Felling Advice

lowpolyjoe · January 02, 2013, 11:00:50 PM

Hey Everbody.

I was hoping you guys could chime in about this tree i've got on the edge of my property. It forked maybe 25 feet up (?my eyeball measurements skills are poor?) and both sides of the fork ripped off during hurricane sandy.

This tree is right next to my shed and my neighbor's fancy patio. Half of the fork already destroyed part of his nice fencework. The question is, what do i do with the remaining trunk?

I've done some chainsaw work but i wouldn't say i have a ton of experience felling. I considered roping the top and running the rope to a nearby tree and putting tension on it to direct it away from my neighbor's yard when it comes down. It's a pretty straight trunk with no limbs to weight it in any particular direction, so a simple hinge type cut might direct it regardless of roping i would think. However, in my more sober moments, i realize i probably shouldn't do this on my own.

There's a pic below. Any advice? I expect "don't do it" to be a popular response. :D Also, i was wondering what you guys think a tree service would charge to come take it down. I would want to keep the wood, so all they would have to do is drop it safely on my property. Do you think they would drop it in one piece or climb it and take off sections?

Thanks a lot,
Joe

1270d · January 02, 2013, 11:06:49 PM

Looks like a rope with tension in the direction you want it, along with a properly aimed notch should do the trick.

shinnlinger · January 02, 2013, 11:08:59 PM

I'd say if your not comfortable doing it call some tree guys and get some quotes. Your neighbor may be interested in the outcome as well and maybe willing to chip in?

WDH · January 02, 2013, 11:09:39 PM

Yes, I would think that you can handle that with a long rope and a proper hinge cut.

Jeff · January 02, 2013, 11:14:33 PM

Not having the top on it makes a big difference in how it will react. You should be able to do it with the suggestions previously given.

thecfarm · January 02, 2013, 11:17:41 PM

You will probably have 2 people one sawing,one pulling. How ever many you have make sure all work at the SAME speed. Don't have one guy doing 90mph and one doing 35 mph.

lowpolyjoe · January 02, 2013, 11:32:30 PM

Thanks for the comments guys.

It kills me to think about hiring someone to do it... something that could literally take 10mins. If it takes out my shed i wouldn't care too much. But doing damage to my neighbor's property really has me worried.

I dunno... it seems *soooooooo* easy. But i'm guessing this guy thought the same thing :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFpzvvACN8E

WDH · January 02, 2013, 11:34:41 PM

Don't do it like that.

thecfarm · January 02, 2013, 11:35:00 PM

Can your neighbor help?

Ianab · January 02, 2013, 11:58:04 PM

Doesn't look like a big problem, just you don't want to get it wrong (high value targets).

What I would do is set the rope, and just take up the slack, no tension on the rope at this point, it's just sitting there.

Then make your normal cut, tap in a couple of wedges in case it sits back on your saw. Concentrate on getting the hinge just right, that's what aims and controls the fall. Once you are happy with that, wander around the long (safe) way to the winch, and haul the tree over.

You can use a trusted buddy on the winch if you prefer, but no winching until you are happy with the cuts. Take your saw out, step back, and give him the pull signal then. You don't want to still be sawing while he's putting pressure on the tree.

As long as your scarf and hinge are cut correctly, there is then only one way it can go.

Ian

lowpolyjoe · January 03, 2013, 12:03:27 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on January 02, 2013, 11:35:00 PM
Can your neighbor help?

That would be ideal - unfortunately i'm not on the friendliest terms with the guy so i don't think i could approach him about it. He's a pretty nice guy but there's been a little friction at times.

Thanks for the breakdown Ian. I really feel like i can do it - but i often feel that way right before i completely screw something up :D

Before i do anything I'll probably call in a tree service and see what they want to charge. We had a service take down 2 trees a few months back and we liked the guys and the prices were fair. I'm also curious to ask them if they sell any logs from trees they take down if they come across something nice. Our 2 trees went straight into the chipper (that was before my milling obsession began). One was a pine, not sure what the other was.

chet · January 03, 2013, 01:02:51 AM

If you are not sure of your abilities, a few bucks to the tree guys might be a wise investment. It shouldn't be that expensive, even if they had to climb and piece it down, it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes.

Migal · January 03, 2013, 01:48:52 AM

:D on the video ;) at least when he was done the saw was warmed up enough to idle 8)
err on your situation be sure to take video 8)

thecfarm · January 03, 2013, 07:17:40 AM

Buying logs from a tree service,they should just about give them to you. They might have some steel in them too. Big trees are a bother to them to get rid of.

ArborJake · January 03, 2013, 09:11:10 AM

Its hard to tell what direction your going to drop it. It also seems to lean slightly up hill. If you use a rope to pull it be shure to get it as high up on the trunks as you can and as you cut it keep steady pressure on the rope. Don't get it rocking back and forth or the holding wood could snap.

roger 4400 · January 03, 2013, 09:37:55 AM

As Ian said , do not forget your HINGE.....very important not to go thru your tree, follow what Ian wrote you.

Reddog · January 03, 2013, 09:49:19 AM

What ever you chose, record video tape it just in case.

lowpolyjoe · January 03, 2013, 11:28:31 AM

Quote from: Reddog on January 03, 2013, 09:49:19 AM
What ever you chose, record video tape it just in case.

I sense an overwhealming desire to see me clobber my shed :D

Reddog · January 03, 2013, 11:33:39 AM

Nope! would like to see it go perfect for you.
Also if you hire a service it is nice to see how they attack it.

But just in case.

jocco · January 03, 2013, 11:48:24 AM

REMEMBER TREE SERVICE IS INSURED AND HAS LOTS MORE RESOURCES THAN YOU!!! ;D I would at least talk to neighbor let him know what is going on

You may get a deal if they have some slack time and it is not a priority must due now type job. ;) If you are willing to cut it up on the ground etc may be much cheaper too. :new_year: :new_year:

Cypressstump · January 03, 2013, 04:28:08 PM

Too bad there's not a power line close to it.

A female friend had a sick tree near a powerline in her yard.. Called the power co. to come take it down. They said it was not an concern to them, they were not going to fool with it.

I coached her, She called back said she was just going to have to do it hersellf, but really wanted some advice as to if she should cut the left side first or the front or back side first.
They came out and took the tree down for her. ;)

lowpolyjoe · January 03, 2013, 04:42:10 PM

Quote from: Cypressstump on January 03, 2013, 04:28:08 PM
Too bad there's not a power line close to it.

A female friend had a sick tree near a powerline in her yard.. Called the power co. to come take it down. They said it was not an concern to them, they were not going to fool with it.

I coached her, She called back said she was just going to have to do it hersellf, but really wanted some advice as to if she should cut the left side first or the front or back side first.
They came out and took the tree down for her. ;)

:D excellent

truth is, after the last 2 years with all the crazy storms in the north east, there are very few trees near any powerlines in my neighborhood.

if i had my ridiculous wooden sawmill (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,62806.0.html) operational when sandy destroyed my neighborhood i could have gathered up a boatload of logs just from driving around my block. i'm sure we'll get more storms... problem is we're running out of trees over here :D

shinnlinger · January 03, 2013, 04:56:43 PM

A few years ago a storm topped a neighbors tree much like yours. Said neighbor asked me and another neighbor who he should call to cut it the rest of the way down. The other neighbor and I looked at each other and said we could easily do it as there was a nice alley of trees to drop it in that protected his house on one side and garage on the other. We took a ladder and put a rope on the top of the tree. Both neighbors pulled on rope thru a snatch block while I cut.

Since there was no way to screw it up I must have rushed my wedge cut because I managed to somehow make it land on his garage. It took real skill to hit the 6 inch gap between the trees but fortunately no one was hurt and it didn't do much damage (few shingles and a busted board) and we all took it in stride. Whenever anyone asks me to cut a tree for them I just tell them that story and they move on.

If it were me, I would use this as an opportunity to talk with your neighbor and build a relationship with him. Maybe he is up for the cut.

Good luck.

Dave

lowpolyjoe · January 03, 2013, 05:24:58 PM

Oh man, that's a rough story Dave. Glad nobody was hurt.

And that's exactly what i'm afraid of. No matter how easy something looks, there's always a way to screw it up. And i'm an expert at finding that way ;)

I'll share a related story at the risk of embarassing myself:

There was a nice pine next to my driveway when i moved into my house. It was maybe 10" diameter and stood up ~10' above my roof. It was 8 feet from the house and about 20 feet away from where the powerlines enter my house. It was a nice tree but it had to go. It dripped sap on the cars and the roots clogged my sewer outlet requiring emergency plumber visits twice (not cheap).

Eventually my wife and i decided we could take it down ourselves. I was afraid of hitting the powerlines so i had the bright idea to put a ladder against the tree, climb 15' up, and cut the top half off. The logic was that there was no way the top half could make it all the way over to the power lines. In this regard, i was correct

I had some notion that the tree would rebound when the top came tumbling off, so i roped the ladder to the tree for some stability. I think that's the only reason i didn't end up in the hospital :D As the top started coming off i felt everything start to sway, i dropped the saw, grabbed the tree and somehow managed to stay on the ladder as it went bobbing back and forth and branches from above went whizzing past my face as they fell. That might have been the dumbest thing i've ever done.

A few months later i happened to be looking through my chainsaw manual for some specs on the bar/chain to get a replacement. I saw a picture of *exactly* what i had done and a huge warning never to do it. :P .... reading the manual... it's a good idea. Also, common sense ... not always so common.

I guess all's well that ends well. We got the tree down, cut it up, chipped the small stuff and the town took away some of the other stuff. Now we can park in that part of the driveway again. All it cost me was a near death experience 8)

clww · January 03, 2013, 05:31:14 PM

I'll tell you like I tell others-when in doubt, hire a pro. If there is a doubt, there is no doubt! As written before, you could get a tree service there just to lay it on the ground for much less than a couple hundred $$$.

I'd go with a tension rope, a couple burly helpers (with some common sense), and cut it off in manageable pieces, say 4-5 feet in length each. I'd do it for you, but it's a bit far to drive.