blacktop ?

hl_tree

hl_tree

Location
New Fairfield, CT
I've gotta take down a couple trees in the near future and am wondering about dropping them onto blacktop. 2 are ash's and have a clear shot down to a parking lot, however they have both been dead for a while. Another job consists of a norway maple which can be dropped onto a 3 year old parking lot. The norway maple is maybe 20" DBH as are the ash's. What do you guys think? What are the odds I will punch holes into the blacktop?
 
What happens if you dent the blacktop....that's what it boils down to.

I don't know how it's setup, but often the small branches of the tree will cushion the fall enough- but one limb is all it'll take to trash it!

So ask the owner. Any person who says, "yeah, I can fell it with trashing the drive" is taking a chance and I hope the client get's a "you pay if you break it" in writing before the work begins.

Why not sell for the rigging. Explain the chance and if they don't want it, tell 'em you can rig it out piece by piece but it will take longer and cost more.

love
nick
 
If you hadn't asked you would have been in the clear. Now that you mada a space in the world you're going to have an accident :)

Using old tires for padding works really well. When I needed tires I'd borrow old skins from the tire busters I did all of my business with. Bring 'em back at the end of the day, no charge. Layering tires/plywood makes a good cushion too.

I've heard stories of people using junk cars for padding too. It seems like the hassle of removing glass and fluids would be more work than the "theater" that would be created.
 
I have used my chip truck with the top removed, bout 1/3 full of chips and then dropped a chunk at a time into the bed. I was very carefull, I could drive right next to the tree, and we moved each chunk off the truck when it came down.
It was a very rare tree for my area: a shagbark hickory
Frans
 
More like when in doubt, crane it. The ash trees are one thing, some damage is most likely acceptable, and if not there is plenty of room to take BIG pieces. The norway maple however is unstable and not in the best area. There is a popular shortcut for cars maybe 5 - 7' behind the tree, >75% of the root system is gone, and there is a service drop nearby. If the wires were dropped it MIGHT be able to be dropped onto the parking lot. My fear however is that the tree owner would never let me hear the end of it. I'll do my best to get some pictures of the norway maple over the next few days.
 
Matt,

Are these trees too dead to rig out? If so, it's not your fault and I would chance the black top damage. Not worth chancing the danger.

If damage is not a good option, try dumping chips in a spot that would take the brunt and then load the chips (if you have a tractor even better).
 
Frans,

YOur chip truck drop zone gave me a chuckle. When I was at CA Expo I talked with a guy who builds chip bodies. The configuration is great and the materials are the same as the rest. Steel gauge is typical. He went to see one of the boxes at a client's truck. The bed was beat to snot. He couldn't figure out why. After some investigating he found that the crew was dropping chunks directly into the bed without chips. Pounded the deck something terrible. The owner of the truck let him off the hook and gave the crew a heavy tongue lashing.
 
Mark, the ash trees have been dead for > 2 years. They are safe to climb, but it would be SO much easier to just drop them into the parking lot. The norway maple is happy, no noticeable dieback or anything, however in the past year I have noticed cracks in the soil on the back side which is where the only real roots are. Also, the bark has been splitting in several places.
 
I like that chips mattress idea Mark. Put the tools at hand to good use. If you were to dump big trees in a parking lot, you'd be smart to rent a skid steer to move wood faster, so then you'd be able to pick up chips, so then you'd be able to dump chips, so then you'd be able to flop those bad boys. That one's going into my mental toolbox.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom