Cut tree hung in crotch of another tree

[Richard]

I don't know the sizes....but let's say that I cut a 10" oak tree. Had a good hinge and as a cheater, I also had my backhoe sideways so I could use some force to persuade it. (other trees kept me from being straight on to tree)

It caught a branch on an OLD oak, maybe 30+ inches diameter and as it caught the branch, it slid right down to the crotch way up there.

The tree I'm cutting is (guessing) four inches or so in diameter up there BUT it's probably three feet worth and has branches coming out of it and those are acting a bit as fingers holding it back.

Wrapped my chain around the butt of the tree and pulled backwards (UP hill so my traction was terrible) through tension, I actually had the butt of the tree lifted off the ground a solid five to seven feet and the part in the air didn't budge. I moved around to pull from different angles.... didn't budge.

I know I can chunk the lower half of the tree off so I'm not terribly worried about that part... it's the part stuck in the tree I'm more worried about.

Though not directly over, but it's near the driveway... dogs, kids.... it's between two houses...

I don't have the climbing cleats (whatever they're called) or I'd just climbe up there and cut it down. (anyone know if they can be rented and roughly how much??? couldn't be THAT much??)

I don't really want to climb 30+ feet in the air and man-handle my Stihl 044. I'd much rather a smaller saw....so that's an issue.

The larger tree is an old growth, keeper tree so it has to be saved. The smaller tree, well, it's already cut so it's toast.

What the top of the tree needs is to simply be lifted a bit, then carried away/out of the "V" in the larger tree and it's done. "easy peasy" except how does one do this.

Tools at hand:

industrial backhoe (that couldn't pull it down)
John Deere backhoe loader (around 40 HP in size)
couple chain saws
1-pole saw
25' length of strong chain with choker on one end
hook on backhoe bucket to grab chain with if need be

I finally just stopped and walked away. The tree is NOT going to fall anywhere right now so it's essentially safe. I'm walking away because of that and to simply clear my head so I can think of different approaches.

Thought I'd bring it up here.




DING....

Just thought of something (and I realize without pictures it's near worthless)

I just called my neighbor (owns smaller backhoe) to see if he'll be around tomorrow.

here's my thought.

Take his smaller backhoe, wrap chain around end of tree....put other end of chain on his backhoe (maybe around loader bucket but for now, I'm thinking backhoe)

I can approach tree with greater distance (longer hoe) and use my stronger machine to take some weight off the tree (lift it up a bit) while he pulls with his....

Might not work.... certainly some danger involved (but everything in life has a form of danger with it)... I'm not anxious to be a statistic so I'm not worried about being "stupid dangerous"...

Chain keeps him away from tree, butt is on ground so nothing could possibly fall on him. I'm in a cab with much longer reach and much more strength.
All I need to do is lift enough so he can slide it out.

Hmmm....

Thoughts?

 

[Richard]

As I reflect this a bit more.... it's possible I could even LIFT (verses push) the tree up. Get my hoe as high as I can reach with room to life a couple more feet, have him pull sideways.....

Yeah, that might be the ticket!!!

Have to deal with this tomorrow.

 

[airbiscuit]

If that fails, could you throw a rope over the top of the stuck tree (the branches end), use the rope thread a heavy cable, and then pull the tree out "backwards"?

 

[fruitcakesa]

If that fails, could you throw a rope over the top of the stuck tree (the branches end), use the rope thread a heavy cable, and then pull the tree out "backwards"?

I was thinking on similar lines but if you could get a rope on the uphill side, above the crotch,
run it down to a well placed snatch block, hook on to the rope with a machine and pull it out.

 

[airbiscuit]

If all else fails

 

[airbiscuit]

 

[k0ua]

Did that once to get some poison oak out of a tree. From a distance. :shocked:

 

[Richard]

I took a couple quick pictures so you're not totally blind.

It's higher than it appears as we're on a slope and the BIG tree is at the very bottom.

Just spoke with my wife's cousin next door.... he's game to give this a whirl in the morning.

Logic (mine) is again: His smaller backhoe attached to butt of tree pulling it away from the crotch.

My (industrial) trying to hoist said tree and "crane" it out with him pulling.

Personally, I've got a decent feeling that this is going to work and will be relatively safe.

Here are some quick shots.

 

[Richard]

Since I can't get good traction with my hoe going backwards uphill (slight), I took a running start to try to jerk it out.

Didn't budge it other than hoisting the butt off the ground and holding it taught in the air. I could hold my brakes and HOLD the tree taught (am I spelling that right??!)

Anyway so I've got the power to hoist the tree.

I'm feeling pretty good about tomorrow as long as I can reach OVER it high enough and still raise it.

 

[k0ua]

How about hook the two tractors together so they pull as one. The problem is traction because the first tractor should have been able to pull the tree out of the crotch. Well another tractor pulling on that tractor will offer more traction. Daisy chain them.

 

[Richard]

I'd love to shoot out the top!!!

Though I'd miss 90% of the shots.... the real downside is the retirement community on the other side of the lake not appreciating raining lead.....

 

[Richard]

How about hook the two tractors together so they pull as one. The problem is traction because the first tractor should have been able to pull the tree out of the crotch. Well another tractor pulling on that tractor will offer more traction. Daisy chain them.

Gotta say.... I hadn't thought of that one!

So, does the 40 HP tractor pull me or does my 80+ industrial pull/stretch him!!! (I have visions of old torture stretching tables)

 

[Richard]

You know.... I bet I could attach my International 1066 to the chain and pull that sucker down.

We can go crazy with the daisy chain..... have most of the colors represented.... yellow JCB, JD green and IH red.

Need a third operator though...

 

[ruffdog]

I normally keep cutting 4' chunks off the bottom. Many times when near vertical, they fall. Be careful.

 

[k0ua]

Gotta say.... I hadn't thought of that one!

So, does the 40 HP tractor pull me or does my 80+ industrial pull/stretch him!!! (I have visions of old torture stretching tables)

Biggest tractor up close to the "hanging" tree. smaller tractor pulling on it OR run the chain under the big tractor and hook onto the same chain the big tractor is pulling on so there is no strain on the big tractors frame. it would be really good if you had a long chain so one tractor would be on less of a slope. I pulled a huge UPS truck uphill by putting on an 80 foot chain so I could be on the flats not pulling uphill.

 

[k0ua]

You know.... I bet I could attach my International 1066 to the chain and pull that sucker down.

We can go crazy with the daisy chain..... have most of the colors represented.... yellow JCB, JD green and IH red.

Need a third operator though...

Daisy chain as many as you need, if you have enough chain. Notice my other idea of using chain to chain to minimize strain on tractor frames.

 

[airbiscuit]

As I look at the bottom photo, I think your plan will work. If that fails, a couple of well placed shots ...

 

[ericm979]

I normally keep cutting 4' chunks off the bottom. Many times when near vertical, they fall. Be careful.

This. From the pic it looks pretty straightforward.

Cut 1/3 in from the top, then the rest from the bottom. Like @ruffdog says it can get dodgy when it's close to vertical. Sometimes you can get it just right with the last cut where the butt swings over center and the tree falls out. Usually on small trees.

When it gets verticalish, throw a line into the tree and pull it down from a distance with a rope. That's safer.

 

[Richard]

One unmentioned issue is the pulling direction heads right for my wife's flowers (circle driveway and she's beautified the interior of the circle) I ALSO have a couple large trees that I'm heading towards and after that, I have the house....

I think I have a good game plan now (just evolved)

1. Because it will be the quickest and, I think it will work.... we'll try the two backhoe's.

My wife's cousin has to go somewhere later in morning so if it doesn't work, then onto number 2.

2. I have to disassemble the dedicated hydraulic flexwing from the IH (which is a pain in hiney) but once that's all done, little doubt it will pull it down with ease. With the tractor I can pull in proper direction (verses backwards with backhoe) can be in low gear and I'm facing correct direction to dodge aforementioned trees, flowers and house.

Taking that mower off is such a pain.... my front support (the crank that a trailer might use) broke off so I can't just crank that down to hold it and leave.... I need to hoist it with backhoe.

sigh.


Still.... I'm 100% sure now this will be over tomorrow.

 

[Richard]

This. From the pic it looks pretty straightforward.

Cut 1/3 in from the top, then the rest from the bottom. Like @ruffdog says it can get dodgy when it's close to vertical. Sometimes you can get it just right with the last cut where the butt swings over center and the tree falls out. Usually on small trees.

When it gets verticalish, throw a line into the tree and pull it down from a distance with a rope. That's safer.

Not really an option.... much too high for me. I HAVE thought about being lifted up in the backhoe bucket but to be blunt, I don't trust anyone at the controls (if I'm in the bucket) other than ME so that creates a location problem.

I don't want to be hoisted in air and someone think they need to curl the bucket and dump me instead because their system might work different.

Nope.... thought about it, not going to happen. Going to use machinery one way or another to get it down.