what to do with this ugly looking leaner?

[steveh2112]

i  think it was hit by lighting at one point. i want to remove all 3 trees from same stump. what do you pros think about how to safely get these down? thanks



 

 



for scale, those rebars are 1/2" x 4'. fortunately there's no houses or anything close by and the trees in the fell line i can take out first.

i could add that i want to be no where near this thing when it goes and a i have a 200' pulling rope, so my first job would be to attach a pull rope, and i have a good spot down hill on the road where i can pull with my truck.

[Hogdaddy]

DEpends on your experience cutting trees... sounds like it's limited, so you may be better off trying to find someone to help and teach you. But, with a tree with that much damage, it can't be trusted, so be careful

[Jim Chance]

If you are not comfortable get help. That is not a beginner tree. 

I would cut each with the lean (the 2 solid trunks could be steered a little) with an open face and bore cut. On the bad one, pick the height and hinge depth with the best hinge material and width. Maybe strap the bad one to keep it from splitting. Not too thick of a hinge and a real clear and long escape path. After the three trunks are down cut the stump off. 

Note that if you plan on pulling it the tree might not cooperate. It might fall before you are ready. A tree like that is less predictable than a solid tree.

[steveh2112]

thanks, that was my thought on the bad one, notch maybe 25%, plunge and maybe a 2" hinge, that's about 10-15% depending on how to measure it

but then i don't feel comfortable completing the back cut 100% with my big saw. i was wondering about getting to about 2-3" of holding wood and trying to pull it down from a safe distance.

i like the strap idea too, thanks

[Southside]

Are those standing dead?  Looks like prime candidate to barber chair on you.  

[steveh2112]

i think they are alive, but its still a bit early here for the buds. anyhow, that's why i don't want to be anywhere near it when i comes down, and i like the strap idea too Cutting Down Dangerous Trees - Professional Advice - YouTube

[Skeans1]

Best advice if you need to ask the internet how to cut it then don't do it.

[Old Greenhorn]

I feel like we had this conversation a few days ago. ;D What Skeans said. Good cutters do this all the time without too much thought, but if you have to think about it, maybe you want to find somebody that can do it safely. I did a couple today, but I would never let someone do that unless they had some saw time under their belt.

[Southside]

Nothing personal, but I would not take "professional advice" from a guy felling timber without a hard hat or chaps. 

[quilbilly]

None of the old cutters out here ever wore chaps, tbh I think the only reason most modern fellows do, in my area, is because it's required. I know that's an unpopular opinion on here but I know tons of good cutters who'd rather not wear chaps. A hard hat on the other hand I don't know anyone who would go without one. 

[Skeans1]

None of the old cutters out here ever wore chaps, tbh I think the only reason most modern fellows do, in my area, is because it's required. I know that's an unpopular opinion on here but I know tons of good cutters who'd rather not wear chaps. A hard hat on the other hand I don't know anyone who would go without one.

Most of the guys out here where the slip in chaps so we don't get caught up on the brush.

[Ed_K]

 I wear chaps because I have had to have my left knee sewed up once yrs ago, and I had a pair of chaps save me a second time when I got tired and set a 376 xp at 3/4 speed on my thigh. My BIL still won't wear anything that would save him from blood, hearing or seeing, he is so stupid and I tell him that all the time.

[Woodfarmer]

Those are straight forward for an experienced feller, as mentioned if your not comfortable then don't attempt. None of those need to be pulled down.

[nativewolf]

Just seconding others.  Get someone to come drop that, rope is not helpful maybe even bad.  Hard hats yes! Chaps too, wont hurt you and just the other day a homeowner cut his leg off a few miles from me.  

[quilbilly]

I should clarify I'm not saying chaps are dumb, I just wouldn't use it as my measuring stick for deciding if someone knows how to cut a tree or not. 

[Hogdaddy]

Just seconding others.  Get someone to come drop that, rope is not helpful maybe even bad.  Hard hats yes! Chaps too, wont hurt you and just the other day a homeowner cut his leg off a few miles from me.  

Cut his leg OFF?? Wow, i know it possible, but hadn't heard that before.

[Magicman]

Anyone making a "how to" video that will potentially be viewed by thousands of people should be professional enough to wear all of the appropriate safety gear.  There is no excuse to do otherwise.

[tmarch]

About a six pack of tannerite and a 30 caliber rifle from 150 yards might do it.  Wear hearing protection. 8)

[Tacotodd]

Just be careful about that tannerite option, because that is starting to sound JUST like something that "I" would do 😱

[Ianab]

The (careful) application of explosives is an officially approved way to deal with hazard trees. 

Above my pay grade, but it's a legitimate option. 

[Satamax]

Anyone making a "how to" video that will potentially be viewed by thousands of people should be professional enough to wear all of the appropriate safety gear.  There is no excuse to do otherwise.

Cutting down saw mill trees - YouTube

[Kodiakmac]

Spray it with poplar juice and wait for a strolling beaver to take care of it.

[John Mc]

I should clarify I'm not saying chaps are dumb, I just wouldn't use it as my measuring stick for deciding if someone knows how to cut a tree or not.

Perhaps not, but it would be one of the measuring sticks I use about whether to let the idiot do any work on my land.

[Tacotodd]

If not chaps then chainsaw pants should be used. But sometimes finding just the right ones to FIT correctly (for me) is a trick in itself. After all, that's the problem that I've run into. 6' tall with  (relatively short torso) but long legs means that I need a 36" inseam to fit properly. At least to not ride up when I sit down.

Stihl has these but I've not tried them. The last time that I checked, 3mo out on that specific pt# that I wanted, and that was BEFORE the world got to how it is now!

[Skeans1]

I should clarify I'm not saying chaps are dumb, I just wouldn't use it as my measuring stick for deciding if someone knows how to cut a tree or not.

Perhaps not, but it would be one of the measuring sticks I use about whether to let the idiot do any work on my land.

Most of the guys are wearing internal chaps that slide into pockets in your jeans if you have ever been out here you know what the brush is like. Now how we judge a faller how here is on their ability to save wood so if we see GOL style cutting that's a good way to get canned and black listed.

[Rhodemont]

It is difficult to know how to approach felling the tree from the pics.  First I would rap it up and down with my mallet to see if it is hollow.  And prod it with a rod  to see how punky it may be.  Just from the pics is looks like it may be sound right down near the ground and damaged up higher.  If it seems solid down low that is likely where I would start to cut for the notch.  Watch the chips, if they start looking rotten stop and think again.  If they stay solid finish that 25% notch.  I am thinking I would then come down from the crotch between the three at an angle towards the notch again watching for sound wood and staying as square to the base of the notch so it does not decide to head off towards the side.  With what looks like gravity on my side I do not think I would bother with a rope down to the road. 

[Iwawoodwork]

I don't see a big issue for the tree with the big scar as it leans so heavy it will only go one way,  put a small face cut  then nip the sides an inch or two  and then your back cut while off to the side using one of the other tree stems to partially shield you. I would use my 36" bar saw to be as far to the side as possible.

[Jim Chance]

Sometimes I do the release cut on things that are a little unpredictable with my pole saw. It gives me a bit of a head start down the escape path. 

[teakwood]

If not chaps then chainsaw pants should be used. But sometimes finding just the right ones to FIT correctly (for me) is a trick in itself. After all, that's the problem that I've run into. 6' tall with  (relatively short torso) but long legs means that I need a 36" inseam to fit properly. At least to not ride up when I sit down.

Stihl has these but I've not tried them. The last time that I checked, 3mo out on that specific pt# that I wanted, and that was BEFORE the world got to how it is now!

@Tacotodd
Try the pfanner pants, they have overlength for tall skinny guys and undershort for short wide guys like myself, beside the normal sizes. you will just buy/cry once with the pfanner, i can not praise them enough, comfy like a jogging pants. I have two pairs and will never buy anything else
Pfanner Gladiator Ventilation Red Chainsaw Pants - TreeStuff.com
scroll down the page, there are the measurements  

[John Mc]

Try the pfanner pants, they have overlength for tall skinny guys and undershort for short wide guys like myself, beside the normal sizes. you will just buy/cry once with the pfanner, i can not praise them enough, comfy like a jogging pants. I have two pairs and will never buy anything else
Pfanner Gladiator Ventilation Red Chainsaw Pants - TreeStuff.com
scroll down the page, there are the measurements  

Do you find the Pfanner Gladiator Ventilation Pants run true to size? I've been debating buying some for some time now, but no one in my area seems to carry them, and I've never seen them at any of the logging shows in my area (and most of the shows have been shut down over the past year or two).  I've seen some reports that you should buy a size larger, others say they run fairly true to size.
I'd order a medium short, if they fit like my jeans. I'm concerned that going up a size in the waist - as some recommend - could be really loose. However, if they run tight, a medium might end up too snug (hopefully, I stop growing in that dimension).

[Tacotodd]

@teakwood thanks for the heads up, I'll check into it. I might just have to end up with some 🤞🏻After all, Christmas isn't THAT far away and the wife knows that she can never get me what it is that "I" want, so I'm "allowed" to get it myself. But I do discuss something like that with her first, because it's over $50 and all. Besides, the Stihl units were around $240 about 9 months back.

[teakwood]

Try the pfanner pants, they have overlength for tall skinny guys and undershort for short wide guys like myself, beside the normal sizes. you will just buy/cry once with the pfanner, i can not praise them enough, comfy like a jogging pants. I have two pairs and will never buy anything else
Pfanner Gladiator Ventilation Red Chainsaw Pants - TreeStuff.com
scroll down the page, there are the measurements  

Do you find the Pfanner Gladiator Ventilation Pants run true to size? I've been debating buying some for some time now, but no one in my area seems to carry them, and I've never seen them at any of the logging shows in my area (and most of the shows have been shut down over the past year or two).  I've seen some reports that you should buy a size larger, others say they run fairly true to size.
I'd order a medium short, if they fit like my jeans. I'm concerned that going up a size in the waist - as some recommend - could be really loose. However, if they run tight, a medium might end up too snug (hopefully, I stop growing in that dimension).

Yes John, i find the waist size to be true, the length i don't get. just order short if you are short and so on.

[teakwood]

@teakwood thanks for the heads up, I'll check into it. I might just have to end up with some 🤞🏻After all, Christmas isn't THAT far away and the wife knows that she can never get me what it is that "I" want, so I'm "allowed" to get it myself. But I do discuss something like that with her first, because it's over $50 and all. Besides, the Stihl units were around $240 about 9 months back.

Todd, with the stihl pants line it's like with their saw line, hobby, farm and pro grade. the 240$ pants isn't the top of the line model. I don't know if they sell the most expensive one in the US but in europe the top of the line chainsaw pant from stihl is around the same price than the pfanner.
for our hot climate it really makes a difference, preformed knee section, stretch fabric in the back, breathable fabric, ventilation zippers, 1.2kg weight, the list goes on and on.
you won't regret the 300$ for the pfanners 

[Tacotodd]

@teakwood I like these particular Stihl pants because they are more in my color liking. They are what's called "Coyote", which is a brown of sorts. It's closer to the other colors that I wear and are classified in the catalog as the "Dynamic" version. Would that be homeowners version or...?

[teakwood]

For 220$+ they definitively not Homeowner version, they in the middle of their range. the top range is called Advance X and are over 300$+

[HemlockKing]

I'm interested in those Pfanner chainsaw pants too, except I don't know what size to select, usually I go with large but I know lots of variance in different brands. Anybody else in the 6' ish range slim build have a pair? Medium or large? 

[John Mc]

I'm interested in those Pfanner chainsaw pants too, except I don't know what size to select, usually I go with large but I know lots of variance in different brands. Anybody else in the 6' ish range slim build have a pair? Medium or large?

Did you scroll down to the sizing section at the bottom of the gladiator page? Small, medium, and large has to do with waist size. Short, regular, and long are the inseam lengths (29.5", 31.5" and 34").

[Tacotodd]

That's fantastic information and the things that I need to know about. Those middle of the road Stihl are good information to, but I'd like to order some and get my GOOD local dealer to get some so that I could try them on. I just have to talk to him and see what he says. If I can get the CFO on board (wife) then I will try some, if not then I'll continue with mine that I got from Madsens. They are (basically) just jeans with snaps on the inside in strategic points that allow for inside safety chaps of the slip in variety. Seems to work well and they also seem to be a great fitment learning tool. Ideally (for comfort) I'd just place some of those inside snaps in some new surplus BDU's because those fit me BEAUTIFULLY. Now if I could only find something else that would fit me in the same manner...