How to remove this tree

[wushaw]

Since the lowest remaining branches are over 20 feet high a pole saw would not reach and I would not stand on a ladder under that rotten tree while cutting branches above my head.

And I still have 4 trees like this to do but this is the largest one and they are all similar heights.

Keep the ideas coming folks! I may be able to put two or three of them together and eliminate this monster.

I guess I should have said you need either a tall ladder to be off to the side of the tree or utilize a climbing tree stand in a close tree or figure out how to get in a close tree to be either above or close to where the extended pole saw will work.
I have used a ladder with my pole saw, you have to make sure where things will fall.

 

[pappy19]

Having done a few of these, I will make the following "general" suggestions as every tree and widow maker situation is different. I have always had good luck with tying off the widow maker and winching it back off the load on the lower tree. I ahve used winches and come-a-longs to accomplish this. Once that is completed, then make two upper cuts on the bottom tree, then the under cut. This method will lessen the chance of sticking your saw bar. Then cut normal with your back cut. As soon as the lower tree starts to fall, haul your mule, and then let off of the winched widow maker. More than often, it still won't completely fall and you'll have to cut it too. For that, you will only need a small under-cut and when you do your back cut it will go quickly. Without the small undercut, you could have a "barber chair" and that ain't a good thing, so always do a small undercut to eliminate that possibility. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck.

 

[rox]

Since the lowest remaining branches are over 20 feet high a pole saw would not reach and I would not stand on a ladder under that rotten tree while cutting branches above my head.

And I still have 4 trees like this to do but this is the largest one and they are all similar heights.

Keep the ideas coming folks! I may be able to put two or three of them together and eliminate this monster.

Well, now that I am a farmer and working on a farmer budget i would probably do it a real redneck way. I would then use a manual pole saw (the msot aggressive blad I coudl work with), I would keep attaching long poles until I got a pole saw 20' long and start hand sawing off the top. ON TBN someone recommended a Sylky saw and I bought them and had my mom ship them to me in France. Now those sylky saws are realy realy real good saws. They do make one that extends to 25' Pole Saw HAYAUCHI 21-Feet

Pole Saws

Little by little I would hand saw down the tree. Every time it got cool outside i would go saw a little bit more o the tree. Honestly with a tree farm and having to cut and prune 1,500 olive trees I can assure you the sylky saw is the best. Of course a dead tree is going to take a bit longer but even after 2 years on such a huge tree i bet it is not competetly dry, do you think? So once you get past the outside once you get inside it could still be a bit green and easier to cut. The ahrdest part of the project is the first pull on the saw, getting yourself motivated to git er done!

 

[tallyho8]

ON TBN someone recommended a Sylky saw and I bought them and had my mom ship them to me in France. Now those sylky saws are realy realy real good saws. They do make one that extends to 25' Pole Saw HAYAUCHI 21-FeetPole Saws
Little by little I would hand saw down the tree. Every time it got cool outside i would go saw a little bit more o the tree. Honestly with a tree farm and having to cut and prune 1,500 olive trees I can assure you the sylky saw is the best. Of course a dead tree is going to take a bit longer but even after 2 years on such a huge tree i bet it is not competently dry, do you think? So once you get past the outside once you get inside it could still be a bit green and easier to cut. The ahrdest part of the project is the first pull on the saw, getting yourself motivated to git er done!

That Sylky saw does look like it's very well made. I wish there was a dealer closer than 200 miles away. I am leery about purchasing one of these just to find out it can't reach much of what I have to cut or that I am unable to capably operate it. It would come in handy for many other projects also, so I may consider it. Thanks for your replies.

 

[SPYDERLK]

That Sylky saw does look like it's very well made. I wish there was a dealer closer than 200 miles away. I am leery about purchasing one of these just to find out it can't reach much of what I have to cut or that I am unable to capably operate it. It would come in handy for many other projects also, so I may consider it. Thanks for your replies.

I think it looks like a great saw too. Thanks Rox for the link! I may buy one because I think it would pay for itself in one job. My only concern for a job of your tree size, tallyho8, is the length of the blade. I didnt see it stated and it looks to be in the 2' range - MAX.
larry

 

[JRobyn]

Bailey's has the Silky saws..

from Baileys-online.com

- Jay

 

[scott_vt]

To quote someone who was near and dear to all of us..."I feel your pain."

In June 2001, I came home to a colossal mess. A severe thunderstorm had downed one of our beautiful 50'+ pecan trees. It didn't uproot it--it was broken at the 16' level so I had the fracture 16' above the ground and the balance of the tree on the ground or sticking up in the air at crazy, unbelievable angles. It had also twisted about 1/4 turn so it was loaded with stress.

The tree trimming 'professionals' swooped through and the lowest bid I was quoted was $2200 to fell and cut it into haulable chunks or $800 just to drop the thing the rest of the way to the ground.

The trunk measured 108" in circumference, so I knew I was not looking at a job my 14" Poulan could handle. Armed with credit card, I bought a 20" Husky 55 and went to work.


Toward the end of that felling operation, a total stranger drove by and stopped, got out and warned me, "Son....you're going to kill yourself" and left. He was probably an old logger who could see that I was doing something very wrong, but the thought of death at that moment didn't really seem all that bad, so I tipped a sweaty hat to him for his advice and soldiered on. Shortly thereafter, I had the whole she-bang on the ground and the less-dangerous but much bigger job of cutting up and hauling off the carcass could begin. I split most of it but tried in vain to get someone to take the 16' long log to make pecan lumber out of it, but no sawmill was interested. It, too, ended up cooking a lot of people's food. A shame.

Mother Nature cooperated to her utmost by blessing us with 105 degree days
in which to clean up the mess "she" made. To top it, I was nursing a case of tendonitis and could not even start the new saw with my right arm. In a case of 'walking it out', though, by the time the job was finished, my arm was fine!! Cutting all that wood was apparently the perfect occupational therapy that arm needed and it hasn't bothered me since.

What's the moral of this story? I don't know...other than, if you're going to do it yourself, get ready to sweat.

And be safe. That stranger is an old man in a brown Chevy pickup. If he shows up at your place, listen to him.

Afternoon CP,
Great story, I enjoyed that and dont ask but somehow I think I have been in predicaments like that in my past !

 

[rox]

TallyHo,

I bought our Silky Saws on line in that second link I provided in my earlier post. Service was great and the company was completely on the up and up. Before I bought I call the guy up and spoke with him. He was very helpfull. These Sylky saws cut through wood jsut like it was cutting butter. In one or 2 pulls you have already cut through a 2" branch, I kid you not. As long as I was buying, and I bought 2 different Models I bought extra blades at the same time to save on a shipping cost for the next time we wanted a fresh blade. You will be surprised what you can hand saw with a really ,REALLY, sharp hand saw. I cna't say enough good thinks about the Sylky Saws. I bought strictly on the recomendation of another TBN member, I forget now who it was, and they were right. That is what I like about TBN first hand honest sharing about good and bad products.