directing leaning trees (new idea)

[Vautour]

 After my power saw got jammed on a leaning tree and not able to push it over, luckily my farm jack was in my truck, i was always thinking of building something using my farm jack to push over a leaning tree, in the picture i'm using a chain(for now)

 

    

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Never seen that done before.  Goes to show there is always more than one way. As long as its safe its good. But I tell ya  Vautour its hard to tell from the pics,  but I wonder if you could have tipped that the way you wanted it to go with some wedges.
From the way it looks, I'd guess you open your hinge face with the bottom cut first, then open the face cutting down to it.  That resulted in your hinge being not quite level, and that changes its strength and how it will break.     Make your face cut first, then open the hinge  making the bottom cut next.  Its much more precise that way.  Then bore cut in behind the hinge leaving about an inch of hinge or maybe a bit more if its leaning hard.  Bring the bore cut back far enough that you can place a couple of small wedge's one on each side so you can then finish the release cut with out getting your bar pinched.   Dont use those wedges to lift it though.  With a tree that small you could cause it to break and go sideways on you if you pound wedges to close to the hinge.   Instead put two more wedges in the back and use those to lift the tree.  If those dont lift it far enough take the two from the sides, they will be lose and unnecessary now, and double them like a sandwich, put them in the back and you can tip that tree a long ways. a half inch of lift can move a tree many feet against its lean.  
I'm not good at describing things in print, it would take less time to show you what Im thinking than typing it.     If your wedges keep popping out when you double them put some dirt between them and pound the bottom one first.    

[SawyerTed]

Did the chain take the jack with it as the tree fell?  

[terrifictimbersllc]

Nothing in those photos I'd choose to trust, sorry. Looks dangerous, cant say exactly why. Maybe one too many times I've had that kind of jack, or a tree, surprise me. Be careful.  :-\

Ps. Agree with Scott a clever way to get a saw out and tree down without leaving it if no options.

[scsmith42]

Seems like an innovative way to "use what you got" to get a saw unstuck.  I've been in situations when I didn't have any wedges handy (or could cut any because my saw was stuck   :'(), so I'll keep your method in mind.

Like the others, I'd be hesitant to use it to tip the tree all the way due to the potential for metal to start flying around in an uncontrolled manner when the tree goes over.

Thanks for sharing.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I would be leery of that flying jack like Ted indicated. It has to go with the tree when it falls as I see it.

   I generally use a long 1/4" cable and a snatch block hooked to a tree or stump in the direction I want it to go and hook the other end of the cable to my ATV or tractor and have even used my truck. I have just pulled them straight with the tractor but the last time I misjudged the tree height I broke a light on the back of my tractor. No - I was not sitting on the tractor at the time. I had pulled tension on the cable then went back up and sawed some more till it released.   

    The snatch block and cable allows me to use gravity to add weight to my ATV or tractor and helps keep it out of the path of the falling tree as often the ATV/Tractor is 90 degrees to the snatch block. 

[Hilltop366]

Looks like the hook of the jack is just under the chain so not fastened to it so I'm betting that the jack just falls over.

I would rather have my feet on the ground next to the tree than sitting on a machine within reach of the tree in any direction, the bottom of the tree does not move very fast compared to the top so it is just a matter of stepping away from the butt once you know for sure which way the tree is falling, seems unlikely that I would be able to get off a machine and get out of the way in time once I released the tree and figured out it is heading towards me.

Now I have been smacked in the jaw with one of those jack handles before when it slipped out of my hand mid stroke.

[Nealm66]

I put the back cut in first with aim and tap a wedge in to hold it. Then I put my face in keeping desired hinge wood. Then finish wedging it over. I may tickle the face out a couple times if I need to pick up a hard lean. Probably something that should be practiced before trying in close quarters to houses etc. That jack setup doesn't look like something I would rely on.

[Nealm66]

Basically the same as using tree jacks

[Ben Cut-wright]

Basically the same as using tree jacks

Except, the OP's setup expends much of its force trying to lift the entire tree while it is still connected at the hinge. 

[Nealm66]

I was referring to my back cut first method 

[beenthere]

The jack worked. 'nough said bout that.

Soon as the jack moves the back-leaning tree just enough that the chainsaw bar can be removed, then a wedge can be inserted and/or another stroke on the jack handle, that tree will be falling by gravity.
Only have to worry about the jack slipping out of the chain or the chain sliding up the tree trunk.

[SawyerTed]

Physics is a cold hearted mistress! 

The use of the jack to retrieve the saw is a good example of using what's on hand to solve a problem.  

My view on this approach as a regular method for directing leaning trees is dim at best. It goes in the category of black powder wedges.  They work but.....physics is a cold hearted mistress. 

[Ben Cut-wright]

After my power saw got jammed on a leaning tree and not able to push it over, luckily my farm jack was in my truck, i was always thinking of building something using my farm jack to push over a leaning tree, in the picture i'm using a chain(for now)
  

Is it safe to assume from the photos then, that you had the jack and chain in mind before "the saw got jammed"? 


Be interesting to see what you build "using the farm jack to push over a leaning tree".  Are you aware of the attachment for a farm jack that uses the jack to *actually "push" the tree?  Simple device and most of the force is employed in pushing, not lifting. (Not endorsing the device, only mentioning it)


In the interest of safety, here are a few points to consider.  The chain grip can slip on the tree or off the jack. A large leaning tree will multiply its leverage many times if anything causes or allows it to swing back into the cut. As tree lean increases from (vertical and fall advantage) the likelihood of control with the jack and chain setup is less.


Happy to see you got the saw out and the tree down.    

[Magicman]

I personally would never depend upon that jack/chain arrangement to lift or direct the unknown weight of a leaning tree. 

[beenthere]

Must have been an experiment to try out the jack idea.
But having a wedge along to slip into the back cut before it closes works too.  

(edited after re-reading the OP. I thought the jack was used after the chainsaw bar was already pinched. But not so, after seeing the first pic with no saw cuts.)

The OP hasn't been back to read about this discussion.  ;)

[Vautour]

Ah come on guys were's your sense of ingenuity :D,..in no way was there any danger here and this was just a trial and as the tree stated to fall all pressure produced by the jack is relived without any parts flying thru the hemisphere, as hilltop mentioned,.. the smack on the jaw could be painful , you've notice that the hinge was about 2'' or more and the jack was still over-powering the small lean and the weight of the tree,.. in this picture is what i was brainstorming to built.  

After doing more recherche on farm jack for feeling trees "as mentioned", a simpler idea would to add a pipe over "mast" of the jack and cut a slot on the tree a 6 feet and push it from there having your jack at a 45 deg. or so, lots of great advice for the "novice" that i am :D

[Walnut Beast]

A kid in diapers could push that tree over. Do that on a big tree. Seem like it worked for you 

[Ben Cut-wright]

After doing more recherche on farm jack for feeling trees "as mentioned", a simpler idea would to add a pipe over "mast" of the jack and cut a slot on the tree a 6 feet and push it from there having your jack at a 45 deg. or so, lots of great advice for the "novice" that i am :D

Thanks for the sketch of your improved method.  It's interesting but you are gonna be much happier, and more safe, with a push system.

[fluidpowerpro]

Wouldn't you want the bottom anchor chain positioned below the cut?

[mike dee]

A kid in diapers could push that tree over. Do that on a big tree. Seem like it worked for you

I'll stick with using by backhoe to push them over thanks. It's bad enough I have to change my own diapers now and then!

[Vautour]

 
I took a peace of 2 1/2'' pipe and slipped it over my farm jack, cut a slot on the tree at about the 6' mark, the jack sunk in the ground about 6''before it got solid ground,.. this method with a couple of tree wedges would be a safer.
 

[Southside]

Safer except for having to cut above your head and now you are working under a steel widowmaker.   

[Magicman]

the jack sunk in the ground about 6''before it got solid ground

A variation of this method is sometime used by professional tree services.  Wrap a chain around the tree and attach it to the bottom of the jack.  A toothed end on the pipe will cause it to dig into the tree.

[terrifictimbersllc]

There are several commercial tree jacks that resemble valtours last pic above.

Google Norwood tree jack is one.
Reipal is another one , Swedish