Willow Removal

[YUKON 659]

I just did my first willow tree removal ....maybe my last!!!!! It's unbelievable how "brittle" that wood is. It "SUCKS"!!!! Anybody have any experience or comments?

Jeff

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[YUKON 659]

I guess I should have been a little more specific about the job. The tree was about 70' and also about 60'-65' at the widest part of the crown. The guy I removed it for measured the circumference at 14' 8'' (56'' or 58'' dia.) Not dbh. Anyhow about a third of the trees' crown was over his house and more than 1/2 the tree had to be pieced and lowered. Prolly not a big job for most of you full timers out there....but it was the most technical job I have ever done, prolly will do!!!!. I used a towable manlift (50') as I do not climb....my son did a little climbing on the job... he's still learning It took me and my 2 sons about 12 hrs. to bring the tree down and cut into managable sections. We were extra careful. Considering my lack of experience I thought this was an accomplishment. Oh yeah...1 broken window!!!!! I got lazy when cutting a small limb and it sprung back toward the house. Anyhow that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Jeff (YUKON 659)

 

[rbtree]

A couple years ago, we removed a major willow fork that had fallen across a new elaborate deck/bridge that was the only foot access to the client's house. The remainder had considerable decay, a bee's nest, and lots of (all one sided) weight over the stream the other direction. We discussed removing the rest of the tree, but no action had been taken. A few weeks later, it too fell. I may have considered a portable manlift, as the soft lawn could have handled the weight. Just glad I didnt try to climb and rig it out, as it was sure a poor structured tree. At least the second part did no damage. Just a lot of work to pull out of the stream.

 

[Acer]

Do you get Salix fragilis aka crack willow over there? That's brittle even by willow standards. You have to be careful how much you top out in one go, as they split really easily, which could pin you to the stem. Felling leaners is tricky too, cos they are likely to barber chair. Its easy to die on crack willow.

 

[mikey]

Hey Yukon,Congratulations,You did the job you set out to do.If it were very easy,you and your sons would'nt have the story to share.AND you made some $$.When I underbid or loose my @ss on a job this is the best way to think about it.

 

[Top it]

You gotta spray sucker stopper on willows when you top 'em out or they grow right back.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

A basel drench of Cambstat would work better.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I take down a few a year, there are a lot of them around here. The thing I usualy forget is that you cannot make an undercut too deep when jump cutting. I frequently get a bar pinched and have to handsaw the topcut.

Set a block high and use a lot of redirects.

 

[YUKON 659]

John, I was fortunate enough not to get my bar pinched.....but I did get a lot of use from the hand saw. I cut most of the smaller limbs while holding onto them and then tossed 'em to the ground....pretty weak wood....I cut about 1/3 of the way through the 2"-3" limbs and snapped them off.

Jeff

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[YUKON 659]

Here's a picture of the willow I did ....58" at the stump!!!!


Jeff

 

[Reed]

Good work then.

I can see the hazards just looking at that cross section.

One thing good about willow (including the fact that it is afterall, a tree) is that saws zing right through it. A live oak stump costs too long a time breathing exhaust, especially a dead one.

Wait until you get your first sassafras. It's where root beer came from.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Don't think Sasafrass grows at these latatudes...

 

[rbtree]

gee John, sorry you have a bad latatude..


therapy?

shorty.....

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Well at least we get sunshine more often then not