Tricks of the Trade to Cut Large White Pine to Try to Reduce Falling Damage

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

I bought about 150 White Pine and Hemlock this week and will cut them over the PA winter.

I'm looking to hire a professional to cut them, I don't need to get hurt at 61 YO.

However, I did not want a lot of damage if I can reduce it. Some of these tree's are very nice and shutter to think of what will happen when they are cut down. Some of the nice trees are laying over a rocky place and lean over it and will hit them sure enough with a bang.

Anyway, just looking for ideas to cut down and reduce loss & damage factor.

Someone may say topping but I think that's out... due to increased risk to the cutter and worth of tree.


Avery

[DanG]

Topping would probably be detrimental anyway, as the crown acts as a cushion when the tree hits the ground.  They still hit pretty hard, though! :D  All I can say is, if you're gonna hire somebody, hire somebody good.  They can minimize the damage on site a lot better than we can from here.  Pics would be nice though. ;)

[SwampDonkey]

Strategically placed cuts, wedges and falling levers. Now to put that into practice, I'm not the one to ask.  ;) :D

[coldnorth]

H60
Where are you located?  We might know some professionals.  ;)

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

Located in Huntingdon, PA 16652

Thirty some miles from Altoona and State College

Avery Baker

arbakerjr@aol.com

[Kevin]

I would want to humboldt cut them to get the weight on the ground as the top hits.
Avoid dopping them on stumps or knolls.
The long branches should help protect them.

[chucker]

  WELCOME TO THE SITE!! first off what is the size of these w.pines and hemlocks. diameter (dbh) or girth at 4.5 ft. high from the ground? pictures tell a good story as far as help....  positivly !! leave the tops for a sheild to help protect from a hard fall, pines whistle when they fall  so listen for their sound !! its one you will become addictied to after falling your first big tree....

[DonT]

Not sure if this is practical in your situation,but I have used old tires placed along the intended lay to cushion a fall.This is used more to protect a lawn than the tree it self.

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

We taped a few of them to get a average idea at chest level.

My friend (stood back) I held the tape across and he called the end of the tape at edge of the tree. I eye balled the other side,  I'd say we were fairly close with our measurements. The average tree size with bark is  22 to 24 inches across, some are 28 to 30 inches with bark.
I looked at about 10 of them that are 31" plus... straight and long, very nice White Pine... << these are trees that I'd hate to damage.

A few of these big pines are laying over a rocky area and the ground sloped away. They will hit top 1st and most likely splinter or break up.
I'm considering... not cutting them ... if I know they'll be heavly damaged.. let them live on.

Since I'm a little older 61 YO (perhaps wiser)  I value all forms of life. Destroying life of any kind (needlessly) is not the way I do business. Case in point... was walking out of a motel in the early AM this summer. I noticed that worms had crawled out on to the side walk. Most of them were along the sides. I gave it my best effort to advoid stepping on any of them as I walked to my car. It's like wise with bee's or anything else, ya gotta be mean to me before.. I'm mean back to you...makes me smile  or look for the phone book to call a head doc. .

I will have pictures of these trees in a day or so.

Avery 

[Jeff]

My friend (stood back) I held the tape across and he called the end of the tape at edge of the tree. I eye balled the other side,  I'd say we were fairly close with our measurements.

Pie is always your friend.

[beenthere]

Didn't take long to change this to food.  ;D

[Ironwood]

Hawk, PM'ed ya. There is a guy in Somerset who I would reccommend.

          Ironwood

[rebocardo]

A good enough cutter with a big enough truck can usually direct a tree to avoid dropping it where it will splinter or break up. My experience with many pine is the tops of them usually de-ring (break apart by the inner and outer rings) when they hit the ground unless they land completely flat.

The worse is landing on something in the middle of the tree and it bounces the top, which is what I think you are describing the rocky ground?.

Is it possible to drop a few junk trees first to act as a cushion, then drop 2-3 good trees on those, and then use something to pull or skid the logs from the pile?

I have never cut more then about 30 trees at a time, but, when I wanted to save a tree, I used the limbs from the ones already down in the drop path of the trees I wanted to cushion. Though if you do that, you need to pull the logs out because someone that does not know what they are doing will surely put a limb/springboard through their thigh or something while trying to wade into the mess.

If the rocky area is not elevated that much and you have a fairly level area otherwise is it possible to pile branches and wood around the rocks to cushion the fall while doing a high open face notch to keep it on the stump until you properly cut the tops off?

[Clark]

My friend (stood back) I held the tape across and he called the end of the tape at edge of the tree. I eye balled the other side,  I'd say we were fairly close with our measurements.

Pie is always your friend.

While Pie is always a good and welcome friend, I think Pi would be of more help in this situation!

Clark

[Jeff]

No, I was thinking Pie. 

[Dave Shepard]

 :D

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

My friend (stood back) I held the tape across and he called the end of the tape at edge of the tree. I eye balled the other side,  I'd say we were fairly close with our measurements.

Pie is always your friend.

While Pie is always a good and welcome friend, I think Pi would be of more help in this situation!

Clark

It all depends on how you slice it...

Herb