Hazard turned into dangerous

[turnkey4099]

Last fall this old stem fell in a windstorm. It is tangled up and being held by those other trees It is my neighbors. Plan was to use a bucket truck and cut from the top down this year. While hazardous the bucket job should have been a safe operation but...

Saturday he called "I have my saw stuck, can you bring your big 28" one down?"

Loaded up two saws, wedges, etc. and headed down

Ouch!! Instantly decided I wouldn't touch it. Obviously he had it mostly cut through, pressure pushing back trapped his saw. Got the power head and bar removed, chain still in it. Eyeball says about 36" at the cut.

He sheepishly admitted that it was a 'spur of the moment decision to play with the saws". Bad, very decision.

We now have a tree that was fairly safe to take down from top with a bucket but is now free to roll either way and no telling how those trees out there will hold it.

I wonder what he thought he was going to do if he had gotten it cut. Obviously he would still have the same problem.

Harry K

 

[TreePointer]

I'll admit to getting a saw stuck in one of those. :embarrassed:

Right now I have a big elm blowdown that's looks to be just as dangerous. I plan to put a line on it and pull with a tractor to see if I can make it a little more safe before cutting.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

just chain it to the truck and give it hell..:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Guido Salvage]

just chain it to the truck and give it hell..:hmm3grin2orange:

I would think that if the end of the trunk is past the other tree you could just pull it out of the tree to the right. Since you are pulling it away from the tree it is hung in it really wouldn't matter which way it rolled as long as everybody/everything was clear.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

yup,get'r done!

 

[Gologit]

Hey Harry...

What you might do is make some relief cuts along the main part of the tree...just cut through a little and quit when it starts to bind. Cripple it up just right, hook a heavy pickup or, better yet, a tractor to it, and drag it down. If you can snatch-block at 90 degrees it's even better.
The relief cuts, depending on how you place them, will give you some breathing room. You have the time to do it right...and to do it safely.

Stay light on your feet and ready to run. No disgrace in running.

 

[cuttingintime]

yup,get'r done!

That's what I was thinking.

 

[ropensaddle]

Bout 30 minutes with my huskys and it would be firewood

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

.....

.........Harry K

How high off of the ground is that first branch? Can you start taking weight off of that branch?

The tree appears to be held fairly well with the branches...

I do like the idea of hooking on to it with a chain and tractor and at least to keep it from falling/rolling on the guy cuting. For that matter is there a big enough tractor that would be able to put that "twig" in it's place? Give it a yank!

How about lifting a guy in a bucket and start cutting the higher branches?

There are a lot of ways to "get it done"!

 

[flyfshrmn]

hung it up

The safest thing to do is pull it down with a tractor and long cable or chain. If you can't do that, I would start by using a cable jack to immobilize the hung up end, chaining to the trunk of the tree the branches are hung in. Then cut the free branches to take as much weight off the trunk and remove the hazard of them snapping off while cutting. Stack the big ends of the branch rounds at the broken base under the trunk and wedge them in. Get a line on the trunk about halfway up and tie it off to a vehicle below the tree at a safe distance, Now, you have the trunk restrained at the top and in the center and supported at the broken end with tension taking it downhill. Carefully undercut the trunk about halfway through just beyond the trunk supports. Cut carefully from the top. When you see or feel the first hint of cracking or sagging, move away a safe distance. At this point increase the tension on your trunk connector and see if it will break off. Repeat as necessary, but don't ever get below the tree. Stay on the uphill side when limbing the free limbs as well. Even if there is no tension on those limbs, just removing the weight changes the balance and center of gravity and could cause the tree to shift, roll, or break completely off. Even with all these precautions, this is still very dangerous and unpredictable. The tree could be cracked well up into the trunk, or be hollowed out or have hidden insect damage and break unexpectedly.

 

[rmotoman]

Just pull it down with a pickup and chain. I had one worse than that Thursday. Hedge in a hedge row always want to get caught in the next tree and not fall cleanly.

 

[freemind]

Perhaps I am unsafe or a bit crazy.

That tree doesn't scare me being that close to the ground. I have cut up several like it and nevre had a mishap or a close call.

I would lop off the limb closest to the stump and cut bottom up on the stump end till it hits the ground.

When the butt is on the ground I would start lopping off the top from the trunk.

 

[Gologit]

That tree doesn't scare me being that close to the ground. I have cut up several like it and nevre had a mishap or a close call.

Wait.

 

[TreePointer]

Wait.

:agree2:

I'd probably get through it without incident by just cutting away, but I can't take those chances these days. Too many people depend on my being healthy and in one piece.

 

[Gologit]

:agree2:

I'd probably get through it without incident by just cutting away, but I can't take those chances these days. Too many people depend on my being healthy and in one piece.

Good attitude.

 

[flushcut]

Bout 30 minutes with my huskys and it would be firewood

:agree2: It looks nice and easy to me too.

 

[EXCALIBER]

:agree2: Really don't see the big deal with this tree? Maybe I am lost here but seems fairly simple cutting to me, maybe a half hour, probably less. No sweat

 

[turnkey4099]

:agree2: Really don't see the big deal with this tree? Maybe I am lost here but seems fairly simple cutting to me, maybe a half hour, probably less. No sweat

The size of that is deceptive. I have pulled abunch with my F150 but I can gauarntee that no pu is going to pull that one. Other than the stump it came off of there is no anchor point anywhere withing a 1/4 mile

We got lucky. Had wind storm Tuesday and in the morning the butt end was on the ground and the rest had settled down to nice workable height.

I went down this morning and put in an hour cutting brush and working on the top. Major problem now is it is lying right in a spring...basically a swamp. That will dry up in a month or so.

Got all the top cleared away except for that one big branch (2nd from the stump). The 1st from the stump is ready to chop off but it is over the spring pond. I might corduroy to get into a good cutting position for theundercut and then do the top cut standing on the trunk.

That big vertical branch is going to be the problem. Seems pretty well locked into those other trees. If I can cut it loose from the log without trapping my saw, I can cable back to solid ground and pull it down with the F150.

Fun with the saws anyhow.

Still don't have a home computer, using the town library's. This will be my last post until my new'puter is up and running.

Harry K

 

[mga]

just chain it to the truck and give it hell..:hmm3grin2orange:

that's the way to handle that one. nothing in the way, just rip it loose.

shouldn't be a problem at all.

 

[Whitespider]

Ahhhhhh..... no, this one is gonna' be dangerous....