is it safe to use tractor to bring down tree

ronjhall · Sep 8, 2006

I had a tree to take down this spring. Thought that I would notch trunk and pull tree over with a block and tackle. A fellow TBNer came over to help with project. His idea was to take as many of the large branches off the tree before trying to drop it. This worked much better than trying to pull tree over with the tractor. Plus it was much safer.

RayH · Sep 9, 2006

Going off the first picture you posted, My suggestion was going to be to run a cable and comealong from the other tree in the picture tied off high on the tree you are dropping and onother cable from the tractor to the tree tied off high so the cables form a "V". Notch it on the tractor side and hinge it on the shed side. keeping tention on both cables and drop it towards the tractor. The cable on the other tree would keep the tree from falling away from the tractor and on the shed and it would also take a good deal of the trees weight until it gets vertical enough that the tractor could just pull it on over. Ive done this very thing several times, only I use my Jeep with a winch and not my little BX.
BUT, after you said the tree was hollow, all bets are off.

roermo · Sep 9, 2006

Well the tree is down, not a perfect picture but every one walked away. I stood back a pulled on a rope while we trimmed off one large limb we could reach while standing on the roof of the shed. Then the property owner cut a notch on the left of the tree and the other neighbor pulled with his truck to the left and the other guy cut on the back side. This made me worry for if the tree tried to kick back or roll he had no where to run. The shed in back and wood on the ground to his left and I felt the tree would roll to his right and a fence. But as luck had it this day the tree did go the opposite direction but also rolled to the back side (see picture) took out the fence of the other neighbor. All in all could have been worse.

Thanks folks.

Roger

Thomas · Sep 10, 2006

Morning roermo.
Glad to read it all turn out well for you...looks like you got some high price firewood there.

bugstruck · Sep 10, 2006

Call a pro next time. I thought I'd attempted some crazy or risky stuff. Looking at that process you guys are lucky nobody was hurt or worse.

Certainly glad to see all is well though and the mission is done.

roermo · Sep 10, 2006

Want to say thanks to all that took time to give advice on how to handle the tree cutting of my neighbor. While reading over the post it came to my mind that every one here gave heart felt advice are now wondering why did we bother telling him what to do when he went ahead and did this or that.
Well believe me I told all around that folks on tractorbynet.com told me not to use the tractor and perhaps get a professional. Or cut it this way. As it was they took some of your advice but in some ways he went on his own. I stood back and tried to help from a distance and had tried to pass on information. He was on a one way track.

All in all the fence is not damaged too much and can be repaired. I am still thinking of what all could have gone wrong. In a way it did go a bit wrong (fence). Still no one was hurt and the tree today is going to be split up for firewood for next year.

Thanks again.

Roger

higgy · Sep 10, 2006

a learning experiance for all involved for sure.

turnkey4099 · Sep 11, 2006

That location, that unbalanced, rotten? I wouldn't even consider touching a saw to it and I have been cutting for over 40 years. That is professional time!

Harry K

sandman2234 · Oct 8, 2006

I smiled knowingly at the suggestion of using a comalong to take this tree down. I helped my FIL with one, and he insisted it would work. He manned the comalong, while i manned the chainsaw. The 6 ton comalong did what it was supposed to, pull the tree back up straight and over towards the woods. However, the base of the tree didn't follow the same path. When the dust cleared, I was standing next to the stump, with 14 feet of a 20" pine tree laying past the stump, where it had shot due to the strain against the top.
If the comalong had been a large tractor, and could keep the rope tight, it might not have happened that way.
I was lucky, very lucky.
David from jax