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Posted: 11/19/2007 9:58:14 AM EDT
[#1]
Call a tree guy and have him give you an est.
Most I know will cut it if you give them some of the better parts of the tree. Have him drop both and keep a couple 4 foot sections if it is hard wood. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 9:58:52 AM EDT
[#2]
Maybe one or 2 hundred bucks just to drop it.
If YOU cut it up yourself, you'll save a bundle. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:01:56 AM EDT
[#3]
Should be doable. I'd just use a whole lot of caution
Run a line to it as high up as you can, run it to some kind of ancor in the direction that you want it to go, and put as much tension as you can. I've used ratchet straps and a good thick rope for this. Get a good notch and back cut on the opposite side. TIMBER ****Comments are not given with any level of expertise authority and should not be taken as such *****if you drop a tree on yourself, anyone else, or anything don't blame me. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:01:57 AM EDT
[#4]
I had a large pine tree dropped and cleaned up cost me $500 , it was worth it.
I watched them do it it was a hell of a lot of work . |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:04:01 AM EDT
[#5]
I do it routinely but I shan't be giving advice on this because you may indeed kill yourself or someone else, pretty easily.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:06:23 AM EDT
[#6]
24" bar is long enough to cut down just about anything reasonable.
I have spend lots of time sectioning oak tree trunks in excess of 40" with a 24" bar. Yeah, it takes a lot of cutting, but as long as your saw has guts and your chain is sharp, you shouldn't have a problem. Watch out for kickback when you get that saw tip into the wood! Caution, a large falling tree has a huge moment arm, and while it won't move fast, it will KILL anything that gets pinched or crushed, including dogs (who don't look up), chainsaws, bars (which get pinched), etc. Make sure you have an escape route. When the tree starts to fall, stop cutting immediately and walk away at a 90 degree angle. There is potential for the trunk to come off the stump, so watch it! Most would recommend setting the saw down when the tree falls, but I think that takes extra time, and if the tree hits it, you might lose the saw. Carry it with you and hit the chain stop if you have one. I trust myself to do it, but if you have any doubts, hire the job. Once the tree is down, the danger isn't over, BTW. Fallen trees can still kill you. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:07:00 AM EDT
[#7]
Well, FWIW, I'd just kill myself. If I do it, I won't let anyone else be within 150'. 
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:10:26 AM EDT
[#8]
My nieghbor in Hialeah wanted to save some money so I bought a small chainsaw and hacked down the tree that was bothering my Mom's house because it had already done some damage the previuos hurricane.Needless to say when I finally brought her down I didn't really estimate the size of her ! The limbs brought down the power line supplying his house and the local PD came by and wrought a report,then FPL came by and said his house wasn't up to code so he had to hire an electrical contractor to bring everything back up to par.He lost power for almost two weeks.And nearly two thousand dollars in bills!Remember to tie some rope to sway the tree away from you so it falls correctly and don't forget to do some trimming above.Your always better off hiring someone that does this kinda work.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:12:24 AM EDT
[#9]
i wouldnt be afraid of doing it, but telling someone else how could end up bad.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:16:09 AM EDT
[#10]
+1 |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:16:40 AM EDT
[#11]
A 24" chain bar on a 36" isn't the right size to do the job safely. If you don't have experience with lesser trees and have a good grash of all the things that can wrong - I'd say that its cheaper to pay someone to do it. A tree that size can do a number on you and you can't outrun it once you say "uh-oh".
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:19:39 AM EDT
[#12]
Yep. Every year I have to cut some large timber. Standing timber is easy to cut , I hate cutting that involves trees that have already fallen into other trees. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:23:05 AM EDT
[#13]
Hire this job out.
Save money cutting it up yourself, but if you have to ask this question, this just isn't for you. Unless you've done this before you have NO IDEA how much energy you are about to unleash. I dropped a pair of bad limbs, ten inches in diameter each but joined near the trunk, spun them in midair to barely miss electrical service to the garage, and when they hit the ground, it brought out the neighbors from all around, who thought we'd had an earthquake, while inside their houses. There's just WAY too many things that can go wrong during this kind of thing, getting the saw stuck, having it kick back, having the tree split before you expect it to and falling at some strange angle, etc. I'm reasonably certain that no apprentice tree whacker is assigned to a 36 inch diameter trunk his first day out, before he's ever seen it done, and that's about where you're headed. Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea. Good thinking, trying to save money, but some things you just want to hire a pro to do, like coronary bypass surgery and felling massive trees. Unless you're intimately familiar with dynamite, you'll want to hire a pro to blow the stump too, or else burn it out, dig it out, chop it out, whatever. Yet another one of THOSE jobs. :-) |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:23:47 AM EDT
[#14]
Some of you folks that recommend tying the tree to something?
 It depends on the tree size of course, but the kind of tree that the OP is talking about would throw a truck or yank down a wall if the tree wasn't cut properly! Let me rephrase: A 5,000# truck, a 10,000# cable and a 40,000# tree. If that tree falls away from your anchor point, what do you think is going to happen? Wind, gravity, etc... can all push a tree the "wrong" way. Better to NOT have your expensive truck tied to it. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:25:22 AM EDT
[#15]
I have a huge tree(60") that caught the fork of another huge tree(60"). it has so far defeated all my efforts to "fix" it. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:26:13 AM EDT
[#16]
I always use another tree and a "come-along" to pull off of. YMMV |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:29:39 AM EDT
[#17]
Tie to a truck...OH HELLZ NO unless you don't want the truck anymore. What I've done is get a big assed stake and bury it about 3 ft in the ground, and tie to that, and just put enough pressure to give some tension on the side I want it to to fall. You have to be able to read the tree. If there is wind, if it has a lean or a twist, if it has rott, to be able to get an idea of what it may do. If the OP hasn't dropped a lot of trees, by all means hire it out.I've dropped my share of trees, and you can never tell exactly what will happen, but if you have had experience you can usually for a hypothesis. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:33:26 AM EDT
[#18]
Oh shit, this has the potential to be an ARFCOM horor story!
My father cut down a tree once and he cut off the lower limbs and worked his way up. Once he got up pretty high (oh about 30-feet) he cut off a limb and it caught his safety harness and yanked him pretty hard. He ended up tearing his rotator cuff on his shoulder clinging to the ladder. I had to drive him to the hospital and all he could say was how stupid that was... The tree was a huge Maple and it may well have been 36-inches around... it was taller then the house and it got stuck by lightning and died do my good old Pa thought he would save a few bucks It's been 20-years now and it still bothers him! So, each to their own but if you have room to drop the tree as one unit I would do it myself. If it is close to your house or other things (power lines, street, or something you don't want smashed) then call a pro. I know my father wishes he had called a pro and not tried to save a few bucks. If you do it yourself, make sure you have someone there with you as a slip up with a chainsaw can be darned nasty as well if you need to bring the tree down in pieces. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:33:57 AM EDT
[#19]
Tag for AAR, injury pics, and fun with insurance agents story!
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:36:31 AM EDT
[#20]
Hell yes but dead trees are the most lethal, IME. They can often twist on you and therefore can be awful unpredictable. It's a very good idea to use a safety line/cable/tow strap or something suitable in your circumstances to make sure the tree falls predictably.
Good luck. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:36:32 AM EDT
[#21]
dibs on his guns and ammo.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:39:57 AM EDT
[#22]
This job requires lots of beer and a video camera along with the chainsaw.
I think the funnest way would be to call on all ARFCOMers with a 6 hour drive and bring the EBRS and 500 rounds a piece. Paint a line on that bitch and have at it. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:43:43 AM EDT
[#23]
Don't cut down the trees...hug them
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Posted: 11/19/2007 10:45:27 AM EDT
[#24]
No wonder the doctors at the ER all know my name. I honestly would never even remotely think to ask anyone if cutting this tree down is a good idea or not. Even if it were 3 feet from my house.
Me: Oh man that's a big tree and it needs to come down, ASAP. Inner Me: Great idea John, Man this is going to be so much fun Me: This means I get to buy a chainsaw!!!! Inner me: What size/kind? Me: The biggest one they have in fire engine red Inner me: Sounds good, let do it! Neighbor: Julie call 911 and ask them to stand by, John just got back from Home Depot he has a big box and a big grin on his face and I don't see his wife anywhere. Me: Damn this chain in my leg hurts really bad and I hope my wife wasn't in the part of the house where the tree fell, I don't think I can lose much more blood before I pass out. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:00:07 AM EDT
[#25]
Since you don't have any real background in timber falling and are going with the "OSHA suggested method", I'd hire this one out before you kill yourself.
Personally, I'd drop it myself...but, I also have the knowledge, skills and tools to do so. I wouldn't hesitate to use a saw with a 24" bar on a 3'+ tree, but it would depend entirely on what that saw has for a powerhead. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:03:58 AM EDT
[#26]
famous last words right there |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:10:24 AM EDT
[#27]
No shit. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:22:47 AM EDT
[#28]
HIRE SOMEONE.
There are no little mistakes with trees that big. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:25:13 AM EDT
[#29]
big,tall trees have been known to break the sound barrier with their top whip 
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:36:22 AM EDT
[#30]
Last Spring I watched a crew bring down three of my neighbor's monster trees. Each was maybe 45'-60' tall with a trunk diameter of maybe >30". The crew was very good and the boss made good on his brag to bring them down within a very narrow arc on the ground....virtually exactly where he said it would land. It was very dangerous.
I have a couple of trees of the same size that need to be dropped. There ain't NO way I'm attemtping anything like that. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:40:51 AM EDT
[#31]
I have done tree removal before and with a tree that large unless you are experianced its just too fucking dangerous. That and proper tools make a world of difference.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:50:56 AM EDT
[#32]
Hire someone to do it. If you insist on doing it yourself, go all out and try to get some det-cord (and of course a video camera)!! 
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Posted: 11/19/2007 11:58:38 AM EDT
[#33]
Nothing to it. Knock yourself out! Oh, be careful.
ETA: Please video the event for us. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:01:29 PM EDT
[#34]
I've dropped ~40" trees with a 20" saw, so I see no problem with a 36" tree and a 24" bar.
With that said, if you have to ask, you might want to bring in a pro. A man's got to know his limitations and all that.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:09:32 PM EDT
[#35]
Can I be the designated beer holder during this operation?
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:17:16 PM EDT
[#36]
This is the preferred method for getting killed when felling a tree. It will work if a sufficiently long rope is used and you stay the hell out of the way. Usually, the rope is way shorter than needed, and if the Darwin award candidate stays on the tractor while pulling, well heck, how bad can it be, it's just some little branches. But, don't use ropes to fell trees. Take advantage of the natural fall if possible. If it's too technical, call a pro. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:27:00 PM EDT
[#37]
But think of how popular the youtube video would be... |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:27:32 PM EDT
[#38]
1.) Drill holes in tree.
2.) Insert bottles of tannerite. 3.) EXECUTE. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:28:02 PM EDT
[#39]
Yeah, that's called a "trebuchet". |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:34:59 PM EDT
[#40]
Now that a lot of people have posted it reminded me of the summer I worked for a tree service company. I was just the schmuck who hauled branches to the chipper and cleaned up, but I remember many incidents where these authentic experts had woah-that-was-close-to-a-disaster moments. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 12:47:33 PM EDT
[#41]
I am all for the DIY approach anytime it's possible, but this is one of the things I would hire out (as with electrical work).
Do you realize that loggers have one of the highest occupational death rates? It's a dangers job cutting down trees, and while your tree isn't a 150' tall 5' diameter hardwood in a rainforest it can kill you just as quick and easy. As mentioned, lots of guys who are in the business will take the better parts of the tree as payment, and if you don't care about the wood you can try to negotiate that as payment. Even if he wants money, it's still a better option than doing this yourself IMO. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:06:49 PM EDT
[#42]
How does someone inexperienced with felling trees end up with a 24" barred saw?
I burn wood and the biggest chain my saw will pull is 20". If that saw is powerful enough, it's plenty tool for the job. I felled one 36" tree this summer, don't underestimate how much work cleanup is going to be though. Depending on how tall it is, it may be something worth topping first. Hire it out. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:07:58 PM EDT
[#43]
I've dropped a lot of trees (well, probably 50ish anyhow, a lot for an amateur) in that 16-20" range without incident, hesitation or issue. I've cabled smaller trees and brought them down on the exact angle to miss the garage without hitting the well head... I've cut enough to realize that dropping trees can be serious business, and enough to recognize that these are a couple of serious trees. Some "expert" acquaintances who are big into wood as fuel and make your own lumber mentioned long cabling to a Bobcat to help direct it. I laughed and said the same scenario that Torf described. I summed it up with "Not my Bobcat..."
I'm thinking I'm gonna hire the drop, but part them out on my own. After I've seen their insurance certificate, I'll watch from a distance. Maybe even video.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:15:24 PM EDT
[#44]
+1  =  or  +  +  = 
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:28:01 PM EDT
[#45]
Dude!... Your inner me and my inner me are drinking buddies! Let's all 4 of us get together and blow some shit up! |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:40:07 PM EDT
[#46]
Definately hire somebody to do it. I do this for a living and it's a lot more involved than what you think. I won't even get into any more detail on how to do it just in case something happens.
Where are you located? If you are in the Rochester NY area, I might be able to help you out. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:45:37 PM EDT
[#47]
Hire it done.
Those are bigger trees than your bravado. Admit it and hire it done with the guys who know what they are doing and have the equipment to get it doen correctly. Plus.... there is the insurance thing.
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:46:41 PM EDT
[#48]
yah... That osha methods is umm nuts.
Needs a good bore cut and wedging, but doable.... If theres any kind of structure around... dont touch it. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:46:50 PM EDT
[#49]
That's a good call. The problem with bigger hardwoods is limb weight and the habit they have of catching wind just as you're finishing your back cut. Loggers make up half my family tree, but a sizable majority of the premature funerals I've attended. If you're not 100% confident of your ability, don't fuck around with this. Last fall one of my oldest friends and a professional timber cutter with 40+ years experience suffered 10 broken ribs and a punctured lung from a falling limb. They don't call them widow makers for nothing. |
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Posted: 11/19/2007 1:48:37 PM EDT
[#50]
Hmm actually the osha method is plain dangerous.
ALWAYS use a 90 degree face notch.. any less then that and the tree is likely to barber chair like hell |
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