I have a Pine tree about 40 feet from my house (in the woods next to my house) that has died. The tree is probably over a hunderd feet tall and comes out of the ground as a single tree but then forks in to two trees about 10 feet above the ground with each tree being probably 16 to 18 inches in diameter. One of the trees is leaning a little bit toward my house and I need to cut it down. My problem is climbing the tree to tie a rope or cable around it high enough to get a good pull on it to pull it away from my house while cutting it down. Another problem is what to pull it with. I've got a Ford 2000 tractor but I'm not sure it's heavy enough to pull it as much as I'd like. The only other thing I have is a cheap pair of come-a-longs (cable type). I can probably round up enough chain or cable or something to use to pull it but any suggestions on the two problems I mentioned?
Pine trees died
- Thread starter Bobby R
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Can you get high enough to top it?
I wouldn't tie it off to your tractor or truck, if it's really 100' tall you could end up losing your vehicle and your house. Can you tie it off to the base of another tree further from the house? That would force it to pivot as it falls. The only way to get the rope up there at a good height is to climb. We've found a guy who works for the forest preserve who does this kind of thing on the side. You might try finding someone with the right skills who will drop it for you, and let you cut it up.
Whatever you do take videos, might make you $10K on worlds funniest.
I wouldn't tie it off to your tractor or truck, if it's really 100' tall you could end up losing your vehicle and your house. Can you tie it off to the base of another tree further from the house? That would force it to pivot as it falls. The only way to get the rope up there at a good height is to climb. We've found a guy who works for the forest preserve who does this kind of thing on the side. You might try finding someone with the right skills who will drop it for you, and let you cut it up.
Whatever you do take videos, might make you $10K on worlds funniest.
Piston
Elite Member
How bad is it leaning? Can you notch and wedge it? (are you experienced in tree felling?)
rekees4300
Elite Member
Bobby R do yourself a favor and hire a professional who has the equipment and experience to do the job safely. Is your life or house or tractor worth more than a few hundred bucks?!
melanelly
Member
Good advice. Check with your local forestry dpt. they might have someone that they reccommend to come and take the tree for the timber or possibly pay you for it.
Piston
Elite Member
Better yet, use the money for a training class on felling techniques and do it yourself.
I would not recommend using your tractor or truck if the tree is as big as you say, large trees require special technique.
I would not recommend using your tractor or truck if the tree is as big as you say, large trees require special technique.
First, if you have not dropped many trees. get a professional.
Where are you located? You'll need a bigger come-a-long and 3/4" rope. It's better to take it down sooner vs. later (after it rots). Does the sum of both forks still lean towards the house? also can the tree be dropped 90* from the house.
Where are you located? You'll need a bigger come-a-long and 3/4" rope. It's better to take it down sooner vs. later (after it rots). Does the sum of both forks still lean towards the house? also can the tree be dropped 90* from the house.
I have a friend who has quiet a bit of experience in cutting trees and making them fall where he wants them to fall, but he hasn't come out to look at it yet. Only one of the forks is leaning toward my house, while the other is leaning slightly the opposite way. I'm not sure about the height of them, I said a hundred feet high or more, but that may not be accurate as I'm not too good at judgings heights when it gets over "people heights." There are several trees out from the tree in question that I could tie to with a block and possibly make a 90 degree pull but I'm not experienced enough to know if I could do that or not. I'm hoping my friend can come out and take a look at it pretty soon. The trees have only been turned brown about two weeks so they've not started rotting yet. How long do I have before it would be too dangerous to climb it to tie the rope off, before it gets too rotten?
5030
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I seriously doubt it's a hundred feet tall with an 18" diameter trunks on each section. Probably more like 60 feet and that's probably stretching it a bit.
I'd still hire a professional INSURED tree service to do the removal.
Key word is INSURED.
Roofs and tree limbs don't mix well. I know, I used to own a professional arborist service.
Unless you do it everyday, you don't have the experience or equipment to do the job properly and if it goes the wrong way (tree), your homeowners insurance probably won't cover the loss and the loss can be appreciable.
I'd still hire a professional INSURED tree service to do the removal.
Key word is INSURED.
Roofs and tree limbs don't mix well. I know, I used to own a professional arborist service.
Unless you do it everyday, you don't have the experience or equipment to do the job properly and if it goes the wrong way (tree), your homeowners insurance probably won't cover the loss and the loss can be appreciable.
Falling dead branches are widow makers and chain sawing sets up enough vibration to encourage a fall. I am involved with the removal of a similar dead pine. It is 38" diameter and leaning the wrong way and we want it as a saw log. I had another sawyer friend look at it and here is the plan: the tree will be climbed and limbed and topped by a tree removal service. A rope/cable will be tied around the stump about 60 feet up. My friend will bring his bulldozer to the site to place a preload on the stump to encourage it to fall where we want it while it is cut at the base. He is quite experienced in this and specializes in large trees and although this is small to him, it has a lean, there is a propane tank and barn nearby so planning, equipment and skills are required. Unless you have similar equipment and friends who are experienced in this pay a tree removal service to remove it.
Bob
Bob
Again, it depends on where you are... the more north, the slower it rots. Down south, branches start dropping at 6 months.
I dropped six dead trees for a friend who waited way too long... the first one leaned towards his house. I was happy after it was on the ground. He had two that were dead a couple of years. I just leaned a ladder on them and tied off a good size rope, both wobbled as you climbed up. :shocked:
:confused2: When cutting the 100' pine, only 7" of the 28" diameter tree had any "real" wood left. I had to turn that one 90*. When it hit the ground, it exploded into millions of pieces.My assumption was if I was only helping him and something went wrong... that his home owners insurance would take care of it (minus deductible). I only do this for "fun" now and only for friends (I used to do it for money.)
Piston
Elite Member
Don't forget to let us know how you make out :thumbsup:
I'm sure you'll take pics and post them for us as well, so thanks in advance
I'm sure you'll take pics and post them for us as well, so thanks in advance
5030
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Again, it depends on where you are... the more north, the slower it rots. Down south, branches start dropping at 6 months.
I dropped six dead trees for a friend who waited way too long... the first one leaned towards his house. I was happy after it was on the ground. He had two that were dead a couple of years. I just leaned a ladder on them and tied off a good size rope, both wobbled as you climbed up. :shocked:
My assumption was if I was only helping him and something went wrong... that his home owners insurance would take care of it (minus deductible). I only do this for "fun" now and only for friends (I used to do it for money.)
Don't count on it. Contractural liability is a sore point with insurers. A falling tree can do a lot of collteral damage, real fast.
Between the Workers Comp and the liability insurance, a large chunk of my operating expense went to those quarterly payments.
Men always imagine things are bigger than they really are
How do you know they're even dead? Evergreens go through cycles where every number of years they turn very brown and drop a lot of needles. Not sure why but many species do it.
CompactTractorFan
Super Member
Yeah, we had a tree that seemed large, but once it was down, it was measured to be about 35'. :laughing:
LBrown59
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Trees like this belong in the woods not in a yard.
Is this all you can offer? Twice none the less. I understand houses dont choose trees people do.
