the tree. Sorry I don't have any more of a whole tree picture or description.
I thought aggie did very well as the first responder. What he suggested didn't happen obviously, but it was a solid legit concern.
The cutter looks skilled from what we can see in the photos. As you point out, he went above that one hole on the off-side to get more wood and less chance of a surprise. His face looks to be perfect for the situation. I know of no way to cut something like this without getting some type of collapse. {I'm ruling out cutting at the base}
Perhaps the lean is so substantial that the faller knew this was going to happen and that direction was assured because of the lean and with that he would be fine.
Even with that, "I'm going to suggest, I wasn't there, that while this cutter looks very good from the photos that despite that this tree should have been dropped by a D-7 Cat or similar piece of falling equipment."
I think that it was just too close to a limit for any chain saw operation.
Swan Penn’s burn it some more is done at times. Usually it is with a fire still going at the base, (I've not heard of a re-start - but that is possible), and a decent bit of stoking with a crew that expects it to come down in 15 minutes and it takes 2 hours.
Hitting it with another tree accurately and powerfully is what most fallers do, despite rules on that. Of course, that is problematic.
 
More importantly than the dynamics of falling yet "just another snag", is smokechase II's first picture. It is totaly awsome and looks like a limited edition print. If I were to walk into an art shop I would buy that pic in a heart beat. Just the way it is slightly over exposed in the foreground and the green in the background with the mist makes it a real gem and a once in a lifetime shot.
I saved it as by background although it comes up a wee bit distorted.
John
 
BTW, with regard to felling that snag. This is where a fast saw and a sharp chain is an absolute must. No bigger danger than chewing away at it with a dull Muckaluck.
There is no doubt it could be approached with several methods, all of them successful, but you want to be prepared for any jackknife that may happen as it's mostly a cut and run affair. Not a tree to turn your back on.
One way would be to make a subtle undercut and cut all remaining wood as the back cut as fast as possible with as little attention to direction other than it's natural lean. No need to worry about holding wood on this one.
John
 
uncropped photos

I don't know who took the photos.
I would liked to have seen a movie of the drop to see just how the wood under the face buckled. But that is asking for a lot.
So I'll be quiet and thankful for what we have.

I think it's the same tree.
 

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