Tree would not fall

[pitt_md]

I have been dropping trees for a long time and never seen this happen before.
I had a large elm tree that died I would estimate to be 40' tall. It appeared to be pretty much straight up and down. I notched it on the side I wanted it to fall to then went to the other side to make the finish cut. As I was cutting I could see that almost nothing was left holding the tree up. I got my saw out and got out of the way. The tree rocked back and forth but did not fall. I didn't dare try to cut any more but didn't want to leave it fall on someone or one of my dogs when I let them out. I waited for about a half hour and it didn't do anything but rock back a forth. As I was clearing more trees along the new fence line about 3 hours later it fell over.

 

[MikeInEburg]

That's when you get out your wedge and pound into the final cut... My experience is that standing dead trees tend to have more of a mind of their own when it comes to this sort of thing.
Mike

 

[Uncle Doug]

You made the right call to wait it out if it's falling in any direction would not endanger people, livestock or property. Sometimes thats all we can do. If a situation becomes to risky then pull back and re-evaluate.

I have worked in the petrochemical industry for 30 years, they last 10 years they have taken great strides in training workers in risk assessment of almost every task. Sadly in most non industrial jobs where OSHA does not regulate has not been as proactive in risk assessment.

 

[greenmule]

Oh yeah,thats what we need osha rules for your property.
You can't make life accident proof.And if you could,you wouldn't want to do it.
Its all about common sense,[some of us have very little of it],and getting wiser with experience and age. Some people stop and look both ways at stop signs,some don't,just the way it is.

But,the man cutting the tree knew what he should be worried about with out any police telling him,so...

 

[jimmyj]

I find elm trees to be such awfully stringy things. I cut them pretty regularly as they are all dying off in our area and some are very large. The wood hinge can hold the darned tree up even if it's tiny and the tree top is huge. It's unnerving sometimes.

Hard to split too!

 

[studor]

I think you needed three things -- Wedge, sledgehammer,and a place to run

 

[tommu56]

I was watching ax-men the other night and they cut a big square out and put a hydraulic jack in and jack it over I might try that next time I get a tough one l;ike you had.

tom

 

[Ductape]

I'm with Mike..... drive a couple felling wedges in your back cut and she'll come right over.

 

[Conservation]

I had the darndest hung tree the other day. Not huge, but funny. It worried me the way it was leaning against some healthy trees. I finally decided on a single diagonal cut. The tree slips down, which I expected, and then planted itself just like it was born there. With a 4 1/2' trunk next to it. Twice more of the same thing, and I was trimming branches, and shaking my head. I have found that stepping back and assessing the situation keeps you out of the most dangerous ones. Some of them will just be sweaters no mater what though. Good for pucker factor.

 

[rcrcomputing]

I have been dropping trees for a long time and never seen this happen before.
I had a large elm tree that died I would estimate to be 40' tall. It appeared to be pretty much straight up and down. I notched it on the side I wanted it to fall to then went to the other side to make the finish cut. As I was cutting I could see that almost nothing was left holding the tree up. I got my saw out and got out of the way. The tree rocked back and forth but did not fall. I didn't dare try to cut any more but didn't want to leave it fall on someone or one of my dogs when I let them out. I waited for about a half hour and it didn't do anything but rock back a forth. As I was clearing more trees along the new fence line about 3 hours later it fell over.

Exact same story, but I was digging it out with the BH. I went in the house to for the night. Obviously the tree wasn't going anywhere.. Woke up the next morning after the storm to a tree on the house. Then I fixed the hole in the roof and cut the tree up standing on the roof.

 

[Oldtrout]

Some people should not own a power saw,wedges and a felling lever should be sold with the saw.

 

[tallyho8]

I had a friend who cut a dead tree a couple of years ago. He cut almost through it and it didn't fall. He was going to let it alone till it fell but he needed to clear it out the way to run a power line.

So he put in a wedge and hit it with the maul. The shock broke off a dead branch which landed on his head and killed him instantly.

Dead trees are dangerous.

 

[Richard]

I don't know if this is more or less dangerous... Since I have a full sized backhoe/loader, I've come to start using it to help trees. Before I do anything to the tree, I'll decide where I (think) I want it to fall, set the hoe on the opposite side with the bucket up in the air, arm crowded in. I'll make my wedge cut, START to make the felling cut but will leave a larger hinge in there than I would if I were simply cutting the tree down. I'll then go hop on the hoe which is still running and simply extend the hoe forward using this pressure to force the hinge point and quite easily, push the tree in the intended direction. The hoe has a roof on it so I actually feel just a bit more safe inside it than standing next to the tree with my naked head wearing a little plastic helmet (which by the way I'm still wearing even though I'm inside the hoe)

I've come to learn that so far, I've even been able to help 'steer' (for lack of better word) the direction of the fall by a couple degrees. The backhoe teeth will seem to help grasp/claw the tree and I can push a little to the left or a little to the right.

I'm knocking on wood but thus far, I've been able to do this every time without any incident

I would not suggest this with a smaller machine nor one that does not have a steel roof on it.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Rope is the best. It puts a distance between you and the beast. Anchor it to a tractor or another tree and it will be there when you need it.

 

[jimmyj]

When we see a tree that we worry about, we tie a chain around it as high as we can and then attach the chain to a long cable. Then we run the cable through a snatch block tied to some sort of other anchor like another big tree.

Then, when the cut approaches felling depth someone pulls the cable to influence the tree into the right direction. This of course is all contingent on having something big enough to pull the tree with. And it adds tension to the tree which makes me nervous too. Some trees are best left alone I guess.

 

[Richard]

Some trees are best left alone I guess.

I agree with you there!! I had a situation a number of years ago where the Japanese Beetle (??) ransacked nearly all of the local pine trees. Early summer you could see some dead trees (brown) off to the side of my house and by the end of summer this line of brown dead trees had worked its way all across the yard and killed every pine near me. The problem I had with that is these were within range of hitting my home so they HAD to come down while they were still managable and not rotted out.

I'm the first to admit the ordeal I went through to get them out was one of the most nerve racking things I've ever done. I probably took 30/60 minutes per tree just looking at it, trying to ascertain where it would fall and then set up my machine to push towards that goal (pun somewhat intended )

I was VERY relieved when it was over and I had the last one on the ground where I could now pull it to my burn pile.

Oh... I might add that I DID happen to ask a logger who was logging the farm if he wanted them. Although he said "sure" I went on to say that he could have them as long as he didn't run roughshod over every other living tree that was near them as they had done on the farm with total disregard to other trees. I didn't care for any value for them OTHER than to simply respect the other things nearby. (with me knowing I'd have SOME casualties, just not my entire yard)

What I found interesting was he immediately said "nahhhhhhhh, no interest then" which helped underscore to me that they weren't really putting ANY effort into protecting the other trees on the farm like they said they would when they gave their sales pitch. Fortunately, it's not my farm so that wasn't my issue.

By the time I personally got done doing it, I ended up with a single young tree that bit the dust. I did not oblitherate my back yard (woods) like they did the rest of the area. No way they would have left as little damage in my area as I did.

 

[pitt_md]

Some people should not own a power saw,wedges and a felling lever should be sold with the saw.

Yup everyone should know everything. I am not a lumberjack by trade. I have used a chainsaw for over 35 years without a problem. If you got nothing better to add than the above garbage then keep it to yourself.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Yup everyone should know everything. I am not a lumberjack by trade. I have used a chainsaw for over 35 years without a problem. If you got nothing better to add than the above garbage then keep it to yourself.

Yup. Understood. He did mention "felling lever" tho, and without knowing exactly what that is I do use a method that it seems to imply.

- -When I have a tree situation with intact hinge like you described I have always been able to get them to go ahead and fall by sticking a pry bar into the fell cut and lifting upward . I use one or two of the 24" flat tipped prybars that HF sells in sets. Stick them into the cut about 1.5 to 2 inches and lift smoothly and firmly on the handle. I cant remember a single time this has failed with a hinged teeterer, regardless of size.
larry

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I can't resist putting my 2 cents worth in. Always always carry a few wedges and hammer. The plastic wedges are great for forcing a tree over even away from a lean or weight of branches on one side. Those are just as important as Safety glasses and chainsaw chaps.
Next I like to give myself a little extra cushion of safety by having a rope up on a tree to pull. That can be accomplished with a ladder or slingshot a small line up to pull up a larger line. In my case I use climbing spurs often. Which leads into me agreeing with one of the comments some people should not have certain tools. I have had to bail out a few situations where Joe Homeowner put on a borrowed set of spurs and climbing belt. Then about 15' up the tree they realized it wasn't a good idea. Or they nearly cut off something other than a limb.
Again another thing to look out for is the dead tops and branches. Those will kill you as mentioned. With those folks that like to push the tree's over that is not a bad option. Still plenty of dangers in doing that. There is another thread in here some where showing what looks like a large oak having crushed a backhoe.