How to remove metal cable grown into a large trunk?

[Metallichg]

I have a large maple with a 3/8" steel cable that once went around the trunk. the tree is down and I'm looking to see how others have dealt with this situation in the past. I have large Bars and good chain and want to keep them out of the cable. the area around the cable would be nice to cut into slabs if I can get the cable off. was thinking of trying to burn the wood off the cable with a large oxy-acetylene torch. Does anybody have any other suggestions for dealing with this? thank you-Joe PS-cable is marked by yellow paint next to my left arm, secured to itself with 2 cable bolts.

 

[alexcagle]

Hook welder leads up to each end?

 

[Metallichg]

Hook welder leads up to each end?

Make it into a giant hot wire. That's something I never thought of!! I might just try that, thanks!

 

[Yukon Stihl]

angle grinder with a zip wheel

 

[bulletpruf]

Dynamite.

 

[Big Block]

Hook welder leads up to each end?

We had a family friend who thawed out frozen water pipes on the ranches like that.

 

[Metallichg]

angle grinder with a zip wheel

I think that would load up with wood and just burn the wood

 

[Metallichg]

Dynamite.

Neighbors would complain

 

[buzz sawyer]

How deep is the cable? You could manually cut around on both sides of the cable, chisel away the wood from one section so you can access the cable and cut or burn away a short section of the cable, then work your way under the cable around the tree with a narrow chainsaw bar. Put a flat bar under the cable perpendicular to it so the bar rests on both sides of the groove you cut. That will hold the cable up out of the way while you cut underneath it. Depends on how deep the cable is and how badly you want to use the slab.

If you are wanting to include the cabled area in your slab (might look cool), you could slab up to it from both ends and try sawing the cable through the milling saw kerf with a carborundum blade on a circular saw or maybe a sawsall. Again, depends on how deep the cable is. You would have to do that for each slab. You would also have to grind the exposed end of the cable for each slab.

 

[Del_]

Start exploring with an ax.

 

[Metallichg]

Great explanation. I have no idea how deep it is, that's the million dollar question. I think I'm going to do the cut and chisel idea, I and also try the burn the guy Wood away method with the cutting torch. if it is too deep, then I make a big cookie and toss it in the woods and forget the slab idea. I'm not so hard core that I'm going to cut the cable with an Abrasive blade and try to chase the cut with my chainsaw (although that would probably work). thanks for the post!

 

[7sleeper]

Throw into the fire place.

7

 

[Johnnybar]

I have a large maple with a 3/8" steel cable that once went around the trunk. the tree is down and I'm looking to see how others have dealt with this situation in the past. I have large Bars and good chain and want to keep them out of the cable. the area around the cable would be nice to cut into slabs if I can get the cable off. was thinking of trying to burn the wood off the cable with a large oxy-acetylene torch. Does anybody have any other suggestions for dealing with this? thank you-Joe PS-cable is marked by yellow paint next to my left arm, secured to itself with 2 cable bolts.View attachment 575081

How deep is the cable under the bark?

 

[Rx7man]

I would make a loop int he cable and hook onto it with a truck or whatever and see if I can't just rip it out... a little axe work around would help.

 

[grizz55chev]

I'd give your fix about an hour, then cut the cookie out and burn it just out of spite.

 

[Johnnybar]

You might consider a sawzall with demolition blade to notch each side of the cable's location and yank it out with a tractor or truck. Be very careful of the gear used...chain or cable only....no nylon straps as they act like high powered sling shots and a hook on one can go through a person even behind the cab glass. A slight Vee to the cuts would help release it when pulled.

 

[Rx7man]

I'd give your fix about an hour, then cut the cookie out and burn it just out of spite.

with any luck, the cable isn't square around the tree and you're going to run into it cutting the cookie!

 

[SeMoTony]

Neighbors would complain

Not if you are in the street looking for where did that come from with them

 

[SeMoTony]

I would make a loop int he cable and hook onto it with a truck or whatever and see if I can't just rip it out... a little axe work around would help.

After running welder electricity to help free it up. The heat makes steam if it has no where to go it may enlarge the channel around the cable, or burn the wood around the cable. Does charcoal reduce friction?

 

[HarleyT]

Use a magnetic stud finder and spraypaint to follow it's path, and just cut the area on either side using an old junk chain, then pull the cable out with a truck, if the wood/cable doesn't then come out easily, cut a little deeper.