Heavy leaner needs to come down sideways.

ATH said:
Make a couple of calls. I wouldn't be surprised if you can find somebody to bomb out the top cheaper than a day's rental on the lift.
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It would probably be a wash, you can find lift rentals around 400$ day rate up in the city. Or well you used to it’s been it’s been a while since I’ve rented in the city.
 
dmonn said:
I may get a little creative with where and how I tie in for the guy line. I have a 150-ish ft piece of 5/8" double braid to work with. I am considering pulling a bight over a branch and around a major stem back down to the ground. The line has an eye on one end and I would splice another eye on the other end. I would capture the bight and both ends with a sling of 3/4" tenex tec. I would put a rigging block on that sling for a 2:1 MA.

I would then use some 9/16" db for the 2:1 from a tree to the block to another rigging block to get a 4:1 MA. I would go from another tree to that second block to an Omni block using half-inch 3-strand. The 3-strand then goes from the Omni block to a truck.

I would use the 3-strand to put some elasticity in the system. The truck would be about 75-100 feet from the Omni block.The Omni block is just a redirect so none of the blocks are tensioned in the direction of targets like people, houses or vehicles.

Before cutting I would tension the guy line system using the truck.

I would run a 1/2 inch pull line from pretty high up the tree down to an anchored friction ring to another truck. I intend to leave a little thicker than normal tapered hinge and use the second truck to pull the tree over.

The anchor spot for the friction ring is back a bit from the desired direction of fall to help offset the lean. There's only a slight angle at the friction ring from the tree to the ring to the second truck. It should be just enough of an angle that if anything fails there won't be any targets in line with tensioned hardware.
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You don't need a ton of pulling force on the guy line. As long as you trust the ground anchor and can set the line high enough (2/3+), you only need enough force to move the top slightly. That could easily be two guys pulling by hand with 3:1 mechanical advantage, or even less.

Think about it... guy line doesn't need to lift. It just needs to stay. Half inch line with a high tip should be plenty for a tree of that size. I'd use the heavier lines for pulling and use more ma or a truck to trip the hinge. That will allow a fatter hinge... even if the guy line gives a few feet, it will still work.

This tree is very doable. The guy line will cover most any mistake you can make.


Set it and the pulling line high. Pretension both. Make your cuts. Leave a tapered hinge, 4 inches on the wide side (away from lean) with one or 2 inches on the lean side. As soon as back cut shows a hint of opening, stop cutting and apply all the pulling force you have. If it doesn't go, thin out the hinge a little, and try pulling again. With the guy line, you don't need to be standing at the stump to trip the fall.

This is also a good candidate for the center plunge. That will allow you to keep the hinge fatter on the corners, where they have the most leverage to fight that side lean.
 
Falling at a 90 degree to the leans high risk strategy. Top line opposite lean will not help as it will be slack as soon as the tree begins to hinge. This needs to be done by an experienced professional. It will be very straightforward to rig down pieces under the canopy with that lean. I have done may removals pulling trees opposite of the lean with a Maasdam rope puller rigged as high as possible. I have done 90 degree of the lean once all branches are removed. I don't use a standard face cut. Instead a double face starting with a bore cut so holding wood has a large flat face instead of the apex of a triangle.
 
To add to the points guiding one to not attempt to fall it is the reminder of species. If it were a grey pine, I would feel 100% confident in my ability to get it to the desired lay, but I wouldn't attempt it on anything that doesn't have a reputation for having insanely good hinging wood; it's a good lean. I would tie it back to feel better about the initial climbing and cutting, and I would do it for less than a lift, but frankly, what's a couple hundred more to be able to do it so much easier?
 
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On the notion of cheap climbers, since I admittedly am one, can you guys really find a climber who carries their own insurance for less than a day rental on a lift? I am struggling with getting insurance because of the upfront cost, combined with not legally being able to do jobs for over $500.
 
Matias said:
On the notion of cheap climbers, since I admittedly am one, can you guys really find a climber who carries their own insurance for less than a day rental on a lift? I am struggling with getting insurance because of the upfront cost, combined with not legally being able to do jobs for over $500.
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I was thinking somebody with a bucket truck or other lift. Assuming they can get the lift right to it, that shouldn't take more than 90 minutes to get the canopy out of that, right? Probably 3 hours climbing it and bombing pieces out??? Could do it solo - always a good idea to have a second person on site though.

Towable lift rents for $500 here.
 
ATH said:
I was thinking somebody with a bucket truck or other lift. Assuming they can get the lift right to it, that shouldn't take more than 90 minutes to get the canopy out of that, right? Probably 3 hours climbing it and bombing pieces out??? Could do it solo - always a good idea to have a second person on site though.

Towable lift rents for $500 here.
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I don't know anyone around here who would bring their lift- any kind of lift- for that cheap. Different states, different rates I guess, but the lowable lift rental is the same price.
 
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Abovealltrees said:
Falling at a 90 degree to the leans high risk strategy. Top line opposite lean will not help as it will be slack as soon as the tree begins to hinge. This needs to be done by an experienced professional. It will be very straightforward to rig down pieces under the canopy with that lean. I have done may removals pulling trees opposite of the lean with a Maasdam rope puller rigged as high as possible. I have done 90 degree of the lean once all branches are removed. I don't use a standard face cut. Instead a double face starting with a bore cut so holding wood has a large flat face instead of the apex of a triangle.
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If the anchor point is slightly to the rear, it will remain tight.

I agree whole heartedly on the face.
 
Jehinten said:
I think that may be a boxelder. It looks bigger than they normally get here. You can confirm by cutting a couple of limbs. There will be red streaks in the grain. Or if your neighbor remembers from cleaning up the other half. Brittle wood with pretty weak hinge. I'd try not to fell one leaning like that with something valuable in the path.

With no climbing, how about a tow behind lift rental? They go up to 50 feet, that'd likely do the whole tree, but even if it doesn't reach the top, it'll remove a considerable amount of side weight before falling.
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If it's box elder, plan for the hinge to snap immediately. Worst hinge wood ever.
 
dmonn said:
I'm disappointed and relieved. It turned out that the tree was partly on my neighbor's backyard neighbor's property. The backyard guy had several other trees he wanted removed and hired a company that had a sizeable grapple saw. The questionable tree is now gone. My wife is happy.
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Wait....after all that we didn't even get a video?!? How did the tree guy get it down? I won't be able to sleep tonight!
 
dmonn said:
I'm disappointed and relieved. It turned out that the tree was partly on my neighbor's backyard neighbor's property. The backyard guy had several other trees he wanted removed and hired a company that had a sizeable grapple saw. The questionable tree is now gone. My wife is happy.
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Well that’s one way to take it down…
 
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