Help Needed-how would you cut this tree?

[richg]

Gang,

following the hurricane, I have access to a freshly-downed white oak. The local utility company lopped off the top, leaving a perfectly straight truck. I can back my trailer to within a few feet of it, and it seems like the perfect score. However: the end of the truck is about five feet off the ground, and cutting a 30-inch tree at head height is not my idea of fun. I am thinking of cutting the tree at the "X" so that the trunk falls to the ground, but am concerned with a barber chair coming up and removing my lower jaw. Chains around the truck, putting a 6x6 under the cut, doing a bore cut, what would you guys recommend? I also have concerns about the root ball snapping back after the trunk is cut. Any safety advice would be much appreciated. Please let me know, thanks.

 

[Hass]

I propose, you cut it length wise.
straight down the trunk, vertically, then horizontally.
that way, you with a smaller tree, and thus less dangerous!

but no really, some guys just start bucking the tree as it lies just being cautious that the tree will flop up at any time.
Others will lop off the root ball to start with just like you said
Yes, that root ball will flop back where it came from it a freakin hurry.
There was a story not too long ago about a kid that was playing in a hole of a tree.
Others were cutting apart the tree, then after all was said and done... nobody could find the kid! Then they figured out what happened.
I think the link is around here somewhere.

Usually a lot of people on here avoid these types because of how dangerous they are.
You can't really quite put a price on your well being/safety. So if it's past your level of being comfortable just walk away... There will be others.



I for one, would use some heavy equipment and stand her back upright and fell it!
That sounds like a fun plan to me.

 

[Woody Stover]

A while back, someone posted a link that showed where to make the cut on these blow-downs with the hanging trunks. I wish I would have saved that link. I think they showed making a cut over half way down into the trunk from the top side, then making another cut up from the bottom, several inches further away from the root ball. Seems like a recipe for a bar pinch... I didn't quite understand the mechanics of how that cutting scheme was supposed to work. Hopefully, the OP will jump in with that link.

 

[mywaynow]

I would cut back about 3-4 log lengths from the top. Let that piece drop, cut it to log length and use those logs to limit the distance the next cut log will drop. Top to bottom is my approach. It will stand up at some point so be ready. I always cut from the bottom first with these big, suspended trees. Cut up 1/3 and then down to avoid pinching. Having a log set up underneath can both limit drop, and direct roll when positioned properly.

 

[Thistle]

I see quite a few old and/or dead Oaks that fell or were blown over.Cut 1/2 way down a couple feet from the stump,then a couple inches over,cut up from the bottom.It will fall free with no bar pinching.I always have 2 wedges in back pockets just in case.

 

[jophysx]

I'm not experienced in this area, so take anything a say with a serious grain of salt. But my first though would be to back a pickup truck up to the end and make the first few cuts standing in the bed of the truck. Once you've worked it back to where you are comfortable with the height you can switch to working from the ground. Do be careful about the tree standing back up. But I think you'll get a pretty good feel for that as you go along.

-Jim

 

[mainstation]

Is that big Oak log length pinning any other small trees under it? Those are the Spring poles you want to watch for.

 

[TreePointer]

Every one of these blowdowns is different and should be carefully analyzed from all angles. Even then, looks are often deceiving as to whether the trunk is under compression or tension and whether the root ball will return to upright or continue falling forward.

From your drawing, it looks like some I've tackled in the past. If for firewood, I'd just start bucking from the upper end (away form the root ball) and Place small wood/rounds under the rest of the trunk as I go along (just to keep the remaining cuts out of the dirt). At some point the remainder of the trunk will rise up or continue to fall down. Be careful when you get near that equilibrium point, and be prepared to pull your saw out during any cut. Remember that you may have to leave the saw and run if things start happening too fast (you can always replace a saw). Also keep a bunch of plastic wedges and a wedge driving tool handy to prevent pinching. And don't attempt to do this alone.

I managed to get a couple pictures of a maple I did a few years ago:

28" Fiskars SSA for reference

Just beyond the equilibrium point it stood back up on its roots)

MS361 (20") on top of the rounds for size reference.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Gang,

following the hurricane, I have access to a freshly-downed white oak. The local utility company lopped off the top, leaving a perfectly straight truck. I can back my trailer to within a few feet of it, and it seems like the perfect score. However: the end of the truck is about five feet off the ground, and cutting a 30-inch tree at head height is not my idea of fun. I am thinking of cutting the tree at the "X" so that the trunk falls to the ground, but am concerned with a barber chair coming up and removing my lower jaw. Chains around the truck, putting a 6x6 under the cut, doing a bore cut, what would you guys recommend? I also have concerns about the root ball snapping back after the trunk is cut. Any safety advice would be much appreciated. Please let me know, thanks.

Rick, for me that would be a joy to cut and because there is just the butt log there is very little danger. Danger still, but not much and the most is from the root ball. As for a barberchair, I'd say that is not likely at all and I'm not really sure if I've ever seen that happen with a white oak anyway. I'd first put something under the log at maybe 10' foot intervals and try to drop the log onto those and I would cut not too far from the root ball but cut where you can also make a small undercut so that means you need some space under the log with might mean you have to go 6' or more from the root. No matter, it should be easy cutting.

When I cut those I'll start the cut on the top but not cut very deep at all before reaching across and cutting more on the far side of the log. I cut quite a bit on the far side before bringing the saw back towards myself and then finishing from the top down. This makes the weak point on the side away from you and as you then cut down you have weak points on the far side and the top which will tend to make things go away from you. This may or not make sense; it is easier to show someone than to explain it.

The main point is that this should be some easy cutting and some very fine firewood.

 

[richg]

Gents, thanks for your help. Dennis, great advice. I'll try and post some pics later this week....Monday is cuttin day.

 

[red oak]

Good luck Rich! Be safe and try to let us know how it goes!

 

[remkel]

Personally, I would do a cut on both sides of the log, then come at it from the top, going very slowly- small cut interval that will allow for the tree to slowly fall to the ground and allow the ball to come up of it so chooses. I always stand as far back as I can when making these types of cuts, but I find going at it easy it the best method.

Good luck.

 

[Woody Stover]

Cut 1/2 way down a couple feet from the stump,then a couple inches over,cut up from the bottom.It will fall free with no bar pinching.

Yes, that's what I saw described...the cut from the bottom is a couple inches further from the root ball than the top cut, correct? But I don't understand why the saw doesn't get pinched when you are cutting from the bottom. Is the saw too far up into the cut to get pinched by the time the log starts moving down? Does it break off at the hinge you've created? How exactly does the log react to these cuts? And if the butt is inclined to stand up, doesn't this happen fast when the log breaks free? Thanks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Personally, I would do a cut on both sides of the log, then come at it from the top, going very slowly- small cut interval that will allow for the tree to slowly fall to the ground and allow the ball to come up of it so chooses. I always stand as far back as I can when making these types of cuts, but I find going at it easy it the best method.

Good luck.

Remkel, the idea behind cutting the side away from you and not both sides is that you create a weak spot and if something gives, it gives away from you rather than taking the chance of it coming towards you. Also, I stand on only the one side and reach over the log to do the cutting on the opposite side.

 

[Cascade Failure]

Personally, I would do a cut on both sides of the log, then come at it from the top, going very slowly- small cut interval that will allow for the tree to slowly fall to the ground and allow the ball to come up of it so chooses. I always stand as far back as I can when making these types of cuts, but I find going at it easy it the best method.

Good luck.

Remkel, the idea behind cutting the side away from you and not both sides is that you create a weak spot and if something gives, it gives away from you rather than taking the chance of it coming towards you. Also, I stand on only the one side and reach over the log to do the cutting on the opposite side.

This here... I almost broke some of myself NOT doing this earlier this spring. She came towards me when I thought she would go away from me.

Faced with the same situation... I would cut furthest from the root ball possible, let the damn thing stand back up (watch where the ball is going...I missed my pup by feet) and then drop what stands up like any other tree.

(I was really tempted to answer your title question..."With a saw.")

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Personally, I would do a cut on both sides of the log, then come at it from the top, going very slowly- small cut interval that will allow for the tree to slowly fall to the ground and allow the ball to come up of it so chooses. I always stand as far back as I can when making these types of cuts, but I find going at it easy it the best method.

Good luck.

Remkel, the idea behind cutting the side away from you and not both sides is that you create a weak spot and if something gives, it gives away from you rather than taking the chance of it coming towards you. Also, I stand on only the one side and reach over the log to do the cutting on the opposite side.

This here... I almost broke some of myself NOT doing this earlier this spring. She came towards me when I thought she would go away from me.

Faced with the same situation... I would cut furthest from the root ball possible, let the damn thing stand back up (watch where the ball is going...I missed my pup by feet) and then drop what stands up like any other tree.

(I was really tempted to answer your title question..."With a saw.")

I had the exact type situation about 2 years ago...the root ball hole was huge.
I limbed everything, then started at the trunk furthest away from the root hole.
Started cutting 16 inch rounds, and by the time I got about half way down the trunk, the root ball started to slip back in the hole....it wound up right back in the hole, and then the finish work was easy as there was only about 15 feet left, but all the limbs were off.
I went this route as I really haven't had a lot of experience felling trees, and thought that this was the safest route.

Forgot to add...if you start at the top and work your way down using 16-18" rounds, you will see the tree slowly start to right itself vs just snapping back on you into the hole.

 

[richg]

I am such a dork sometimes. I do have a copy of "To Fell a Tree, and looked up this situation. His recommendation is to make an open-faced notch on the underside of the tree a few feet from the root ball, put supports under the the tree on both side of the cut, and have at it. if she's gonna snap upwards, you've already made a substantial cut on the underside and you won't lose your saw, and if she's going to fall forwards, you've put blocking under it so your saw doesn't get pinched. Seems reasonable and very close to what Dennis suggested.

 

[richg]

Gents,

Yesterday was a total success. I know, I know, pics or it didn't happen ;-) I had prepped everything the day before, put a new chain on my MS441, and it went through that trunk like cr@p through a goose. That was the easy part. The hard part was that the rounds were 30 inches across, and were frightfully heavy. I managed to roll them up on my trailer and then roll them off when I got home, but splitting these is going to be a serious pain in the neck. I would up with 12 rounds in total, and my truck did not like towing them at all. I will probably go back for another load today.

 

[Flatbedford]

Good to hear it went well and safely. Green White Oak should split pretty easily. If splitting by hand, don't try to halve the rounds. Work around the edges, and knock off slabs until the round is small enough to halve and quarter.

 

[smokinj]

I would cut it as close to the root ball as I could.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Gents,

Yesterday was a total success. I know, I know, pics or it didn't happen ;-) I had prepped everything the day before, put a new chain on my MS441, and it went through that trunk like cr@p through a goose. That was the easy part. The hard part was that the rounds were 30 inches across, and were frightfully heavy. I managed to roll them up on my trailer and then roll them off when I got home, but splitting these is going to be a serious pain in the neck. I would up with 12 rounds in total, and my truck did not like towing them at all. I will probably go back for another load today.

Glad to hear you got that beast Rich.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I am not sure about fresh white oak being easy to split. I have one I cut down this summer than is a PIA. It is the first time I had to break out wedges in a long time. I find Red Oak is way easier than White Oak. I have some other White Oaks that were not that bad, but this big sucker is tough. It does seem that it is getting easier as it is drying out.

 

[Flatbedford]

maybe I was wrong about the White Oak. Probably 90% of the Oak I get is Red and the White that I recently split had been down 4 months before I split it. It was still very wet though.

 

[richg]

gang,

I went back today for another load. This part of the truck was almost eliptical because it was a crotch....I cut the trunk into 18-inch rounds, then had to slice them vertically. Surprisingly, the lower part of the trunk did not have the oak stink, but this part reeked of provolone. It will be 2013 before it can be burned, but free oak is a good thing.