Tree Removal with a Backhoe

[AndyMA]

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When taking out a tree with a backhoe, the tree takes out the stump for you. It's a very safe way to take out the tree. I've taken out thousands of trees with my backhoe and in every case, the tree goes over slowly and easily. No surprises!!!! With most trees, you only have to dig two sides of it and then push. This means less dirt is removed and less time burning fuel. It's a smaller hole to fill too!!!

No matter what sized tree it is, you dig less taking it out hole then you would if you had to take out the stump.

Eddie

Digging all 4 sides can be very dangerous. Getting squished in the backhoe seat is quite deadly. Did a couple of sides and push it over. so you can control it's fall. Even a couple of sides can be dangerous if the weight is on the wrong side,

Andy

 

[EddieWalker]

I wont debate the dangers of taking down a tree. It's very dangerous no matter the method used and common sense has to be used. I don't do it on windy days. There is never a rush to get one down, and if I have to wait a day or two, that's just what I do. On small trees, then cutting the roots on two sides is all it takes with my full sized loader/backhoe.

For bigger trees, I have to cut the roots all the way around and even undercut the tree some. I've taken out some pretty large trees this way. It's nerve racking, but so far, I'm still alive. Sometimes I've even had to turn my four sides of cutting into 8 sides. Those big trees are really stuck to the ground and fight you every inch of the way.

When my neighbor had a Cat 315 excavator on his land, he just pushed over most of the trees he wanted out. Rarely did they have to cut the roots, but when they did, it was only on two sides. More power, more weight.

Eddie

 

[jwhite]

Sounds like a little experiment is in order for me. I have a tree to take down in a couple weeks with some lean toward the downhill side. This will add a bit of safety from coming the wrong way. I will try cutting the back some then the sides and see what happens. I have 12 Ac. of trees, so stump removal is a frequent activity. I usually use a rope or chain with a come along for some tension if needed, I don't pull with the tractor, in case I misjudge the height.

Will try to take some pictures.

Jay

 

[Redbug]

I have never pulled a tree over using a rope. The thing that worries me...what if the tree goes the wrong way? Either the rope will break or the truck/tractor will be damaged or even be rolled. I have always used a chainsaw to take a decent sized tree down. If the fall direction is questionable, I use wedges. Especially a tree that is leaner. Any of you that have pulled trees over have a good method they can share?

 

[slewisma]

I have never pulled a tree over using a rope. The thing that worries me...what if the tree goes the wrong way? Either the rope will break or the truck/tractor will be damaged or even be rolled. I have always used a chainsaw to take a decent sized tree down. If the fall direction is questionable, I use wedges. Especially a tree that is leaner. Any of you that have pulled trees over have a good method they can share?

I faced this decision just the other day and had the same worry. "If my tractor is tied to that tree and it goes somewhere other than where I think it is going, what happens to my tractor?" I ended up wrapping the rope around the tree and then wrapping the ends around the drawbar but not tying anything. Held the end with my gloved hand. The idea was to let go and let the rope slip off the tractor if anything went awry. Nothing went wrong so I didn't have to test the theory. Worked for my situation but tree wasn't that big and I'd dug out enough that it fell easily. Handholding the rope for a really large tree or one that doesn't want to come down doesn't seem do-able so this is not the end-all answer.

 

[dirt ditch]

Doesn't matter to me how others take out their trees. I'll keep using my chainsaws. Don't remember How I got these pics. Think by an email. If someone posted them here on tbn I'm sorry, but think there relevant to this thred.

 

[Eagleview]

It would be good to see a photo of the hole he had dug . Whether it had been dug on all sides or not .

 

[irwin]

Redbug asked about pulling a tree down with a rope.. well I don't use rope, and I don't use a truck or a tractor. I only pull to help when I cut or dig.

I always use chains, cable (5/16") and a 3 ton comealong on large trees, unless it's obvious where it'll fall.
I climb or use a tall ladder and wrap a 3/8" or larger chain up high around the tree to be felled, attach that to a cable..wrap a different chain on another tree or stump (anchor) with the comealong attached near to the anchor, the anchor tree is further away then the tree is tall. The anchor is also in the best direction to put enough tension to guide the tree to be felled.
The chains, cables I use are HD enough to put a lot of tension on the tree. I stay away from the places that are in danger if the chain or cable snaps.
If I use the chainsaw, I don't put much tension on the cable until I'm making the final cut. If I'm digging the roots I don't put much tension until I make the last dig on the side away from the fall.

I'm very careful, I don't cut or dig if it doesn't feel right. Many large trees down, I'm still here and I'm fairly good at putting em' where I want to. I don't want to feel too cocky or too confident, I've seen what can happen.

If you don't feel right about it.. Don't do it!!!

 

[alltoys]

I have worked in the forest industry for many years seen lots of damage from so called experts when falling trees. People with 10 plus years falling trees never an accident using a chain saw. Then one day it happens. When falling a tree I don't think there is a full proof 100% way of success there is always a chance of something happening. I have used a chain saw with adequate results taking advice from professionals and now of course using my hoe attachment. I prefer to use the hoe with tree properly anchored of course.

Here is a question I hope someone can answer for me!!

How can we determine the height of the tree when it is standing?? This would help when using the right length of rope to tie off with.

 

[Eagleview]

Here is a question I hope someone can answer for me!!

How can we determine the height of the tree when it is standing?? This would help when using the right length of rope to tie off with.

Cut a stick/broom handle etc to your eye level height , stand away from the tree with the stick touching the ground while looking over the top of it at the tip of the tree . Then measure from the base of the stick to the base of the tree , this is the height of the tree . Add another 40' or so for safety reasons , flying branches when it hits the ground etc .

 

[Redbug]

Good question AllToys. I was wondering, also. So, I Googled it...
How to Measure the Height of a Tree - wikiHow

 

[Rice Rider]

As always, this is a great forum and a thought provoking thread as well. I have taken down hundreds of trees with a chain saw and never had an accident, but I can see the upside of using the backhoe after thoroughly checking the canopy for dead limbs before approaching the tree. I have rigged numerous trees with lines to control the fall but I always use another tree to anchor a pivot point to with another hank of sturdy rope and some stainless steel carabineers. I then position the tractor pulling from the opposite direction of the fall line, when I am ready to make the fall cut, another person on the tractor puts tension on the rope and then I make the final cut. My property is full of rocks and 90% of it is on a slope so I think I'll use a combination of some of the methods discussed here and profit with the knowledge I have gleaned from this thread.

 

[paulyny]

Ive got an OLD ford gasoline backhoe and only once i got into a jam and couldnt get the stump and roots out. I was able to break it free and spin it in its crater. I was also using my fatherin laws old JD 420 bulldozer.We just couldnt get it out of the hole.MASSIVE. but lucky for me there was a guy doing a cesspool down the road from me with a new CAT 420. He said sure Ill pull the stump out for $50. After 2 hours he got it out. Im talking about a massive maple with root, volume size of a honda civic. Of course i wound up having to pay him $200. But it was worth every dollar. I have used the backhoe to push em over but it is dangerous and i only do it to very small trees. A bulldozer works much better for knocking them over. Either way its best to cut them first for safety reasons.

 

[alltoys]

Cut a stick/broom handle etc to your eye level height , stand away from the tree with the stick touching the ground while looking over the top of it at the tip of the tree . Then measure from the base of the stick to the base of the tree , this is the height of the tree . Add another 40' or so for safety reasons , flying branches when it hits the ground etc .

Do you hold the stick at arms length or at the tip of your nose?? I gather it would help to have level ground as well.

 

[alltoys]

Good question AllToys. I was wondering, also. So, I Googled it...
How to Measure the Height of a Tree - wikiHow

Those are excellent ways to find height of trees. Here is what I did to find out my tree height. I stood my 6ft step ladder against the tree walked back far enough to get the whole tree in a picture of the tree and the ladder. Went into the house brought up the picture on the screen of the puter, used divider from my old geometry set. Still have it from my school days. Set it to the measure of the ladder, moved it from end to end till I came to the top of tree.

 

[EddieWalker]

Doesn't matter to me how others take out their trees. I'll keep using my chainsaws. Don't remember How I got these pics. Think by an email. If someone posted them here on tbn I'm sorry, but think there relevant to this thred.

Good pictures. I've never seen anything quite like it.

Of course, a picture of a tree on a backhoe just means that the tree fell on it. We don't know what happened or why it happened. I feel it's still safer by a very large margin to take a tree out with a backhoe then to use a chainsaw most of the time. I have three trees right now that need to come out, but are not safe to do so with the backhoe.

I'm sure that if somebody posted a picture of a car that had run into a tree and injured the driver, we wouldn't drive cars either.

Eddie

 

[hbaird]

My land has a lot of what I call 40ft stumps. Trees that died from being shaded out by faster growing trees. I don't see any safe way to deal with them. Some are so rotted the top can fall off from a small bump. I tried ONE time to push one over with my tractor. The top 5-6 feet fell back toward me. No harm to me or the tractor. Now I am careful to look up a lot when going in the woods. Large branches fall from the newer dead ones from time to time. I had one drop some 30 feet behind where I had just walked. It shattered when it hit the ground.

 

[Eagleview]

Do you hold the stick at arms length or at the tip of your nose?? I gather it would help to have level ground as well.

Yes you hold it against the tip of your nose and sight over the top of it . An old logger told me about this trick , it is how they determine how long of a power pole they can get out of the tree before they fall it . It's the only practical way to do it as all the other methods require sun to cast a shadow , and the area around the tree needs to be clear etc .

hbaird , if it wont cause a grass fire , piling some dead branches around the base and lighting is really the only safe way to bring dangerous trees like your down .

 

[irwin]

My land has a lot of what I call 40ft stumps. Trees that died from being shaded out by faster growing trees. I don't see any safe way to deal with them. Some are so rotted the top can fall off from a small bump. I tried ONE time to push one over with my tractor. The top 5-6 feet fell back toward me. No harm to me or the tractor. Now I am careful to look up a lot when going in the woods. Large branches fall from the newer dead ones from time to time. I had one drop some 30 feet behind where I had just walked. It shattered when it hit the ground.

That's a good post hbaird, and a real caution for land clearing. I've got a few "big dead ones" that I've avoided for a couple years due to the dangerous nature. I also have live trees with some massive dead branches on them very high on the tree. Most my trees don't have branches the first 30 to 40 feet of trunk, not easy to address a big dead branch way up there.

hbaird , if it wont cause a grass fire , piling some dead branches around the base and lighting is really the only safe way to bring dangerous trees like your down .

I'd start the woods on fire , mine are too close to each other, but that's an interesting idea if the situation was right.

 

[dirt ditch]

I'm sure that if somebody posted a picture of a car that had run into a tree and injured the driver, we wouldn't drive cars either.

Good point.

Actually my favorite way to take out a large tree is to use a bucket truck to cut out the top branches, then push the trunk over with a big front end loader like a Deere 644. It may take a few shoves but the trunk will fall. If the loader has a clam shell (4 in 1) bucket, Pick the trunk up by the root ball and lay it in the back of a dump truck to haul to the dump.