You haven't taken down too many trees in your day, have you.
As for the OP, if you're unsure about your ability to do it properly, hire a pro. It'll probably be cheaper (and safer) than fixing up what happens if the tree goes the wrong way.
Actually i have. I took down a spruce tree in front of my house about 3 years ago and knocked off a portion of my front fence.
If you can get to the top of it to attach a rope, why not bring it down in 10 foot sections? It's not like you have a use for a 40 foot log do you?
This is the best way, if you are sure of what you are doing
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ice
I cut down a 50 foot tree. It started as me using a hachet to remove branches that were over the pool and I just kept going and decided the tree was a nuisance. We ended up needing a chainsaw as the branches got larger and removed sections of the tree, guiding them to the ground with rope. We have a tight area where we couldn't have it fall on our house or the neighbors so my husband would cut down a peice of the tree and I would pull the rope to direct where I needed it to land. You just have to keep in mind that the size of the section needs to be manageable by whomever is holding the rope. (a man probably could've handled larger pieces than I could)
I'll say this, taking down a tree was one of the most fun chores I've ever done around my house. It was hard work, but I really enjoyed it.
This is the best way if you are not sure of what you are doing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superfraggle
You haven't taken down too many trees in your day, have you.
As for the OP, if you're unsure about your ability to do it properly, hire a pro. It'll probably be cheaper (and safer) than fixing up what happens if the tree goes the wrong way.
This is the best way if you have *anything* that could go wrong and cost you far more than a couple hundred.
__________________
"Wake up, Luigi! The only time plumbers sleep on the job is when we're working by the hour."
First thing is to confirm the lean. Cut the lower branches off flush and stand a couple inches away from the tree looking up. Continue to look up while circling the tree. Obviously the place where you see the most tree above you is the direction of the lean. On steep ground 95% of the time the tree leans down the hill.
Secondly is the tree still alive. You shouldn't try to hinge a tree that is dead. The holding wood will just snap in a dead pine and your tree will fall out of control. If it is alive you should be able easily to fell the tree up to 30 degrees off of its lean. Any more than that and you will need a wedge or rope.
A rope is your best bet if you havn't fell many trees with wedges. A half inch double weaved nylon is best. Avoid that yellow poly prope(sp) you can buy in any hardware store. Its breaking strength is only a few hundred pounds. The length of the rope should be 1 1/2 the length of the tree. The rope should be set from 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the tree. Don't set it higher than 3/4 of the way up. Look up a knot called a "monkey's paw" on google. It is an excellent knot for throwing a line up a tree. Once you get the rope over a high enough branch you can tie it of with a "running bowline". If you are tying the rope to a truck use a "double bowline" to connect it to the truck. Move the truck ahead until there is no slack in the line but, the rope isn't too tight. Notch the tree in your attended direction. Make it 2 1/2 to 3 inches deep. Check to see it is clean and doesn't have a "dutchman". Then move the truck a little bit foreward to put tension on the rope. You don't need a lot of tension. Just enough to move the tree. Too much can break the rope or cause a dangerous "barberchair" when felling the tree. Make sure the back cut is made an inch or 2 above the undercut and is level. leave at least 3/4 inch holding wood. Good luck!
Last edited by Calgaryborn; 07-27-2009 at 12:30 AM.
Thanks for all the advice. I haven't decided yet what I'll do. There is no rush but I do want the three out eventually. My backyard is massive so the tree can fall safely anywhere in one direction so getting it in exactly the right spot is unimportant. I just can't have it fall the other way. I'm leaning toward doing this myself. I'm pretty sure I can get it to go one way.
We fell a tree at my parents yard a few years ago, we hooked up a rope about halfway up the tree, hooked the other end to the hitch on a pickup, and just kept the rope tight - plus just a bit of gas pedal, and chain sawed the trunk. Pulled the tree exactly where we wanted it to go - away from the house, and away from the neighbors hedge/yard.
The taller poplar we had taken down by professionals though, it was too tall for that method.
just got a quote on dropping 4 trees in my back yard with stump removal.
these trees are ball park 25 metres in height.
$1600.00. that includes removal of branches and bucking up the logs for my fire pit.
well worth the money IMHO.
just got a quote on dropping 4 trees in my back yard with stump removal.
these trees are ball park 25 metres in height.
$1600.00. that includes removal of branches and bucking up the logs for my fire pit.
well worth the money IMHO.
Using experts should be pretty much mandatory when dealing with trees that tall.
Stump removal for large trees can be quite difficult as well.
Well, this tree was taken down today. A 35-foot tree leaning the wrong way was no match for my ingenuity. The victim is now laying in my backyard. Besides some sap on my hands, I'm fine, thank you for asking. No, no one videotaped it for youtube, but I did get a photo of me sitting on the fallen tree which I may post here as evidence of my successful afternoon.
Well, this tree was taken down today. A 35-foot tree leaning the wrong way was no match for my ingenuity. The victim is now laying in my backyard. Besides some sap on my hands, I'm fine, thank you for asking. No, no one videotaped it for youtube, but I did get a photo of me sitting on the fallen tree which I may post here as evidence of my successful afternoon.
Congrats, but you can't leave it at that, we want details.
The third post in this thread was meant as a joke. I did not mean to make fun of your occupation.
No worries. I don't work for a municipality anyway. I'm an elected official so we're those goofs who approve the policies you folks dislike. Maybe that makes me worse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4X4
I'm impressed for an Oilers fan. Only took you a month to destroy something that took 30 years to grow. Kevin Lowe took nine years.
It took about 40 minutes from start to finish and that tree was down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan
Congrats, but you can't leave it at that, we want details.
You notch a sideways V on the side where you want it to fall, about a third of the way through the trunk. You then cut a horizontal cut on the other side and give it a push. The tree leans the wrong way so I put my van in the yard and tied a rope to the tree as high as I could get up and tied the other end to the hitch on the van and pulled the rope tight to prevent it from falling the wrong way. It turned out not to be necessary as we just gave her a push and down she went. Unlike those morons in the video in this tread who didn't notice that the tree was taller than the distance to that truck, I gave it lots of distance so as not to hit the van.
Of course, for the last part I put my curious dog in the house for his safety. Half of the trunk is not cut for splitting for firewood. I have some photos on my iPhone and will post a couple later.
