How Do I Take This Tree Down Safely ?

[Charlesaf3]

That's a really dangerous situation. Respect it. Some of the advice above could get you killed.

If you aren't comfortable with a chain, hire someone to do it. Not worth dying for. Tough to read the various compression/tension from the photo, but situations like that could be ugly.

What I'd do its take a couple of small side cuts - bar parallel to the line of tension if that makes sense - at the break point. Then I'd use a chain and tractor to pull it off the stump, so whichever way it went I wouldn't be around for.

I wouldn't cut it through. Not that one EVER should cut a tree through.

I wouln't use the thumb either. Might find the lever of the tree is enough to roll your tractor over. That would be annoying. Don't discount leverage. And don't discount the spring forces that might be going on.

 

[Charlesaf3]

oh - reason for not cutting from the "back" is I'd be worried about Barber Chair. From the front your blade will get pinched. Side should be the least loaded.

Normally under tension I'd cut a few kerfs to release it, but not sure where tension/compression is in that situation.

 

[LD1]

It is tough to tell from the picture how close that tree in front is to the broken one. The one between where you took the pic and the break. And it is also hard to tell exactally which way it is leaning, weather it is leaning only to the left or to the left and away. But I agree with charlesaf3 and try to chain it just above the break and pull it off the stump. Pine is very weak and you have a lot of tractor. I don't think you will even need the chainsaw to get it on the ground. Chain it about 2 feet above the break and pull toward the direction where you took the pic.

 

[3RRL]

I like the advice to use a chain on the broken part and start pulling it towards where you took the photo from. If it was me, I'd put a cut at the break on the side we can see in that photo. Your tractor should pull it enough to dislodge it from the stump at the break. If the canopy is being supported by the Oak, it might not fall, just break off at the cut/break. Then re-chain and start pulling it towards the right side of that photo, if you can get the tractor in there. It should just fall down from there and you can limb and buck it there.

 

[gf5205]

It is tough to tell from the picture how close that tree in front is to the broken one. The one between where you took the pic and the break. And it is also hard to tell exactally which way it is leaning, weather it is leaning only to the left or to the left and away. But I agree with charlesaf3 and try to chain it just above the break and pull it off the stump. Pine is very weak and you have a lot of tractor. I don't think you will even need the chainsaw to get it on the ground. Chain it about 2 feet above the break and pull toward the direction where you took the pic.

I would only do this with chain longer than the tree is tall because if the top releases before the butt breaks you could pull it down on yourself.
Greg

 

[Charlesaf3]

if you are pulling well below the trees center of gravity thats unlikely. But I usually link two 20' chains together to do this - I occasionally hang trees up like that in the woods

But paying attention and doing things slowly is always a good idea

 

[CurlyDave]

There is a plan forming in my pointy head.

Behind the broken tree, just barely visible in the picture are several large trees, maybe 24-30" in diameter. Using a stepladder, I intend to chain the broken tree to one of the large trees as high up on the broken tree as I can reach, say 12' above ground, maybe 15' measuring along the trunk, from the break. This will anchor that part of the tree, preventing the tree from flipping back on me.

Then I will put a second chain around the tree, just above the break and pull it back toward the spot where the photo was taken, using the tractor. I will make certain the lower chain is longer than the tree.

The downside of this is that it may put enough down pressure on the live oak branch to break it off. If that happens, so be it. I have a lot of live oaks, and the fool things are always dropping branches.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I have this problem with the jack pines on my property all of the time, since my woods are so dense. I agree with the guys above who mention pulling it down with chains. Hook a chain to the top and pull it away, but have lots of chain or rope between you and the tree.

Unfortunately with dense woods, a lot of trees are destroyed when old one die and fall down.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Hey, at least you have a tractor - this is a pretty manageable problem with one. Without one, its a complete mess.

Just to repeat, be very respectful of embedded compression and tension forces. Amazing how much can be present in a situation like this. But hopefully you'll be lucky and you won't have any.

I think the top chaining approach is a good safe one. I wouldn't do it probably due to impatience, but its definitely safer. I do pull a lot of awkward trees down with top ropes, slings, and snatch blocks even though it takes a bit longer for that reason - its never a pain to have the tree fall right as you want it.

 

[SLOBuds]

Just walk away from anything you are uncomfortable with. The dumbest of he dumb things I've done have have been associated with tree felling or chain sawing. By all rights I should be dead this moment. Glad I'm not because there's plenty of fun things to do while here and now!

One time I managed to use a comealong to pull a 30' pine tree down immediately in the direction I was pulling from. Don't try that stunt. Another time I was sure that I could fell, myself, a 60' dead beatle-bark pine. Don't try that one either.

And etc.

Your tree has very complicated energy stored such that it will fell in unpredictable ways - unpredictable to the casual human eye. A pro will be able to calculate better, but most likely he would also take several precautions to hedge the bet. Like what you are proposing with your chains.

Just get someone onboard who fully understands the dynamics of that specific tree and will help get it down safely. I myself like to learn things when I hire out work - so everyone is told beforehand that I'm there to help, and also to ask questions. Some times they tell me to stay out of the way. Some times they give me safe assignments. But in all cases I learn something and maybe able to do part of the work myself next time.

There's my $.02. Take it from someone who tried to kill himself more than once during tree felling ... hire it out.