Split Cedar Elm - Central Texas

[retired_guy]

Hi everyone! I just noticed that one of our favorite trees is split on the side. It might have happened last year when we had that terrible freeze here in Central Texas. The weight of the ice devastated a lot of our trees. Maybe it happened when it began to grow this year? The weight of the growth was too much?

I am attaching a few pics - one shows the view from our porch (this side is OK), another shows a side view (this side has the split) and another has a back view (the split shows at the top). There is substantial trunk on each side of the split. I am planning on cutting one limb which will take some of the weight off of the split side.

I was thinking I might take a 24" ship auger and put a 5/8" rod with 2X2 plates and nuts on each end to provide support.

What do you think? Would this be a workable solution? I hate to lose the tree it provides lots of shade which we desperately need.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Hi everyone! I just noticed that one of our favorite trees is split on the side. It might have happened last year when we had that terrible freeze here in Central Texas. The weight of the ice devastated a lot of our trees. Maybe it happened when it began to grow this year? The weight of the growth was too much?

I am attaching a few pics - one shows the view from our porch (this side is OK), another shows a side view (this side has the split) and another has a back view (the split shows at the top). There is substantial trunk on each side of the split. I am planning on cutting one limb which will take some of the weight off of the split side.

I was thinking I might take a 24" ship auger and put a 5/8" rod with 2X2 plates and nuts on each end to provide support.

What do you think? Would this be a workable solution? I hate to lose the tree it provides lots of shade which we desperately need.

Cedar elms are one of my favorite Texas trees and it would be a shame to lose one that big. That's pretty standard practice, here's a basic how-to. https://www.heartwoodtreecompany.com/blog/how-to-fix-splitting-tree

 

[retired_guy]

Cedar elms are one of my favorite Texas trees and it would be a shame to lose one that big. That's pretty standard practice, here's a basic how-to. https://www.heartwoodtreecompany.com/blog/how-to-fix-splitting-tree

Thank you so much, that is exactly what I needed. The picture in the link even looks a lot like mine. I've never used a ship auger so don't know what to expect. I hope I have enough drill power? I bought a 5/8" 24" ship auger, hoping to use 5/8" threaded rod (I have several of those) hoping it gives enough clearance to be able to insert the rod.
Question - Should you drill a little and then pull back to rid the shavings like using a regular bit, or just make a continuous plunge?

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Thank you so much, that is exactly what I needed. The picture in the link even looks a lot like mine. I've never used a ship auger so don't know what to expect. I hope I have enough drill power? I bought a 5/8" 24" ship auger, hoping to use 5/8" threaded rod (I have several of those) hoping it gives enough clearance to be able to insert the rod.
Question - Should you drill a little and then pull back to rid the shavings like using a regular bit, or just make a continuous plunge?

Would pull back periodically to clear shavings. Cedar elm is a really dense hardwood and may be a bit of a challenge so I'd clear quite often to keep the drilling moving okay and to avoid getting stuck. The density and hardness ratings listed for cedar elm don't come close to my experience of a giant one I salvaged and milled that was downed in a storm here. Harder and denser than most of the oaks but for our Texas red oak and live oak. Kind of pecan-like.