Wood Felling Predicament

[D8Chumley]

I am lucky enough to have a bobcat, I had several do that and would hook a chain to base, lift a couple of inches and pull it backwards. Without such equipment you can only use a come-along or wait for the wind. I would not get in there and cut it again.

That would be the way to go if you had the resources. I had one hang up once but I was able to cable it at the bottom and pull it with my truck. Be careful, hoping to see a happy ending to your dilemma soon. Be safe!

 

[mecreature]

Is it down yet.
That tree sitting on that stump creeps me out.
I don't know how it didn't slide off.


Once that thing falls take a pic of the stump.

 

[BigCountryNY]

Did you notch that tree before you tried dropping it? I couldn't see on the pictures any notch.

That's what I was thinking too. I don't see a hinge either unless it's that piece sticking up on the edge of the stump.

 

[Nelson]

That's what I was thinking too. I don't see a hinge either unless it's that piece sticking up on the edge of the stump.

Yeah, I did a traditional notch (it's on the other side of the tree in that pic). Hard to see it in this pic. I took this pic after I had been tugging on it (with a looong rope) which shimmied it to the point you see in that pic. The tree is now down on the ground. I took a chance and took a couple of swings at it with a sledge hammer (and ran like hell on the last hit). It fell of the stump and stood straight up and down.

With the help of a come-along, I now have it pulled at damn near a 45 degree angle in the direction I want it to come down. However, it is still hung up at the top by one or two bigger branches. Those bracnhes have started to split due to the pulling with the come-along but not enough for it to break free.

 

[Nelson]

That's what I was thinking too. I don't see a hinge either unless it's that piece sticking up on the edge of the stump.

Also,the hinge (or what's left of it) is that piece you sticking up.

 

[Nelson]

Is it down yet.
That tree sitting on that stump creeps me out.
I don't know how it didn't slide off.


Once that thing falls take a pic of the stump.

Nope, still standing. Leaning is probably a more accurate standment. I may have overstated the 45 degree angle. Probably more like 60 degrees but I'm no longer concerned with what direction it's ultimately going to fall. Quesiton now is whether I let mother nature take its course or try to persuade it by pulling on the bottom. Need to get another come-along to make that happen. Definitely wishing I had a bigger tractor to come at it with. My neighbor has one and I might see if he wants to come over and take a stab at it. Problem is that there isn't a lot of room to maneuver...

 

[BIGDADDY]

When ever you burn that wood you will remember where it came from for sure. Not like you had it dumped on your property without know it's history.
Stay safe. Thanks for sharing.

 

[kennyp2339]

I had a similar tree issue like yours about 5 years ago, I compounded the issue by trying to drop another tree into it figuring it would knock it loose, It knocked the first tree down, but the second tree got hung up in the same spot, (both trees were full mature 75' black birch W/ 20 -24" bases) my dad and I stood there scratching our heads trying to figure out the next step when the old timer neighbor stopped by. He saw the problem and said let me teach you something , he grabbed the saw and made a cut on the leaner about 5' in the air an angle, then he went a couple feet lower and made another angle cut in the opposite way, he then made a plunge cut on his bottom cut but left 2 strips of uncut wood on both sides, he said grab an axe and hit here, which I did, it caused the cuts to collapse inward and the log to drop down, the rest of the tree followed. I asked him how he knew that and his reply was " I've been burning wood for 70 years, we always took our own tree's down, and we don't waste them" after the tree was down he went back home, probably laughing at us under his breath, he was in and out in less than 5 min

 

[Nelson]

I had a similar tree issue like yours about 5 years ago, I compounded the issue by trying to drop another tree into it figuring it would knock it loose, It knocked the first tree down, but the second tree got hung up in the same spot, (both trees were full mature 75' black birch W/ 20 -24" bases) my dad and I stood there scratching our heads trying to figure out the next step when the old timer neighbor stopped by. He saw the problem and said let me teach you something , he grabbed the saw and made a cut on the leaner about 5' in the air an angle, then he went a couple feet lower and made another angle cut in the opposite way, he then made a plunge cut on his bottom cut but left 2 strips of uncut wood on both sides, he said grab an axe and hit here, which I did, it caused the cuts to collapse inward and the log to drop down, the rest of the tree followed. I asked him how he knew that and his reply was " I've been burning wood for 70 years, we always took our own tree's down, and we don't waste them" after the tree was down he went back home, probably laughing at us under his breath, he was in and out in less than 5 min

This sounds very interesting but i'm having a hard time visualizing what he did. Any chance you could draw it up and post it?

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Yes, very interesting, but more detail, please. Having a hard time visualizing what you said.

 

[mustash29]

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[Cluttermagnet]

Great video, mustach29! Impressive technique. A little too advanced for me, I wouldn't try this one
personally. My saws are a little wimpy anyway- I'm not sure whether they would plunge cut like
that or not. Looks like he has a pretty good Stihl. Most wood I process is already on the ground.

I get that this is a pinch-proof method. Neat! Boy, it sure comes down fast when it gives way.
Good that it's predictable how the tree base will behave after it separates. Looks like that tree
remained standing, however- so isn't it still about as much of a problem after the cut? I'm confused
on that point. I think he said he climbed it and limbed it up high before the trunk cut? I thought it might
lay down on the ground after that cut.

Oh, OK- that was actually from a different tree felling. Confusing that he threw that one in to
show 'step away and watch it separate'. I had to watch it several times to get it all sorted out.

 

[SawdustSA]

That was a bit scary towards the end!

 

[Nelson]

Well, I am happy to report that the mighty Elm has finally fallen! After seeing the video of the guy cutting limbs with rope attached to some sort of blade, I set out to figure out how he was doing. I started by trying it with a bow saw blade, attached to two pieces of rope. That didn't work - the blade isn't flexible enough on the saw tooth plane to be useful. That and the rope kept breaking on me. However, the exercise gave me hope that this was the right approach. I just needed to find the right kind of blade. All along I was thinking I needed a chainsaw chain that I could attach to rope. As I was screwing around on Amazon last weekend, I just happend to stumble across a pocket chain saw and thought to myself, that has to be what he was using in that video. Low and behold, that was the ticket. I was able to attach the pocket chainsaw handles to two pieces of rope. I got it up in the "v" of the bigger branches that were hung up and went to town. Once I got it started, it was only a matter of minutes before I was able to saw through 3/4's of the limb. At that point, the chain ended up getting pinched in the cut. Not to be denied, I started rocking the tree and within a few minutes, she finally broke free and crumbled to the ground. A few pics.



Here is the pocket chain saw I used.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026OOS60/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Definitely a tool that I will be using from now on when dealing with trees that have the potential for getting hung up in larger trees.

 

[Matt93eg]

That was a bit scary towards the end!

No doubt, I knew it was about to go but when it did I still jumped.

Nelson, Glad to hear you got that Elm on the ground safely. Good luck processing that Elm though. I cut an Elm down in the backyard to give a Penn Oak more room and I still probably got 15 rounds that I have not split. Stuff sucks to split by hand.

 

[Nelson]

No doubt, I knew it was about to go but when it did I still jumped.

Nelson, Glad to hear you got that Elm on the ground safely. Good luck processing that Elm though. I cut an Elm down in the backyard to give a Penn Oak more room and I still probably got 15 rounds that I have not split. Stuff sucks to split by hand.

Thanks and No doubt RE: the elm. Not looking forward to it. I have found that if I cut the split down the middle, about half way, with the
the saw it splits a lot better.

 

[Matt93eg]

Thanks and No doubt RE: the elm. Not looking forward to it. I have found that if I cut the split down the middle, about half way, with the
the saw it splits a lot better.

Maybe I need to give that a try. I cut it down this past summer, Processed all of it except for the 15 or so rounds I just couldn't split. Maybe I shouldn't say "couldn't" split, didn't have the will power to split. Went up there last week, the ends were all dried out and cracked up. I swung the 8lb maul down on a block a couple times, I thought I hit concrete that's how hard it was. I just walked off. I guess I am just spoiled, I typically split Red Oak and for the most part it splits like butter except for the twisted knotted pieces, I still put the effort in on those cause I know how good of firewood it is when it seasons out. Of course the dry Elm I have burned seemed to give off quite a bit of heat, just don't like the ashes it leaves behind.

My neighbor had a pretty big branch break out of an Elm in his backyard 2 summers ago. Asked if I wanted it and I said "YES" At that time I didn't even know what kind of tree it was, I got most all that split but it was tough work. I told my Dad about it and he said that was an Elm and laughed.

I still got another big Elm in the backyard that needs to come down though. I guess worse comes to worse I can load the blocks up in my truck and take them to my Uncles and use the Hydro splitter.

 

[Nelson]

I still got another big Elm in the backyard that needs to come down though. I guess worse comes to worse I can load the blocks up in my truck and take them to my Uncles and use the Hydro splitter.

Elm had forced me to consider a hydro splitter. That said, as someone else had mentioned, standing dead elm is like splitting a whole different kind of wood. But it has to be REALLY dead.

 

[D8Chumley]

Matt93eg couldn't you bring your uncles splitter to the wood? Or maybe it's a 3 pt on a tractor, that might make more sense

 

[whatsgnu]

Boy, am I ever glad I've"NEVER" hung a tree up when felling! Having a good size tractor and a long cable has been my good friend in those instances many times. It's always amazed me how a couple of small branches can hold up an entire tree and just make the job that much more difficult. Glad you got that one on the ground safely.

 

[Matt93eg]

Matt93eg couldn't you bring your uncles splitter to the wood? Or maybe it's a 3 pt on a tractor, that might make more sense

I wish, but yes its a 3 point that goes on the tractor. Right now I am not to worried about the Elm rounds that haven't been split, I have a Red Oak I am working on processing and then still have 3 other standing dead Red Oaks to take care of plus one pretty big White Oak I need to process so I got my work cut out, trying to get 3 years ahead on firewood. However I will need to take care of that elm at some point, I don't like the idea of wasting any wood that could be firewood, heat is heat.

 

[sportbikerider78]

I hang up trees all the time because my property has a canopy. Almost all trees get hung up when you selectively take them in a confined space.

This thread introduced me to the rope saw. I had no idea such a thing existed! I'm getting one for some small/med sized branches that are out of ladder reach above my deck.

 

[Nelson]

Boy, am I ever glad I've"NEVER" hung a tree up when felling! Having a good size tractor and a long cable has been my good friend in those instances many times. It's always amazed me how a couple of small branches can hold up an entire tree and just make the job that much more difficult. Glad you got that one on the ground safely.

So true. I couldn't believe how it was still standing. Granted, nature would have taken its course sooner or later but I needed/wanted that thing down. All in all, I'm happy that I found a new "tool" for the wood felling toolbox. I already have plans to use the pocket saw to help take down another Elm that is growing up into a larger Oak.