Ideas for felling this tree

[s219]

I wouldn't mess with a vertical hinge and horizontal pull unless you are 100% sure the tree is loaded/balanced symmetrically. If it's not, something pretty exciting is going to happen while you're sawing. This would be no different than using a traditional cut on a tree that wants to twist, lean, or sit on the saw while you're cutting. Best case, your saw gets stuck. Worst case, something leans or twists and then it blows up on you.

Really, the best option would be to isolate the loads before cutting, so that the saw is not tickling the tree's funny bone into failure. It could be as simple as blocking up the trunk and propping up the rootball with some timbers. You want the wood fibers to not be in tension or compression where you are cutting.

If in doubt, then I would work with gravity and use a Coos Bay cut with a traditional hinge, as if you're felling towards the ground (so the hingeline would be horizontal in this case). In that scenario, you're accepting that the fibers will be in tension and compression, you know the load bias (due to gravity) is acting perpendicular to the hinge, and you're making a cut that manages the tension and compression to prevent a shear.

 

[arrow]

I wouldn't mess with a vertical hinge and horizontal pull unless you are 100% sure the tree is loaded/balanced symmetrically. If it's not, something pretty exciting is going to happen while you're sawing. This would be no different than using a traditional cut on a tree that wants to twist, lean, or sit on the saw while you're cutting. Best case, your saw gets stuck. Worst case, something leans or twists and then it blows up on you.

Really, the best option would be to isolate the loads before cutting, so that the saw is not tickling the tree's funny bone into failure. It could be as simple as blocking up the trunk and propping up the rootball with some timbers. You want the wood fibers to not be in tension or compression where you are cutting.

If in doubt, then I would work with gravity and use a Coos Bay cut with a traditional hinge, as if you're felling towards the ground (so the hingeline would be horizontal in this case). In that scenario, you're accepting that the fibers will be in tension and compression, you know the load bias (due to gravity) is acting perpendicular to the hinge, and you're making a cut that manages the tension and compression to prevent a shear.

I described to this gentleman that which we did on numerous occasions in my own career. On one occasion, it was all I did in one day where 2 dozen of these things were dealt with with some trunks over 25". Horizontal pulls were done on the largest of blow downs. Your suggestion and one of mine earlier certainly includes the propping up of the root ball as but one method. With my second suggestion and taking into account the ops concern and hesitation, I am trying to get him out of the way of 1. the root ball. 2. the area before any separation occurs. Not to dismiss your points entirely, we did this with proper equipment that averted much of the danger. It may be a mistake on my part to begin to say "do it this way" without him having access to that which would keep him safe without compromise. These differentiated ideas might be the most dangerous thing here as opposed to the trees. There are things on my own property that even as a former professional woodsman, I wouldn't attempt to accomplish without the proper heavy duty equipment. On trees this size, we would prop the root ball with the skidder, make the felling notch, cut into the either side a couple of inches, and wack through that tree with an 80 cc chainsaw on a 48" bar. We'd be done in a breath and never gave it a second thought. Can he do it? Sure he can. Can he do it safely at his experience level is the big question here and in reality, what other's capabilities and methods are do not and should not mean squat to this gentleman. To the original op: You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. That above all else will get you through as you have more than enough of our diatribe of how to do it.

 

[northpolefolks]

If you not comfortable with the saw-

Pull it down hillwith a come-along. Get behind the rootball with an axe and cut roots. It won't take much until it falls over.

If you comfortable with a saw, put a couple large rounds under the rootball so that it doesn't fall all the way back down, and then cut the trunk like any tree.

 

[Tollster]

I was hanging free off the ledge with the root ball acting as a canterlever. I slowing cut the upper lead and watch for movemnet on the root ball, none. So I continued to trim the upper lead back as far as I could. I then was able to put a vee notch about 6' up from the root ball in the bottom of the lower lead about 40% through wall. This was all about waiste level or a bit lower. I then went up about 2" and make a top down cut very slowly, and keeping my distance, it started to open about 20% through. I slowed my cut and assesed the rootball to be sure it was not gonna twist or roll. It started to come up slowly and I increased my speed as it went up untill the hinged broke away.
All worked well, I kept my distance at arms length,and cleaned the work area up before working so I had lines of escape. It was very controlled and actually better than I thought it would be. Thank you all!

 

[Piperflyer]

I can't believe it isn't down yet.

 

[Nasty135]

Just this winter one of our local papers had a story of some locals cutting up trees after Irene went through, Big root ball opened up the ground and one of the cut logs rolled into the crater one of the guys went in after it and the root ball went back into the hole crushing the guy to death. Perhaps one of the other guys was cutting the trunk logs making the balance of weight change letting it fall back to the ground...Very sad

 

[newbury]

No pictures, didn't happen

 

[MossRoad]

...should I notch the bottom of the log about 20-40% through, then slowly make a top cut about 6 inches towards the top of the tree?

Go back and look at that picture I posted of how to trim a branch off of a tree. It is the same thing. Since there is no longer a hang up, all of the pressure is outward of the rootball going down. Cut up 1/3 of the way from the bottom. No more or you may pinch your bar. You don't need to notch it. Make your 2nd cut from the top side down about 2" outward of the 1st cut.

But be careful of that rootball falling backwards and squishing you.

 

[MossRoad]

I was hanging free off the ledge with the root ball acting as a canterlever. I slowing cut the upper lead and watch for movemnet on the root ball, none. So I continued to trim the upper lead back as far as I could. I then was able to put a vee notch about 6' up from the root ball in the bottom of the lower lead about 40% through wall. This was all about waiste level or a bit lower. I then went up about 2" and make a top down cut very slowly, and keeping my distance, it started to open about 20% through. I slowed my cut and assesed the rootball to be sure it was not gonna twist or roll. It started to come up slowly and I increased my speed as it went up untill the hinged broke away.
All worked well, I kept my distance at arms length,and cleaned the work area up before working so I had lines of escape. It was very controlled and actually better than I thought it would be. Thank you all!

I guess I should have read to the end. Glad it is down for you. Good experience too.

 

[crazyal]

Nice. Plus it was a chance to learn for the next tree.