winching over a tree

[rmihalek]

I've read that when the Erie Canal was being built that the teams clearing the trees found it quicker to winch over the trees. The article stated that these weren't all little trees either, siginificant virgin timber was encountered and also winched over. Has anyone else ever heard about this? It seems less efficient than just chopping the trees down, but the article claimed it was quicker!

 

[Stumper]

Maybe there was a spelling error. They really wenched over the trees. The women were better cutters than the men. Something about beavers........

 

[caryr]

 

[rmihalek]

Thanks Cary. I bet that's what they meant because this same article said the teams invented a contraption to "pluck" the stumps out once the trees were down. They described this device as a hoist of some sort. A team of mules would rotate a large wheel that spun an axle with a series of chains wrapped around it. When the axle was spun, the chain would spool up and rip the stump out of the ground.

 

[jason j ladue]

i wonder why pulling the tree over to include the stump at the same time is not a more common practice in residential tree work. probly difficult to find a suitable anchor point/not enough room...

 

[Proj Eng]

My grandpa always used dynamite many years ago for stump removal. Especially around the farm, it was about the cheapest, fastest method. It was also adapted to large rocks and other things. The more dynamite, the smaller the pieces.

 

[Crofter]

I think you would rather patch the sod after a cut and grind than if you pullled the stump. Factor in some backfill too. I guess if you were pulling stumps with horses it would help if you left the 50 ft or so, lever of the tree on it.

 

[tawilson]

I've winched some trees over with the winch on my tractor. There's not much soil so that helps. Instead of a tap root the trees usually form a big mat. Usually I can get the tree to rocking back and forth and eventually the weight of the crown combined with the pull of the winch will tip the tree over. Stump removal is the reason. Smaller trees, under 10" or so, I can often push over with the front end loader.

 

[glens]

My grandpa always used dynamite many years ago for stump removal.

Ah, must have been nice to be able to pick up a box of TNT at the hardware store...

 

[Al Smith]

I have tipped a few with a dozer.It helps to cut the roots,and have the whole tree in tact.A 24" tree in no problem with a D7,but it's a real chore with a D4.A low 36" red oak stump will stall a D8 in its tracks.