Leaning tree: Did we cut it right?

[rick carpenter]

We had a pine, about 100' by 8-9" diameter, that was leaning towards my son's house. It was a straight tree trunk bending as well as leaning about 20* average. We put a double block rope on it probably 30' up and pulled it back to about the opposite 20* bending away from the house. I cut a wedge in the notch for the direction of fall. But before the back cut, I made four 3" shallow cuts about 8" apart up from where I was going to make the back cut. I thought this would 'break' some of the tension to help minimize the kick-out potential. One little section barber chaired but only as deep as the shallow cuts as I was making them. Then I made the back cut and the tree fell exactly where we wanted it to with no kick-out.

The question in hind-sight is: Was making the shallow cuts above the back cut the proper thing to do?

EDIT: Fixed it myself, I knew something was off when I typed it. And thanks to member who PM'ed me.

[wolf nemeth]

thjere are more experienced  fellers than  me  who  can critique your cuts, but one step I  use almost always to prevent a barber chair is the use of a 5/16 chain a couple of feet above my cut chain. it works!

[square1]

I can't count the number of trees I've felled but only 3 have had ropes put in them. The ropes were only used to keep the trees from going the worst possible direction while placing the felling cuts, after that they were used to pull them the desired direction. IMHO, its best to avoid placing additional tension on a tree with a rope.

[Ianab]

Glad it work out OK, but it's not how I would have done it.

Putting the tension on the ropes first is not a good idea. I would have set the ropes like you did, then just taken up the slack. Now you know the tree can't really fall towards the house.  Then cut a notch, and back cut like normal. Exact plan might vary, and you likely want a wedge in there too. Bore cut, 2 level back cut etc are options.

Either way, you want to get your hinge wood set up before the tree starts moving. Once you have the hinge wood set up, and the tree is simply sitting there on the hinge, wedge and rope. Then you walk around to the winch, and start hauling. The hinge controls the butt end of the log, and you winch it up over the tipping point and it falls normally.

Done it few times, with "low value" targets. Busting a fence, or loosing a tree into the creek isn't the end of the world. Houses, there is less margin for error, and I try and avoid those ones.

[John Mc]

If I used a rope, I'd do it as Ianab describes. I'd just snug up the rope to take up the slack, with maybe just a hair more to prevent the stretch in the rope from allowing the tree to move in the wrong direction when cut.  Then make my cuts normally. Avoid putting a lot of tension on the tree before you make the cuts: that can actually increase the chance of barber chair.

[SwampDonkey]

This spring I took down several yard trees at the old house I'm replacing. I had a few leaners, that more or less leaned in the right direction. I had one that was a little stubborn and a tree lever/jack or wedge would make a man feel better, but they fell where they were meant to in the end. And yes I had a lead in wire and buildings to work around. I planned each cut by studying the tree and making sure I was not competing with a wind (so no wind). 

No barber chairs, I actually have never barber chaired a tree. I've seen two happen though, one by an arborist in my yard taking down a 36" maple and one that happened on a tree my father cut that was not directed where it was suppose to be. It lit in a tree, sat there for weeks, then who knows when over days split itself and ruined the but log. :

[LeeB]

Just food for thought, one rope will only keep it from falling backwards. It won't stop it going to the side. Two ropes will help keep this from happening.

[Ianab]

Just food for thought, one rope will only keep it from falling backwards. It won't stop it going to the side. Two ropes will help keep this from happening.

True. Ideally your hinge wood should give you decent control over the direction, and the rope is just there to persuade the tree over, against that lean. But if you aren't sure of the hinge wood, or you want the extra insurance, then setting another rope is a good idea.