Thoughts on dropping this tree?

[Blakesmaster]

I wish I could send it that way but it'll get hung on a nice old oak I don't really want to bust up. I'm starting to like the idea of chaining it together. That and getting a bar longer than my 32" so I can just haul a$$ on the backcut while my buddy bangs the wedges.

Good luck. Granted I've ne'er cut large fir so the east coast in me says no way that will pull that other lead over with that small of a seam, but pics can be deceiving as can different wood.

 

[slowp]

What happens after it is on the ground? Firewood? Lizards? Boards?

Actually, trees like that can make for a little bit more volume, depending on how much you have to buck out or longbutt. Not a bad mutation to have.

 

[Rftreeman]

can you get a rope in each lead? if you can then I would cut them as one at 90 degrees from the lean and put the notch as close to the ground as possible and use the ropes and wedges to persuade them over.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

can you get a rope in each lead? if you can then I would cut them as one at 90 degrees from the lean and put the notch as close to the ground as possible and use the ropes and wedges to persuade them over.

Completly unessecary (don't mean to sound rude). This is not a 80ft hardwood, it is a second growth doug fir school marm that is probably 100-125 feet tall with an obvious lean. Very basic.
Don't over analize the situation, if you don't feel right doing it then don't, but if you do wanna do it cut it as one with the lean.

 

[Rftreeman]

Completly unessecary (don't mean to sound rude). This is not a 80ft hardwood, it is a second growth doug fir school marm that is probably 100-125 feet tall with an obvious lean. Very basic.
Don't over analize the situation, if you don't feel right doing it then don't, but if you do wanna do it cut it as one with the lean.

IM not "over analyzing" it, I was merely giving my opinion as to the way I would do it based on the pictures, I wasn't aware of any other lean except for the way the two leads lean away from each other which is the "lean" I was speaking of in my post but if it has lean and can be cut with the lean as one then there's no need for a rope but I'd still use a wedge if needed.

 

[Bushler]

I looked at the pics and couldn't see any indicators, no conk or anything bad. Go with Tree Slingers suggestion, the tree looks healthy and should be a piece of cake.

If you start pulling signs of white speck or black heart rot, while sawing the face, you might want to rethink your plan.

Where you located? I'd drive by w/saw if you're close. Im on the southern oregon coast.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

IM not "over analyzing" it, I was merely giving my opinion as to the way I would do it based on the pictures, I wasn't aware of any other lean except for the way the two leads lean away from each other which is the "lean" I was speaking of in my post but if it has lean and can be cut with the lean as one then there's no need for a rope but I'd still use a wedge if needed.

I did not mean to imply that YOU were over analyzing, that was meant for the overall situation, not your post.

 

[sILlogger]

i say notch it low and cut them both...but i cut hardwoods...nice looking ground btw.

 

[madrone]

Sorry I missed out on the conversation, I had to work today. Let me catch up.
The only lean is the obvious kind, each lead going opposite from each other.
The wood will either be milled with my alaskan for beams, turned into siding for the barn on a portable or just go to the local mill (that pays next to nothing lately).
Treslinger is right, its a 2nd growth that measures at about 115' so we should get a fair share of lumber from it.

I'm gonna go with a chain just below the gap and another down low to help bind them in case of a split. Face cut like they're one tree angled to take them both down in the same direction, one on top of the other pulling against the 2nd ones lean. I'll probably just use the 32" bar and match up a shallow back cut on one side with the bigger cut on the other side. I'll also end up stacking wedges to get as much lift as I can.
I'm not gonna get to cutting it till next week but I will keep folks updated and take some pics. I've got 6 more firs to drop before the space is clear for this one. I'm not looking forward to moving 32' logs with my kubota 32hp tractor (1 ft. per horse, lol) Someday i'll get that trackhoe. sigh.
Thanks for all the ideas and if you've got more, keep em coming.
-Mark
oh yeah, Bushler, i'm in Oregon City just outside Portland. A bit far for you to drive but thanks anyway. I used to live just outside GP, gotta love it down south.

 

[madrone]

Here is a follow up on the process on felling the tree in question. It's not the biggest tree i've dropped but it was probably one of the more dangerous.
Photos follow (beer in hand):

1- As the tree stood. I was trying to keep from hitting the oaks on both sides of it.
2- Ground view of the double header.
3- Face cut made with chain and binder to reinforce the graft.
4- Big gush of water all over my leg while making the first cut. Major warning that there's hollow rot in the tree.
5- A rainbow of wedges

 

[Raymond]

IT WILL NOT STAY TOGETHER. Notice the caps?

And no you can not chain them together, when it goes wrong you will have no way of knowing what will happen but it wont be good.

I have a trick to get them to drop in the exact same spot but I feel like I'm talking to myself here so I'm not going to go into it.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Right where I said it was gonna go...
That gush is actually from the marm where is grows together, they hold lots of water. If there was any rot it would have been a little tiny spot that ended after the marm.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

IT WILL NOT STAY TOGETHER. Notice the caps?

And no you can not chain them together, when it goes wrong you will have no way of knowing what will happen but it wont be good.

I have a trick to get them to drop in the exact same spot but I feel like I'm talking to myself here so I'm not going to go into it.

Enlighten us (or me) Raymond...

Got any pics of the end result Madrone?

 

[madrone]

6- Tree went over with a big wuuummp. I barely had to bang on the wedges and the weight of the bigger head pulled them both over perfectly.
7- A view of the maggots and rot in the center.
8- Pic of the stump for your viewing pleasure.
9- Half an hour later I'm bucking to length. Most of this tree will go to siding for our barn.

Beer in hand, the toast is to all the members of AS that offer help to me, and all of us, that couldn't do this kind of thing without you.
Thanks to all

 

[stihlloggin]

good work!! looks like a nice forest service leave tree.

 

[2000ssm6]

Great pics! I like the one where the water comes out.

 

[madrone]

Great pics! I like the one where the water comes out.

Did I say "ALL OVER MY LEG!!!!!"

 

[Gologit]

IT WILL NOT STAY TOGETHER. Notice the caps?

And no you can not chain them together, when it goes wrong you will have no way of knowing what will happen but it wont be good.

I have a trick to get them to drop in the exact same spot but I feel like I'm talking to myself here so I'm not going to go into it.

Gee, I'll bet your method involves the super duper, convoluted, double spiral, crossback left hand, serio comic, I-read-about-it-in-a-book, invisible plunge cut. And lots of rope.

Catch a clue, Ray...the kid got it on the ground just fine. And it stayed together, too.

 

[heimannm]

Thanks Madrone for the photo's and keeping us posted. Glad to know it all worked out for you.

How much lumber do you figure will come out of that one?

Mark

 

[Raymond]

Enlighten us (or me) Raymond...

You tie a rope at a good height on the one that is closest to going right. The easy of the two.
Then you take the tail end and go around the other tree just a few feet below where the rope is tied to the other tree.
You put a notch toward your target and having plenty of help pulling the rope even though its not tied to the tree. It will follow the rope right down to where your holding it and the next one can be notched to drop in the same spot.

I use this in tree removals all the time. You put a rope up in the easiest to fall where you want. Then you run it around a lead just under where it's tied up and not so much are you pulling but snapping the rope tight and the lead has no choice but to follow the rope.

One day I'll figure out how to post pics and maybe a video...it's kinda cool.