How to take this tree down?

VortecJeep

VortecJeep

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Aug 24, 2005
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Concord, NC
This tree is dead, and I guess while I was gone this week we had storms that blew it from being completely vertical to another tree caught up in its branches.
It is only a few feet from my fence on one side, and it’s probably long enough that if that other tree hadn’t caught it, it would have hit my gate on the downhill side. You’ll also notice the pvc pipes, those are my septic field clean-outs.
So I need to take this thing down before it falls on the fence, the dog, or the kids. Any suggestions on where to tie it off and where to make the first cut?

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I'm not sure on how to cut it down but if need a hand let me know.

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shimmy up 3/4 way, large nylon strap. Hook winch from your jeep and pull back up. put said jeep in reverse and pull it down away from fence. Till it hits the ground..
 
Chainsaw.
Hook the Jeep winch up to it and redirect the fall or either put temporary crash boxes over the cleanouts and take a section of fence out.
 
Winch and snatch block probably, but hard to tell what type of tree and how dead it is. I pulled a 2' diameter red oak the opposite direction last week. It was leaning at about 2:00 angle towards my mom's garage. 30k lb winch on the wrecker made short work of it, but I had over 150ft of cable pulled out to do it.

The tree I pulled was still alive, just the roots had pulled up, if your tree is really dead you have to worry about breaking it. I only went about 25ft up, the higher you go the better. The 30k winch I used was definitely working, the higher you go the easier it will pull.
 
I’ve helped cut one like this before. As stated above. We hooked a tractor to it and pulled in the opposite direction. Kept tension on it while we cut. Once it started to fall the tractor went full throttle to give it a little help and to get out of the way. It worked out with no issues.
 
That tree has a lot of forces to make it difficult and dangerous. Any through cut on the trunk will most likely make it do something unexpected. Even notching it to go either forward or backward is uncertain because you say it's already dead. The person on the saw will be at risk.
Maybe you should just get a price for a tree company to put it on the ground for you.
Seeing it in person may make a difference but from all of the variables mentioned, it does not look easy.
Live to die another day!
 
Get me some better pics the tree that is falling does it split and lay up against a tree or is it solid and did it fall into the split of a tree? If it splits you could under cut it and let.it slide down taking 8' sections at a time. If your pulling no matter what you want to use a snatch block. Primarily to redirect your pull to the tree for your safety so you don't have to worry about the tree,another tree, widow makers etc falling on you. I have a good rope for pulling plenty long more snatch blocks and Clevis's than we would ever need. I have a throw weight we can set the rope with and 3 saws if you really want to make it quick. Shoot me a message I would be more than willing to help ya out just let me K now when you want to get it done.

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More pics. If it weren’t for the fence, this would be an easy job. There is a solid tree uphill from this one that a snatchblock could be attached to so that the tree could just be pulled uphill from the base. The big variable in that is the tree that caught it; will it force the falling tree left towards the fence or allow it to fall straight down. Forcing it right would not be an issue as there is a large tree next to it that would prevent it from going too far right.

I like the idea of temporarily removing the fence. I just wouldn’t be able to remove posts as all of them are cemented into the ground.

I think I’ll get a quote like some has suggested before I decide what to do.


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In the second to last picture... the tree on right looks ill too. Looks to be red oak for what it's worth.


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I've had pine trees that I was cutting down get hung up on other trees like that many times on my property. What I do is hook a snatch strap up to the back of my Ram, and the other end to the base of the tree, and just drag it in 4 low. It appears to be caught pretty well in that tree, so it isn't going to fall to the ground until the top of the dead tree clears the branches of the tree that it is caught in.
 
josh m said:
In the second to last picture... the tree on right looks ill too. Looks to be red oak for what it's worth.


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Yes, it’s dead too. I’ll include it when I get quotes because it is tall enough and large enough to hit our balcony.
 
The load on that plus the very dry log is going to splinter. Seen it to many times. How much is unknown. My father in law would say, "dry standing is the best firewood".

Even cutting it standing would be a huge risk. The last tree he asked me to fell(he is 80 ish) dropped several big limbs that should have said stop. Half way through it blew up. I had no idea which way too go. I'm still here and have super respect for dead stuff.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
My father in law would say, "dry standing is the best firewood".
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Yep. It doesn't collect moisture.
That is some damn good wood to cook with. Even if you pay someone to take it down, keep it.
 
I Know Matt is Not going to skinny, up Any tree. As Dead as that is, It'd be too dangerous for anyone! Probably snatch-blocking it from the bottom, & hoping it Slides down, is the best bet. Not even sure a Bucket truck could get to it, Or want to!
 
If it were hung up in a bigger more stable tree, I'd say tie it off up top, cut 2' chunks out of the bottom till it was back vertical then send it the other way.


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Actually looking on a computer now instead of a phone and it certainly helps. So if I see it correct it is dead tree caught in dead tree right? Left is no go due too fence, house, shop etc. ? If felling it forward potentials are tree 1 hits fence, Tree two possible to reach the house correct? You said there is a solid uphill. By uphill does that afford the ability to pull them right as well? By the pics from the angle it looks like the leaning tree most certainly would want to go left if anything. Correct me if i am wrong but the leaning tree looks to be fairly full with healthy limbs/leaves up top. And the support tree looks bare and 100% dead? If what i am thinking I am seeing is correct. The best bet assuming space and anchoring is available would prob be to rope both trees individually your primary concern for me would be the leaning tree as far as roping and pulling. I would just do a relief cut in the leaning tree and leave it at that. it appears as it broke at the base vs. uprooting at all. You do not need aloof force to pull trees and direct them at all. you need constant pressure and to cut the trees in the right place and you can swig them pretty much 180. Pressure and force are what get people hurt. Thats what breaks ropes pulleys clevis's causes trees to react even more unpredictable. You put the rope high and enough force to see it pull tension and start to sway right your good the key is you keep that constant tension and you run the saw slow and let the tree swing itself where you want it. If you were to pull the leaning trend the support tree. I would cut the support tree and allow the leaning tree to apply the pressure and cut it so everything goes right. There will be plenty of force to drive the support tree to the right if you cut the wedge and slowly work it on the back side. If the support tree would decide it no longer wants to bear the weight and snaps where your cutting its tied its directed and it goes right. Leaning tree is tied and being directed as well to go right worst case dead support goes right leaner goes forward and right either way going forward right or left . The saw man is not directly under any of the limbs or at risk of something falling on him. as it falls forward the canopy goes with it.
 
Hard to tell from the pics. But I would put a rope in the crown then start taking 1-2' sections from the base to stand the tree upright and then pull it away from the fence. Smaller sections being cut shouldn't generate too much force to splinter it apart
 
Futbalfantic said:
Hard to tell from the pics. But I would put a rope in the crown then start taking 1-2' sections from the base to stand the tree upright and then pull it away from the fence. Smaller sections being cut shouldn't generate too much force to splinter it apart
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I'm no expert but It looks like it's free of the dead Oak? If so I'd take the fence down where it wants to fall. Put 2 lines as high as you can on the pine and pull them tight to trees across the fence to the left about 45* to the lean on the other side of the fence and a bit closer than the base of the pine to swing the top to the left and away from the dead tree as it falls. Clear an exit path from the tree it's leaning on, and notch/back cut the standing tree to fall the way the dead tree is leaning and RUN LIKE HELL to the right when it starts to move. You may want someone to hold you're beer while you're sawing
 
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mommucked said:
I'm no expert but It looks like it's free of the dead Oak? If so I'd take the fence down where it wants to fall. Put 2 lines as high as you can on the pine and pull them tight to trees across the fence to the left about 45* to the lean on the other side of the fence and a bit closer than the base of the pine to swing the top to the left and away from the dead tree as it falls. Clear an exit path from the tree it's leaning on, and notch/back cut the standing tree to fall the way the dead tree is leaning and RUN LIKE HELL to the right when it starts to move. You may want someone to hold you're beer while you're sawing
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You are correct, it is free of the dead oak. I hadn’t thought about taking down the tree that caught it, that’s a good idea.
If there’s nobody to hold my beer, I’ll just finish it first!
 
VortecJeep said:
You are correct, it is free of the dead oak. I hadn’t thought about taking down the tree that caught it, that’s a good idea.
If there’s nobody to hold my beer, I’ll just finish it first!
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I’ve looked at it again and there’s no way I’d be cutting the tree that caught it. It looks like the vibration of the saw could cause either the dead tree to break and fall on me or the little limb that caught it to break, allowing the dead tree to fall on me. The live tree is only about 6” in diameter at the bottom and it appears the branch holding the dead one is 1-2”, 30 feet up.

I could take the fence down, throw a tree strap up there near the top, and safely use a snatch block to pull the dead tree to the left.

I still have another tree that needs to come down that I don’t want to do, so I’m going to call about some quotes this week.
 
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