Getting trees to fall in the right direction

[RSteiner]

As other have said it is a bad idea to push a large tree over.  There are those who use the skidder blade or a dozer blade to do this, their blades are lower than a FEL on a tractor but the mechanics are the same.

The "lean" of the tree or the amount of push necessary to persuade the tree in the right direction is the issue.  What happens is the tree is cut leaving a hinge and pressure is applied to the trunk.  If the machine is pushing low, and 8 feet up on a 100 foot tree is low, the trunk can be pushed off the stump at the hinge.

When this happens the tree falls back on the machine and whatever is in it's path in the opposite direction intended.

When a tree needs to be felled against the lean I pull them over.  Attaching a chain as high up as possible like 80 feet on a 100 foot tree, or at least 60% up the tree.  Using the tractor winch off at an angle it takes far fewer pounds of pull with all that leverage to make the tree go the right way.

Just make sure you use a strong enough cable to pull with, something that you know is not going to break.  When in doubt call some one with the right equipment ands experience.

Randy

[Larry]

As other have said it is a bad idea to push a large tree over.  There are those who use the skidder blade or a dozer blade to do this, their blades are lower than a FEL on a tractor but the mechanics are the same.

There is a safe way to push a tree over with a skidder without pushing it off the stump.  It is taught in Game of Logging using a open face cut. 

I'm not about to describe it over the internet other than to say it works.

[RSteiner]

I totally agree with there being a safe way.  I have been to two of Soren Erickson's training sessions many years ago where he explained the right way and the wrong way to push over a tree with a skidder.

I've seen back hoes used to push over trees that were leaning the wrong way or used for insurance that they would go the right way.

I have two friends who were going to cut two pine trees which were close to the house, one leaned away from the house and one was leaning into the house a bit.  The paln was to chain the two trees together and let one pull the other over.  There plan worked to a point.

The tree leaning toward the house pulled the other leaning away and they both ended up leaning against the roof of the house.  They had fun cleaning up that mess and replacing a little bit of roof.

Randy

[Larry]

I like the pine tree story Randy. :D ;D :D  I can just imagine the look on their faces when both trees started going in the wrong direction.

Most of the time when I'm taking down a tree there are two or three different ways to do the deed.  Sometimes a guy can have a primary plan with a back up just in case....the pine trees want to go in the wrong direction. ;D

[maple flats]

Another couple of bad examples. 1 - I was taking down a tree literally within inches of a building years ago that was not leaning at all. It looked healthy but the homeowner wanted it removed because it was too close to the building. I notched it and all looked good but as I started cutting on the back side and put in a wedge the entire tree snapped at 90 degrees barely missed the building but did take down 6 utility poles when it landed over the road. OOPS!!! Second example was a friend who was taking down a tree along the fenceline to a pasture with no buildings in sight, only his 4 month old 80 horse 4x4 farm tractor. Has anyone ever seen what a new tractor looks like with a sugarmaple landing dead center, not pretty. Broke the transmission mounts and the ears through which the mounting bolts join it and the engine. The only good part is that when the tree snapped and fell the wrong way is that the only thing that got hurt was his pocketbook. Even though it was 4 wheel drive you can not drive each half back to the barn without the other half attached. OUCH!!

[SwampDonkey]

Some of you guys should be on Spike TV's Maximum Exposure :D :D :D

[TreeSpyder]

Loader is jsut force applied for better direction and hinge strength.

i think that the push should be straight to target/ gunned focus of hinge; and off side leans should be handled in turn by the hinge pattern.  A push agansit lean side makes hinge weaker, than same force forward; there is only so much force, it can either steer or force hiing stronger.  So we try to make strong hinge, then let hinge in turn leverage the steering - In Good Wood.  Use a Tapered Hinge to compensate for sidelean, throw to hinge vortex/center/gunned target.

An improper, early closing face, can set that extra force against you.  Like a crossed kerf cut in face closes, the harder you push forward, the harder it pushes back, and the more hinge you have to take.  the pressure built up in that clsoed compression you make stronger with loader is disconnected, so can't steer as tree falls.  If the faces are not crossed, do not close early, the extra pressure of loader push forces extra tension, but now in connected hinge, so as tree falls it does so on forced stronger hinge/connective tissue that held same force as compression of closed kerf did earlier.  Only here it can do some good!

So, Loader force can load against you, in part or full, depending on the crafting of the hinge machine.