Cutting for 30 years from the ground Thinking of climbing to top some big white pine

[OtisHertz]

These 5 white pines are 24" at the base, fairly straight, live branches begin about 50 feet from the ground. On a heavily wooded island,
these particular trees overhang the log cabin that was built when the pine trees were just starting out. In the past few years, a few other
big pines have been topped by storms (the tops missed the cabin), and two I've winched and roped down away from the building.
All the downed trees had ants in the centers up to about 20 feet. Am I crazy to consider climbing to top them or should I keep working with the ropes and pulleys? The problem is the remaining 5 trees lean over the cabin.
Many thanks for advice!

 

[richard t]

These 5 white pines are 24" at the base, fairly straight, live branches begin about 50 feet from the ground. On a heavily wooded island,
these particular trees overhang the log cabin that was built when the pine trees were just starting out. In the past few years, a few other
big pines have been topped by storms (the tops missed the cabin), and two I've winched and roped down away from the building.
All the downed trees had ants in the centers up to about 20 feet. Am I crazy to consider climbing to top them or should I keep working with the ropes and pulleys? The problem is the remaining 5 trees lean over the cabin.
Many thanks for advice!

If you haven't never climbed I'd say yes you are crazy please hire a climber for a day to get them down safely.

 

[OtisHertz]

The pines are between 80 & 100 feet tall and 10 - 15 feet from the house. I can reach maybe 50-60 feet with a climbing deer stand, but I would only use that to place the rope for block & tackle. I have 200 feet of "5000 pound" rope. Maybe notch away from the house, tighten the rope,
:msp_scared: go back up and make the felling cut... Maybe better to drop the whole tree, skip the skywalking. Maybe I should look for a training course first!

 

[Bermie]

The pines are between 80 & 100 feet tall and 10 - 15 feet from the house. I can reach maybe 50-60 feet with a climbing deer stand, but I would only use that to place the rope for block & tackle. I have 200 feet of "5000 pound" rope. Maybe notch away from the house, tighten the rope,
:msp_scared: go back up and make the felling cut... Maybe better to drop the whole tree, skip the skywalking. Maybe I should look for a training course first!

No, no, NO!!!

Setting a pull line you should be at least 2/3rds the way up the tree at LEAST!

Pre-tensioning and going back up at 50' is ASKING to be killed, that upper portion is too big to cut in one from that low down. Please tell me you would not be cutting from a ladder or your deer stand...even a properly harnessed trained climber would hesitate to cut that much top in one go
You'd be far better felling from the ground if you know halfway what you are doing...if you don't have the area and clearance to drop it in one length even WITH a pull rope, then please hire a climber.
IF you do cut it from the ground then figure out some way to get your pull rope HIGH...a little puff of wind and a low pull rope will be next to useless.

Do you know how to do felling cuts to prevent barberchair (split) i.e bore cuts...do you know how to set wedges to prevent 'sit back' if your pull rope does not maintain tension???

IF you don't know what I mean or answer 'no' to any of the above, then hire a pro...

 

[B Harrison]

Wow if you have been cutting 30 years, then pull those suckers down.
If you're using a winch then I think you are in good shape. Lots of timber is cut the exact way you are used to, and regardless if you're exactly 2/3 up or not, do what you are comfortable with.

If this means you aren't comfortable doing these trees the way you have done trees for 30 years, then hire a climber and rope down the stems after the climber tops the tree.

 

[OtisHertz]

OtisHertz=Oh this hurts.


You folks are having your legs pulled.

Yeah, but seriously... at my age, everything hurts!
but thank you for noticing, And thanks to all the above for input.

I mostly likely will drop them from the ground, just hate to do the drastic (probably the RIGHT) thing...
Had to re-build one of the outbuildings after a local downburst snapped the top fifty feet off one of the pines.
Amazing how far that top flew before it came down, and it was big enough to walk almost end-to-end.
People wondered where the top came from at first... The old busted branch stub that pooched the roof was 6" diam x 4 feet.
I guess that while nobody WANTED to clear out the big pines that ALREADY came down, we're used to it by now.
So, topping them to perhaps save the rest of the tree is a waste of time. We'd all rather see a standing cabin in
a clearing than a mashed one in a grove of trees.
But yes, I'll wait for a day with NO wind. winch them over a couple of feet and increase tension as it goes that way-
I appreciate the point about the hinge cut- do not want to spear the cabin with the cut base. I intend to clear a drop
path.
I had serious doubts about cutting while i was up in any tree, I know things get whipped around. So I'll just place the rope
as high as I can get it for better leverage. One trick I've used is to block the pulling rope about midway and pull sideways.
Thanks again.

 

[Nemus Talea]

I appreciate the point about the hinge cut- do not want to spear the cabin with the cut base.

I think Bermie was more concerned with your safety... barberchair, root pull, exploding stump, etc.
Call in a pro. It's slow season so ya should get a good deal for him to put it on the ground. Cheaper than a cabin roof. Cheaper than a hospital stay. Cheaper than a funeral.
5k rope is not 5k after knots are tied, only tension strands are working. Plus, it may have already been overloaded. 10k would be a start for a pull line but considering tree size, tree angle, line angle and rigging method, that may not be enough. Please dont try to catch a top with that 5k stuff. If you do, please have a video camera rolling, and all persons out of the rigging!

 

[OtisHertz]

Pulling trees!

I think Bermie was more concerned with your safety... barberchair, root pull, exploding stump, etc.
Call in a pro. It's slow season so ya should get a good deal for him to put it on the ground. Cheaper than a cabin roof. Cheaper than a hospital stay. Cheaper than a funeral.
5k rope is not 5k after knots are tied, only tension strands are working. Plus, it may have already been overloaded. 10k would be a start for a pull line but considering tree size, tree angle, line angle and rigging method, that may not be enough. Please dont try to catch a top with that 5k stuff. If you do, please have a video camera rolling, and all persons out of the rigging!

Nemus Talea!
Thanks for the reminder comments, I will re-assess, considering the cost of a back, arms, legs, etc.
While pulling a big ash, one loop of rope slipped onto the plow bracket- the 5K rope popped, 3-ton tractor jumped back, tree fell where I didn't want it, rope smacked the cab. Dang. Normally I don't let that kind of stupid happen. But I can't get a tractor onto that island. I've pulled a few dozen trees over with tractor, block & tackle or a winch, but I was considering topping and climbing gear, since I was gonna climb to hang the rope, but the more I read, the dumber tree-topping sounds., Not sure we can afford a pro. thanks to all!

 

[Nemus Talea]

I understand trying to get a job done with what ya got but sometimes you just wont have whats needed. I don't have heavy rigging gear, so I don't do heavy rigging.
Don't write off a pro till you shop around. Ask around. Good rope would cost ya $200+.
The cabin trees sound a little beyond capabilities. Before climbing, rigging, cutting a leaner, a knowledgeable eye needs to assess it, especially the stump and roots.
For smaller (considering the 5k rope) less technical trees, use a weight and throw line to set your pull line from the ground. Double the line if you can. If you use steel cable, lay a soaking wet bath towel on its end so energy goes to the ground if it fails. Too much pressure too early on the pull can cause the tension side to explode when touched with the saw for the back cut. Keep people out of and away from the rigging!
Do some searches of the terms we are using, especially "barberchair" and "tree or hazard assessment". The info you can get here can make you more productive and safer.
Take care.