Need advice on how to fall scary leaner

[daddy]

I believe it is an oak, approx. 24" DBH.

Leans very hard in the direction I want to drop it, with a healed wound on the tension side, that looks like it could have been a buck rub when it was small, that goes about 6' up from the base, and leaks water.

There is a gigantic defect that starts just above the first limb and is on the tension side, directly opposite the lean. Probably lost a large limb a long time ago. It is rotten inside the defect and sounds hollow when you tap on the rotten part. Otherwise it is alive and the canopy looks healthy.

The pictures show a small ladder (used to take pics of the defect ) that is standing just about plumb, to give a reference as to the extent of lean. I believe it is unmoved for all the pics.

If it falls in the direction of lean, it may damage a maple and another oak that I would prefer not to mess up.

If I cut it at the defect, it could save alot of damage to the other trees.
I would have to make those cuts from a ladder.

This is not my first day with a chainsaw, and I have fallen much bigger trees than this, but none with the compound problems that this has.

I did search the forums first for "leaners" and have some ideas, but each tree is different, and hopefully my pics are good enough to get some advice.

 

[daddy]

Couple more shots.

 

[logging22]

Better get a pro in there on this one. Just my .02.

 

[ropensaddle]

Do not cut from ladder. Hire a climber .

 

[oscar4883]

What part of PA are you in? If your close to NEPA I may be able to help.

 

[flushcut]

rope said it best. If you are going to cut it bore the back cut and have a clear exit path and get ready to run!!!! It kind of looks like she might blow up on the stump. BE CAREFUL!

 

[oscar4883]

rope said it best. If you are going to cut it bore the back cut and have a clear exit path and get ready to run!!!! It kind of looks like she might blow up on the stump. BE CAREFUL!

Couple heavy ratchet straps probably wouldn'y hurt either.

 

[daddy]

Well, responses so far are about what I expected.

I won't be hiring anyone to do this for me. If I can't drop it myself with a reasonable safety factor, I will let it come down on its own.

I will not use a ladder.

I will strap the trunk so it does not chair.

I have clear escape routes all around the back side of the tree, and because it leans so much, there is no danger of overhead deadwood falling.



Now for a few more questions:

Open face notch?

How high and how deep to notch (1/3?) on possibly hollow trunk?

Bore the backcut as flushcut suggests, or does strapping the trunk make that unneeded? ( This tree leans so hard I can't believe it is still standing. )

 

[ropensaddle]

Well, responses so far are about what I expected.

I won't be hiring anyone to do this for me. If I can't drop it myself with a reasonable safety factor, I will let it come down on its own.

I will not use a ladder.

I will strap the trunk so it does not chair.

I have clear escape routes all around the back side of the tree, and because it leans so much, there is no danger of overhead deadwood falling.



Now for a few more questions:

Open face notch?

How high and how deep to notch (1/3?) on possibly hollow trunk?

Bore the backcut as flushcut suggests, or does strapping the trunk make that unneeded? ( This tree leans so hard I can't believe it is still standing. )

Your questions require too much speculation as depends on desired felling path and where the healthy wood is. The straps will help but realize felling defects requires careful attention to details and counter measures to get the result your after!

 

[daddy]

Fair enough, Rope.

I understand the reluctance to give specific advice, based only on some crappy pictures on the internet.

Thank you for taking the time to respond.



I would welcome any generic discussion of falling trees with severe lean and heavily weighted canopy.

I have read alot about bore cutting, and my uninformed opinion, is that it is usually unnecessary, and obviously more dangerous.

That being said, could boring be a safer approach in this hypothetical situation?

I have used it on a smaller tree, and had very good control. Worked as advertised. I will certainly not be adopting that as normal practice. Way too hard on the saw, and takes your focus away from the big picture too much.

Even if I walk away from this tree, and let it fall on its own, I'd like to learn more for the next time.

 

[ropensaddle]

Fair enough, Rope.

I understand the reluctance to give specific advice, based only on some crappy pictures on the internet.

Thank you for taking the time to respond.



I would welcome any generic discussion of falling trees with severe lean and heavily weighted canopy.

I have read alot about bore cutting, and my uninformed opinion, is that it is usually unnecessary, and obviously more dangerous.

That being said, could boring be a safer approach in this hypothetical situation?

I have used it on a smaller tree, and had very good control. Worked as advertised. I will certainly not be adopting that as normal practice. Way too hard on the saw, and takes your focus away from the big picture too much.

Even if I walk away from this tree, and let it fall on its own, I'd like to learn more for the next time.

That depends on the strap strength how much tension wood is left and its location but yes the bore can be an acceptable method for some leaners. Others the strap being poorly located can cause twisting or posible chair while boring to make hinge. Sometimes if all I have to do is persuade tree a little and its no chance of severe property damage and the base is too ify I will hook my 20 ton winch at twenty feet and horse that puppy with no cutting. Sure it will chair but no one will be near it:monkey:

 

[BarkBuster20]

That tree is not too difficult, put your face (open face) slightly on the side of the lean. Go about 60% through the tree with your face cut, make a level backcut, and keep it WOT, dont stop when you hear the first pop, dont leave a hinge. Dont leave the stump early unless your saw is pinched.

I use this method on bad leaning alders and maples all the time.

Also if you want to steer it one way or another on the fall, leave one corner of the hinge intact and it will twist in its fall veering whichever way you want, and often if it makes contact with another tree it will roll right off of it instead of getting hung up.

 

[Brushwacker]

Its hard to say for sure but it looks to me I would chose the height of the cut by finding a comfortable standing position to work the saw and be set for the retreat and then go with a shallow notch, about 1/4 through mainly trying to gain some holding wood for the hinge. I haven't used bore cutting a lot felling and just haven't a good feel for it so I'd use the old fashioned way from the back in studying the holding wood as the tree began to fall I'd cut more or less where needed to get my directional pull and get out. Be careful and watch above. I've had trees with large hollows break near midway up from tension leaning into the standing trees branches and the top half being slung falling in my direction. I survived ducking behind a large tall stump. Have multiple plans of escape if you do it. Its always risky, but hollow and rotten wood are hard to predict consistantly and risky more so.

 

[BarkBuster20]

Its hard to say for sure but it looks to me I would chose the height of the cut by finding a comfortable standing position to work the saw and be set for the retreat and then go with a shallow notch, about 1/4 through mainly trying to gain some holding wood for the hinge. I haven't used bore cutting a lot felling and just haven't a good feel for it so I'd use the old fashioned way from the back in studying the holding wood as the tree began to fall I'd cut more or less where needed to get my directional pull and get out. Be careful and watch above. I've had trees with large hollows break near midway up from tension leaning into the standing trees branches and the top half being slung falling in my direction. I survived ducking behind a large tall stump. Have multiple plans of escape if you do it. Its always risky, but hollow and rotten wood are hard to predict consistantly and risky more so.

Thats the perfect recipe for chairin it:jawdrop:

 

[daddy]

That depends on the strap strength how much tension wood is left and its location but yes the bore can be an acceptable method for some leaners. Others the strap being poorly located can cause twisting or posible chair while boring to make hinge. Sometimes if all I have to do is persuade tree a little and its no chance of severe property damage and the base is too ify I will hook my 20 ton winch at twenty feet and horse that puppy with no cutting. Sure it will chair but no one will be near it:monkey:

I had not even considered trying to pull it down. I just happen to have a couple hundred feet of 5/8" steel cable and a huge snatch block. I might be able to hook it a fair ways above the big defect, and redirect the pull to bring the top almost straight down,... short of the trees I want to save.

I will definitely consider this approach before going further.

I knew there was a reason I posted here.

 

[ropensaddle]

I had not even considered trying to pull it down. I just happen to have a couple hundred feet of 5/8" steel cable and a huge snatch block. I might be able to hook it a fair ways above the big defect, and redirect the pull to bring the top almost straight down,... short of the trees I want to save.

I will definitely consider this approach before going further.

I knew there was a reason I posted here.

What ya got to pull with? You can try it 5/8 should do it but have a feel don't want ya breaking that nice cable. However 5/8 is what on my winch and I can uproot a twenty inch tree most times if placed 18 to 20 foot!

 

[daddy]

I don't have a winch. It would either be just a half ton pickup in low range, one of several decent size tractors, or I could use my buddies Cat 416 B. (backhoe).

I can have the snatch block on the ground, so the cable will not be lifting the pull vehicle at all.

I need to go back out and look over things again. If i can set the cable high enough, it may not take much.

 

[ropensaddle]

I don't have a winch. It would either be just a half ton pickup in low range, one of several decent size tractors, or I could use my buddies Cat 416 B. (backhoe).

I can have the snatch block on the ground, so the cable will not be lifting the pull vehicle at all.

I need to go back out and look over things again. If i can set the cable high enough, it may not take much.

Some times it don't and sometimes it does, pickup may be a battle I would want something the a good steady pull could be placed on it! Tractor I feel would handle it.

 

[TimberJack_7]

Why not just let nature take it's course? Maybe keep an eye on it?

 

[ropensaddle]

Some times it don't and sometimes it does, pickup may be a battle I would want something the a good steady pull could be placed on it! Tractor I feel would handle it.

I just looked at it again the base seems strong. It may take more than I originally thought. How much does it need to move to clear other trees?