General question about large oaks forked low.

[lmalterna]

I do not have a specific picture but this is a general question about a technique I have wanted to try but haven't had the opportunity.

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OK. I cannot get the spacing to stay in my diagram... picture a Y with a short trunk and the building is half the height of the tree from the base of the tree...

Base near ground around 40" across- each trunk about a foot above fork is 32-36" across. Fall line to the left is safe and clear(ONLY clear path), fall line to the right is a bulding . It is a solid mature red oak- no access for machinery.

My thought is to climb each and secure chain 20' above the fork- leave anough swag to allow bottom of droop to be 6' below attachment points. Then properly face notch left trunk and slowly make felling cut allowing tree to tighten chain as it leans- leaving a thick hinge. Once chain is supporting weight, notch and cut right fork allowing lean/weight of left fork to pull it over.

I know the Devil is in the details of exact weight/lean etc. but is the logic sound? The value of the building is high enough not to want to destroy it but is not a dwelling.

Thanks,
2Door

 

[NYCHA FORESTER]

Hire a pro, sit back and enjoy the show. I don't want to see your name in the "Arboriculture injurys and death" topic.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

Hire a pro, sit back and enjoy the show. I don't want to see your name in the "Arboriculture injurys and death" topic.

agreed. have someone piece that sucker out.

i have to admit that i only made it about halfway thru your post. tying off a whole leader at a time sounds like a rescue waiting to happen....

 

[Nailsbeats]

I would say the logic is not sound. If the tree is as big as you say it is, you are tying some big forces together and trying to finess this thing into action with the saw. Wood this big just goes, there isn't a whole lot of tickling going on with the saw more like cracking and crashing.

 

[treemandan]

Oh, you need to get a picture of this.

 

[treemandan]

agreed. have someone piece that sucker out.

i have to admit that i only made it about halfway thru your post. tying off a whole leader at a time sounds like a rescue waiting to happen....

You made it that far? I lost it at the hatch marks, judging from them it don't look good.

 

[D Mc]

It is a solid mature red oak.

2Door

If this is the case, why is the tree being removed? Sounds like a tree many homeowners would gladly have.

Is my logic sound?

It might, :monkey: Nahhh, won't work. It's a gambler's logic.

Think carefully before removing a tree of this size. Once it is gone, it's gone.

Dave

 

[lmalterna]

Thanks guys. The Paul Harvey of the story is the elderly man that owns the place cannot afford the cost of hiring a pro. He fears the tree as storm winds hit from tree to building, so if it goes- it will likely go to the building. Being on a fixed income, he is afraid he will not be able to rebuild the building should it get crushed.

I want to help him if I can but will convince him to let the tree ride and we will keep a close watch on it. I may cable it for him to help prevent the right fork from going on it's own. When the time does come, I will pitch in and help him hire a climber to peice the right side down & I will take it from there.

I ask if I am not sure and appreciate your help.

Thanks,
2Door

 

[ClimbinArbor]

I want to help him if I can but will convince him to let the tree ride and we will keep a close watch on it. I may cable it for him to help prevent the right fork from going on it's own. When the time does come, I will pitch in and help him hire a climber to peice the right side down & I will take it from there.

cabling is what i came on here to suggest...

if it does need to be removed, you may find some help on here for a more reasonable price than someone local that doesnt know you from st peter....

 

[BC WetCoast]

I agree with everyone that it should be pieced down. However, how short is the trunk? Just curious on whether it could be felled as a single tree rather than two stems.

As to the price. After seeing some of the prices quoted on this site (which are significantly less than we would charge), I suspect you could get someone in to remove (or significantly reduce) the tree for not a lot of money, providing you did the cleanup. This is what you were planning on doing anyway if you were going to fall it.

 

[capetrees]

Cableing sounds good but maybe also suggest thinning the upper branches and leads to take away some of the sail and the potential for possible snow buildup which will add to the potential for the tree to fall. 36" seems to be a pretty rugged tree but everything will help.

 

[treeseer]

We hear the age-related arborphobia all the time. Old person starts fearing once-friendly things, like trees.

I want to help him if I can but will convince him to let the tree ride and we will keep a close watch on it. I may cable it for him to help prevent the right fork from going on it's own.

Good on you--if it's done right. That should quiet his mind, and let him focus his worries on his heirs, where they belong.

 

[JeffL]

Do you have insurance? Who is going to pay for the home rebuild if you afterall end up dropping the tree on the house?