How to cut this tree?

[CTYank]

Doesn't seem this complicated to me. Cut the branch from bottom to top with a pole saw. Tell me why not?

Why not? Because that's a great way to risk getting the bar pinched, up in space. When you free it, lots of bad things can happen. In fact, in the interest of getting it cut up and down on the ground safely, it is far preferable to work top-down, possibly even cutting it to finished length pieces on the way. Some polesaw mfgs specifically suggest not using a polesaw for felling or bucking- that provides a clue.

Other than that, in trees of any significant size, the "lop the bottom" approach, with deciduous trees, is a great way to get hurt real quick, and this homey don't play that. I like to make my own risk assessments.

Meanwhile, the OP has put this project on hold because of "warehousing glut" of wood from various sources yet to be processed. No idea when this project may happen- depends on factors beyond my vision.

 

[CTYank]

Turned out, yesterday 9/23, it was relatively simple and safe to drop the two large leaders, after walking the scene. Basic felling cuts, with not much of a backcut required- POW, while standing well clear. Making those cuts, it was a good idea to hit them quick with max power available. No "chairing" occurred, but there was significant fiber pull-out. Access for providing "haircut" to the two leaders with a polesaw just wasn't there, or they'd have gotten one first.

Then some exercise for PS-6100 Dolmar, cutting and freeing most of the main stems, and the rest is doable safely for OP working solo with PP5020. In a rocky stream-bed like those stems crossed, I did manage to touch some stone while bucking the smaller stem with my RedMax. Shazzbat!

Of course, this episode was a small part of all that went down. Literally. No contusions, abrasions or lacerations.

Then the real work starts. From this pair of oaks alone, there'll probably be a couple cords of wood, depending on how they get "milked".

 

[Saddle Mander]

We got a lot work done on Tuesday. The tree that I originally asked about is mostly in rounds now, and several other blow-downs are also in rounds, which will end up in the stove in 3-4 years. We also cleared some trails, which will give great access to the backwoods again.

Very productive.

 

[CTYank]

We got a lot work done on Tuesday. The tree that I originally asked about is mostly in rounds now, and several other blow-downs are also in rounds, which will end up in the stove in 3-4 years. We also cleared some trails, which will give great access to the backwoods again.

Very productive.

One other thing I noticed, and that others may benefit from, is the effect on chains of high-rock-dust "topsoil". Topsoil in that area has visibly large amount of "glacial scrapings"- lots of potentially abrasive rock dust. Especially dulling to chains on wood that was sitting on or near the ground, where rain could splash it up. Enough of an effect to be noticeable.

OTOH for tops I cut up with polesaw, that were largely well above the ground, the effect on that little chain was minimal.

Bottom line: be prepared in such locations to touch up chain(s) more often than otherwise, most especially with full chisel chain.

Disclosure notice to OP: tell the full story about that beast of an oak across a trail. That deserves its own chapter. Or should have been left in peace.

 

[Marshy]

No pics!?

 

[CTYank]

This will sound flippant, and I don't intend it as such, but I'd just cut it off. The stem won't stand back up. Bore in vertically from the side and gut out most of the wood in the center. Study the situation and figure out the forces at play on the limb. Stand on the side which looks the best, and with the tip of the bar, come out of the top from below. Keep u'r entire body on the "stump side" of the cut and be ready to move if you figured wrong on the forces.

Thought I should tell you that your plan was the closest suggestion to what worked and most simply put. The terrain near the tree is nowhere as level as it seems, the most level part being to the right of where the two leaders went soaring off to the clouds. Didn't take much prep to clear the area around the two. Then with 61 cc Dolmar, first with the far (lower) one, to treat both as severe leaners: deep face cut below, more than 50% of diam. Then a quick back-cut from above. Bada-bing, bada-boom. Didn't see need for boring cuts.

Hinges pretty much controlled the direction of the falls. No pulse-elevation.

Cut up much of the first (lower) one, then dropped the second the same. They were about 12-14" diam at the cuts.

Cutting up much of the main stems was pretty straightforward. Just needed some hp, and rounds placed underneath here & there for the remaining stems to land on. That Dolmar is getting pretty close to being broken in. Bet you'd have had fun there.

 

[CTYank]

No pics!?

Pics of the resting place of the trees right now would be pretty boring- just rows of ~16" long red oak rounds. Some of them are 99% cut through. Part of lower trunks need cutting whenever OP desires to roll some rounds underneath and exercise his Poulan. The crown is down on the ground awaiting OP and his saw. Some of the rounds will probably benefit from splitting where they lie, before loading onto yet-to-be-acquired cart. Pretty boring picture, no?

 

[7sleeper]

No pics?! It never happenend....



7

 

[Saddle Mander]

No pics!?

I will try to get some interesting pics. I am sorry that I didn't have my son get video of a rootball falling back into its hole. I reached a point where I cut one length and the trunk lifted a little, then when I cut the next length, the ball rolled back in and left a 10-foot trunk sticking up. It was all very graceful.

 

[jamin alegre]

Ok, I'm back with pictures. Took a while to have time, good weather, and sunlight all at once, but here's the tree:

View attachment 345791

View attachment 345792

I'd like to take down that limb that looks like it's coming out of my shoulder, but I'm just not sure what direction all the other limbs are going to push it.

in second pic there seems to b a lower lead that travels towards base and the end I cant see its not in pic and is on back side of pic 1
Under cut that, tree will roll over , then take it from there.

 

[Marshy]

Well, with all the discussion about how dangerous this was to bring to the ground it seems pic worthy... If nothing else maybe someone new could learn a thing or two... Of course there is more than one way to skin a cat but what ever works and is safe is what matters.

 

[Marshy]

I will try to get some interesting pics. I am sorry that I didn't have my son get video of a rootball falling back into its hole. I reached a point where I cut one length and the trunk lifted a little, then when I cut the next length, the ball rolled back in and left a 10-foot trunk sticking up. It was all very graceful.

Sounds like it was uneventful which is good. I'm personally not in favor of handling the situation in the same manner as you guys did but each to their own. Slowly cutting the log at the stump would of allowed the entire tree to stay on the ground as the stump fell back in its hole. Yes the log is going to move some but my opinion is it's safer than letting 10 feet of the attached log to rise in the air... The end result is all that matters and being safe.

 

[Saddle Mander]

I'm personally not in favor of handling the situation in the same manner as you guys did... Slowly cutting the log at the stump would of allowed the entire tree to stay on the ground as the stump fell back in its hole. Yes the log is going to move some but my opinion is it's safer than letting 10 feet of the attached log to rise in the air... .

I actually agree with you. If I had a time-traveling DeLorean, I would go back and approach it differently.

I misjudged how much I could cut before the root would return to its hole. The trunk lifted a little after a cut, and I did not expect the whole thing to rise after one more 16" cut. I could appreciate how "cool and graceful" it was only because it didn't smack me in the jaw on its way up!

I lived and I learned.

 

[7sleeper]

That's the reason why I added the videos in my comment on page 2.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/how-to-cut-this-tree.254123/page-2#post-4799635

7

 

[Marshy]

I actually agree with you. If I had a time-traveling DeLorean, I would go back and approach it differently.

I misjudged how much I could cut before the root would return to its hole. The trunk lifted a little after a cut, and I did not expect the whole thing to rise after one more 16" cut. I could appreciate how "cool and graceful" it was only because it didn't smack me in the jaw on its way up!

I lived and I learned.

Glad to hear everyone made it out safely. It could have been worse if you wern't paying attention or if someone with less experience tried the same approach. The trunk could have taken the saw out of your hands on its way up, a stray branch on the underside of the log could have swept you off your feet when the trunk lifted or smached you in the face etc... Thats why I believe it safer to detach the tree as a whole from the stump first thing...