Observations

[jdc123]

Cut a huge water oak today (45 inches through ) and thought I'd share some observations:

1. I thank God this went off without a hitch, was about two inches from the house and there wasn't any room for error. Fell exactly right.

2. I'm not a PNW faller, my facecut and backcut were adequate but not entirely satisfactory.

3. The 440 is a hoss, and will carry a 32" bar with skip chain buried in oak, but it's all it wants, and if I had to do this everyday I'd want something bigger.

4. Never assume. Thought this thing would at least have some hollow or rot right in the middle of the trunk, solid all the way, even after being dead almost a year.

5. Apparently metal won't always ruin a chain, knew I was hitting something in this thing, turned out it was old fencing steeples ( u-shaped ), touch up with file was all it needed.

6. A man has got to know his limitations. No way I could have done this without help, specifically two tractors and operators to keep this thing off my house.

Hated to see the old tree go, grew up playing under it, but it died last year.

 

[Whitespider]

Where are the pics??

Without practice it’s difficult to get perfect felling cuts on large diameter trees… especially when your bar is shorter then the diameter of the stump. I cut down 2 or 3 large diameter trees each winter using a 20 inch bar on a small saw (026) and my stumps (especially the first one) are ugly… but as you say, adequate.

It’s good the tree fell where and how you wanted it to. I’ve had things go an unintended way with large diameter trees… and it’ll make you check your shorts after the dust settles. Big trees hold a lot of weight and carry massive amounts of momentum on their way down… you can’t get behind or under anything and count on it to protect you. You just haf’ta keep your eyes on the tree and go where the tree ain’t going.

 

[jdc123]

Sorry, no pics. Yes, large diameter trees are tricky, and taking plenty of time to get things as right as possible goes a long way. The neat thing about it is every one you do you get more experience. The tractors helped a lot, and if I hadn't had that option, I probably would have got a bucket truck to come in and take the limbs off. This was a classic water oak for our area, trunk about nine ft. tall, then branching out with huge diameter limbs. A lot of weight going in every direction. I had previously had a couple of big limbs that were hanging over the house removed, so at least there wasn't any weight leaning toward the house.

 

[D&B Mack]

Sorry, no pics. Yes, large diameter ...blah, blah, blah...

Pics or it didn't happen, end of story... :msp_sleep:

 

[jdc123]

Pics or it didn't happen, end of story... :msp_sleep:

You choose your reality, I'll choose mine. I just thought I'd share the story, but if that somehow disappoints you, that's your problem.

 

[ponyexpress976]

Good to see you recognized your limitations and had help. Big trees can suck in a hurry!

 

[jdc123]

Good to see you recognized your limitations and had help. Big trees can suck in a hurry!

Yep, no way I would have tackled this alone.

 

[D&B Mack]

You choose your reality, I'll choose mine. I just thought I'd share the story, but if that somehow disappoints you, that's your problem.

Just a joke, relax...

I am disappointed though that I don't get to live vicariously through your photos though.

 

[jdc123]

Just a joke, relax...

I am disappointed though that I don't get to live vicariously through your photos though.

No problem, I know I need to get a camera set up to post some pics of all this stuff, but I do good to turn the computer on.:msp_smile:

 

[turnkey4099]

No problem, I know I need to get a camera set up to post some pics of all this stuff, but I do good to turn the computer on.:msp_smile:

I was the same as you. Bum foozled about how to put pics on the 'puter much less do anything with them for years. Try what I did. Get someone to demonstrate. It is so simple to load from the camera to the computor, basically just plug it in and turn it on, it does the rest.

As for what to do after that, many good 'how do do pics' in hte archives and I think there may be some in the stickys.

Camera, 'puter, internet = fun, fun, fun.

Harry K

Harry K

 

[Morgan in AR]

My dad called fence staples "steeples".

 

[jdc123]

My dad called fence staples "steeples".

Yep, that's what we've always called them here, must be a Southern thang. I still wonder though why it didn't mess my chain up worse, but I have to say that it didn't look like I dead-centered any, and they were very rusty.