# Cables for Felling Trees



## orenn89 (Apr 27, 2015)

I have taken down many trees using cables and come-alongs to drop trees in the right location or avoid houses and other structures with my dad.  Now that i am a home owner myself i am acquiring my own set of tools to take down trees around my house and realize i need a good cable to take them down. 

Question is, where do you get cables strong enough to pull trees in the direction you need them to fall? and what rating does the cable need to have?  My dad has a few old elevator cables that are amazingly strong that he picked up years ago and has no idea of the rated capacity, only that they are way more than we would need.


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## Ashful (Apr 27, 2015)

Usually doesn't take much, if tied off high.  Most I work with, including one pro feller, use rope.  If a tree is reverse-leaned so hard that you need a high tension cable, likely you won't have an anchor strong enough for the pulling, anyway.


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## DougA (Apr 27, 2015)

Yup, snag the rope up high and it doesn't take much. If you want to force a tree to fall against a bad lean, block and tackle and some aircraft cable but be sure it's not going to snap. A big tree can crush you, a snapped 1/4" line will slice your head off.

Your question can't be answered accurately since it all depends upon the size of the tree, pressure that it is exerting, etc.  If in doubt, leave it to someone who is an expert and has lots of insurance.


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## Jon1270 (Apr 28, 2015)

Quality rope and pulleys are marketed to arborists, recreational climbers and for rescue work.  

I picked up a kit of gently used rope, pulleys and associated hardware via Craigslist just last week.  The 1/2" static rope I got has a rated breaking strength of almost 10K pounds, so probably a working load limit north of 3K pounds.  I don't think I'll be flirting with that limit too often.  Note that such rope, when new, costs close to a dollar a foot and is nothing like the stuff you'll find at your local home improvement or big-box store.  If you're going to be doing block and tackle work or redirecting the pull then the pulleys, slings, carabiners, etc. ought to be rated similarly.  If I hadn't lucked into the opportunity to buy good used hardware, these are the pulleys I probably would've bought.


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## maple1 (Apr 28, 2015)

I look for windfalls first & usually find them, but for the odd time I want to pull one the rest of the way down or cut down a nearby dead one I just use a tow strap. If not long enough I string a couple together. Throw the other end over the ball on my ATV hitch. I just watched sales for them - weren't too bad. If I was doing more of that and more felling, I'd likely go rope & a couple snatch blocks if needed.


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## xman23 (Apr 28, 2015)

It may not be nessarry, but I put a rope and a come along on most every tree. I put a pull on them. I tie off to another tree. To much pull and you will barber chair the tree. Be very carefull what your tied to. A tree going the other direction will launch you or your ATV


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## billb3 (Apr 28, 2015)

DougA said:


> a snapped 1/4" line will slice your head off.



winch cable dampener bag or a jacket or blanket is better than nothing.


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## Ashful (Apr 28, 2015)

Jon1270 said:


> The 1/2" static rope I got has a rated breaking strength of almost 10K pounds, so probably a working load limit north of 3K pounds.  I don't think I'll be flirting with that limit too often.  Note that such rope, when new, costs close to a dollar a foot...


I used to race sailboats, and still own a racing boat, so I have lots of Dyneema and Vectran line remnants in various totes.  Think 18,000 lbs. and $4.50/ft., at the 1/2" diameter.

I could pick up my pickup truck with a single 1/4" diameter line of New England V-100 (Vectran).    They make nice line for vang, jib fine, and cunningham.


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## maple1 (Apr 29, 2015)

xman23 said:


> It may not be nessarry, but I put a rope and a come along on most every tree. I put a pull on them. I tie off to another tree. To much pull and you will barber chair the tree. Be very carefull what your tied to. A tree going the other direction will launch you or your ATV


 
Yes, true - when I use a strap & ATV the tree is already at least partly down & I'm pulling the bottom sideways. In a fell, I would stick with rope & snatchblock/pulleys (and wedges). In some cases, a drop can be directed just by roping to a nearby tree if the layout is right.


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## RichVT (Apr 29, 2015)

I bought a couple of cables at Home Depot and they work fine. I've broken nylon webbing and a few steel carabiners when pulling with a come along.

Try to keep the strength rating on all of the components of your rigging the same.

I use a 12 foot section of an old extension ladder to get the rigging as high as possible on the tree.


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## Ashful (Apr 29, 2015)

RichVT said:


> I've broken nylon webbing and a few steel carabiners when pulling with a come along.


You're probably pulling harder than necessary or advisable.  I've fallen quite a few trees, and maybe need rope on one in ten.  Tied off high, it doesn't take much to get a tree down, as most are surprisingly well balanced.

Your money would be better spent on a throwing bag or a slingshot, to get that line up high, than cable and come-along.


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## WES999 (Apr 29, 2015)

HF has 65' winch cable rated for 12K lbs, 35$.
http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-x-65-ft-replacement-winch-cable-with-hook-61667-10344.html


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## Hokerer (Apr 29, 2015)

maple1 said:


> I look for windfalls first & usually find them, but for the odd time I want to pull one the rest of the way down or cut down a nearby dead one I just use a tow strap. If not long enough I string a couple together. Throw the other end over the ball on my ATV hitch. I just watched sales for them - weren't too bad. If I was doing more of that and more felling, I'd likely go rope & a couple snatch blocks if needed.


 
Tow straps here too


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## Mag Craft (May 2, 2015)

I use 5000 lb winch cable from harbor freight.   I made loops on the ends so I can attach another cable for length.
I also welded the tips of the cables creating a mushroom effect so that they cannot pull through the crimp or clamp if that is what you use.   I have pulled down many a tree down with these cables and they are strong enouph to make my truck lose traction while in 4 wheel drive low on a dirt road.


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## Jo191145 (May 2, 2015)

I get free cable from the construction sites I work on. They use it as temporary perimeter safety railings. Once we build the walls it gets cut off and thrown away. All I know is my John Deere MT can't get close to breaking it.


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## orenn89 (May 6, 2015)

So i got that harbor freight cable, whats a good way to terminate the end with a loop of some sort?


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## xman23 (May 6, 2015)

Crosby cable clamps. Use two


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## Dune (May 6, 2015)

http://penntoolsalesandservice.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8217

Saddle goes on live wire, loop on dead end. This site shows how;  http://www.rigging.net/clips.html


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## Mag Craft (May 6, 2015)

orenn89 said:


> So i got that harbor freight cable, whats a good way to terminate the end with a loop of some sort?




You can buy the u-clamps and put a couple of those on there or what I did was to buy some metal tubing that I could loop the cable thru and the compressed it on a hydraulic press.   In either case I melted the ends of the cable after making the loop to prevent it from pulling thru.   They do make metal tubes in different sizes for steel cable that are designed just for making loops.   I found some at a farm and ranch store that carried a lot of different hardware.

I also made the loops big enouph to slide over the ball on my trailer hitch.   They work great.


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## BrotherBart (May 6, 2015)

Cable clamps. Cheap and easy.


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## johninwi (May 8, 2015)

orenn89 said:


> My dad has a few old elevator cables that are amazingly strong that he picked up years ago and has no idea of the rated capacity,


About 20k, if it is steel, about 8k if iron, but they were changed for a reason, they aren't  what they used to be.



xman23 said:


> Crosby cable clamps. Use two


2 for up to 7/16", 1/2"-3/4" use 3, spacing is based on 6 times the rope diameter, 1/2" rope is 3" spacing

Crosby clip are ok and safe, if your looking for a step up consider Fistgrip clamps. A stronger clamp without the distortion to the dead end of the rope.


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## RichVT (May 10, 2015)

Dune said:


> Saddle goes on live wire, loop on dead end. This site shows how;  http://www.rigging.net/clips.html



"Never saddle a dead horse" is how I was taught to remember it.


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## Osagebndr (May 10, 2015)

We space clamps 4" apart at work. I generally believe that bigger is better just in case things get a little hairy and I've had things get that way. I use 1/2" steel cable rated for 4000# choke picks. Already have a dognut installed ( where the loop end is woven together)


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## johninwi (May 11, 2015)

Osagebndr said:


> Already have a dognut installed ( where the loop end is woven together)



Are your weaving to loop in yourself? I bow to you sir.


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## Osagebndr (May 11, 2015)

No that's a very aggravating endeavor I'm afraid . Most of mine come from work. Once the tags fall off they are deemed unusable. I take them home and use them for felling and towing


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## Shmudda (May 19, 2015)

Go on eBay and look for used climbers rope. You can get it pretty cheap and it's hellful strong. I use that all the time and it works great

Craig


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