Crazy stuff. Because of hacks like him now the OP is convinced it takes a team to do a 60ft tree.
I usually fell production in the passages & Inlets of British Columbia for helli or conventional logging.
There was a time I was living on the main land in the Fraser Valley. Bubby that did porting & had a saw shop introduced me to a Faller and another guy that was a bucker that also worked for a number of companies that clear for property development.
Asked the Faller what he is changing. He said 85 an hour at 4 hour minimum. So never less than 340.
He did add he was going to raise to 90 per hour.
They both got me work with in the first few weeks. One week here, 10 days there.
I ran operators hours not Faller's hours. That's by choice.
Also getting some pirivot work through Craigslist & Kijiji also. I wouldn't do a 4 hour minimum if they were next door or close by. If I hadn't got my rocks off already then I was happy to jump over and do a little more. There was times (especially with elders) I felled , limb and bucked for 45 minutes and would not accept their money. Maybe it was the same reason in 40 below zero I always parked the furthest away from the Wal-Mart door because thankfully I can still walk and didn't get killed on the coast. Superstitious? Fear of a higher power? Believe in karma? There is something I must believe in.
About the tree..I have nothing to say about the tree. I just wanted to talk about what a good Faller I am & what a good guy I can be.. J/k..but it does kind of sound like that so far.
Of course I want to talk about the tree.
I assume he lost his nerve.
Looks to be leaning back a little but branches were of good size creating that 'extended weight' towards the house. Nothing that one could not have overcome with 3 or 4, 10" K& H wedges & just a 3 1/2 lb head with 20-22" handle. He probably had a boat load of holding wood left because he was afraid to pull the pin.
One thing I learnt about Timber Falling is God hates a coward. Guys a coward in everything he has done here.
As far as hitting the house?
He said he snapped a rope??? so maybe the rope he tied is unsafe??? I could not see the rope on my phone.
Assuming a few things, if the rope was good & tied with tension (backed up with wedges) and the 'greater weight' is below the leverage point then it is not going to be able to hit the house ..now as long as the rope is good. As I said I could not see anchor point. Furthermore, providing that rope was good with right anchor height & he did cut through the holding wood.
Let's say 2" anti-kickback step (2" vertical holding wood) probably the only way it will break would be if it blow forward then it will spin to a side and back somewhat without a rope. Rope should prevent that with right anchor point.
No saying it is good practice.
Am a production Faller but I've played around on 3 continents. Worked for the
three biggest utility/tree company's in the word, Asplundh, Davey & Tamarack tree (Lewis tree)
Fell a lot of free style on live wire but we used rope and tree tirfor a lot. Was in the electrical union twice from 2 of those companies.
To the OP, Your situation was no joke, and very upsetting to people but this level of tree work to a lot of us on here in a joke.
Sometimes I slip backwards and take out bigger trees.
Can I say one more thing...
Hard to tell everything from a pic but looks like tree could go without taking the branches off?
I mean, they are not my new hero/s