How to cut a large tree trunk?

   / How to cut a large tree trunk? #41  
i have a very large maple that towers over the house and shades the whole thing.i have a guy coming to take her down,dead limbs hanging over house.i will hate to see her go but would take out whole house if she came down.he is using a bucket truck to take it down from the top down.he is insured so we are covered.i cut trees down for 25 years and burned wood.i would cut 10 full cords a year so i know what i am doing but this one is to close to the house,needed to take from top down.

Yep, there is a time to back off and get a guy with the proper equipment. Several years ago it cost me $800 to get a medium (24" DBH) spruce out of my back yard. I've been cutting firewood since 1976 10+ cord/yr, have a stable of saws more than big enough and know what I'm doing but the downside of something going wrong was too big for me to risk.

Harry K
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk? #42  
Looks reasonable accessible. Can you start from the sides and knock as much dirt as possible off of the root ball with your tractor FEL if you have one? Once you get most of the dirt off of that, it is much less likely to want to fall back into the hole. Especially if you push the dirt back into the hole after you knock it off of the root ball. If it is close enough to the house you might be able to use a long hose and water to knock a lot of the dirt off too. A sawzall on a pole will let you separate some of the roots that are trying to pull it back into the hole too.



Not saying this solves all of your problems, but it would get some of the pressure off of the tree if you do decide to cut it up.

That's what I would do. Work on the roots first and eliminate that potential safety hazard. Then tackle the lumber.

Good luck and be careful out there.
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk? #43  
Just wanted to make an update. Thanks again for all the replies. I listed the trunk on craigslist for free firewood and it turns out a lot of people actually wanted it. After speaking with a few of the gentlemen, I agreed to let get one guy come and cut some of it. Since I could load it for them with my FEL, it was a little easier for him. He had a 24 inch saw that he just started on the end making slabs. So far so good he's managed to cut out about half of the trunk and it's still hanging about 5 feet off the ground. This person has his fill of wood so I am waiting for the next person to come and cut some. I believe the rest will be fairly safe and easy judging by the first half. The the rootball has fallen into the hole and appears to be holding very firmly.


Looks like you've been lucky so far. If those guys are bonded and insured and experienced in this kind of work, you're probably protected. If they aren't and they get injured on your property, you may wind up with a lawsuit on your hands.

Be careful and good luck.
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk? #44  
Take your FEL and try to stand it up now.

Come on Licenced bonded and insured firewood guys????
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk?
  • Thread Starter
#45  
What would be the purpose of standing it up? As it is now we can get to it and cut pieces off. Thx
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk? #47  
Exactly, Not saying it will positively snap back but many times once the right abount of weight is removed from the trunk it will roll back verticle. Sometimes the rootballs just say laid over???

Personally its not hard to fell just a verticle trunk, yes its easier to block the rounds off horizontal but there is the little thing of gravity and it may flop back upright when the sawyer is in a bad position and possibly ripping the saw out of his hand and leaving it 10ft up in the air or tossing it out of the cut on its was up!!
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk?
  • Thread Starter
#48  
Yes I see what you guys mean about the safety. Point well taken. I may try to do that before someone cuts more slabs off. Thanks again for all the help guys.
 
   / How to cut a large tree trunk? #49  
You could move 4-5' away from the rootball base and cut the rootball loose. Then when it's flopped back into it's hole then cut off the remaining stalk if you want, close to grade.
 

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