- Location
- Sonoma county
If you can come off like a professional, who cares for their tree you should be ok , unless their jerks , but definitely explain thst u can do it without harming their tree and that it will make the job much safer.
Toasty ash- how would YOU do it?
- Thread starter Matthew Stone
- Start date
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
Picture looks deceiving is the hydro pole and wires between the garage and house? I’d be more concerned about the ones to the right of garage. I’m have a tracked lift I’d have it down in 20 mins. How far away is that larger tree to the left in the pic? If it’s not too far tip tie the whole thing and cut and lower. More pics of the back would help
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
If it's moving, I'd at least use lightly tensioned guy-lines.
If you possibly can lower it to the ground with the help of a neighbor's tree (or trees), I wonder if rather than cutting it off the stump, if you can pull the tree over onto the rigging lines, easing it down, possibly onto a support of some sort (three logs lashed into a tripod with three ends sticking beyond the lashing, ends pointed and dug into the ground).
Bring it over slow, and pull the stump (added service).
You can always walk away from a dicey tree you can't get/ don't have the right machinery for safe removal.
If you possibly can lower it to the ground with the help of a neighbor's tree (or trees), I wonder if rather than cutting it off the stump, if you can pull the tree over onto the rigging lines, easing it down, possibly onto a support of some sort (three logs lashed into a tripod with three ends sticking beyond the lashing, ends pointed and dug into the ground).
Bring it over slow, and pull the stump (added service).
You can always walk away from a dicey tree you can't get/ don't have the right machinery for safe removal.
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
Yes it is, sorry for the first photo. I am adding a few more pictures now to clarify some angles and where trees are. The larger ones to right are coming out in the spring, he just wants this one done now so it doesn't smush his wall with the next ice or wind. There are so many buried pipes and wires everywhere I don't dare bring any machinery in.
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
I am waiting to hear back from the neighbors as to wether I can use their trees to help bring safety up. Certainly a good idea! One concern with pulling roots at this location is multiple other trees in the immediate area which are all neighbors
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
Last picture is drop zone. It has multiple drums buried underground, well line running up, drainage, and electric running to various parts on the wall. This is a summer use cottage so nothing is buried far beyond the grass.
- Location
- Sonoma county
Agreed , if the tree has been leaning more with saturation I wouldn’t climb it without tying it back to another tree for support. Dead trees in saturated soil can end up with a dead climber quick if ur not safe in you POA. Get a lift if u can on tracks. If not then you may be getting pretty inventive in your rigging tech for it to go down safe. The othe tree for your TIP is vital tho from the looks of it.
After seeing the pics , I would say that you should be able to use the other tree, and there is def room to use a lift on tracks , dead trees should be climbed as a last resort , due to the dangers and unpredictability of the structure. Use equipment, especially if your alone , prob not a good idea to climb a sketch tree solo. You can do the job , your a capable person. But don’t take unnecessary risks for small change. If your gonna do it be smart and make it worth it .
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Birdyman88
Branched out member
- Location
- Arlington
How far from base of tree to stone wall? How did you measure height?
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
Thanks very much for the advice. I would love to use a lift but the customer doesn't want anything driving across all his walkways and wires, he wasn't even hearing it. After looking again today, I think the safest bet is to do the cribbing and drop it on the ice, over top of the wall. This will leave me looking very unprofessional, and have to walk out on the ice and collect all the bits. There were lots of new branches on the ground today... I may not have to cut it if the wind blows good tonight! Maybe I should pass after all.
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
I used the stick trick then paced it off to get an idea. It's about 12 feet to the edge of the wall.
Birdyman88
Branched out member
- Location
- Arlington
Man, I'm still not sure which tree it is. You circled one in the original pic, but I'm looking at that landing zone pic and can't identify the exact tree. Is it leaning over the cabin? About 24" BDH? In the right side of the LZ pic?
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
It's close but leans heavily towards the lake, would land just to the left of where I took the picture from . The tree has an arrow, circles are graywater system area
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
Further up. I can't get a picture of the whole thing because the lawn is only 35 feet or so wide. Would have been an easy day last year for sure. 
Birdyman88
Branched out member
- Location
- Arlington
The size of the cabin is really throwing me off on the scale. It sure looks like a 70ft tree with a 20-24" DBH. But if you use the pic of hand and scale it, it's coming out more like 14" DBH. I'll trust you on the 55' and say say it's 14". So, there are 2 large trees back left and back right further back in those woods that I would use as anchors to support that tree while you climb it. Use two separate lines choked off about 20-25' up and each anchored to one of the back trees, preferrably with a 3:1 MA as high as you can reach and locked off to at least pre-stretch your anchor lines. Then maybe climb, if lift is out of the question. The two pre-stretched anchor lines cinched at 20ish ft should be more than enough to offset your weight and keep it from going over.
IF it's truly 55', and you have 35' yard LZ then run your backup line off that large tree next to it. Then spike up about 25' to that first bend where it looks like a limb broke off years back. If there's a cavity there, I would stand there but I wouldn't go up past it. If no cavity, then you can go up a little further and take some small pieces. If you have a 12' power pruner (or a regular pole saw if you desire), haul it up on a preset tool line and try to get all the branches you can from your perch at 25'. If you're really good and little bit lucky, you might even be able to get that top out with the pruner where all the small branches break out from the main stem. Otherwise take out the top like normal, which should only be about 28' high. Land it in the yard, horizontally. Some plywood against the cabin walls and tires or cushioning near the wall would be useful.
But, I swear that looks like a 60-70' tree. I would use a laser rangefinder and stand at the base to be sure. That 35' landing area is cutting it close.
IF it's truly 55', and you have 35' yard LZ then run your backup line off that large tree next to it. Then spike up about 25' to that first bend where it looks like a limb broke off years back. If there's a cavity there, I would stand there but I wouldn't go up past it. If no cavity, then you can go up a little further and take some small pieces. If you have a 12' power pruner (or a regular pole saw if you desire), haul it up on a preset tool line and try to get all the branches you can from your perch at 25'. If you're really good and little bit lucky, you might even be able to get that top out with the pruner where all the small branches break out from the main stem. Otherwise take out the top like normal, which should only be about 28' high. Land it in the yard, horizontally. Some plywood against the cabin walls and tires or cushioning near the wall would be useful.
But, I swear that looks like a 60-70' tree. I would use a laser rangefinder and stand at the base to be sure. That 35' landing area is cutting it close.
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
The tree is roughly 24" on the thick side but it's a strange shape. I didn't want to have people thinking I was making a big deal out of a little tree. It is at a decent angle so the tree looks awkward in any picture I took. It may be 65 to the tips, just the angle of everything could have thrown me off that far. I hadn't even thought to bring my range finder! I do have a pole pruner and assuming I get the go ahead to use the neighbors trees that sounds like a great plan of attack. I still really like southsoundtrees idea of pulling it into a few rigging ropes with my massdam and gently setting it down, just not sure I can do all the back and forth in that small of a box safely. I guess I can always hire a guy for the day but I just don't have many guys available in my area and it's always expensive and cash. This is the first job I've had that I can wake up at 4am totally pumped to go to work, I absolutely love it!
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
My track lift with alturna mats doesn’t leave a mark what so ever I’ve driven it across golf course fairways, 11 psi is all that’s exerted from the tracks. Not sure where’re you’re located but you can pm me if you need help
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Getting a hazard tree down safely, and predictably, without damage...that's the plan.
If the homeowner wants it more difficult than need be, he just has to pay more than need be.
Two days ago, I was at a house for some easy ornamental pruning where a few months ago I had a dead, dead bigleaf maple in a fancy, landscaped stream gully, with stone walls up hill, and super expensive low-voltage electric lights (somehow, the replacement bulbs cost $98 each?!!??!!, which the homeowner is reverse engineering for $2 bulbs. They have about 50 of those. Guessing the stream gully has $50-100,000 of landscaping/ hardscaping. He removed the lamp fixtures in the drop zone for me.
I built up logs, 2 on the base, one on the top, like a triangle, with trucker straps holding them together. One pile above the lower wall on the gravel driveway, one pile below the upper wall on the gravel driveway, and cut it from a springboard at 9' to clear the wall and impact on the logs and driveway.
My crane-operator is seemingly always in a rush. I kinda didn't want to try to unlace a tangled, dead crown over first, myself, and second, fancy landscaping where everything that falls will show and need cleaning up, with him in a rush.
Dumped it onto the piles. Easy clean-up, skidded the logs up onto the driveway using alturnamats (plywood wood have worked).
No impact. No crane rental bill. No coordinating to be there in advance of the crane to be set-up.
For the top 15' of a tree, I'd bet you could get a post hole digger, put two post/ logs in the ground, and a log across the top, in front of the wall. Dump it on that, to protect the wall. Two pieces of plywood across the top of the wall for insurance. All re-useable.
No climbing, no rental machines. Cheap and easy, unless the wall is very tall. My guess is that with a view property, there isn't a castle wall and moat.
Birdyman88
Branched out member
- Location
- Arlington
I would just give a lot of consideration to that part about halfway up where it takes a bend and has those shoots coming out. There probably a cavity there, just how big is the question. I would be super cautious about putting any support or rigging lines above that point. Also, if it is cavity there, that cavity may extend down 5 ft or more inside.
Am I missing something here folks. Looks like a fairly straight forward removal to me with plenty of room to do what needs to be done?... 2 guys, a few hours, done. Set a guy-line/support line or 2 if it makes you more comfy, tread lightly, never rigging anything too large, worry it down, leave a pretty stump, and get payed....
Matthew Stone
New member
- Location
- Scranton
I don't think you missed anything, you replied just as the title said... How would you do it. That's it. Thanks for your input.
