broken and leaning tree help

[BrettW]

OK,
I have an oak tree that is about 16" diameter. It is broken up about 20'. Above that part is another 40' leaning on another tree. This whole problem is in the woods and I can just leave it alone and probably will, but is there a safe way to get it down? Long rope and tractor pulling it? Wish I could blast it at the base and the whole think would just fall.
thanks, brett w

 

[beenthere]

Never 100% safe when working with hung-up trees or parts of trees. If you are experienced, go with your best instincts and knowledge of where the top will fall if you cut the standing lower portion. Getting a rope or cable on the broken part and pulling it off may work, but that can't be deciphered without seeing it first-hand.
Best, IMO, is to get a second person who is also knowledgable to confer with, and make a plan with built-in safety procedures and options.
If you have little to no experience, play it safe. Leaving it to fall on it's own would depend on who frequents the woods where the tree is located.
Good luck, and post a pic if you can easily.

 

[EddieWalker]

About two years ago I bought a house to remodel and sell that had a few dead trees standing in the back yard. They were a disaster waiting to happen, so I cut them down with my chain saw.

I got four down without any trouble, but the last one twisted on me and then fell in the opposite direction that I wanted it to.

I got lucky, and it landed on a branch of a tree next to the house. Otherwise it would have gone through the roof. That was a pucker moment.

The tree was leaning over the house, but held up by that branch. I had to do something, but was too scared to do anything. It wasn't a very comfortable situation.

It was about a 12 inch thick trunk.

I started cutting it from the bottom. I'd cut out a section until it broke away and the tree got that much shorter. After about 20 feet, it was almost standing strait up against the tree that saved my butt.

At this point, I got lucky, and was able to push it over to where it should have gone.

That was a close one, and something I never want to experience again. If I had a choice, I wouldn't touch it.

 

[frank_f15]

from you descripton your are dealing with a tricky situation. be very careful, broken and leaning trees have a way of doing what they want to and not what u expect

 

[JimR]

Put a long cable on the broken off part and pull it down with your tractor. make sure the cable is long enough to keep you out of the way of it falling on you. I wish I could show you what I have been doing to a tree that is 20 feet from the front door of the farmhouse I am rebuilding. Here is a picture of the tree before I started disecting it. The base is about 4 feet in diameter. it is a very old ash tree that keeps losing branches. I've been pulling the branches down using a large 1" rope and my tractor. The left side of the tree is now gone. Some of the right side is also missing. The big Arborvitea tree to the right is also missing now. I pulled that one down with my tractor also.

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I started cutting it from the bottom. I'd cut out a section until it broke away and the tree got that much shorter. After about 20 feet, it was almost standing strait up against the tree that saved my butt. )</font>

I've done the same thing quite a few times, and have had the wee-wee scared out of me more than once, especially when they get fairly upright again and you're not really sure which way they're going to go. That butt end can drop down so fast, you blink and then you have an 'OMIGOD, that was close!' moment.

I'd be really leary of dealing with the broken off tree. Let is know how it goes if you do it. Please be incredibly careful.

Tom

 

[btolle]

Go to Tim's Tips Forestery and read the information there.

There is a forum for arborists at Arborist's Forum

You can post questions on that forum and get help from people who work in the woods.

Broken and/or dead trees are more dangerous than anything else in the woods. A tree like you are describing is probably one of the worst problems. If you cut it at the bottom you will have the large dead part at the top pushing against the lower part and there is no way to tell which way the upper part will push the bottom part. From the sounds of it I suspect it may come straight back over the bottom cut but when it is part way down it will likely go to one side or the other. No matter which side you are on there is a 50/50 chance that it will get you.

While I will tackle some trees using my Jeep and it's 8K winch there are others that I won't touch. For those I have a tree service that has a bucket truck, a couple of guys who can climb trees, a bobcat with graple, and all the other proper equipment to handle tough situations.

I highly recommend that you find a professional to get that one down. If you decide to leave it you need to put some of that yellow plastic tape or rope around the area. When it does fall it can easily kill someone.

As an aside, I am clearing a lot of woods around my house and I always wear a hardhat. The $7 for a hardhat has saved me from numerous bruises and bumps. Surely, your head is worth $7 isn't it?

Bill Tolle

 

[Dutch445]

That is excellent advise!
I never realized just how dangerous felling trees is until I stumbled into those sites and was reading what the pros say about us rookies. If you aren't a pro,, I agree with others and recommend finding one for this tree. We had a death outside Syracuse last week, homeowner taking a tree down in his yard, after removing dozens on his property, but this one got him, and he actually had time to dial 911, but they couldn't save him.
I think chainsaws should come with owners safety courses like boats and atv's!
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Paddy]

If you can leave it, that's bests. But if it's driving you crazy looking at it...

First. Never get under it! Here is how I have solved this problem. get some masons line. Tie a large nut and pull off some excess cord and hold it in coiled in your left hand. If you don't, it can get caught in the sticks on the ground. toss in an area where you know it wont bind. Tie the end to a med size cord etc entill you can get a real cable/rope tied off. Don't use a under sized rope/cable. Back lash is a big 'wead whacker. Use tractor/truck with long run.

It is harder than you think to get a nut/string in the right place. But hey string is cheap just keep tring.

Once I used a potatoe gun to lanch the nut and string.

Have fun but most of all be safe. It you follow rule 1, you won't get your self in trouble.

Patrick