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.