This tree concerns me.

[Jeff]

It's a big tamarack that had escaped the eastern larch beetles years ago, but something finally got it after the top was snapped off in a storm.  This is right over a trail, and with these dead tamarack, the longer you wait, the more unstable they become from the top down.  I just need it on the ground, I dont care what direction, but not on the trail is preferred.  Problem is, I'm scared to pound wedges. Those big branches won't even notice a hardhat.



 

[jmouton]

easy peasey,,,i would come and help,but i am toooooo busy with my 3 jobs  ;D ;D

[Clark]

Put a rope in it with a throw line, cut your face and back cut then pull it over. Quite safe and easy to do. These guys tend to have good videos and this one should help:

https://youtu.be/eGd_MsdtQc0

Clark

[donbj]

Cable the tree in the direction you find the best and put some tension on it. Put your felling cut in and pull it over. I have done this many times with a come-a-long or my tractor. Just don't over tension before putting in the felling cuts.

[Ianab]

Light on the rope tension initially. Just enough to take out the slack. You don't want the top of the tree moving while you are still working under it. Make your cuts, push in a wedge in case it wants to sit back and pinch your saw. 

Then once you are happy with the cuts, wander back to the tractor / winch etc  (the long way, not across the drop zone) and start pulling. Doesn't matter if it comes down in a rain of broken branches, you are way over there  ---->  , on the other end of the rope.  

OR, bash it with the bucket of a 20 ton forestry rigged excavator a couple of times. That will knock out any loose crap. 

[Old Greenhorn]

What all the others said Jeff, get a rope halfway up, put in your cuts, and pull it over, don't add tension until you are clear. 
 Now I will add some hints that I find helpful. I rope a lot of trees, sometimes just to make sure there is no way they can go in the wrong direction. The last one I did a couple of weeks ago, my 'rope guy' never even got a chance to pull. The tree fell spot on. He said "Well that rope was a waste" and I said 'nope, it did it's job just fine".
 So, you don't need to get a line up and tie it around the tree either on a firm branch or trunk, you can get a line over any dinky branch you like and as the rope comes down the tree just put one full wrap or a little more around the tree and tie it off chest high. Don't worry that it is not tight to the tree and threads around all the small stuff, that will go away when you start the pull, and you may snap a branch or two getting it set, but eventually will find a secure home. I use a throw line for short ones, 20' and under, and I use a 30 pound bow and short fishing pole with flu-flu arrows (bushy slow fletching) to shoot high lines up to 70'. (shoot the line over, pull back a a paracord, then pull the regular over the other way.
 When you do the pull, put a snatch block in the line for a re-direct, this gets you out of the line of fire, allows you to pull perpendicular to the fall line and also SEE what is going on, which is kinda handy. :D

Keep lookin' up!

[Satamax]

Jeff, they have all given you good advice, and i'm nowhere near as good as any of you with felling to give any sort of worthwhile advice.

Looking at this as a newb, what i see is a ton of widowmakers hanging up. And i think i would attach it at arms height, with a chain or cable. Long enough to clear if it ever fell. And give it a few good pull whacks, with a tractor or pickup. Just to make fall what ever is veering to fall. Just before trying to send a rope up in the limbs, or making any cut.

Just an idea.

[Corley5]

If you fall it in the trail it causes no damage to other trees and it's in the open easier to limb  ;)  No widow makers hanging in other trees either.

[Jeff]

I should probably make a video eh?

[mike_belben]

Call in an air strike.   


air_plane


    ...AND make a video.   ;D

[Tacotodd]

Semper Fi !

[Jeff]

I'm back at Forestry Forum south, as we have a Coleman Veterans Memorial board meeting tomorrow, then we HAVE to go down state because my niece is getting married Saturday. All I can think about is going back North! Neck trip up Ill take a rope and snatch block.

[firefighter ontheside]

Perhaps cut it down after the next windy day or after a thunderstorm.  Hopefully any really loose limbs will have come down in the wind.  Wear a helmet and keep looking up.

[Jeff]

Tamarack I have found after cutting down nearly 200 of them that were freshly bug killed, are hard to judge. It has big heavy LONG limbs up high, and I mean heavy, the weight of which can really fool you on which way you think that tree is wanting to go. This one still has the little twigs on the limbs yet, so the branches SHOULD still be sound, but the bark is falling off the tree and from past experience you just never know until it start to go down. Also from that past experience I know not to try and lift with a wedge because I have had limbs come down.  This is typical of bug kill because the tree will loosing bark and still appear live from a casual view.

[peakbagger]

How about some Tannerite?. Sit back from a distance and fire a shot into it. 

[jb616]

How about some Tannerite?. Sit back from a distance and fire a shot into it.

Might want to wait til after the State Wide burn ban is over 

[Jeff]

Yea, it is about as dry as it has ever been. I sure wish I knew someone with a forestry mulcher. Perfect time to open up to the back of my property that has never been really accessible.

[Skeans1]

Have you sighted it with a plum bob or anything to find center of mass? Well sighting in the tree put in just the tip of a wedge allowing you to watch what's happening well sighting in. This will also go for the back cut it will gauge what is happening if the tree is sitting back will sit up if the tree is leaving the wedge will sit down towards the ground.

[chet]

Yea, it is about as dry as it has ever been. I sure wish I knew someone with a forestry mulcher. Perfect time to open up to the back of my property that has never been really accessible.

Brothers equipment won't be getting any closer to you than Munising, and that's not till this fall.

[Jeff]

 :'(

I guess some cool days and a chainsaw and a bottle of Motrin then. I havn't found anyone up there local.

[Wudman]

Yea, it is about as dry as it has ever been. I sure wish I knew someone with a forestry mulcher. Perfect time to open up to the back of my property that has never been really accessible.

Check your local equipment rental company.  Here you can rent a skid steer with a bush hog type head (they don't rent the rotary mulching heads).  That will handle anything up to 4 or 5 inches in diameter without any problem.  A couple of passes and the debris is pretty small.  Check with the local utility.  Maybe you could catch one of their right of way maintenance contractors in the area.  A little bonus and some adult beverages might get you some after hours work.


Wud  

[Jeff]

Okay, she's down and videod. We found a place along the road nor far from the village where we got 4 bars, so this video is a first complete cabin production. Im ready for your critiques on techniques! 

Harvesting a Dead and Dangerous Tree for the Wood-Mizer - YouTube

[Tacotodd]

Let the saw get up to full (or close) rpm before you engage in the tree. You'll like life better if you do!🤪

[Tacotodd]

Bring your saw to the pig roast this year. We will try and give you some pointers.

No sharp chain needed, just in your stance and timing.  

[Jeff]

The saw was cutting fine. I needed control. The sapwood was dry rotted and I had no idea how the center was going to be. Every blip was pulling wood. Thats my reason for the non screaming saw.