What is the safest way to fell trees that are leaning? I have a few acres on my farm that is wooded and it is a mess. Lots of trees that grew crooked trying to reach light. Also somethat blew over in the wind but didn't come down and die. Those won't be so bad but how do you take down a dead tree that is leaning against another tree? A large fork of the dead tree is straddleing another live tree. The dead one is about 30 feet tall and 8 inches in diameter.
Dangerous business. We had a discussion with a member a while back on this. Some very good info contained in this thread and a lot of warnings!
https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?board=chainsaws;action=display;num=1032410543;start=
I cut leaning trees a lot in my woods, as they are white oaks that are growing towards the light (old pasture over the line fence). I use the technique with an undercut, then a plunge cut for the backcut, leaving about a one-inch hinge and 2-3 inches on the up side of the undercut. This 2-3 inches is the last bit to cut off, which will cause the tree to fall very fast.
Seems about 1 out of every three or four trees I cut are leaners. I work them up into great firewood when they are leaning that much. Then I don't have to deal with the stresses in the lumber. When I first started cutting these leaners, the old farmer next door suggested I use a log chain wrapped around the trunk above the cut, to keep the upper side from splitting off and barber-chairing", which has been known to catch a lot of tree fallers under the chin, sending them to hither and yon. I didn't like this technique, as once the chain blew apart with the force of the log splitting. I trust the plunge cut approach the best. Be careful that the tree isn't rotten when this is done. If rotten, then draw up a new plan.
Plunge cut a leaner and pull down a hanger with a winch or heavy equipment from a safe distance.
Practicing felling dangerous trees could kill you many times over before you got it right. It is defenately something you don't read in a post and then go try on your own. One bad decision and it might be your last. The best advise would be to work with someone that truely knows proper proceedures, and can coach you.
Chet. I agree with you and hope I didn't give someone that impression (should have provided that warning).
And Kevin added a good clarification of a "leaning tree" (one that isn't a "hanging tree").
What about observing how a professional cuts a leaning tree and getting tips from him/her?
JB
Realistically, if the hung up dead leaner is only 8" in diameter and 30' tall, why don't you hook a rope or cable to it and drag it down where it's handy to work with it. Thats a pretty small tree (firewood). Otherwise, I agree with the rest of the guys for felling techniques as well as the dangers in felling leaners. Definitely had my share of close calls personally. By the way, the chain wrapped around the butt of a tree to prevent splitting should be very tight and as stout and of the highest proof that you can get, because common chain will definitely pop on a decent sized tree. Also one should heart cut and wing cut the hinge on a leaner prior to making the final plunge felling cut in order to minimize fiber pull, unless you are trying to guide the tree outside of the natural fall of the tree. Be careful, Keep safe, and have fun.
A few years back I spent some money on one of the best things . I went to the Game of Logging classes. They teach chain saw saftey and directional falling using the plung cut and hindge method . There web site is www.gameofloggingusa.com
I would like to thank everyone for the advice and concern. I went back and walked around and looked at it for a long time. I saw another larger branch that was between trees and that gave me a lot more confidence because it would help pull it down. I made a small upward cut and then made an angled plunge cut. Started from the branch end and angled to the root end.When I hearda lot of poping and cracking I took off runnning. Came right down. Very little lateral movement.
Once again thanks everyone.