Any special considerations in removing this limb?

[drewmo]

A couple of neighbors and I would like to see this rogue limb gone, the long, bottom limb jutting out to the left. The tree is on my property, so I'd rather be the one to work the saw in case anything goes wrong. Plan of attach would be to notch the underneath near the trunk, then saw through the limb from the top down. Just not sure how the branch will react when the cut is complete. Am I in for any surprises?

 

[Dune]

Not if you are familiar with gravity.

 

[yooperdave]

Make sure that you undercut the limb first...so you don't end up with a strip of bark missing all the way to the trunk and ground. This should give you an idea.

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[midwestcoast]

A pretty small undercut, so your saw doesn't get pinch.

 

[kjahnz]

This was a horizontal growing limb. My notch and down cut did not line up. This is a boxelder tree.

 

[nrford]

Make sure nothing is underneath it......... Sorry could resist.

 

[Soundchasm]

That limb doesn't look too high up, so maybe the super safe way to do it would be to cut 3' out (undercut first, then top cut), and then your cut next to the trunk would seem to be less risky for really damaging the tree.

 

[drewmo]

That limb doesn't look too high up, so maybe the super safe way to do it would be to cut 3' out (undercut first, then top cut), and then your cut next to the trunk would seem to be less risky for really damaging the tree.

Thanks for the replies, both the helpful and the *ahem* not so helpful. The limb isn't all that high, although it would be easier to be up about 2 feet to attack it. Just some young saplings underneath it that we'll try to spare

 

[Fred Wright]

That limb should be a cinch to remove. Like the others say, notch underneath a couple inches and lay your saw into it on top.

If you want it to drop slowly, make your top cut gently, a little bit at a time until she starts to lower. Have a helper tie a rope around the brush end and guide it away from the saplings you wish to save.

 

[Chicken Farmer]

You could rent a chipper and a forklift, tie the chipper to the forks, hoist the chipper up to the limb and slowy drive forward feeding the limb into the chipper until you're up to the trunk. No problem.

 

[smokedragon]

I would say make sure your notch is closer to the tree than the top cut. This has always helped me with stuff like this. If your bottom notch is closer to the trunk than the top cut, you don't have to worry about any damage to the tree.

I would also cut some off the end of the branch before cutting right at the tree (if possible). If not possible, then notch the bottom, then about 1/2 inch further from the tree make the top cut. As said before, go gentle with the top cut to see how it will react/let it down gently to save your saplings.

Good luck.

 

[paul bunion]

You could rent a chipper and a forklift, tie the chipper to the forks, hoist the chipper up to the limb and slowy drive forward feeding the limb into the chipper until you're up to the trunk. No problem.

Why not use a backhoe?

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[mstoelton]

Make sure you take into account the force of gravity and the likely activity this force will impart on the subject branch once disengaged from the subject tree.

 

[Jags]

Don't sweat getting too close to the tree for the drop cut. You can always come back in for that last, nice clean cut at the trunk.

 

[tsquini]

Cut it a few feet off the trunk and let gravity do its thing. Then cut the remaining from the trunk.

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Gravity, it's heavy man,

 

[bobdog2o02]

I would use a REALLY dull knife to cut through it. That way if it goes wrong it won't go wrong fast.