Partially Fallen Tree - how to cut?
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xman23
Minister of Fire
I recently took down that exact tree situation. I bottom cut lopping off 18" pieces off from the top, all the way until I had a hanging attached piece. In your picture it would be an upside down V, with one side hanging and one side being the standing 15' of tree trunk, Mine was not going to break off, half the tree was still attached. Up to this point it was easy.
I then put a comealong on the standing trunk and put a hard pull on it parallel with the road. Something I do most of the time. So I knew where it was going to fall. I made a standard notch and felling cut, The surprise was when it came off the stump, yes, falling where I wanted it to go. But the stump side kicked 5' towards the woods. WOW! It was the weight of the hanging side of the V kicked the other side out when it was not attached.
I cut from the back and to the side in case of a barber chair. Luckily I was on the hanging side. So it wasn't an issue. Just something I didn't see coming. Now I'm not sure how this should be done.
I then put a comealong on the standing trunk and put a hard pull on it parallel with the road. Something I do most of the time. So I knew where it was going to fall. I made a standard notch and felling cut, The surprise was when it came off the stump, yes, falling where I wanted it to go. But the stump side kicked 5' towards the woods. WOW! It was the weight of the hanging side of the V kicked the other side out when it was not attached.
I cut from the back and to the side in case of a barber chair. Luckily I was on the hanging side. So it wasn't an issue. Just something I didn't see coming. Now I'm not sure how this should be done.
I think I would have done it the same way, maybe without the comealong. Sometimes it is better to learn from someone else’s experience. I picture the kick out coming as the section you undercut swigs and digs in the ground and forces the stump side up an out. Or maybe just the swinging of the hinged section forced the kick out. If either were the case my idea would be first to undercut and then cut the top side so that it is hanging off the ground. Then chaining the the hanging hinged piece tight to the stump side to help prevent this. Then assessing the lean and hanging weight choose the felling angle.
Glad you are OK.
Glad you are OK.
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xman23
Minister of Fire
As these things go, it happened quickly. I believe the kick out off the stump happened with everything in the air. As it fell in the proper direction and then broke the hinge, it then kicked. I think the hanging piece at the angle it was, with all it's weight had a force on the attached vertical piece. This maybe a bit hard to follow, but.......Max I think you understand.
I now think leaving the tree as it was with the top landed, and taking it down in the direction I did, would have been better. Actually have a few more of these to take down. so I'll see what works.
The comealone can be dangerous, mostlly because it can cause a barber chair of a tree. I do it as insurance that I can pull the tree if need be. But I would suggest to all that would hook a rope to a ATV, or any other vehicle, don't do it! No vehicle will win when a tree wants to go the other direction, or land on top of it. Unless you have Max's D8.. Even then I would push the tree over.
I now think leaving the tree as it was with the top landed, and taking it down in the direction I did, would have been better. Actually have a few more of these to take down. so I'll see what works.
The comealone can be dangerous, mostlly because it can cause a barber chair of a tree. I do it as insurance that I can pull the tree if need be. But I would suggest to all that would hook a rope to a ATV, or any other vehicle, don't do it! No vehicle will win when a tree wants to go the other direction, or land on top of it. Unless you have Max's D8.. Even then I would push the tree over.
Yes, I can picture that. Good luck with the others. Instead of measure twice and cut once, it’s more - look at all possibilities and cut safely. Let us know what you find.
Good chuckle over my “D8” If it were a Cat it might be called a D 1/4. It’s 1953 Oliver Oc3, a little 22 hp crawler with a small blade and a honkin winch. It was a just right little woods machine. It wouldn’t push much over but hauled a pretty good load and if I hooked the blade on a stump the winch could pull out a large pine with limbs attached into a clear spot. Some were made with tracks built out wide and used west coast hilly orchards . Others were used in cities as sidewalk plows with padded tracks. Really liked that little machine but needed to trade it when we moved down to the coast.
Good chuckle over my “D8” If it were a Cat it might be called a D 1/4. It’s 1953 Oliver Oc3, a little 22 hp crawler with a small blade and a honkin winch. It was a just right little woods machine. It wouldn’t push much over but hauled a pretty good load and if I hooked the blade on a stump the winch could pull out a large pine with limbs attached into a clear spot. Some were made with tracks built out wide and used west coast hilly orchards . Others were used in cities as sidewalk plows with padded tracks. Really liked that little machine but needed to trade it when we moved down to the coast.
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