Opinion on dropping a tree

I likek Toparboaring's idea. If half is in good condition, tie in high and top out the dead half carefully. Chunking it might be the safe way to deal with it and then take the living half afterward if it isn't fellable.. Personally, I prefer the controlled approach. Takes way more time, but cleanup and damage is less and so is the chance of something unseen coming into play.

Denis Allan
 
Pics would be helpful. Along with a description of the felling plan. It sounds like a fairly large tree to notch & drop, DDH~50".
What is the felling plan? Can the tree be dropped to land both leads flat? Knowing if you have sound wood is very important. Where is the live lead in relation to the fell?
 
DavidT, I apologize if my response sounded rude. I did not mean it to be.
I only meant that the felling sounds maybe tricky and probably needs a look in person, on site, to give truely helpful, acurate opinions.
Good luck with it. Let us know how it goes.
 
Thanks for the help. As of now, the plan is to put a rope in in and drop it. WIll have wedges ready as well. The only way to have property damage is if the tree goes backward and with 90% of the weight forward, I really do not think that will happen. I will, as suggested, check the trunk to make sure there is good wood in there. I am going to do it tomorrow and will look at it closley before I do anything. I can get my bucket truck to it with a little effort but want to avoid it if at all possible.

Robinia, thanks for your post. I'm sure pictures would be helpful, will try to post more in the future.
 
DavidT,

Let me be clear about my response, because I don't want you taking it the wrong way; I completely meant what I posted but it isn't directed at you in any negative way. I'm sure you have a fine sense for the techniques and hazards associated with falling a large tree. It sounds like you have assessed the situation clearly and developed a plan for safely removing the tree. If I can add one piece of advice to the posts already given, I recommend having a second (and even a third) chainsaw on site for completing the back cut. Often times in residential tree work, the large diameter wood has some chunk of steel or garbage or God knows what stuck in it somewhere. There is no joy in watching a massive tree almost felled just hanging there like a piece of bad news.

As for the definitive tone of my earlier post, I meant that as a kind of wedge against the word salad explosion of ideas and information - good, bad, or otherwise, that you typically receive when you ask a question like that. If you really weren't sure about how to get that tree over, you would quickly have enough technical expertise directed your way to put you in a wheelchair for life. And most of the information is right on; but in the wrong hands it can wipe you out just the same.
 
Archdruid,

That bit about having another sizable saw on site is handling large trees is good advice. I was removing a small tree yesterday, and hit metal, dulling the chain. If a tree is mostly cut and has to sit there, possibly in the wind, especially if it isn't wedged or the pull line set up with some progress-capture mechanism, for the time that it takes to change or sharpen chains, it could be problematic. Best to be able to pick up another saw and go.

If no extra saw is available, it would be prudent to have the extra chains and scrench at hand.
 
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