Tree leaned back on the back cut. Safe options here?

[saskwoodburner]

Hey guys, just a quick question. What is the safest course of action to push a tree over that has leaned back on the back cut? I guess trying to get it going where I wanted it, didn't jive with the trees plans. It's hard to describe, but I need to drop certain trees in different directions so they don't end up making bigger problems. I'll be back out there today to do much thinking and a little work.

Can a wedge of some sort be pounded into the cut? Cut a notch and stick a long breaker bar in to leverage it? Hook up 60 feet of chain, tug, and let it fall where it may?

It's not very big as far as trees go, 8-10" and 30 feet tall. I needed the tree to go west, but it probably wanted to go south or ssw at the best. At this time it's leaning back east. I realize it's my fault, but now that I'm here, where am I going? Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[tiswood]

I'm no expert and it's hard to understand not seeing it. If the trees only 8-10 inches I would try to get a rope up as high as poss and pull it. Use a long and heavy enough rope. You don't want to pull it down on to you or your machine. You can also use the rope to a come along hooked to another tree in the direction you want it to go. Again use a lot of rope to work in the clear. A wedge can also work in the back cut but imo it may work better to use a wedge before its to far over in the wrong direction . Again hard to tell how I would do it without being there and seeing it. Or call a pro lol. What ever you do use a lot of caution and plan for Murphy's law.

 

[Fred Wright]

Try felling wedges first. A tree that size shouldn't be difficult to wedge. This is presuming that your stuck guide bar isn't gonna be in the way. If you can't get wedges in far enough to free the bar, you could loop a cable or rope in the tree with a snag pulley on an adjacent tree. Pull slightly and gently with a tractor or truck, just enough to open the kerf. If you can't get motor equipment to the site you may be able to do this with a comealong.

Have a helper on site to spot the tree and signal when the kerf is open just enough to free the bar. You probably won't be able to see from the tractor or truck seat. Pull too much and you risk a barber chair.

 

[BringinHeat]

Use a rope with a rope puller. Yank it over with that or just enough so that you can get your saw out and get a couple wedges in there. You can wedge it over (stack the wedges if necessary) or just pull it over with the rope puller.

 

[saskwoodburner]

Yeah, it's hard to describe, maybe I'm just making a bigger deal of it than it really is. For the most part I usually drop a tree wherever it's telling me it wants to go, and they open up on the back cut nice, and I bugger off. I made the back cut on this so there's about a 1.5" hinge. It started to go the right way( in slow motion), but kind of rocked for a few minutes and sat back on itself. My saw isn't in the backcut at all.

 

[DougA]

I'm not sure his saw is stuck in the cut. Wedges should work well but if the tree wants to lean heavily (as it sounds like) you'll need to rope it as high up as possible and pull. You really don't need chains or a real heavy rope as long as you can get a pole or throw a rope up high enough, it will move fairly easily. As others have said, a long rope, tied to a nearby tree so that you are on one side of a 'V' and the tied end is on the other side. Then the tree should fall between the two points. A 30' is not a big deal but you want to watch out for large branches that might hit you on the way.

 

[saskwoodburner]

You really don't need chains or a real heavy rope as long as you can get a pole or throw a rope up high enough, it will move fairly easily.

Lot's of good ideas here guys. I think I may try the pole idea. One of the problems with my cutting area, is I needed to clear a patch on the west side, so I can't really anchor anything that way. With a little luck, the wind pushed it over last night.

 

[ElmBurner]

If you don't have any trees to anchor it to, get a ground anchor. It looks like a giant coarse thread screw that drills into the ground, with a eye at the end.

You might find them near swingset parts or by the sheds / carports. Basically holds down anything that is light enough to blow away in the wind or that might rock with a load.

 

[maple1]

I would first get some wedges. You should have them anyway. You should be able to work them into the cut. Might have to start closer to the hinge to get one started. I have also done the pole thing.

Wedges are right behind the saw in useful must-haves. Plus an axe to hit them with. Will prevent most jambs & get you out of most after the fact.

 

[ccmac]

I am with everyone suggesting Wedges. I have used them on much larger trees in similar situations and with a lot of work have managed to persuade the tree to see it my way.

 

[saskwoodburner]

Talk about much ado about nothing lol picking your brains. So I figured I'd tie a rope around the tree, go snug it up to a 3" poplar to keep it tensioned to want to fall the right way, and proceed with wedges/poles/swearing. Anyways, I thought I'd give the rope (dinky yellow stuff, about 3/8's) a few tugs, what's the worst that can happen, right? Well, three tugs and that stupid tree came down. Nice when life goes easy on a guy.

 

[Little Digger]

Just remember, WEDGES are your friend. Bring them with you whenever you're felling a tree.

I've had side leaners and back leaners see it my way with wedges! Some you would have thought would have argued and won falling wherever they pleased. Especially the heavy back leaners. So far I only lost to one, but that was due to my having too thin of a hinge. It popped off the stump, spun and ended up hung in another tree.

Bring several wedges, a hatchet or a boys axe to pound them in. And ONLY use the plastic type wedges!

 

[barmstrong2]

All's well that ends well... And you have some new experience under your belt. Good stuff.

Nobody hurt and nothing broke is another of my most favorite phrases after plan A doesn't go through.

 

[tiswood]

If you don't have a tree to tie the way you want it to go , I have tied to 2 trees far apart and tie a roller in the rope where you want the tree to go. Then use truck or something to pull and your not in the direction of falling tree

 

[ElmBurner]

Talk about much ado about nothing lol picking your brains. So I figured I'd tie a rope around the tree, go snug it up to a 3" poplar to keep it tensioned to want to fall the right way, and proceed with wedges/poles/swearing. Anyways, I thought I'd give the rope (dinky yellow stuff, about 3/8's) a few tugs, what's the worst that can happen, right? Well, three tugs and that stupid tree came down. Nice when life goes easy on a guy.

Maybe it isn't very "macho" or whatever, but I much prefer pulling a tree over when there is any concern with regard to safety.

I've cut a lot of storm damaged trees and a lot of dead stuff where the inside was starting to rot or some of the branches above seemed less than sturdy. Seems best to make the minimal cuts and then get out of there and just pull it over. Especially when I am still working on enough proficiency to get my two cuts to meet when I cut out the front notch and that they are a right angle to the stump.

 

[Little Digger]

Maybe it isn't very "macho" or whatever, but I much prefer pulling a tree over when there is any concern with regard to safety.

Being safe never means your less Macho! If there's a question of safety, use a tie line.

 

[Woody Stover]

three tugs and that stupid tree came down.

Yeah, when you said that it just barely set back, I figured it wouldn't be too hard to pull over...

 

[saskwoodburner]

Macho left the building a long time ago. Nice to have a place where a guy can get advice without any stupid creeping in. Not once did anyone tell me I have a saw, figure it out.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Use a rope with a rope puller. Yank it over with that or just enough so that you can get your saw out and get a couple wedges in there. You can wedge it over (stack the wedges if necessary) or just pull it over with the rope puller.

This is it. If you don't have a rope puller, you can get by with a come-along, but if you are going to be doing this regularly, you really ought to drop the bucks on a rope puller, a good rope, and a good throw line and bag.

Glad you got it down safely.

Now get rid of that 3/8" rope! That's got no place around tree work!

You got lucky this time.

 

[DougA]

Not once did anyone tell me I have a saw, figure it out.

I feel the need to be nasty.

 

[bag of hammers]

I've used steel cable with pulleys and snatch block, sometimes overkill, but really nice to be able to pull a tree from the opposite side of the intend fell and also have virtually no chance of a broken line. Also used a 2 ton come along in a couple cases, attached to 6 ton nylon braided tow rope, on smaller trees. Unless there's nothing to damage in every direction, I use a cable / rope. I don't have enough confidence or experience to drop them right where they need to go without some help.