Big dead pine has to go

[woodworkingboy]

Ya, I cut dead Pines a lot where the logs still go to auction in good shape and somebody buys. The tops may have become instant firewood.

 

[SkwerI]

I hate dead pines. Charge thick. Hell charge enough that everyone of us who posted in this thread could get a consulting fee ontop of the outrageous money you'll make for doing the job.

I'm just getting my piece of the action.

First, I wouldn't climb it if I didn't have to. No good reason to climb a dead tree standing next to an open field like that.
Second, I would recommend against trying to fall that tree with such a small saw (I'm assuming something like a Stihl MDS260).
Third, Stephen's idea of using a throw line to see if you can dislodge the worst of the widowmakers is excellent advice.

Get your hands on a proper size saw and go to town on it!

 

[Al Smith]

That thing looks like it's got enough weight in the form of big limbs to go over on it's own .Just take down that fence and flop it in the field . However you'd have to beaver cut it to get the thing over with such a little saw .Oooh wee that's a fat one .It's gotta be 4 1/2 -5 feet or more .

If you could get a line in it and hook some power to it it would pull .Problem as I see it with a little saw you'd have a hard time nipping at the hinge until it just opened up then boogy the heck out of there and give it a tug .That would save getting your brains beat out should a limb break off on the fall .

 

[Bermy]

Let's make it clear, I am not going to try and fell this thing with my little saw! (Much as I'd like to boost the short bar gang's braggin rights )
I have access to bigger ones, but I would rather have someone with more experience fell it as to 'have a go' for the first time with a big ass saw on a huge tree with possible rot issues that needs pulling and might rain limbs is in my opinion not a great idea for me. I'll probably watch and think, 'crap, I coulda done that' or 'crap, I'm glad I didn't try that'! Either way watching will be a learning experience.
Setting the pull lines and piecing it up will be a new experience in itself.

The tips and warnings you all are giving are excellent thanks!!
I'll quiz the HO further on how long its been not alive...

 

[squisher]

I thought it had to go somewhere other than it's lean. If it can go with the lean just cut it down, I wouldn't worry about those limbs keeping it up in the air, deal with that on the ground.


Edit: If it can go with the lean than why bother pulling on it?

 

[Al Smith]

I thought someody mentioned a bunch of hangers in the top ? If not just cut the danged thing loose and skedaddle .

 

[squisher]

Well many trees have hangers and they're a hazard fo sure, widowmakers. If they can be fished out like was suggested than great but if not, what I'll do in a situation like that is keep a earmuff off to be able to listen better and obviously watching as much as possible and if someone's available have a spotter too. Knowing that a hanger is there in the 1st place is a big plus, not that it's there but knowing it's there. It's the ones you don't spot ahead of time that usually cause you grief.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

After seeing those pics that Burnam posted of D. Dent and his hand on your shoulder method, being a second set of eyes, I have employed that method a couple times with Rob when we could not just "pull em out" where hangers are concerned. So far so good, nothing has fallen. Nice to have a second set of eyes though. Working in woody areas with a lot of storm or fire damage, faller best take every precaution he/she can

 

[squisher]

I remember those pics Stephen I don't think I could cut with somebody else touching me or being that close. I'll have a spotter watching hangers or some hazard at a safe distance themselves but close enough that I can easily hear them. And in situations like that hearing protection can be damned!

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Do what you think is best, of course, but you've never dumped that big of a tree until you've dumped that big of a tree.

Someone watching from afar with a vehicle horn as a warning device or a piece of dental floss tied to you that they could tug would give you more safety.

Shave the bark off down to the sapwood at the hinge. Double cut the face with a 24" bar. You'll have your corner hinge wood even if you don't get a straight across hinge. That's what you need, provided the corners are solid (sound it with an ax or drill it with an electric drill). Gut the center of the hinge a bit so you don't risk a center post in the back cut. Set your hinge from one side with a plunge cut bringing it toward the back, leaving a strap, then repeat on the other side. So long as the bore cuts overlap, you're covered. They don't have to match perfectly. Release your backstrap slightly below your backcuts. Keep your eyes up. Then, Smile and pat yourself on the back for taking on a new challenging situation.

Keep you're eyes up while cutting, your saw in only going one direction in one plane, checking down at your cutting repeatedly.

 

[HolmenTree]

I am also thinking of setting multiple pull lines, one to each large leader, then come together in the front to a main pull line, just to help distribute the load.

Stay tuned...this sucker has to go!

The trouble with pine I have found is trying to get a throw bag and line to work in it .With the pines extra rough scaly bark and lots of twigs working with a zing-it [what I use] and pull rope is next to impossible. Your pine looks just like the jack pine I cut and its a bitch to work in.

I don't see any reason why you can't fell it if you have access to a larger saw. Hey, maybe you might even use my T square technique

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Yeah Justin, it took some getting used to.. my bubble and all that

Here's a funny one for ya Willard. We were working a tree right off a driveway that had a hanger stuck up in it. So we used the throw line to try and snag it. Got the whole shebang stuck So we hitched the 2.2mm throw line to the truck and pulled it all out of the tree .... That line was just a singing a song Amazing what you can pull with zing it!

 

[HolmenTree]

Here's a funny one for ya Willard. We were working a tree right off a driveway that had a hanger stuck up in it. So we used the throw line to try and snag it. Got the whole shebang stuck So we hitched the 2.2mm throw line to the truck and pulled it all out of the tree .... That line was just a singing a song Amazing what you can pull with zing it!

yes it amazing how strong that 2.2 is especially if you have it doubled.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Braids were pulled so tight stuff would stand on its own

 

[Old Monkey]

I never cared for the Dent technique of a guy with his hand on my shoulder while I am cutting.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[pantheraba]

Hahahaha...boundary issues!! Good show.

 

[Old Monkey]

Especially if the guy is a close talker.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Why does someone even have to touch me, in the first place? Back off, Jack.

 

[Bermy]

Haha!!

Maybe my newness to this situation is responsible for a higher than normal safety factor...new surroundings + big dead tree + rot + fussy HO = a big CYA factor

 

[Al Smith]

That fat old thing will not be a real joy to cut up once it is on the ground .

 

[woodworkingboy]

If you are pulling the tree with a heavy implement, as the first post indicated, you really can't go wrong with the pull a little, cut a little, alternating approach. After setting up the tree with some pull, not enough to bind the saw when you put in a face, you can cut from the back and with the pull you have, or adding some more, the cut will start to open up, and once the tree is leaning in the right direction with more cut and more pull, it's all systems go. Just cut enough more to get it falling. It's a good technique because you can go slow and monitor the degree of tension/pull and it will direct if you need to cut more. The line slackens, then pull more. Opening up a small face should tell you if the wood is sound, without compromising the strength if you want to further consider your plan. If it is seriously rotten, where you think it could possibly break off before having enough pull to get it into the lay you want, it would probably be cause to rethink things. Somewhat rotten, you can still leave a max thick hinge until you get it leaning right, and it could also want to fall on it's own from that position, or possibly with a little more back cut, no point in having to get too fine with it is often the case with weakened trees. The only cautions I can think of is in not over pulling to break the hinge prematurely or cause barber chair, and how limb weight might add or detract from the lean that you want to impose. My 2... and sorry if I am gabbing about stuff you already know.

 

[Al Smith]

Here's another observation .Big old stout lower limbs .Once that things goes over the butt end might be ten feet off the ground .Big tough old limb like those can hold up a lot of weight .

Then you have the problem of cutting the things loose without getting crushed in the process .Damned big limbs under a bind can do some funny things .

 

[stig]

Judging from your pictures, that tree will go over nicely on it's own. No need to pull it.
If it sound enough to fell, use a backstrap to hold it and then trip that from the outside and get the hell out of Dodge, so you don't get conked by falling debris.

Then use the heavy equipment to roll it over, so it doesn't rest on the branches, 10 feet in the air.

 

[Tucker943]

Judging from your pictures, that tree will go over nicely on it's own. No need to pull it.
If it sound enough to fell, use a backstrap to hold it and then trip that from the outside and get the hell out of Dodge, so you don't get conked by falling debris.

Then use the heavy equipment to roll it over, so it doesn't rest on the branches, 10 feet in the air.

I co-sign this.