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From this side of the computer screen Id say it was a beech. Its likely to do some pretty unpredictable things as the crown is hung up in that pine. Hard to know how much weight is in that pine and how much is still being held by the rootball...
Whatever its a pretty weighty piece of timber. Any hardwood you are looking at around 30kg per cubic foot. Wind blows are never that simple and particularly tricky when youve got a building right below it. Best to call in the pros to take a look at this one I think.
I think we're looking at this all wrong...
You need to build a big helmet for the house... saved my noggin when I crashed into a tree.
Alternatively... do you have a large set of Bombers?
Seems like an opportunity for a party, lots of STWers bring ropes, chain saws, beer and whisky and trail centre armour. What's the worst that could happen?
Could do a straight pull if you could get a cable of a winch high enough in the crown of the windblow and pull it straight again and back over (with the rootball still attached) - depends how easy it moves. Once youve started to move it with a winch though you are pretty committed. Id be pretty reluctant to cut the stem unless I knew a winch was on a bomber anchor. Only thing is cutting the stem could free the crown - tricky!
I went back up to have a look just now. I figure with a loadall I could get at least 2/3 the way up to fix a line. There is a tree lined corridor it could fall into if we could pull it straight back. The loadall would be on hard standing so it should provide a consistant pull. Probably not as controllable as a winch though.
I'll speak to the farmer tomorrow.
What's the worst that could happen?
the slow, painful death of a big hitter.
Up the conifer, rope both tops together. Sever the windblow, fell the pine away from the house using the rope to guide it. Done it before, it'll probably work.
the problem with a loadall is that if the boom grip snags on the tree rack, then the orbital crank might heave which could cause the mantle to jump off the stack and you're back where you've started, only your loadall crank train will need replacing
the slow, painful death of a big hitter.
True, but what a funeral pyre we could have......
But I like a challenge and you dont learn if you dont play.
Call in a pro who'll let you help under their guidance. Trial and error isn't the best way to learn everything. 🙂
Fool proof method. Take a bearing to get the exact direction the tree is falling in. Go out for a bike ride, an hour or two should do, in a straight line 180 degrees against that bearing. Turn around and ride back along the bearing. Instantly the wind will change and you'll be heading back into the same wind as you struggled against for the last hour. The same wind will then be putting the tree straight again.
While the kettle's boiling for a post ride cuppa, stamp around the root ball with a big pair of boots and then water well. Stake if you want to be belt and braces.
Simple.
If the pool room's 12 o'clock and the tree' 6 o'clock. Pull the tree from 8/9 o'clock while felling the tree towards about 10 o'clock! All times aprox!! Not the best piccy's to really get the full gist!!! But I does do's tree's as a pro like!!!!
What's the worst that could happen?the slow, painful death of a big hitter.
Big hitter? Is flattered. 🙂 Not flattened! 😯
I wish i was a tree surgeon
I like FFs idea ^^ but whatever you do, don't use the fergie - just too light and it could flip which would kill you to death. Borrow a bigger 4wd tractor and pull slow.
Let us know how you get on and take pics 🙂
Big hitter? Is flattered.
sorry not you, I was referring to iDave's post about getting more STWers involved. hopefully there would be a big hitter in attendance to hold the plastic explosives in place.
you dont learn if you dont play
Normally I'd be a big fan of the "[i]give it a go[/i]" approach, but then you factor in a rapidly moving chainsaw blade and several tons of unpredictable timber...
you dont learn if you dont play
Stoner is at ideological war with the HSE. 😉
We had a similar tree summerhouse situation some years ago the estate worker tried to pull a leaning tree with his tractor only to find he hadn't enough traction. the tree was slowly pulling the tractor backwards and descending onto the summerhouse. We were called and without much time for head scratching rigged some wire ropes from other trees to pull and swing the leaner. With our big tractor we pulled flat out while estate bod declutched. **** me big tractor shot forward, tree swung, 90hp tractor +estate bod jumped backwards about 4 metres in about 1 second, a real heart pumping moment and we got away with it, no one hurt, summer house ok nothing on the road no broken tractors only estate bods bullish ego punctured,ha! Lessons learnt he rarely attempts tricky fells any more.Be very carefull get your plan together and all machinary on site before you start.Have fun ( Nb Not my estate or summer house or even qualified in these matters )
Hard to say from some pics but I think I'd be hiring a big tracked cherrypicker (assuming access is ok) to nibble away at it from the top. Once the crown is off then maybe tie onto the tractor and pull the remainder down.
Always plenty doom mongers on these threads 🙂
The pictures suggest its at about 60 degrees or less. I reckon a straight back pull would require a bloody heavy and strong 4wd tractor. Swinging it would be preferable, but it look like you'd have to fell a couple of other trees first.
Bung it up on Arbtalk for some proper advice
[i]Once the crown is off [/i]
it'll flick back to vertical taking you and the cherry picker with it...
I measured the base of the trunk at about 50cm. It tapers a fair bit towards the top. There will be a couple of tons in it, while it's tall, it's not like a mature elm or beech.
I'm sure the farm has 100hp+ tractors. They pull trailers with nearly twenty round bales on them across fields. I doubt the tree would weigh more than a couple of tons.
A side pull would be near impossible.
I reckon if you go on a mountain bike forum to ask whether this is something you can tackle yourself you have answered your own question. 🙂
Dig out under the roots on the side away from the building, then give it a bit of a tug with the tractor.
Just get it done mate, carefully. Ignore the 'get a man in' types they're obviously city dwellers or aggrieved tree surgeons that don't want you pinching their work. enjoy it, look after yourself and make sure you've got plenty of strong lines, heavy machines and horsepower on hand before you start. Take care and keep the tree's height away from the base when you are pulling, then the worst that can happen is you lose the buckshee poolhut (but unlikely, you seem to be thinking before acting).
Good luck and let us know how you get on...
EDIT; oh yeah and SD-253 what's the matter with you, didn't your dad hug you enough when you were little? Twit.
Is it appropriate to ask;
What tyres for a tree pulling tractor?
Once the crown is offit'll flick back to vertical taking you and the cherry picker with it...
If you are very dense, yes that is what will happen.
It doesn't take much studying to figure out which way it may ping once the weight of the crown is off.
re tyres big ones full of water as ballast 😀
Any chance of borrowing one/ some tirfor hand winches and pully blocks you might be able to set them up where a tractor cannot get and be able to pull in the right direction. Provided you can get a strong enough ground anchor.
Any chance of borrowing one/ some tirfor hand winches
I used to have one when I stayed on Orkney. I seldom used it and gave it to a friend before I came South. Since then I could have used it a dozen times.
I'll see if I cant hire one in town. There are plent of other trees I could anchor it to.
How about a very long, strong bungee? Tie one end as high up the tree as you can and the other end to the biggest tractor you can find. Next drive the tractor out as far as you dare and wait to see what happens. For more excitement, put a big bucket of cow poo on the tree for crap flinging silliness.
Oh, and video it too!
I would love to have a go at this. I chopped about 6 trees down in my garden last year using this sort of method but instead of a tractor I used my brother.
I say full size tractor, strong as you like and very long rope, and pull it at about 100-120 deg away from the pool house, I would say 90 deg is to tight. Ideally you will need the tractor to pull the rope tight but not bend the tree too much, then you can cut a wedge as you finish it you will need to signal the driver do drive on and pull it away from the pool house. Spotters and guide ropes will make your life easier.
how is the tree-pool house relationship this morning?
Best bit about this thread (for me at least) has to be this:
the problem with a loadall is that if the boom grip snags on the tree rack, then the orbital crank might heave which could cause the mantle to jump off the stack and you're back where you've started, only your loadall crank train will need replacing
No idea what it means, which cheers me up immensely. Something new and engineeringy to learn about 🙂
In your own time OP....
how is the tree-pool house relationship this morning?
The tree is still standing, the hoose slept uneasily. I'm thinking about a Tifor winch for a more controlled pull. Currently phoning plant hire companies.
Have you thought about using a crane, like this one.....
[img] 
[/img]
that must have been a proper KYB* moment as that crane started to tip..
*Keich Yer Breeks
I use a small (2 ton, whatever that means) hand winch which works well pulling tress down, but not in such a critical situation as you.
Good luck.
My mate is sending the Tirfor down from Orkney. I figure if I can pull the tree verical on its root ball, I can fell it from there.
I'll post pics.
My first thought was to pull it back upright but then thought that it would take a lot of force to do that, probably more than it would to pull it to the side. The root would probably be under compression and would want to spring back towards the pool house, you could do yourself some serious damage if the tree does spring back towards you while your cutting.
It's probably been said already but I would have thought that digging around the root ball on the right of the tree(looking at the house from behind the tree) and then pulling it to the left with something strong might do the trick.
The only problem with a Tirfor is that if you needed to pull it sideways quickly you'd be stuffed - whereas if you use a big tractor you could just put your foot down. Just make sure that the cable/strap is attached below the level of the rear axle or very bad things could happen.
Oh yes and please don't use rope - it will stretch and if it breaks it will come flying back at you very fast. Chain would be better, but I'm sure you knew that.
My first thought was to pull it back upright but then thought that it would take a lot of force to do that, probably more than it would to pull it to the side. The root would probably be under compression and would want to spring back towards the pool house, you could do yourself some serious damage if the tree does spring back towards you while your cutting.
Good point. I'm wondering if I cut the root ball at the pool hoose side once upright before I start the felling. There is very little holding the roots in place on that side. I would try and tie it off with a couple of ropes on the fall side before cutting. I think my tirfor is rated at three tons, would that be enough to raise it? I expect the higher up the tree I can winch it from the easier the pull.
All this talk of rope!! I wouldn't go any where near it with rope! Either chains or lifting straps! Oh and the crane, curse of the fly jib!!!
I just asked a friend their opinion - he's a tree surgeon - and his response was
andcall a pro - hung up trees are really dangerous. Pulling them with machines is a forestry op and not appropriate either for his kit or location
seriously; the stresses and weights are surprising! Can't advise strongly enough not to try this unless you're a very experienced tree jock
Was trying to convince me to get my chainsaw tickets when I saw him at christmas. I'm tempted if there is going to me more of this weather; there'll be no shortage of work!