I helped it. I've had my eye on it for a few years. Branches dying off at the top. Bark was falling away in places. So, today was the day. I needed to use my pole saw to remove a few branches that would have hit a bird feeder. I needed to use a ladder to reach the branches and to wrap a tow rope in place On to the rest of the rigging to use my rope puller. Anchor Looks ok to me. Tighten to put a load on it Tow rope Time to fire up my 435 and get after it. Face cut will do. Ratchet a bit more. Then back cut. Then pull it over It landed on an old red oak stump that was felled a few years ago. Perfect for bucking A little off with the back cut. Always learning. Bark flaking off about 6ft up from roots And further up I left a few of the shoots. I'll let the best of them survive. Cut them back in a few years. You can see them behind the saw. I had to stack the rounds so I can admire them. Splitting commences tomorrow. There's about 7 of the smaller rounds that are very light in weight. They'll be fine in the fire pit pile. I should have felled it a year or two ago. Noted. Time for some Aleve, a sandwich, and a beer.
Nice that you take the time to critique your stump. I’d suggest, from afar, that the back cut was right but the face cut’s undercut part was trouble.
Nice Job! I’ve had a few 435s go through the bench since that one. I grab them because I was impressed with yours. Nice machine. I have a near like new rehab on the market now.
Good Mike. Glad you got that down. A little more learning for you and many others. If you look at the hook and how you fastened it, you should see it should have been turned over. Many times you can get away with this but not always. Looking closely you will see the pressure will be at the end of the hook; weak point. Also if the line happens to get loose sometimes the rope can easily slip out of the hook. Hope this helps for the future..
Yes and thanks. I had the same thought once I looked close at that picture yesterday, after zooming in. However, that tow rope hook, has a spring "lock", much like a carabiner. My thinking was that I wanted the rope to pull mostly againt the tree and not the hook, if that makes sense.
Just remember the gook holds the rope. The spring lock only keeps it from slipping odd but does nothing for strength.
Hook The way I rigged it The rope goes back to bull rope, pulling on the tree/post. Instead of pulling on the hook I think we're saying the same thing. Are we?
Perfect morning to split. Check marks. <24 hrs. Not having much hickory, I find it splits very easily. Nice grain. Off to the racks Three loads later Nice to see a rack refilled. Still feels good to be outside, wooding. 3 of 4 trees down. An Ash spur, the White oak, now hickory. Leaves me with I think a maple, to fell. Next week, maybe.
I think Backwoods is saying flip the hook. This would be the same on a chain with a slip hook. The rope should be pulling against the meat of the hook. If the point was flipped up in your picture, the rope would be nestled in the "ring". If I had my ropes or even a chain with me I could post an image - I am sure someone will beat me to it as I won't be home until late.
The rope should go in the crook of the hook. I think that's the description I was seeking. I don't think I would argue against either way you wrapped the "trunk." Both would work as either way the hook will bear the pull. You just want to be pulling on the strongest part of the hook. The only other thing I usually do in a similar spot is to try to keep the hook in the center of the trunk (and in alignment to where you want it to drop). If it is behind the trunk or to the side, under pressure it might pull the tree into a rotation.
Missed this yesterday. Good work Mike. Its always nice when it lands so you dont have to prop it up to buck. You planned it that way, right?
Maasdam rope pullers. I have one with the 20' rope they reccommend (3 strand). You can get them without rope or with a few different lengths of rope. The rope will wear out eventually, but like any good rope, stuff it in a bag, keep it out of the mud, and don't walk on it. Rope is a tool to be respected. I use mine several times a year, not everyday and it will probably last me all my life as long as I don't abuse it. Rope is rated same as puller, 1,500 lbs. I've been very happy with mine. Sure is handy where I can't get the truck in to pull the bull rope or if it's too muddy for the tractor.
