Big tree

[galaxie428]

I thought I would post some pics of my latest project because I was impressed with my CT230 and Woods BH80-X hoe. I wasn't really sure it was going to be up to the task because this is by far the biggest tree I have attempted to take down. But, I thought if I could get the roots all around the tree broke, I could pull it down with my truck since most of the weight is to the west side where I wanted it to fall anyway. The other side of the tree had broken off before we bought the place, I still hated to take it down but it was kind of ugly with only half of the tree being there. I have planted plenty to replace it anyway.

It took me about 2.5 hours of digging to get it to the point I was ready to try to pull it down. That is a lot less time than I had figured it would take.

I measure the tree once I had it downed and it is around 85' tall and had a circumference at a couple feet up from the base was 9'9". I had dug down around 5-6' all around the tree and had several straps, cables and chains to get me far enough away from the tree when I tried to pull it over.

Now once I get it cut up, I don't know what I will do with the root ball because I am certain that my loader will not lift it. I may have to see if I can drag it back to the burn pile. I think I can knock a good portion of the dirt off it with the hoe so that should help.

I am very impressed with some of the jobs my tractor and hoe have been able to handle. I think it has been by far one of the best things I have ever bought. I certainly would do it all over again!

 

[reggiejr]

WOW:shocked:
Safety police are gonna have a field day with this one.:thumbsup:

 

[Mudfarmer]

Why didn't you just cut it down- would have been better for the roots of the sourrounding trees???? Then cut off at ground level.Mf

 

[samandmax]

you could just bury the stump right there

 

[galaxie428]

Safety police are gonna have a field day with this one

I am sure that people have their opinion on what is safe or not but I am overly cautious when I do things like this. I felt much safer doing it this way than cutting it with a saw. And, I had more than enough length between my truck and the tree or I would not have even attempted it.

Why didn't you just cut it down- would have been better for the roots of the sourrounding trees???? Then cut off at ground level.Mf

This tree is in the front yard and I prefer not to leave stumps to have to mow around. I did cut some with a stump grinder the first year we moved out here and now all I do is put dirt back in the hole everyyear where the stump is decaying. So, now I just pull the whole root ball out and be done with it. And surprisingly as it may seem, I get very little settling where the hole is. I have had to put very little additional dirt in those spots. Now I will admit that none of the trees have been this big but I had another one that was close.

you could just bury the stump right there

I may have to if I can't move it but then as I mentioned above, I am going to get decaying in a few years and have to put more dirt over it. I think I can get a lot of the dirt off of the root ball and be able to drag it back to the back of the property to burn up as much as possible. If nothing else, I may have to get my neighbor to bring his trac-hoe down and move it for me!

 

[Hollow]

You can do big things with small equipment. This reminds me of when I worked for the Forest Service. I operated a dozer for them, we had two JD 450's. One day when we had a job coming up they ask me if we had enough dozer to complete it, I replied with; "I can take ether one of those dozers out there and fill in the Grand Canyon if you give me enough time, it all depends on how fast you want to get the job done."

 

[galaxie428]

Here is a pic of me in the "hole" with the dogs today. I have been working on getting it cut up but it started raining on me. My helper has decided she is not going to come outside today so I guess it is up to me.

 

[Harvey9]

If you have the time you can knock off alot of that dirt, certainly make it lighter, then drag it away. That's one big tree.

 

[cgood]

Just in case you don't know,be careful when you cut the trunk next to the root ball. It could stand back up straight. I had a tree blown over in a hurricane,and it almost took my head off when I cut it.

 

[s219]

Just in case you don't know,be careful when you cut the trunk next to the root ball. It could stand back up straight. I had a tree blown over in a hurricane,and it almost took my head off when I cut it.

That's good advice. I always prop up rootballs before cutting.

 

[galaxie428]

Thanks for the advice on the root ball. It did start shifting on me as I kept getting closer to it. I push it over with the tractor and was able to cut the rest of it. I have all of it cut up now, just have to deal with the root ball now.

 

[rekees4300]

Maybe you could flip the root ball onto its side, use your backhoe to dig a deeper hole, tip the root ball over (tree trunk vertical) into the hole, then coverup the trunk/root ball/hole with all the dirt that was removed? That way there would be no need to drag/dispose of the root ball and there would be no need to find more dirt to fill the hole.

 

[HarryN]

I'm kinda like Galaxie on his thinking. Don't like burying or cutting flush. All of the root balls I've pulled on my property go to my burn pile however I can get it there. Granted it may take a year or 3 to get the stump(s) dry enough to burn. But I usually have brush piles to put up against it to burn every couple of months. Kind of interesting to watch a stump burn with all that dirt on it. Burns through the veins of the roots. Thanks for the pictures. That is one BIG stump!

 

[Gittyup]

I'm doubtful you'll be able to even drag it unless you use a sled. That's one big root ball! I dug out a maple when I first go my tractor. Root ball was big, but not as big as yours. I broke a 3000 lb chain trying to drag it down hill I (no sled). Then I bought a 10000 lb chain and it was all my CK25 gear could do to pull it down hill (steep down hill too) into the woods: tractor was grunting and all fours would take turns spinning.

Later I dug up a double stemmed tulip poplar one about the size of your tree. I could'nt get it out of the hole (no real room to make a ramp). I ended up burying it in place. It's been 4 years now and so far no sinkage where I planted it.

Yours looks to be pine, and so might be lighter than the maple. Keep us posted on how you make out, and be careful with that heavy beast.

 

[moored4]

I had a big fir tree that I did the same thing to and I left a long stem/trunk on it and then I turned it upside down. It looks like a toadstool. The couple that lives there planted ivy around it and now it is a big green Toadstool! :thumbsup:

 

[J_J]

If you have a pressure washer with a jet or bullet nozzle, you can cut most of not all the dirt off the roots. a Turbo nozzle works even better.