Leaning Tree Removal

OK, I got a problem, leaning tree is going to take out my aviary/flight cage...
Here it is:

Flight_Cage_Close[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

Another tree has already fallen:

Flight_Cage_Damage[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

The leaning tree:

Flight_Cage_Leaning_Tree[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

Another tree that fell left across the creek:

Flight_Cage_Dozer_Chain_Tree[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

OK got tree hooked up to dozer with chains:

Case_550E[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

Flight_Cage_Chain[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

Cutting into the tree with chain saw on the leaning side, can't get enough of a cut to get it to lean toward the dozer.

Flight_Cage_Tree_w_Chain_Saw[1] by azrancher posted Jan 7, 2017 at 21:04

Plan tomorrow to carefully start cutting in on the dozer side, non leaning side... does that sound good, cut it a little, crank the dozer up and see if I can nudge it upright from the leaning side, I also could put splitting wedges in the saw cut on the leaning side.

Rancher

 

Cut only with cable pulled up at least 10 " plus with dozer , Im seeing cable as it stretches
Have second eyes see top branches wiggle towards pull ..STOP
come and cut base at 90* to pull down low and thru to center (middle of core only , 1/2 way ) Wedge & then while the cable is still hard & pulled pull a little bit more 2 feet to make sure your still hard , then go back & cut on the back side of pull up at 2 feet waist height.back of first cut same distance 1/2 way to make a chair after . pull & the chair should hold till you pull it your way .
The more weight you need to pull over the wider the core section is left . 3/8 to 3/8 cut in

Good luck .
Sloth

 

Just be careful no matter how you do it. Don't want you hurt! Good luck! We have a black walnut beside our house that has to come down that will be tricky. Its huge and roots have cracked the cement in the basement.

 

What Grit said, Plus put the chain as high as you dare!

 

Yeah the chain is at about 12', the cage is 12', it is around the tree at the 2nd limb up above the ladder. I have enough tension on the chain that the chain saw doesn't bind, just looking for a solution to ease it for falling, and yes this is a one person operation, the XYL will probably kill me when she gets home.

The only goal is for it not to fall on the cage...

Rancher

 

Sloth has it right, Just take it slow and you should be fine!

 

Soooo...empathy for murderous wife.

 

I never have figured out women, the screaming usually starts about the time she tells me "You could have got Killed" and in retrospect she is right. Start out to cut some leaning limbs and four hours later I don't know how I got in this position.

 

JUst 2 cents. I have cut many similar trees. Looks as if you have a substantial tree in the way and direction of the one you want to drop. That needs to go 1st. You can create another dangerous situation getting the desired tree hung up in a second tree. That's all. Some may disagree. YMMV whatever.

 

+1 on what tac mentioned....also clean up your escape path...with all of the brush and smaller offshoots, it looks like you are painting yourself into a corner if the fell goes awry. Safety first always!

 

I might have started by whittling away branches to limit the torsion caused by the weight of the branches... and then as you mentioned...

 

I might have attacked this a bit differently .
1. remove all the branches on the leaning side possible .(pole saw)
I have used poles and hooks to maneuver ropes on trees and limbs I cannot climb, to lift and capture branches that were a problem.
2. once the majority of branches I could handle were removed , I'd tie off to the strongest part of the tree as high as possible .
3.tie off to the cat and draw tension just to be secure .
4. cut my "V notches" toward the cat " 3 of them ", each half way through no more the tree is dead so it is a widow maker . NO BACK CUT. it is important to have as long a hinge as possible if possible .
use the cat to pull it down. you shouldn't be any where near the base when that tree begins to go.
it is going to want to twist, look at the angle of attack and calculate that the twist will fallow the weight.

 

Yes the tree that fell on it's own, and in the right direction is in the way of a clean fall, however the goal here is to make the still standing tree, that is leaning fall in the same general direction of the fallen tree. Cleaning up the fallen trees after they are down is is simple, and of course the dozer can pull the logs out of there.

 

A lot to respond to here, cutting the upper limbs was thought of and I almost did that, but the biggest limb overhangs the cage, and I didn't think that the cage would support it, besides the top of the cage is just poly netting, very weak. Back cut is already done, the chain is holding the tree now, wanted it to hinge on the dozer side of tree. I don't care if it twists and falls at a 90* to the dozer chain, it will miss the cage. The tree is still very much alive, the other two trees that have fallen were also alive, wild fire came thru here about 5 years ago and scorched the bottoms of the trees (Sycamore), and have weakened the bases, sad to see those trees are 60-80 years old.

Rancher

 

OK cut some slots, beginning of a V on Dozer side, pulled it,it's down, damaged one pole on Flight Cage.

Flight Cage Tree Trunk by azrancher posted Jan 8, 2017 at 12:38

Flight Cage Killer Tree Down by azrancher posted Jan 8, 2017 at 12:38

Flight Cage Tree Damage by azrancher posted Jan 8, 2017 at 12:38

Limited damage to Flight Cage is better than re-building the entire cage.
Fell at about a 45* angle CCW from the chain.

Rancher

 

Damage not so bad. Your safe. Good Job. Have a rest and a drink on me. Cheers!

 

I have had to do a lot of these (leaners) on the property but haven't had to do one yet where it would damage something - well - there was a risk I would take down the power lines. Leaners are dangerous as they can barber-chair on you and ruin your day and many are rotten inside to make matters worse (looks from the photo yours was too) and you don't know until you start cutting. Sure wish I had me that little cat (bulldozer) that you got as I normally have to use my new pickup with the wife driving it...not sure which makes me more nervous, the tree or the wife driving my new truck. hee-hee! LOL!

 

Glad you got it down without injuries. I had had a huge white oak leaning with the biggest limb over the house, too tall for me to tackle had to hire tree removal people to get it down. It had to be topped first and roped down then using a snatch block they got the trunk felled parallel to the house.helped me with my firewood.

 

Yes that tree was rotten inside, I was just lucky it had no opening to the outside because that would have been a perfect bee tree.

Rancher