Best way to retrieve this log

marimus · Mar 7, 2007

We had a bad storm go through and know down alot of trees. We cut logs out of most everything that was good, as we'll use it one day.

Problem I have is a couple real nice looking trees that came down across a small gully. I've attached a (pretty crappy) drawing of the situation. The trees are hardwoods (spotted gum) around 18" diameter, so there is alot of weight here.

How can i safely retrieve these? I am nervous cutting away the rootball, and I don't think my tractor will move the tree as a whole, given the situation its in.

Egon · Mar 7, 2007

Would it be possible to move the root ball with the tractor and shove the whole tree into the gully? Then cut to length and retrieve.

Or can the whole tree be pulled around so it sits on the root side of the gully?

tawilson · Mar 7, 2007

I think I'd start by trimming away and clearing at the top of the tree. Some of the limbs may be under a lot of pressure. Once you get it cleaned up and lightened it may not look so intimidating. When I get into a project and I'm not sure how I want to do it, I start by doing what I can and sometimes the rest just falls in place. One good thing about it being attached to the root ball is there is less chance of it rolling.

Soundguy · Mar 7, 2007

what about limbing it, then dragging it from the top of the tree so that it lays in the ditch long ways, . then use a timber jack to raise the top ( smaller end ) and start sectioning it into logs that will be easilly handled by your tractor.

Will take more time.. but will be way safer..

Soundguy

InlineDieselFan · Mar 7, 2007

36 feet of main trunk and 18 inches in diameter, that will be really heavy.

ARe you able to get down into the gully with the tractor and wrap a choker cable around the trunk then chain the cable to the choker (for some margin of safety). Then pull the tree down into the gully.

That tree will be under a lot of tension and it is a easily get hurt situation.

If you can get it into the gulley the tension would be removed and then you could certainly drag it out of the gulley assuming that there was a way into the gulley.

Other than that find someone who is really good with cutting trees because this is a good time to find people that truly know what they are doing.

steve

N80 · Mar 7, 2007

I agree with Soundguy. Start by limbing it up. This takes away a lot of weight and sometimes a lot of torque too. Once limbed, try to assess how movable the whole thing is and then proceed accordingly, possibly by pulling the top around with a rope or chain so that it falls into the gulley and no longer behaving like a bridge.

scott_vt · Mar 7, 2007

Good Evenin Marimus,
Im in agreement with the others that state you should limb it first. If you can get down in the gulley with the tractor, I would use a long length of line to get it to the bottom of the gulley.

I have 100 ft of 1" dia hemp line that I use for that type of situation, your far enough away so no chance of getting injured no matter what the tree does !

Birdhunter1 · Mar 7, 2007

You could just go buy a bigger tractor and pull the thing out.

marimus · Mar 7, 2007

Birdhunter1 said:
You could just go buy a bigger tractor and pull the thing out.

I was afraid of it acting like a catapult if I pull it from either end, and the far end drops into the gully

I can't remember if there is a way to get down into the gully, so I will have to go back and check it out this weekend.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

turnkey4099 · Mar 7, 2007

Yes, limb it out and get rid of anything on the far bank that you can. Be aware that trees with rootball still partially in the gound can and do stand back up when enough top weight is removed. Usually is a slow movement but...There is also a report around where a kid was playing in the hole while daddy was cutting. Tree stood back up.

I have cut trees in that position but not with rootball problem but I was makine firewood so could block it a bit at a time. Takes some experience at reading just where the tension is in a situation.

Harry K

andover farmer · Mar 7, 2007

I'd cut the tree free of the base and put a choke cable on the but of the trunk and pull it w/ the draw bar w/ the tractor situated on the limb side on the top of the gully, until the trunk lays paralell w/ run of the gully. Then limb it and section-up the trunk. Don't limb it first because the limbs and branches will allow you to turn the tree with less drag, and will help the tree to float / roll down into the gully.

Deerlope · Mar 7, 2007

a good meduim weight team of horses would pull that out of there with no sweat.

montejw · Mar 13, 2007

Look closely at the root ball, can you tell which way it would fall if it was cut from the trunk? Most likely it would try and fall back where it was. If that looks right, start with a bottom cut, maybe 1/3 to 1/2 way through, then finish with top cut and the root ball should drop back into the hole it came from. Limb the rest and drag it out.

Keep in mind, this is what we did as loggers, but that's the way it's usually done. Be safe.

Monte

SeymourBota · Mar 13, 2007

A classic job for a winch of ample size!!!

Youare · Mar 14, 2007

A 3PH winch is the correct tool for the job, I have a Farmi winch on the rear of my Kubota. You probably want to cut the root ball from the stem first. Depending on the amount of roots left in the ground the stump will likely want to go back to where it was before the tree uprooted. It is difficult to tell without seeing it though.

I would make a slight undercut at the base of the tree, enough so that if the roots are trying to pull the tree back up you don't pinch the saw. You should be able to tell if the cut is trying to open or close as you cut into the stem. Then if it looks like the roots want to return to the place they uprooted from I would make a cut from the topside directily above the bottom cut. If I was really sure the stress on the stem was from the roots pulling it I would make a notch on the botttom side of the tree.

As you finish the cut from the top at some point before you reach the first cut from the bottom the roots will start to move back to horizontal and the tree will start to bend at the notch hindge point. Should the stress on the stem be in the opposite direction, the tree pulling the roots then you would reverse the whole operation and make the notch on the top side of the stem and finish the cut from the bottom up.

You can then limb the tree. A length of chain or cable may allow you to pull sections of the tree out of the gully. Cut the tree into the size pieces your tractor can handle. Sometimes a cable and a little imagination can do amasing things.

Becareful and have someone with you when you do this.

Randy

tawilson · Mar 14, 2007

It probably wouldn't to drive in a wedge as soon as you can. It's hard to tell which way it's going to move sometimes.

flINTLOCK · Mar 16, 2007

Would definitely get a plastic wedge in as soon as possible. You may want to have an extra saw bar around in case you get pinched. Have had to exchange bars more times than I care to admit.

Kendall69 · Mar 16, 2007

I would try to attach a chain/sling to the top ( left of picture) run the chain/sling BACK to the root ball side, stay above the tree,( at a 45 degree angle) and pull the top of the tree backwards towards the right of the picture - so that forces the tree and root ball to roll down.
Have a heavy enough piece of equipment so that when it does start rolling down, it does not pull you with it.
I would not get below that thing to do anything, too unstable. Try and work above it at all times.