Root balls on downed trees.

[Mace Canute]

This video shows what can happen when a downed tree with a substantial root ball is cut up and why it's very important to not let anybody and especially young kids who would be inclined to play in the hole actually get into it.

Guy cuts up tree, then this happens... [VIDEO]

 

[jerrybob]

Interesting Mace........if that tree stays up for 4 hours......he should call a tree doctor!:laughing:

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

that's a big "duh" or doah depending on where you live...

 

[Happy Gilmore]

Cool video, I'm wondering if the back and fourth motion with his new Stihl could have gotten the tree a bit excited :shocked:

 

[LD1]

Someone else also posted this. Clearly an inexperienced sawer.

When dealing with a downed tree, always cut the football off first. And make sure the hole is clear. Watch the saw kerf. Cause it is hard to tell if the top will be under tension(roots wanting to settle back to hole), or compression. So watch the kerf. If it starts to open up, you know is going to drop back into the hole. If it starts to close, it is wanting to topple on over away from the hole. And if it does neither, don't leave the ball standing on its own. Get the reactor and push it over.

 

[jimmyj]

I had a HUGE oak root ball jump back into the hole once. It was much much faster than this video. Even if you know it is going to happen it can be scary.

 

[s219]

I guess I am not surprised that someone hacking away with an obviously dull chain would make this mistake! I always prop the rootball with a log or timber first if at all possible. Cutting on a tree with a detached rootball is no different than cutting on a leaner, as they can barber-chair in an instant and knock your block off. I'd use a specialty cut to avoid barber-chairs (I like Coos-bay variations).

 

[CalG]

I like to cut the tree down even though it's laying side ways.

Box and back cut, the tree only "falls" a foot, but the sway of the root ball makes up for the excitement.

 

[Timbersawz]

Rootballs are incredibly dangerous, many many many people are killed by them every year. To often its kids playing in the dirt area while dad cuts firewood. stump goes back into hole and theres no saving the kid.

I have dozens of scary tales with stumps or whole trees setting back up. need to take great caution.

heres a stump set down in June, used a David Brown in a swamp as a deadman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2KcZsR8Kc

 

[Colt_Cowboy]

I have a friend that was cutting large oak trees on his place that were uprooted by a tornado. He didn't realize his two sons, (age 6 & 7) were playing in the hole when he cut the trunk. They didn't find find the kids for hours.