Gord
ArboristSite Operative
4 large fir removals yesterday, mostly cut and toss, rigged out lower limbs and tops on two of them and then fell the 30-40' spars. Felling the spars onto a slight uphill curve, parallel (but just above) slight incline down to clients's porch, about 12' away from stumps. Fell first three perfect, stayed put after they dropped. Last one went down, bounced, rolled down incline and struck the log I had put in front of the 4x4" porch support to protect it. Pushed the barrier log enough to knock the support off it's base. Not much damage really, but not at all my style. I had put the barrier log in place thinking it was uncessary, but I take precautions that I often feel are unecessary, rarely find out that they were in fact needed and rarer still discover that my precautions were inadequate.
But anyways I don't need a critique of what I did wrong, just have an idea that I'm wondering if anyone has tried. That is, tying off the butt to the stump pre-felling, likely with a heavy duty sling, webbing or otherwise. I know it still leaves the possiblilty of the top pivoting after the fall but in my situation it would have saved the day to ensure that at least the butt didn't roll. Also could tie off butt to an anchor other than the spar's stump of course and eliminate some slop.
On a similar note here is a trick I have used to works like a charm. I was taking down a number of small tulipfera's in a housing complex the other day. Trees had been planted just behind a 2' high portugese laurel hedge. Plenty of room to fall them, just the pesky hedge in the way. So I got out my tenex dead eye, made my undercut about 4' off the ground, girth hitch below undercut to halfhitch and clove above undercut. Solid guarantee that the butt will stay above the hedge after the fall. For less slop and roll/slip possibility you can also put a vertical V in the upper face of the undercut so it will cradle the bridge rope and keep it from rolling around to the top side.
But anyways I don't need a critique of what I did wrong, just have an idea that I'm wondering if anyone has tried. That is, tying off the butt to the stump pre-felling, likely with a heavy duty sling, webbing or otherwise. I know it still leaves the possiblilty of the top pivoting after the fall but in my situation it would have saved the day to ensure that at least the butt didn't roll. Also could tie off butt to an anchor other than the spar's stump of course and eliminate some slop.
On a similar note here is a trick I have used to works like a charm. I was taking down a number of small tulipfera's in a housing complex the other day. Trees had been planted just behind a 2' high portugese laurel hedge. Plenty of room to fall them, just the pesky hedge in the way. So I got out my tenex dead eye, made my undercut about 4' off the ground, girth hitch below undercut to halfhitch and clove above undercut. Solid guarantee that the butt will stay above the hedge after the fall. For less slop and roll/slip possibility you can also put a vertical V in the upper face of the undercut so it will cradle the bridge rope and keep it from rolling around to the top side.