To Fell or Not to Fell....UNASSISTED??

[ReggieT]

I'm just now getting my feet wet in the Firewood, Chainsaw deal.

Yet, I'm really wanting to fell unassisted a 45-50 ft Hackberry.
I have a friend who used to be employed with Landscaping & Tree Services until degenerative hip disease extracted it "pound of flesh"...he can assist some in the limbing and bucking.

This tree is mostly straight, but its located in a very thick canopy and probably could stand to be topped 1st...but I want to drop this tree so bad I can taste it!!!!

What precautions and measures should I take...start with smaller stuff, my friend says he could possibly climb it and knock the top out, but the saw he use's is a 20 lb McCullough with 30' bar and maybe build some scaffolding!:confused2:

Should I be concerned about possible a "Barber Chair" or Widow makers?

Just wanted to get some sound advice and council...else its gonna drop 1st thing the morning....here are some pics.

View attachment 270536

View attachment 270537

View attachment 270538

View attachment 270539

Thanks
Reggie

 

[Mac88]

Reg, how long have you harbored this death wish?

 

[ReggieT]

Death wish...how so Mac????

Reg, how long have you harbored this death wish?

 

[Incomplete]

Widow-Maker. I turned a similar job down this year. Man's Got Know His Limitations.

 

[Mac88]

I'm just now getting my feet wet in the Firewood, Chainsaw deal.

Yet, I'm really wanting to fell unassisted a 45-50 ft Hackberry.

This tree is mostly straight, but its located in a very thick canopy and probably could stand to be topped 1st...but I want to drop this tree so bad I can taste it!!!!

Should I be concerned about possible a "Barber Chair" or Widow makers?

Just wanted to get some sound advice and council...else its gonna drop 1st thing the morning....

Thanks
Reggie

I think you need more than advice. You need a teacher, on site. Just sayin'. We try to keep our friend around.

 

[Foxfire]

Is that a branch or the trunk in the 4rth pic? If it's a branch can it be taken down before the tree is dropped?

Oh wait, is the tree in question the one on the right?

 

[ReggieT]

I think you need more than advice. You need a teacher, on site. Just sayin'. We try to keep our friend around.

 

[Mac88]

Sorry Reg, I don't know your skill level but it's just too easy to get yourself killed if you make even a simple mistake. If you're gonna do it on your own, start small. Felling a tree is not the same as bucking a log. There's a lot of stuff you need to know up front, AND have the right equipment at hand to do the job.

 

[spidermonkey17]

[What precautions and measures should I take...start with smaller stuff, my friend says he could possibly climb it and knock the top out, but the saw he use's is a 20 lb McCullough with 30' bar and maybe build some scaffolding!/QUOTE]

This whole paragraph had nightly news written all over it and a mention in a arborculture magazine about a accident or a death, just my .02$ you either know you can do it or you can't not ask a online bulletin board not trying to be rude just being honest

 

[stihly dan]

Got to get your feet wet sometime. Problem is, how do you get them wet wearing your running shoe's. Cause your gonna needem.

Ooh, wear nikes, just do it baby.

 

[MeanMark87]

Is that a branch or the trunk in the 4rth pic? If it's a branch can it be taken down before the tree is dropped?

Oh wait, is the tree in question the one on the right?

I think that's a dead snag hung up in the hackberry and the hackberry's the tree on the right. Egh.

If my interpretation is right you'd want to get that widow maker out of there before you even thought about dropping the hackberry.

 

[Foxfire]

I think that's a dead snag hung up in the hackberry and the hackberry's the tree on the right. Egh.

If my interpretation is right you'd want to get that widow maker out of there before you even thought about dropping the hackberry.

That was my thought or at least that's what I saw as the major danger, but I'm not familiar with Hackberry so I wasn't sure if it has bad habits...

Just to be clear, I'm not offering advise. I was just trying to get some clarification on what is in the pics.

 

[ReggieT]

The only bulletin I'll be making is them 2 cords of firewood already sold and the pics I'll post on here that will make some folks green with envy!!

But,...on a serious note I think I will let Jo Jo climb up or build the scaffold and knock the top out 1st...he is a pure "Man-Beast" with that freakin McCullough!!!:msp_thumbsup:

[What precautions and measures should I take...start with smaller stuff, my friend says he could possibly climb it and knock the top out, but the saw he use's is a 20 lb McCullough with 30' bar and maybe build some scaffolding!/QUOTE]

This whole paragraph had nightly news written all over it and a mention in a arborculture magazine about a accident or a death, just my .02$ you either know you can do it or you can't not ask a online bulletin board not trying to be rude just being honest

 

[spidermonkey17]

Scaffolding really? And a 20 pound saw to blow a top out the good ideas just keep on rolling all for 2 cords of hackberry.

 

[Gologit]

Scaffolding?

 

[ReggieT]

Not just "Scaffolding", but high rise Scaffolding...of course he'll be tied off to the tree or the scaffolding...maybe both.
He's the prodigy of some guy named..."RED GREEN"!:hmm3grin2orange:

Scaffolding?

 

[Fronty Owner]

I know my limits.

starting the evaluation from what I see. you have a dead snag to deal with. is it blown over, cut and hung up, or blow over ten years ago and now growing like that?
Do you have the gear to pull the leaner down?
Whats in the top of the tree?
Do you have running room?

funny thing about running a saw, I wandered around the woods all my life, but it wasn't till I started putting trees on the ground that I really started looking at the branches in the trees rather that looking at the trees.

 

[ReggieT]

GOOD STUFF FROSTY!!!!

I know my limits.

starting the evaluation from what I see. you have a dead snag to deal with. is it blown over, cut and hung up, or blow over ten years ago and now growing like that?
Do you have the gear to pull the leaner down?
Whats in the top of the tree?
Do you have running room?

funny thing about running a saw, I wandered around the woods all my life, but it wasn't till I started putting trees on the ground that I really started looking at the branches in the trees rather that looking at the trees.

 

[Gologit]

Not just "Scaffolding", but high rise Scaffolding...of course he'll be tied off to the tree or the scaffolding...maybe both.
He's the prodigy of some guy named..."RED GREEN"!:hmm3grin2orange:

Okay, I got it now. You're not really asking for advice. This is another "validate what I've already decided to do, hold my beer, and watch this" post. Right?

 

[Fronty Owner]

GOOD STUFF FROSTY!!!!

thanks.... I can just go by what I see and consider how I would attack it based on what I see. I also have a pretty good idea of where my pay grade ends and when something is above my pay grade.

It is tough to say tho since I cant walk around it a few times, put a rope in places give it a pull.