So which saw will make me able to do this?

[FoolsRushIn]

(Apologies for a deliberate off-topic and cross-post, but what the hey, why wouldn't I?)
Two 60-70 foot locusts in my yard were recently converted from upright citizens to 10-15 degree leaners (rotated root ball) by a nasty little storm passing through (flattened 5 12 inch locusts in a nearby corner of the yard.) The leaners are about 8 feet apart, 20 inches DBH. Felling them in the direction of lean is unappealing, as the tops would land in my pool, and a large branch would likely flatten sections of the pool fence. I'm not quite crazy enough to climb them (wife not even close to that crazy), and the first arborist I had out wanted $3400 to take them down, more than I'm willing to pay. While waiting for the next guy, I've been looking at the place they could be felled without much other damage. It would require that they fall in a direction perpendicular to the lean. There is a handy 12 incher about 50 feet on the line away from the lean. If I took a strong tight line from 25 feet up a leaner down to the base of the 12 incher, and another line with a several hundred pounds pull lead away in the desired direction of fall, notched, then backcut straight in, do you think they could be induced to fall as desired? Trunks are reasonably straight, branches not very intertwined.
On the advisability front of course, everything I know about tree-falling I learned reading this site in the last 24 hours. So take it in two parts: do you think they can be felled as desired with no more equipment than described, then you can comment on the intelligence of such an undertaking (pun intended).

Thanks!

 

[HORSELOGGER]

Ya know, 3400 beans could end up seemin real cheap in the long run. Kids, dont try this at home

 

[FoolsRushIn]

I'm only that dumb on alternate days. ????, just passed midnight.

Rocky, just a little humor in the title, but you hit the nail anyway, seems like the best would be to hire someone who could drop them that way, then do the clean up myself.

 

[Rotax Robert]

Get ahold of Lambert...Gypo Logger on this forum. He may just very well talk the trees down. aka as the tree whisperer.
Hope this helps

 

[jokers]

What does your homeowners insurance company say about any of this?

Russ

 

[wmthrower]

Jokers may be on to something here. Your homeowner's might cover this type of work. It might be preventive maintenance to them.

 

[tony marks]

70ft tree leaning the wrong way.
get a bucket truck with somebody knows what they doing,to take it dn... piece by piece.pleasedont try what u talkin about. 70 footer got a mind of its own. jmo

 

[Toneman]

Well said Tony,
Sometimes we try and save a few bucks, and in the process it costs us a whole lot more, if were lucky and no one get hurt

 

[EDMman]

There was a guy with a mini-van on the tree care forum. Maybe you should get ahold of him!

Just kidding! Get someone who knows what thrie doing.You cant put a price on life or limb.(no pun intended)

 

[glens]

<a href="http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/order/catalogue/pdf/treefell.pdf">http<tt></tt>://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/order/catalogue/pdf/treefell.pdf</a>

Link was good a moment ago.&nbsp; A 479823 byte document that's as good an overview as any I've seen.

Glen

 

[ricksvar]

Seems you're going in way over your head with this one.Try to get someone to take them down and take it from there.

Blocking would likely be the best way to fall these trees,considering there close location to your pool.Large trees land with a heavy jolt,if dropped complete(without blocking)even in a clear area there is the possibilty of doing some structure damage.

Rick

 

[wak110]

FoolsRushIn,

You may be able to do just what you propose, but I doubt it. 60 or 70 foot tree has a lot of weight to overcome when it's leaning the wrong way, and if you're wrong?! Theories should be tested in an environment where if they fail no one/nothing gets damaged.
Even if you don't do $3400 damage to your property (you might even uproot the 12 incher with your plan) you still have to factor in the aggravation from family, friends, neightbors associated with the loss of the use of the pool and the "I told you so"s.
Was that the only tree service you spoke with? I know around here that prices vary, you generally get what you pay for in life but if this happened as the result of a storm you may have spoken with someone whose prices are taking advantage of the present glut of work in your area, ask around.
I'd hire someone good, set up a lawn chair and watch and learn

Bill

 

[Ultraman]

Possible Angle

Are there any electrical/power lines that the trees could possibly hit if they fell? If so, the power company may take them down for free. That's how I got three trees in my front yard taken care of. You may have to threaten to write a complaint to the local utilities commission to get it done, but like I said, it's an angle.

U

 

[FoolsRushIn]

So survey says likely a bad idea. Hmm...

Some good advice guys, I'll try and restrain myself and take it. Although, Rotax Rob, I was thinking maybe with the Predator I could just start at the bottom and cut it into firewood as it dropped And anyway, assuming everyone survived, don't ya'll think this has the makings of one of those good family stories once the various repair bills are forgotten?

Thanks,
Vince

 

[tony marks]

yep ,it be told in the family for sure we got lotsa stories ,my family. but this one,
mite get told at a funeral. just kiddin , i know u got more sense. good luck ,finding a good tree service.
headlines... man driven 6 ft 2 inches into ground when he tried to stop falling tree from hitting his pool. he survived impact,
but drowned when he was unable to drink full swimming pool of water.

 

[wak110]

Fill the swimming pool with beer and you'll have all the tree services paying you, not to mention all the volunteers that will come out of the woodwork.

 

[Newfie]

"Jokers may be on to something here. Your homeowner's might cover this type of work. It might be preventive maintenance to them."

That might have been true at one time. Now I'm afraid that they will tell you to go pound sand and then cancel your renewal next year because you haven't taken care of a known hazard.

To be on topic, it is rarely the tool that allows qualified personal to do a dangerous job properly.

 

[tony marks]

true. but if im against a grizzily. id rather have something that i could gettim at 2 hundred yds ,than the best bowie knife and ole jim hisself standing there ready to throw it.jmo

 

[dfh]

thought about it

I considered felling this myself ( for about 30 minutes ), and rebuilt a worn out canadien 066 to prepare for the bucking portion only

 

[Tony Snyder]

Get real. You can't get proper advise on your problem over the net.

I always like to say, 'You tell us how to dance, and we'll tell you how to get those trees down'.

You need an experienced guy to do the work for you.