Felling a leaning tree to the side of the lean

[s219]

So today I finally took care of a tree I had been meaning to tackle for a long time. It had about a 20-25 degree lean on the bottom and then curved to vertical. Due to some desirable trees in the direction of the lean, I didn't want to do a normal Coos-Bay cut and drop it that way (for those not familiar, the Coos-Bay cut avoids a barber chair situation). So I used a more obscure (and risky) method to drop it to the side of the lean. This doesn't always work and can be dangerous, so you want to make sure you can deal with the possibility that the tree will fall anywhere in that 90 degree zone between the lean and the side. And you don't want to finish the cut with the saw, you want to do it with a pull while out of harm's way.

Here is the tree, highlighted in yellow in the 2nd photo:





I got lucky with my throw rope and snagged a small broken limb high on the tree, and was able to attach my bull rope about 50' up the tree for very good leverage. The rope ran down to a big beech with a pulley, then turned 90 degrees to my driveway where the tractor was (safely out of range).

I made a shallow "open" face cut, then an angled back cut that left a wedge-shaped hinge. Then I got the heck out of there and pulled on the tree with the tractor. The cut worked extremely well, and the tree dropped perfectly to the side of the lean (it almost never goes that well). Here's that big skinny banana of a tree on the ground.





I made a short video that discusses the cut while looking at the stump:

 

[oosik]

Looks like that turned out very well. You were fortunate, in that, it is REALLY TALL but not so really big. I've wanted to try that - more than once. But my ancient Ponderosa pines are gigantic. Always scared that the tree will fall the wrong way and pull the tractor right back to the snatch block.

So ..... I make the cut as best as I can and hope for the best. Some times the tree HAS fallen the wrong way. Fortunately - I've never had to fall a big one that was near my house or any outbuildings. I HAVE had to drag "chunks of trunk" from some pretty odd places though.

Estimated weight from log weight chart - green Ponderosa pine - 36" on the butt - 120 feet tall - 22,500#. Makes a 10K pound tractor look pretty small.

 

[Thomas]

Gotta love it when plan comes together. :thumbsup:

 

[Gem99ultra]

So today I finally took care of a tree I had been meaning to tackle for a long time. It had about a 20-25 degree lean on the bottom and then curved to vertical. Due to some desirable trees in the direction of the lean, I didn't want to do a normal Coos-Bay cut and drop it that way (for those not familiar, the Coos-Bay cut avoids a barber chair situation). So I used a more obscure (and risky) method to drop it to the side of the lean. This doesn't always work and can be dangerous, so you want to make sure you can deal with the possibility that the tree will fall anywhere in that 90 degree zone between the lean and the side. And you don't want to finish the cut with the saw, you want to do it with a pull while out of harm's way.

Here is the tree, highlighted in yellow in the 2nd photo:

View attachment 682461

View attachment 682462

I got lucky with my throw rope and snagged a small broken limb high on the tree, and was able to attach my bull rope about 50' up the tree for very good leverage. The rope ran down to a big beech with a pulley, then turned 90 degrees to my driveway where the tractor was (safely out of range).

I made a shallow "open" face cut, then an angled back cut that left a wedge-shaped hinge. Then I got the heck out of there and pulled on the tree with the tractor. The cut worked extremely well, and the tree dropped perfectly to the side of the lean (it almost never goes that well). Here's that big skinny banana of a tree on the ground.

View attachment 682459

View attachment 682460

I made a short video that discusses the cut while looking at the stump:

That was a very impressive analysis/solution to felling that tree! I'd say your skill is way over the average loggers level. Congrats on a job well done.

 

[tibadoe]

Thanks for the info & video.

 

[oldballs]

Thanks s219,

I have been working on a group of five White Pine which are about 80 feet tall. So far I have dropped three, but the last two are leaning toward the house with a lot of top growth that way also. I may chicken out and hire the pros to do them.

Cheers,
Mike
CONFIG]682472[/ATTACH]View attachment 682473

 

[Diggin It]

If it's within range of a building or utility, I don't touch it unless I take take the height off with trimming or a pole saw. I've done that a few times and was able to get the main trunk down to 20' or less before the final cut. No way I'd try anything very tall.


And I just don't trust ropes to take any kind of strain.

 

[fruitcakesa]

When dealing with leaners, I use this directional falling method:
Start with an aiming notch nonmore than 25% of the diameter on the face of the tree, this will ensure the tree falls where you intend
Then make a bore or plunge cut leaving the appropriate amount of hinge [about 10% of tree diameter] and a "holding" tab on the back side of the tree.
Insert wedges to the sides of the holding tab and drive them in solidly.
Once the wedges are loaded you can safely cut the holding tab and continue driving in the wedges thus jacking the tree against the lean.
I have sometimes doubled or tripled up the wedges depending on the amount of lean you need to overcome.
As reference, a 1 inch thick wedge can jack a 60 foot tall tree 3 feet against lean.
In a situation where the tree could possibly hit something if it fell wrong, I will put a chain on the tree, then through a snatch block and then to the tractor winch for safety.

 

[Diggin It]

So today I finally took care of a tree I had been meaning to tackle for a long time. It had about a 20-25 degree lean on the bottom and then curved to vertical.

Was there a reason you wanted it down? It looks fairly healthy and not a real risk, but we can't see the whole situation.

 

[oosik]

Ha, ha. I tried the "saw down" technique once. Strap my small chain saw to my belt. Start climbing this humungous pine tree. It was 38" on the butt and 127' tall. Got up about 20' off the ground. At this point I noticed - the chain saw had pulled my pants down around my ankles.

I was 35 years younger than now and fortunately my wife couldn't find our camera in time.

One great idea right down the crapper .................