question on felling a tree

[dmccarty]

Besides using the rope or a cable you can cut the hinge to help guide tree fall in a given direction. I have done this just to see if it works and it does. If I remember right, right you have the hinge thinner in the direction you want the tree to fall. I read about this somewhere and tried it on a couple of trees that would not hit anything when the trees fell and the technique works. The change of direction you need is pretty extreme though.

There is a house that has a tree hanging over the power lines the supply a couple dozen homes. Maybe just maybe, someone would could climb the tree, tie and cut off sections to swing away from the power line. Maybe. A year or two back a wind storm blew the top out of another tree at that house and took out the power line. If I had been the homeowner I would have taken the opportunity to cut that leaning tree down since the power lines were already on the ground. Now we just wait for another wind storm...

Good Luck,
Dan

 

[s219]

As noted, you can put a rope on it and make a strategic cut to set the direction of fall. But this is rife with complications, so be very careful and don't be surprised if things go wrong.

I have had good luck felling to the side of a lean, so if you can keep it within 90 degrees of the lean, you should be OK. 90 degrees from 10 o'clock would be 1 o'clock (or 7 o'clock). Going for 3 o'clock is pushing it, you are almost exactly opposite the lean, and there will be nothing to prevent the tree from twisting and turning and landing off to the side anyhow. Do not be surprised if it falls to the side on its way down (make sure there is nothing valuable there).

Basically, leaners have a 180 degree cone around the lean (+/- 90 to each side) where felling is controllable. The closer you get to the edges, the riskier it gets.

All bets are off if the tree is rotted or hollow, in which case you won't be able to control the fall direction at all. That type of tree will need to be cut up from the top down. Finding this out when you make your face cut is too late....

 

[Midniteoyl]

It only a 25' tree fellas

 

[rekees4300]

It only a 25' tree fellas

Give it a couple whacks with an ax and push it over by hand. I've got weeds > 25'!

 

[dmccarty]

I once cut down a little sapling that was 6-8 feet tall and maybe 1/2-1 inch in diameter. It was in the way, and I was walking through with the chainsaw, so I just leaned over and cut that sapling down. For some reason that sapling hit me in my head on the way down and rang my bell. If I had not been wearing a chainsaw helmet, I might have needed stitches and at a minimum, I would have had to sit down for a while. As it was I just shook it off and kept working after standing still for a few moments. I have cut down a gazzilion saplings of that size.

Even a little bitty tree deserves respect when cutting down.

Later,
Dan

 

[schmism]

25' tall... trim the limbs up on the side leaning toward the house with a pole saw. this puts extra weight on the side you want it to fall to.

tie a rope around it, pull in direction of fall with truck/tractor/atv.

fell "tree" useing wedges.

Ive been cleaning up my old pasture that is overgrown. Im pushing down 4-6" trees with my FEL on my tractor. in excess of 25' . not even "hard"

 

[Sigarms]

It only a 25' tree fellas

Conservative estimate, but only about 20' from the house (7 o'clock position) LOL

Tree came down no problem with rope and the truck.

I really shouldn't say no problem, as I wasn't thinking and my v notch wasn't as low as I would of liked. Ended up using a wedge and giving the truck (w/100' rope lol) some gas and it came down right where I wanted it.

 

[Pilot]

Glad is came down OK.

So many comments about using rope bother me. Next time you go where they sell rope, check the safe working load and breaking strength ratings. I use cable.

 

[RSKY]

A long, long time ago I saw a cable being used by a dozer to pull a stuck tractor. The cable broke! I am a firm believer in using a heavy chain when possible. Much safer.

As I have passed 55 I have become less brave but much smarter (safer).

 

[PILOON]

I have felled awkward trees using 3/4" poly rope (have a 100' length) and my 4x4 pickup.
Poly stretches about 10% and makes a great bungee cord (elastic).
I tighten plus enough to bend the tree a bit then do the notching. The driver pulls at the same time the final cut is made and the trees simply jump off of the stump in the direction pulled.
Had wood trees (maple and birch) respond well to this system.
If I can't get the line located as I like I have a dedicated pulley made from a small wheel that I chain around a conveniently located healthy tree to change the direction of pull.
Generally I tie the rope at about 12 ft high or more.
Only once did I have a mishap ! (forgot to be in 4WD,LOL)