Tree came down in the storms--opinions?

[joshuabardwell]

I guess what you're saying is if somehow it is under compression along its length, as soon as the base is cut free, it's going to spring out. My mental image of the forces at play is that it's basically a suspended beam, hanging from its ends. If that's the case, then when one end is cut free, it'll just fall down. But if, as it fell, it ended up under compression, it could give a nasty surprise.

Thanks.

 

[whistlepig]

Or sometimes the tree rolls at the same time it snaps. Can't get away from it. I guess I am a bit of a wimp sometimes when it comes to cutting trees like this. It can smash the shed or fence. Or it can smash me. I think I am worth a little more than a shed or a fence. Although my wife may disagree.

 

[Larro Darro]

However you do it is going to be hard work. If it was me, I would take down fence and manger, then undercut it in four foot sections starting near the base. Once you have it cut past the fence, pull it down with your bobcat.
Just looking at it, I don't think you have to worry with it springing up. That is more common with oaks or if it had other trees down with it. But always have a clear path of escape.

 

[joshuabardwell]

However you do it is going to be hard work. If it was me, I would take down fence and manger, then undercut it in four foot sections starting near the base. Once you have it cut past the fence, pull it down with your bobcat. Just looking at it, I don't think you have to worry with it springing up. That is more common with oaks or if it had other trees down with it. But always have a clear path of escape.

I think you're probably right. The manger is the real sticking point for me. I really don't want to have to rebuild it if I don't have to. It wasn't exactly hard to build, but it wasn't exactly fun either, and it took like 10 hours all told. But I guess I'm lucky that the tree didn't just smash it in the first place, so maybe I should just call it a loss.

Under-cutting it from the base was my first thought as well. That way, after each cut, it lays back down basically the way it was, with the base resting on the ground. This assumes that the top will continue to hold in the trees it's hung up in, but even then, you basically know which way the tree is going to move when it lets go, so it should be possible to have a clear escape route.

Best-case scenario is my insurance agent calls me back and says they'll just take care of it. But if it turns out to be a $250 deductible or whatever, I'm going to be looking hard at other options.

 

[bcp]

Remove the fence boards first. To save the manger, I would put something like a RR tie or log under the butt end so it won't drop. (see drawing added to your photo) Then cut the stump off, and drag the bottom end sideways until it cleared the manger. After that, cut it down by sections, or pull it off the supporting tree. (We don't know how it is hung up.)

Bruce

 

[joshuabardwell]

Remove the fence boards first. To save the manger, I would put something like a RR tie or log under the butt end so it won't drop. (see drawing added to your photo) Then cut the stump off, and drag the bottom end sideways until it cleared the manger. After that, cut it down by sections, or pull it off the supporting tree. (We don't know how it is hung up.)

That's a mighty clever idea, and I like it. I have some 6x6 cedar posts that are going to be for some fence gates, and I think they'll do nicely.

 

[joshuabardwell]

... ugh. Just checked my insurance documents and it looks like I've got a $1000 deductible.

 

[Egon]

A picker should work.:thumbsup:

 

[JimRB]

That picture says you have a dead tree you ignored. Last time I did that a tree smashed my fence. So I went and dropped the other few dead trees before they fell on the fence too. I gather from reading that dropping old dead trees is more dangerous that freshly dead trees because the wood can be rotten so hinges do not work well.

Remove three sections of fence boards, attach nylon pull straps to base of tree and try pulling away from manger. Of course the tree could roll anyway when you are sectioning it. I like nylon straps because I have a bunch of them and if they fail they hurt less than a chain flying towards me. A settled tree is less exciting that one hung up but t here can still be lots of drama. Nylon straps and maybe using a come along pulling from the base of another tree if you have traction problems. You might need to do a bit of limbing first if any limbs are going to get in the way of pulling. On the other hand that tree might weigh a few tons and a small come along might not have enough power without a few pulleys to multiply power.

Someone mentioned how root balls like to fly about. You read stories every so often about people who bring the children or pets around when they are working on downed trees. Kids love to play around root balls. Somebody cuts the tree a few feet above the root ball and the root ball flips back towards the upright position it was growing in. Kid or pet gets crushed. I see an oak tree 3 miles from my house where the root ball settled right back where it popped out after the 50 feet above it was released.

 

[aczlan]

I think you're probably right. The manger is the real sticking point for me. I really don't want to have to rebuild it if I don't have to. It wasn't exactly hard to build, but it wasn't exactly fun either, and it took like 10 hours all told. But I guess I'm lucky that the tree didn't just smash it in the first place, so maybe I should just call it a loss.

Under-cutting it from the base was my first thought as well. That way, after each cut, it lays back down basically the way it was, with the base resting on the ground. This assumes that the top will continue to hold in the trees it's hung up in, but even then, you basically know which way the tree is going to move when it lets go, so it should be possible to have a clear escape route.

Best-case scenario is my insurance agent calls me back and says they'll just take care of it. But if it turns out to be a $250 deductible or whatever, I'm going to be looking hard at other options.

With the first cut, you may need to overcut (ie: cut down from the top) if the stump is trying to spring back to how it was. The rest will probbaly be undercuts.

Aaron Z