Need some Tree trimming advice

[/pine]

Sorry to detract from the thread topic but the dialog about the rope saw made me think of the old trick of cutting PVC pipe with nylon string...it works great in a pinch...

 

[Coyote machine]

Sorry to detract from the thread topic but the dialog about the rope saw made me think of the old trick of cutting PVC pipe with nylon string...it works great in a pinch...

I prefer using my X-Ray vision, especially when in a pinch, its much faster to burn through plastic!:superman:

 

[Jim Shooz]

In that situation a credit card and a cellphone....safest option

 

[/pine]

I prefer using my X-Ray vision, especially when in a pinch, its much faster to burn through plastic!:superman:

Does your x-ray vision work this good?

Cutting PVC Pipe with Twine - YouTube

 

[newbury]

<snip>
If all else fails, I can always wait for it to fall on it's own & just do the clean up when needed.
I do have a way around it if it blocks the drive.

Well heck, I thought you had to get it out of there!

Then just get a rope over the far end and pull on it occasionally. No sense on spending money on what Mother Nature will do for free if you can just go around.

 

[LD48750]

Get a friend so one of you can be 15' back from the limb on one side, the other way over on the other side, and work up a rhythm. The rope saw can be used looped completely over the limb so you've got both rope ends, but it's more likely to get bound up in that manner.

This is the plan I had in mind.

I vote for waiting. The limb is still strong, as it is firmly attached at the trunk, and not broken at the top of the split. If it doesn't appear rotten, which isn't likely, until it looks dead, as far as I can see, leave it alone.

By the way, what is the vine in the tree?

Problem with waiting is it won't fall until the coldest snowiest pert of the winter & I would rathe cut it up now & BURN it in the wood stove this winter.
I don't know what the vine is. Generally I figured these were poison ivy but looking closer, this one isn't.

I really think the limb will be a real test for the rope saw being that it is oak. Be very careful when it swings down and bounces back at you. If it was me I would get a 5/16" minimum cable over the branch and jerk it down with the truck. I would bet most would come flying off the tree, and then maybe rope saw what is left. Either way I would put a cable on it to keep it going in one direction only.

I take may chances with things but I would never cut it while on a ladder or scaffolding or even hanging on the tree. That would be a couple thousand pounds flying at you and being 70 you probably wouldn't outrun the beast.

No real place to get a good pulling angle on it where I can get a truck near it. I also don't thing my 3/4 ton 4x4 could pull this down without some cutting first.
I agree, I don't intend to be under or really near it when it comes down.

Yes, the cutting links alternate.



It'll definitely take some time. You definitely don't want to be under that branch while cutting - my suggestion is to be far back on one side, and have a helper with the other end of the rope on the other side. You could also go with a pulley setup to simulate having someone on the other side.

Figure I'll try the rope saw on a couple small branches first then have wife help me on something bigger. If that works, I'll get my much younger B-I-L over here to help me with the actual problem branch.
I have thought about using a pulley but B-I-L can also help with clean up & beer drinking. Besides, if I get him over the girls will fix the food & they are GOOOOD cooks.

Well heck, I thought you had to get it out of there!

Then just get a rope over the far end and pull on it occasionally. No sense on spending money on what Mother Nature will do for free if you can just go around.

Again, I would rather do it when I want to not when Mother Nature thinks I need to be punished.

I think I got everything
Thanks to all for the help.

 

[Coyote machine]

Try to make one cut and not too close to the Oak's trunk. Leave a few inches of the leader, (branch) sticking off the trunk to allow for proper healing of the tree's trunk. It will eventually grow over the cut, and keep insects/etc. from doing damage.
Whatever the vine is it too should be cut at it's root and completely removed from the tree. Make sure it's not poison ivy or similar, before you mess with it. No matter what don't burn it! If it is poison ivy or similar burning it in or outdoors can cause very nasty smoke that can cause blindness, or worse from exposure to the poison oils in the vine.

 

[newbury]

[

Figure I'll try the rope saw on a couple small branches first then have wife help me on something bigger. If that works, I'll get my much younger B-I-L over here to help me with the actual problem branch.
I have thought about using a pulley but B-I-L can also help with clean up & beer drinking. Besides, if I get him over the girls will fix the food & they are GOOOOD cooks.

Key words:
Younger BIL
Beer drinking
girls will fix the food & they are GOOOOD cooks

Reads like a great plan!

 

[2manyrocks]

A rope saw doesn't allow you to make an undercut on the bottom of the limb. Without an undercut and being a long limb, you could damage the tree more because it's going to want to split or tear off.

If you are still intent on doing this, then my suggestion is that you at least cut off the longer portion of the limb to reduce the amount of weight of the final piece that you're going to saw off to try to avoid this.

Hard hat + eye protection good idea, too.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I have had professionals come in to take care of problem limbs and problem trees. They do not cut from anywhere under a heavy branch, they get above it, usually using a bucket lift, sometimes climbing. And they whittle it down in manageable pieces, sometimes using ropes or even a crane to lower them under control. I agree with someone above who said the right tools for this job are a credit card and a cell phone.

 

[rekees4300]

a credit card and a cell phone

The most powerful tools ever invented!

 

[atsah]

If it were me I would take the whole tree down.. When I moved into my place I had trees hanging all over the place, when I was done, I had 15 cords of firewood stacked up.. I don't like trees near my house, buildings or hanging over my driveway, they will have to be addressed at some point, why not take care of them while you can..

 

[RidgeHiker]

I have an 8' - 16' Fiskars hand pole saw/pruner. Cost about $30. Cuts very well and is not heavy. At 10' off the ground would be very easy to reach and you could stand to side some for safety. Be sure to wear hard hat, eye protection, good gloves, long sleeves. I use a forestry helmet with a metal mesh face shield as well as plastic eye goggles. Can't see enough of the branch to see what it does as it goes out but would probably cut it in safe sections from further out - hopefully branch does not get too high. Could use the pruner to clip smaller branches to expose main branches. Would take my time to complete. This is NOT expert advice.
If I use an extension ladder I always tie the top around the tree which is not fool proof but much safer.

 

[RidgeHiker]

One more thing. If either of your tractors have a loader you could park it next to you with the bucket raised some to deflect branches away from you. Have not read all the thread so don't know if this is practical.

 

[square1]

Had a very similar situation except it was over my neighbors driveway. Tree service charged $100, I cleaned up the mess on the ground. $100 well spent.

 

[2manyrocks]

If there was a tree service doing a job in the area with a lift truck, it wouldn't take them much time to park in the drive and drop it in sections.

 

[Mainahs70]

20 oz tannerite in the split. Works great for microwave disposal.

 

[daugen]

Am reminded of Dirty Harry asking are you feeling lucky?
Lucky enough for the limb to not fall on a car or person in a storm, by some horrible twist of fate, like someone driving in the lane
in a storm? Within the last year this has happened multiple times in New England. Two people died in one car crushed by a tree.

If this broken limb is over your driveway, you have a dangerous situation in any upcoming wind event.
Rain will get in that big opening and rot the wood after awhile but I'm thinking
wind will solve the problem long before that.

I would not ignore it. It is a known dangerous situation and if you knowingly ignore it, your homeowners policy may give you grief if you have a liability claim. (many years as Travelers underwriter)

Front end loader and my man cage would make quick work of this. Mimic the pros like everyone has said, start at the end and work your way in.
Plan for the worst and hope for the best.
I take down stuff like this all the time here, with a big strong fireman in the bucket and me driving the tractor. Plus an Echo pole saw with a very sharp chain.
Undercut always, don't want the bark to rip.

I look at that tree and all I think is firewood. I might pay to have someone drop it, then I'd chop it up from there on. Once things are on the ground,
so much safer to work on.
This kind of work takes very strong arms and physical condition, I can't do it any more in the air.

so my advice to OP is if you need firewood, I'd pay someone to drop the whole tree, since it has disease issues already (?) ,
get it off the road, and then you work on it at your leisure.
be safe.

 

[CobyRupert]

Pole saws typically have very short bars. Probably too short for this application.
Though I've never looked into the practicality of putting a bigger bar and chain on a pole saw. Somehow I think it's unlikely.

 

[Coyote machine]

Pole saws typically have very short bars. Probably too short for this application.
Though I've never looked into the practicality of putting a bigger bar and chain on a pole saw. Somehow I think it's unlikely.

I have an Echo pole saw that came with a 10" bar. I changed it out to a 12", and found it too heavy to be efficient. Arms got tired quicker - got less work done in same amount of time, changed back to 10" bar/chain. YMMV.