Cutting with tension

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

msb1766

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Location
New York
I have some trees that I need to take down they are close to the house. I need info on cutting the trees down, I want to pull the tree away from the house just in case it wants to go the other way. I have taken down about 30 trees in my life and have never had a tree go the other way that I wanted it to go, I do not want to take the chance.
Do I put tension on the tree befoe I make any cuts or do I put tension on the tree after the first cut?
 
Tell us how to dance gracefully and we will tell you how to drop the tree gracefully.

I taken nasty lessons my reading Fish's post. He should not be allowed to corner the market on cute answers.

PS, no unkindness intended toward the poster. Just Just practicing being cute, I need the practice.
 
Last edited:
I need to move!

Wow, drop a tree for $50 or $100 eh? I asked a neighbor of a friend who does tree work how much to climb and put my cable in some trees and it was $100 per. (I don't have good climbing spurs)

msb1766, It's really really hard to tell you what to do without seeing what kind of head and side lean your tree has. "In case it wants to go the other way" could mean a major head lean towards your house for all I know. If a tree leans toward a house it may be a candidate for topping.

All I can do is make a statement:

I would not use high tension until the tree is ready to start moving, before the tree moves on its own and after I've done some cutting. I would have a snug line before I make any cut if there is chance of hitting anything, but not enough tension that my bar could be pinched while making a face cut.

THis is what I would do, but what do I know?
 
msb1766, Where in NY are you? Perhaps a member is close enough to take a look at your tree and give some advice. It may be no big deal or it may REQUIRE a professional to drop it. Of the trees I have dropped, one fell where I did not want it to, no one was hurt and there was no propery damage but none were next to a house. Without seeing the tree I would have to say get the advice of a professional.
 
088, Installing cable on spurs is a big no-no.-You are talking about injuring what you want to save! Installing cable is a lot more work than dropping the tree--generally speaking.
 
Unless the tree is dead(loose bark) or weak, I put tension on the tree with a rope before I start cutting. Don't use a truck to do this, use a come along or block and tackle. And don't be afraid to add two or three ropes, just to be sure. Sometimes I have a rope on each side to guide the tree down, and a third to pull. If it's a big tree or if it has to go in an exact spot, I use two ropes to pull.

There was a farmer nearby who used a tractor to pull, it had way too much power and broke the rope, causing the tree to fall the opposite direction across some phone lines. Turns out they were fibre optic bundles and the poor guy got charged by the second, for the time the line was down. Big, big bucks!
 
climbing

Originally posted by Stumper
088, Installing cable on spurs is a big no-no.-You are talking about injuring what you want to save! Installing cable is a lot more work than dropping the tree--generally speaking.

Oh? And why is that? What am I trying to save? I know it is more work, but it's a safety precaution.

I always end up with a tree that is next to a high voltage line and I don't like the chance of anything (especially me) touching the line when a tree falls.

If you are saying that the problem is carrying the cable behind you as you climb then I know what you mean, I wouldn't do that. I would take up a rope attached to the cable, tie in, and then pull the cable up.

You should see the extra dangerous things my neighbor has done climbing trees with telephone pole spurs.
 
Hey 088, I think Stumper thought you meant you were cabling the tree to shore it up. That was my initial impression.

Russ
 
O88, I did indeed think you meant a cabling and bracing operation on a tree being retained in the landscape. If you meant gaffing up a tree to install a tag line for felling the tree-no problem. However, I practically never climb a tree only to install a pull line. It is easier to use a pole saw to set a line or any of a number of remote rope setting options.( Big Shot and throw bag, Bow and arrow etc.:)
 
bow and arrow

Hey, a bow and arrow sound like a good idea. The trees I was talking about range from 80 to 95 ft, so I'd have to get pretty far up for some good leverage.

Sorry about the confusion, I did mean climbing spurs with long gaffs to climb into the tree, tie in a cable, and then fall the entire tree.

My quetion now is how do you make a strong connection if you use a bow and arrow? Since you'd be working on the ground?
 
Running bowline up, or lace down backside to clove etc. Perhaps lacing thru the head to place diffrent pulls against the hinge as line is tensioned.

We generally pull with ropes, install cables for support for saving trees (therefore would not whear any type of 'spurs') on 'cabling'.

Also would lean away from any metal spurs, cable around power lines, personally.

Sometimes i feel it is better not to tighten line till after the face is cut on any forward lean..... Then, might tense to secure, no real pull, till she starts to 'breathe'. In back lean, high leverage, positive pull, easy on face, then tightening up, keep it tighter, but still have to wait till she is ready, and not rush her. Wimmens don't like that!

All you need is overwhelming force nudging it into the right direction, and off setting contrary pulls, not a lot of force, when applied with high leverage and good timing.

i believe in forcing a hinge to fold earlier than it wants (with slow cutting, strong pulling)to a meatier hinge.

i also beleive in offsetting pulls perpendicular to the folding of the hinge with hinge fibre as much as possible for correction. This is species and condition dependant as to what can be yielded here. Mike's favaorite highline of leverage to adjust C.o.B. directly works, and is best in compromised wood. But unless on a long slow draw ushering the spar down by flexing it on the hinge quite some arc, i find that in good wood, the taapered hinge ot give a wider range of control (with wide face and good wood). For as soon as the tension is off the pull line, it's adjustment contribution is over.

The hinge provides adjustment for as long as it is tensed too, usually longer. This would make tapeered hinge better for controlling fall through other trees, as the hinge could maintain pressure pushing into tree that is pusshing it away, for balance of force, and truer felling accuracy. The tapered hinge is also self adjusting.

Or something like that!
:alien:
 
you could always do it the lambert way. leave the truck running closer to the road than the tree. cut the tree. if it screws, up get in the truck and leave. when the law comes and questions you about it say "it wasn't me".
 
Spydy's answer of using a running bowline is sort of the standard. It works extremely well. Obviously you need sufficeint rope to get to the target crotch and back to the ground. The extra weight of a solid fiberglass "fishing" shaft tipped with a rubber blunt will help to pull a light line up and over so that you can tie onto the rope and drag it back over.:)
 
i've found after throw lining a crotch, i can begin threading pull line in normal manner; if pulling line is barely long enough to reach (not 2x+) i can tie a running bowline around the throwline that is pulling the pull line down the tree, and the bowline will sneek onto the pull line in mid air, and choke on up to the top.

Without needing 2xheight for line length.

If i can i will use over the higher leverage top and traced down the back side and clove above facecut from rear. i think the increased security/ tracing line down backside of that lacing, lends itself to higher leverage for more positive action. Also the hitch ends up on top of the fallen tree, rather than underneath.

All without climbing, using just line.
 
Thanks, works good for putting 20' long lines in on the ends of long horizontal branches in a series across to rig each out, leave throwline on each 'tail'.

Give throwline 1 at a time to rig by climber to hook up to main rig, maybe as he is also butt tying. Voila- 2 line 'basket' horizontal rigs, safer, quicker etc.. Climber doesn't go out that last 20' on each leg. Less risk, done right, faster......

Neccesity is a Mutha;
So wish her Happy Mutha's Day!

:alien:
 

Latest posts

Back
Top