Beginners dumb luck!

[Hematite]

I'm clearing the back acre of my property so as to put a storage building there sometime next Summer. I had dug the roots all around on this massive ailanthus cluster with the backhoe and was able to knock 3 of the larger outside trees down. The New Holland simply didn't have the weight to be effective against the remaining 7 tree cluster, at once. I was going to try to get a friend to bring a crawler over to try to push the cluster over.

Here's the incredible luck: we had some severe wind lately and apparently the wind did the work! Thank God that the cluster fell in exactly the one spot that I had already cleared! If it had fallen about any other way it would have fouled the numerous lucust trees around it. That WOULD have been a nightmare! Boy, if it weren't for the Grace of God and total dumb luck I'd be in trouble! I better run out today and buy a Lottery ticket!

 

[Deano]

Wow!! That is lucky!!

Deano

 

[ToadHill]

As dear old dad used to say, "I'd rather be lucky that skillful"

 

[Hematite]

As dear old dad used to say, "I'd rather be lucky that skillful"

That's a good one!

 

[RobertN]

Curious why you pushed the over? I would have though about cutting them down, but leaving a stump. Then pull the stump/rootball.

I would have worried that they might fall on me/tractor while trying to push over.

 

[brin]

I'll bet the New Holland loosened it up and the wind finished it up....Ya think ?

 

[Hematite]

I'll bet the New Holland loosened it up and the wind finished it up....Ya think ?

Yes, I could rock it a little with the NH but it was WAY too much root. I'm sure working it with the tractor "softened" things up.

 

[Hematite]

Curious why you pushed the over? I would have though about cutting them down, but leaving a stump. Then pull the stump/rootball.

I would have worried that they might fall on me/tractor while trying to push over.

Yes, I was getting very worried while rocking it, that's why I just went and left it alone for a few weeks. When I bought the tractor the saleman advised me to rip the roots on one side and push the tree over because it would be much easier than trying to get a stump out without the leverage of the whole tree. The problem with this one is that I took a few other trees off that root but it left the root base dug all the way around in the process.

 

[kthompson]

RobertN, realize you were not asking me but I have found with my equipment much better off on larger trees to do as he did. Did the roots on one side and then push the direction you want it to go and the weight of the top is a real big help. Just want to be sure of the condition of the top there are no dead limbs.

 

[Dead Horse]

Yep, Dozer guys cutting roads, push trees over and THEN they saw off the stumps. Uses the leverage of the tree weight to do the work. Pulling stumps is a ***** if you have to supply ALL the power!