Tree felling jack

[rockyridgefarm]

The Tree Felling Jack looks like a great idea. I could sure use one.

But at ~$400 it is a little overpriced, not that it isn't worth it.

Has anyone built something similar? I see a piece of square stock, a piece of round, a plate foot and plate tooth and a comealong...

 

[Bowhunter]

Looks like something a person could easily make by modifying a Hi Lift jack (which typically run about $50 last I checked).

I can see it being a help on some trees with a lean, but the majority of the time I can get a tree to fall where I want it by cutting a 'V' in the right place.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

<font color="purple"> but the majority of the time I can get a tree to fall where I want it by cutting a 'V' in the right place. </font>

Yeah, but its the other times that I am thinking about....

 

[chucko]

Seems to me that that thing could kill you. It looks only about 6'+- tall. Seems the weight of the tree would just push it right over that. Seems to work right it would have to be able to go high enough on the tree to keep most of the weight of the tree below where it is pushing....But I guess it's better than nothing.

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[tawilson]

Somewhere I've seen something like a bottle jack and you cut a rectangle in the tree and fit it in then start pumping when you are ready.

 

[chucko]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( you cut a rectangle in the tree and fit it in then start pumping when you are ready. )</font>

ok would this not be on the low side of the tree? What happens when you make that cut and you did not know the other 1/2 of the truck was bad on the inside?

 

[theonlybull]

we make and sell them for about $80 from old ford bumper jacks. they work great, and you can push a tree with a fair amount of lean, if you have to. basically, it replaces a set of wedges, and alot of hard pushing

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Seems to me some chains and a come-along about 1/3 up the tree and tide to the base of a tree in the direction of fall is the bees knees. Then no worry about the jack sinking.

 

[Slamfire]

I don't much care for jacks or comealongs pulling a tree back against the lean. There is too much chance of a barber chair, where the tree splits somewhere along the back cut. Much better to make a bore or plunge cut insert some wedges then a back cut to release the tree. Jacks have the nasty habit of jumping out of notches cut for them, I've never seen a pole type used so won't comment on them.

bore cut

 

[rockyridgefarm]

<font color="red">we make and sell them for about $80 </font>

So where do i send my check?

 

[theonlybull]

i'd be more then happy to sell you one, but i don't know how scarey the shipping would be on one from Nova Scotia /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

e-mail me if your interested
william.berry@ns.sympatico.ca

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Oh, Heck, I'll drop by around October, oughtta be a nice drive.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[SPIKER]

I think I would stick to the come-a-long and a good rod in the dirt or a tree trunk nearby. that jack thing doen't seem really safe to me. lots of weight forces down at the pivioting area where you would be notching & cutting the trunk! the jack may HELP but I wouldn't put much confidence in it.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[theonlybull]

the jack isn't ment to push a tree that's severly leaning back, it is mearly to give the tree a little push to get it to go over. many contractors around here use them, because it's not real practial to have to drive a bar, hook up a cable and come-a-long every time you fell a tree.

the best way, is to get the jack so it's base sits on a root, then the top ear bites into the sap wood, and your good to go, we take a little strain on the tree, then make our back cut, remove the saw, and give it a couple jacks. if the tree isn't going to go over, then we'll make room and push it with our skidder, but for most trees, the jack works great. in fact, we mounted ours right on the side of the skidder, so it's easier to carry in the woods.