clarksvilleal
ArboristSite Member
Below are a few pics of a really large limb that I want to cut off from the ground, hopefully without getting hurt. The tree itself has about a 22" diameter trunk at the point where the limb originates, about 4-1/2 feet from the ground at the bottom of the limb where it joins the trunk. The limb is about 15" diameter at that point. It comes out at almost 90 degrees and twists and turns a couple of times before heading upward at a steep angle. I estimate the limb is about 35' from its base to the uppermost branch tips. It is hardwood - I believe a wild cherry tree. So the limb is carrying a lot of weight, and because of that and the twists and turns, I am sure there are some very large tensions near its base. That makes me a little apprehensive about what the limb might do if I try to simply cut it off the way I normally cut limbs, with one cut from the bottom about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up, and a second cut from the top till the limb breaks off.
I'm inclined to approach it in a similar way to how I would fell a standing tree of that diameter - a typical 70 degree face notch on the bottom of the limb close to where it comes out of the trunk, and then do the felling cut from above, leaving a hinge to control the fall. But in this case the "trunk" - i.e. the lower part of the limb - is almost horizontal where I would be doing those cuts, and the top of the limb is a little high to do the felling cut safely from the ground with the chainsaw.
There is a fence just a few feet behind the tree, so I can't use that as my escape route. Overall the limb leans forward - i.e., away from the fence, but again it has a couple of odd twists to the side. I'm thinking my easiest and maybe best escape route is to just scoot around the tree on the side opposite the limb, since it can't possible fall or jump through or around the tree trunk. I could get maybe 10 or 15 feet away on that side until I run into the fence again.
I can cut the notch under the limb pretty easily standing on the ground, but for the felling cut I would have to hold the chainsaw at or above head height to come down on top of the limb from a ground position, which of course is not safe. I had thought of setting up a Baker scaffold that I have as a platform a few feet high that would let me cut down from the top of the limb without holding the saw above shoulder height. The scaffold is 10 feet long, so I could get at most 10 feet away without jumping down to the ground.
I may be over-analyzing what could turn out to be a very simple, typical limb cutting, but this limb is far bigger and heavier than any I have ever cut off, and with the twists and turns it makes me worry that it may do something unexpected rather than just fall straight down. So I would greatly appreciate advice from some of you more experienced folks. I've felled a number of moderate sized trees, so I'm not a total novice. But I know trees can do things and go places you don't anticipate if you don't carefully plan the cuts.
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I'm inclined to approach it in a similar way to how I would fell a standing tree of that diameter - a typical 70 degree face notch on the bottom of the limb close to where it comes out of the trunk, and then do the felling cut from above, leaving a hinge to control the fall. But in this case the "trunk" - i.e. the lower part of the limb - is almost horizontal where I would be doing those cuts, and the top of the limb is a little high to do the felling cut safely from the ground with the chainsaw.
There is a fence just a few feet behind the tree, so I can't use that as my escape route. Overall the limb leans forward - i.e., away from the fence, but again it has a couple of odd twists to the side. I'm thinking my easiest and maybe best escape route is to just scoot around the tree on the side opposite the limb, since it can't possible fall or jump through or around the tree trunk. I could get maybe 10 or 15 feet away on that side until I run into the fence again.
I can cut the notch under the limb pretty easily standing on the ground, but for the felling cut I would have to hold the chainsaw at or above head height to come down on top of the limb from a ground position, which of course is not safe. I had thought of setting up a Baker scaffold that I have as a platform a few feet high that would let me cut down from the top of the limb without holding the saw above shoulder height. The scaffold is 10 feet long, so I could get at most 10 feet away without jumping down to the ground.
I may be over-analyzing what could turn out to be a very simple, typical limb cutting, but this limb is far bigger and heavier than any I have ever cut off, and with the twists and turns it makes me worry that it may do something unexpected rather than just fall straight down. So I would greatly appreciate advice from some of you more experienced folks. I've felled a number of moderate sized trees, so I'm not a total novice. But I know trees can do things and go places you don't anticipate if you don't carefully plan the cuts.
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