Need some Tree trimming advice

[LD48750]

I have a limb of an Oak tree hanging over my driveway that has split.
At the base, it is about 10-12 Ft off the ground.
In the split it is 16" thick & seems to be about 6' in circumference near the trunk.



It is probably 30' out over the driveway.
What would be the best way to cut this without killing myself?

 

[JPRambo]

I would start at the end of the limb and take smaller branches removing some of the weight. Then I would rent a articulating tow-able bucket lift starting again on the far end cut it into many workable pieces. A lift around here is $250 a day. As I have found out it is cheaper than a visit to the ER.

 

[CMV]

I would climb it and sit right there and have at it with chainsaw. But I'm not good at that sort of stuff - just what I'd do.....

 

[Captain Dirty]

I have a limb of an Oak tree hanging over my driveway that has split.
<snip>
What would be the best way to cut this without killing myself?

Is it merely death that you seek to avoid? How about maiming and other mayhem, not to mention property damage?

First, cordon off the area where it might fall. This is prudence to avoid possible damage and liability.
Second, check your home owner's policy to see if it is a covered peril. The cost of your deductible may be less than an ER visit too.
Study the situation. When a limb falls the branches store energy as they are compressed against the ground, often causing the butt to rebound in an unexpected direction.
If, after all of this, you have any doubts in your own abilities, call in the (fully insured and licensed) professionals.

 

[CobyRupert]

Don't cut from a ladder. So many things can go wrong. Often the falling branch takes out the ladder on its way down.
Depending on how their cut, often horizontal branches don't just fall straight down, but hinge at the cut, then the top hits the ground first and the butt kicks into the ladder. .

I'd want to cut the limb next to the tree's vertical trunk after verifying that's it's not split there. If you cut where it's split, it may be unpredictable what falls, or how top half 1/2 falls, stays, spins, twists, bops, dangles, levers, etc...

If you cut the limb off all at once at the trunk: Put an undercut on the branch, but not so much saw gets jammed. Then do the top cut a few inches farther out on the branch so that the branch "snaps off" when top cut meets undercut rather than hinges.

 

[MMalabama]

I'm going to say that if you don't rent or have some type of aerial equipment, then don't bother. Looks like a fairly large limb, call a tree guy.

 

[4570Man]

At only 10 foot off the ground I’d cut it down one piece of firewood at a time from my tractor man lift. I wouldn’t cut the whole thing because even if it goes as planned it’ll likely damage the driveway. Then there’s a lot of room to go as not planned cutting a limb that size.

 

[Cord]

Check with the forestry service to see when you can cut oaks. You don't want to kill the tree to Oak Wilt.

 

[LD48750]

I would start at the end of the limb and take smaller branches removing some of the weight. Then I would rent a articulating tow-able bucket lift starting again on the far end cut it into many workable pieces. A lift around here is $250 a day. As I have found out it is cheaper than a visit to the ER.

Have to check on the reach of what manlifts are available, tree is 30' back off drive & extends 10 or 15' beyond. (drive is 12' at the point it crosses)

 

[LD48750]

Don't cut from a ladder. So many things can go wrong. Often the falling branch takes out the ladder on its way down.
Depending on how their cut, often horizontal branches don't just fall straight down, but hinge at the cut, then the top hits the ground first and the butt kicks into the ladder. .

I'd want to cut the limb next to the tree's vertical trunk after verifying that's it's not split there. If you cut where it's split, it may be unpredictable what falls, or how top half 1/2 falls, stays, spins, twists, bops, dangles, levers, etc...

If you cut the limb off all at once at the trunk: Put an undercut on the branch, but not so much saw gets jammed. Then do the top cut a few inches farther out on the branch so that the branch "snaps off" when top cut meets undercut rather than hinges.

That's why I'm asking here, doesn't seem to be too smart to just jump up on a ladder & cut it.
At 70+ I don't bounce as good as I used to.

 

[LD48750]

At only 10 foot off the ground I’d cut it down one piece of firewood at a time from my tractor man lift. I wouldn’t cut the whole thing because even if it goes as planned it’ll likely damage the driveway. Then there’s a lot of room to go as not planned cutting a limb that size.

10' at the trunk, over 20' high where it crosses the drive & beyond.
No lift or FEL on the tractor.
Driveway is gravel, I groom it when needed anyway.

 

[LD48750]

Check with the forestry service to see when you can cut oaks. You don't want to kill the tree to Oak Wilt.

Already got Oak Wilt on the property & as you can see, this tree is already open.

 

[/pine]

The problem with fractured limbs/trees is there is no way to see inside...splits and cracks can cause a partially sawed limb to swing around in an entirely unexpected/anticipated direction...

The best approach as has been suggested is to cut from the outer portion in small sections than can be shielded away from the sawyer...

For the cost of a lift a tree professional can likely be hired...

be safe, good luck...

 

[OverandOut]

Most professionals should give a free estimate. I'd compare that to the cost of a cherry picker then make my decision. The professional is insured and should clean up the mess also vs you cleaning it up

 

[hslogger]

I don't know your skill level or your courage level. Assuming you are a "just a regular guy who values himself and his family" I would call three certified arborists and get bids. A guy with a pick up, a six pack of beer and a chainsaw can be a beautiful thing to get the job done. But, if you are interested in tree health, safety on the premises, and long range keeping the tree, an arborist will do a conscientious job with removal of the nasty split limb using tree preservation as the guideline.

i know certified arborists, certified arborists are friends of mine, and you are no certified arborist;-) Discretion is the better part of valor.

 

[check]

If it is only 16 inches thick at the split, can you possibly reach it with a pole saw that is either a gas powered chainsaw or an electric powered chainsaw?

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Hard to see any safe way for a homeowner to do this without special equipment, and a pro can take of it for probably less than the cost of the equipment rental, so that's a no-brainer. A lot of folks don't realize that a certified arborist usually will not cost much more than Jim and Bob with a chainsaw and a pickup truck. The arborist will do it safely, and also give you lots of expert advice about the future care of this tree, the likelihood of it surviving at all, etc.

I've been in this business quite a while and have learned one thing: Never let anyone other than a certified arborist touch any tree that you value, or one that's near any structure that you value.

If it's a scrub tree off in the woods, sure, I've been known to hire Jim and Bob.

 

[atsah]

Here in Maine we take care of most everything ourselves, I would put a latter on the other side of that tree and cut that limb with my Stihl 200T one handed top handle saw, and that would be the end of that..

 

[LD48750]

The problem with fractured limbs/trees is there is no way to see inside...splits and cracks can cause a partially sawed limb to swing around in an entirely unexpected/anticipated direction...
Thats what scares me.
The best approach as has been suggested is to cut from the outer portion in small sections than can be shielded away from the sawyer...

For the cost of a lift a tree professional can likely be hired...
I'm thinking you might be right.
be safe, good luck...

Most professionals should give a free estimate. I'd compare that to the cost of a cherry picker then make my decision. The professional is insured and should clean up the mess also vs you cleaning it up

I'm retired & burn wood for heat so the clean up isn't a factor.

I don't know your skill level or your courage level. Low Assuming you are a "just a regular guy who values himself and his family" I would call three certified arborists and get bids. Seems to be a popular theme.
A guy with a pick up, a six pack of beer and a chainsaw can be a beautiful thing to get the job done. Sounds like me
But, if you are interested in tree health, safety on the premises, and long range keeping the tree, an arborist will do a conscientious job with removal of the nasty split limb using tree preservation as the guideline. Now you're sounding like my wife

i know certified arborists, certified arborists are friends of mine, and you are no certified arborist;-) Discretion is the better part of valor.

You're right about that, I'm not.

If it is only 16 inches thick at the split, can you possibly reach it with a pole saw that is either a gas powered chainsaw or an electric powered chainsaw?

Pole saw doesn't seem to be a viable option.

Being a stubborn (wife says Bull Headed) German, it's not easy to wrap my head around hiring pro's to do such a small job.

 

[ning]

I had something similar and used a rope saw.

Took forever, but I didn't have a pole saw yet and I was able to use the rope saw from about 15' back from the branch by sending one of the ropes way forward to a pulley mounted at the base of another tree, so I avoided anything falling on me as well as keeping the chain from binding.

Turns out to have been a good thing that I cut it, too; two years later the whole tree fell, and the stub of the big branch that I'd cut caught most of the impact before it hit my garage so it merely punched a hole in the roof with an upper branch rather than completely smashing the structure :laughing:

But seriously, consider the rope saw. They're tedious to use (way better if you have two people for something like this!) but you can cut just about anything that you can throw the weight bag over.. and they're really cheap, too.