A bad break

Gord

Gord

Location
Gibsons BC
I've got a broken tree to get down this friday and as of now I'm really uncertain of how to manage it. I drew a rough sketch of the proportions and scale to give an idea of it, but the real problem is that the only crane that we can get to the site will be small, likely only to manage about a third of the broken piece.

There are plenty of targets including a footbridge (and ravine) directly under the break, as well as the clients' house within distance of the the failed tree and the one (actually two trees) it is hung into.

I don't trust the break very much. There is perhaps a quarter of the diameter of the tree still connected but is splintered and likely somewhat rotten. The tree is Western Hemlock and suspect that the break location has a stem rot.

So my options are: Try and guy the broken piece back and work it down slowly, monitoring tensions and movements. Or, I'm thinking I could rip the entire stem into three peices lengthwise and pick off the two sides and leave a thin vertical strip for the final pick. Has anyone ever tried something similar?

Your thoughts please.
 

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Make an 80' long rip cut?! (did I read your post correctly?) Creative, but do you really want to do it? Sounds too risky in itself. I say use the extra careful route and guy the thing everywhere you can. That, or hire a helicopter!
 
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The rip cut wouldn't likely be longer than 55' or so. What sounds risky about it?

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Will you be using an aerial lift? Climbing while tied in to neighboring trees? Ripping a 50' slab of leaning hemlock just plain seems risky to me... but then again, that tree's risky in the first place! How are you planning to attach the first two rips to the crane?
 
YIKES!!!
Can you give an idea of the amount of branches and diameters?

Any other TIP Trees in the vicinity?

Sounds like you will need an arsenal of ropes, blocks, lowering devices, and tensioning systems.

Seems like some stuff is going to get smashed and rebuilt. Can the foot bridge be lifted out with the crane using spreader bars?



If it is something that has to be done, get a written contract that you will not be liable for damage to said bridge, or simply put rebuilding costs for the whole bridge into the price.

I start by thinking about riding the crane to guy the trunk as much as possible.

Ratchet straps or chains/ binders above and below the break.

Huge lag bolts through some heavy, heavy duty steel braces custom made to match the angles of the tree. Measure and have made somewhere tomorrow, or postpone job until they are available. Alternatively, bolt heavy, heavy duty chain all around the break and extending far above and below. Have several batteries on hand and extra drill, or a electric drill and generator, or gas-powered drill. Back-up equipment since you are having a crane show up would be prudent.

Rig the top to the adjacent tree. Remove as much as possible above the rigging point, and all excess below.

Guy the middle section like crazy.

Piece out what you can by riding the hook.

Ride in on the hook and cut the top free, single TIP, to be caught by the rigging in adjacent tree. If tree fails, it will be shorter, maybe short enough to not damage anything???

Chunk it down from crane, moving guylines as needed.

Break-away lanyard.

Bring your nerves of steel!

I like the idea of the rip cuts to lighten the pieces. You'll need some ripping chains. If you rip a small section, then cross cut it free you would simplify it, or would you swing them off on a block in an adjacent tree?

I'd think about coming to watch this one.
 

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I dont know what you are looking at but i guess my big worry would be that top end sling shooting back at ya while you are tied into he hook. Should be a kickass job to be on. good luck man
 
The only thing I can think of is use a grcs, or two. Choke the top to the tree(s) it's hung and apply very little tention, more so just enough to make the line tight, and hold it. Guy the lower section off if needed. Set a block and lowering line (or two) like you were to lower out the broken piece, dog them off with a porta wrap.

Thoughts behind this are:

The the top where it's hung choked with two grcs, so you won't loose the top or so it wont come back at you when seting the block.

The portawraps are there just to slow and control the swing if it does break.

You said it's hung in two trees, so I'd climb in one get a really high tip and come down on top of it. Slowly whitling away at it trying not to take too much off of it at once. This could be very small crane picks, rigged, or droped depending where it's at.

The ballsy way would be lower the whole thing from the break, having the top tied to where it's hung.

Another option would be to tie into both trees it's hung in, or idealy somthing else.

Just some ideas, hard to say with out looking at it and targets.
 
It doesn't sound like the home is totally under the tree. Is that right? But, it doesn't sound like you can just free it up (with a cut) to send it to the ground either...
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If you are worried that the crane can't pick enough weight, then maybe this could work. (See illustration)

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I am aware that will be a lot of movement once the broken spar is free, and I don't know how strong the neighboring trees are either. However, if you think it could be done, with the shock absorbed by letting the butt run a little, then it may work.

But, my suggestion would be time intensive for the placement of the rigging...
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[ QUOTE ]
Try and guy the broken piece back and work it down slowly, monitoring tensions and movements.

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Sounds like the most sensible option. Without actually seeing the tree in real life its very difficult to give good advice, good luck with it, video and pictures would be cool if you've got the time.
 
you said two trees...... use four hang lines and some dynamite to trip the hinge the crane can be used to control the butt. if using explosives to trip the hinge i would wrap chain binders around both stems to control splintering. just an idea
 
Sounds like an interesting job. I'd probably try to fix it in place with rigging and work it down in small pieces, maybe use a bucket or the crane as a TIP. That's with the usual 'without actually seeing it firsthand' disclaimer.

If there are pockets of decay, ripping seems like a bad idea... not that I can specifically say why, it just seems like a way to potentially lose the tree unexpectedly.

That break being at 30' really complicates things with all those targets. To me, controlling the butt when it comes off the break is the crux. If it's at 30' though, and those trees it's hung in are strong enough, you could do Jamin's idea and it shouldn't touch down when you trip it... (explosives sound fun) You'd probably want to piece out the top and limb it first.
 
don't you guys have about 2 or 3 of these a year?

anyway, going from your drawling, I added the 3 cuts.

usually I don't do these with crane, but since you can't lower, this is the idea using the crane taking it in 3 peices like you said it had too.

Cut 1.

(if you don't have two LDs, no big deal, pull tight and wrap the tightest you can. Butt line will stay tight and locked off in case butt ever lets loose.

a lot of these breaks that i do like your picture; the homeowner would say that one or two other tree services looked at it and said they didn't want to do it. I don't understand, especially on ones that can be lowered... Often they are only 2 or 3 hrs jobs and a fairly simple process, similar to Jamin's diagram (well, except for all the double stuff he shows).
 

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