Pulling tres from front or back

[Recoveryhill]

I won't comment on whether what you are dng is right or wrong. What I do is run the line down to the base of a tree that is in the direction you want it to fall. Then run it through a snatch block to the drawbar, and drive in the opposite direction away from the falling tree.

Agreed, 100%, if you're going to use a rope or cable.

If I recall correctly, Sweet Gums have a straight trunk and unless it's going to hang up in adjacent trees, if you know how to fell a tree you shouldn't need the tractor at all. Look on the internets for how to fell a tree with a chain saw.

 

[arrow]

I'll add that you should check out felling by boring through the tree after establishing the face. By doing this you can make a perfect hinge of the ideal width before cutting out through the back of the tree to fell it. You can also leave a "trigger" at the back to double check the area nearby and your escape route. I learned this method from FISTA, a logging safety educator in WI. You should look it up, once I learned to do that and properly use wedges, I became much more confident felling trees.

I agree about not pulling by your axle, though. If you need to pull, the frame is better.

MB this is a technique I hesitate to give to someone who I do not know their prowess with a chainsaw. I started my reply with a similar technique of plunging into the tree and then wrapping the cut around the tree. This is a useful technique for a bar smaller than the trunk width but I cancelled it before I sent it not knowing the operator, his chainsaw and how experienced he was with one. In this case I felt "simple" was best.

 

[crazyal]

A 30' to 40' tree, I look for widow makers and then push with the loader. Put the loader up against the tree putting a little force on it. Make your direction notch and felling cut leaving about an 1" or so of wood. Then use the tractor to push the tree over. If the root ball isn't big you might be able to skip cutting all together and uproot the tree as you push it over. But I also have uneven land and will never tie my tractor to a tree that's going to fall. I've seen what happens when a tree decides it wants to pull a tractor tied to it down the side of a hill, it's not pretty.

 

[plaindriver]

When I am felling large trees, I tie a rope to the tree and the other end to the front axle of my new holland 3930. Then put the tractor in reverse and back up to pull the tree over. I attach the rope to the front axle because I have better visibility from the front than the rear.

Is it OK to put the tractor in reverse to pull or should I attach to drawbar and pull from rear. Another reason I attach to front axle is because it is a larger circumference to wrap the rope around whereas if I tie to the drawbar all I can do is wrap abound the ball that is attached to the drawbar.

Just want to make sure that I'm not harming my tractor by putting tension on it by having it pull in reverse.

Thanks

Albert, while I am no expert, I have felled about 150 trees on my property in the past 18 mos. Some of the smaller, like <5" dia, I can just push over with the FEL on my tractor. But for some of the larger, say 24" dia and some over 100' tall (mostly wht or red oak) this is my method: Using a 24' ext ladder, I climb to about 20', then use a 10' PVC pipe with a notch cut in it. I put my 1/4' shielded cable lasso around the tree and push it as high as I can with the PVC pipe. Usually get it about 32' up there. I put the tractor farther than the ht of the tree, and attach the other end of the cable to the ball on the drawbar. I tighten it up straight but done exert any force on it. Next I do the wedge cut and then the back cut. And sometimes I will add a center bore cut. Then I go back to the tractor (4WD) and use about 3rd gear (of 8) and just pull it over. Gravity takes over. Has worked flawlessly for me. I have the luxury of room to do this. I am not trying to 'thread the needle' re felling direction. I may be trying to avoid other fruit or "keeper" trees, but thats it.