How would you guys drop this tree?

[Cord]

Walking around our property up north and noticed this Poplar tree. Because these trees like to top themselves I generally keep them cleared back from the buildings. This one somehow escaped me. If it fell in just the right direction there is a chance it could reach my garage so I'd like to take it down on my terms. The tree is viable and appears to be otherwise healthy. I've climbed and topped the Pop'ls in the past, but I've learned that the cankers they get are scabs over rotted spots. Because I don't know how solid they are, I no longer climb Poplars.

My concern is how the tree will react with so little material remaining at the base? I figure that only the sap wood is remaining so the walls are probably 2" thick. Tree is about 18" at 4' up and it's 80' high, dead straight. The area is remote so using a dozer or winch to pull it over isn't going to happen. I'm not as concerned with controlling the direction of the tree as I am with the extreme pressure those thin walls are under. With hollow trees, do they try to spin or splinter? Trying to gauge just how dangerous this tree is to fell.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Perhaps not a winch but you might be able to use a come-along. I generally do this to guide the fall away from structures but it may serve your purpose.

 

[Cord]

A little off topic, but this is the Mrs standing next to a large paper birch tree. This tree is maybe 100' from that crummy Poplar I want to take down. I calcaulted the tree as a 270. If that's correct, then this would be the champion tree for Wisconsin.

 

[bcp]

Perhaps not a winch but you might be able to use a come-along. I generally do this to guide the fall away from structures but it may serve your purpose.

I usually do that, but, with only one line, the tree can possibly fall nearly 90 degrees to the line. That's usually OK, but 2 lines would direct it more surely, if necessary.

Bruce

 

[Egon]

Use a wood auger to check for soundness. Then make a plan.

 

[Silvic]

You state that you have climbed in the past. Is that like climbing as most folks think; or is that like climbing like a logger/arborist/tree faller thinks?

If the later then you know what a barberchair is and the chance of that tree barberchairing is very high.
If the former type of climber, and you have no idea what a barberchair is, then google it watch and read some accounts.
That tree is potentially very dangerous to your life and limb.
If you have no experience with falling timber and especially hazard trees you might want to find someone to help you that has the experience to keep you safe and alive.
There are some techniques to lower the risk that should be employed on that tree and will still be problematic from the picture you post.

 

[Thomas]

If I,I would use come along and calble around as high as you dare to go,and leave plenty distance from tree while working come along,than slowly cut and watch...wedges may come in handy.

 

[Cord]

You state that you have climbed in the past. Is that like climbing as most folks think; or is that like climbing like a logger/arborist/tree faller thinks?

If the later then you know what a barberchair is and the chance of that tree barberchairing is very high.
If the former type of climber, and you have no idea what a barberchair is, then google it watch and read some accounts.
That tree is potentially very dangerous to your life and limb.
If you have no experience with falling timber and especially hazard trees you might want to find someone to help you that has the experience to keep you safe and alive.
There are some techniques to lower the risk that should be employed on that tree and will still be problematic from the picture you post.

I'm the latter, but I'm not a pro by any means (nor do I pretend to be). My skill set lands somewhere in between. I've cut a couple of hundred trees down, but it's not my profession. I do know what a barberpole is, but I only associated the phenomenon with weak grained leaning trees (Box Elder is notorious for this). This one is dead nuts straight. I've cut hollow trees before, but never one this thin and tall. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I believe that tree could react the moment it sees a saw. I just can't envision what it's going to do.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Are you throwing it away from the open place, to one side or away from the open place? If I was cutting it away from the crack and not to one side I would cut it and not worry too much. I would pull it over but not until after i had cut it. I would not want any pressure on the tree till I finished cutting.

 

[Cord]

My face cut would be away from the split and then I'd make a plunge cut towards the split. I'm pretty sure the face cut will penetrate the sides so I'll end up with two short hinges.

The last one I cut was also a dangerous tree and I didn't want to be under it's widow makers when it started to fall. That one I made a plunge cut but left a very small piece at the back edge. Then I pulled on the tree until it snapped and fell. Maybe I can apply that trick again.