Craigslist find- couple questions.

Morning,
Found this free on craigslist. Would y’all go about felling this as if it were a complete tree or is there a better way ? Says it is 12’ tall. I think it is a maple but not sure. Going to put eyes on today.

 

If I were to cut it, I would fall it just like it was a full tree

 

Doesn't appear anything is nearby that it could hit. I'd take it down as you described. Looks like White Oak to me. Could be Sugar Maple, hard to say for sure.

 

I'd fell it so as to leave a stump whose height is right for: After felling, I would then cut a 16" round from the stump, leaving not much stump. (My splits are 16" length.)

 

I cut about 20-22 but hear what you are saying. I will see if the guy wants it ground level or left up some.

 

I would fell it as is was a full tree. The problem with shorter spars is getting them to fall over as there is no top weight to tip the center of gravity and get it going.

Fell like you would a normal tree, but use a steel wedge driven as far in as you can then nibble away at the hinge from the edge until it goes over. I felled three of these in the last couple years.

 

Thats how i always gauge my stump height too

 

I’d throw a rope through that v on top, hook rope to my truck, tighten rope, notch it, back cut. If it doesn’t go over, jump in the truck and pull it over.

 

Looks simple enough, I’d use plastic wedges though

 

I wouldn't go near that thing unless I was getting paid. Look at the twist in that trunk, that'll make splitting Elm look like a day at the beach. At 12' though, just put a deeper wedge cut in it, back cut it & drive in a felling wedge, it'll tip right over. Another option is the bore cut method, great "tree" to practice on & if you miss there's not much to hurt with only a 12' spar.

 

I have fell a tree with a bore cut before. Not really a fan. I like a regular face cut wedge and back cut.

 

See…. That right there is why I like FHC so much, people willing to share knowledge and experience. I didn’t look at it close enough to see the twist, I just saw an easy drop. Just another little thing to be aware of next time I’m looking at a potential felling situation, or any score really . It doesn’t look like the twist would affect the dropping, just the splitting once it is down and bucked.
I would still be all over it if it was near me because maple is a rare score for me and I’m used to splitting elm.
Oh …. And something else I have learned to watch for from hanging around here that hasn’t been mentioned,….. it’s a yard tree, watch out for metal

 

Yep. +1

 

There's times when a bore cut is the only safe way vs a traditional wedge cut.

 

Can’t disagree, I am fortunate in that I only take jobs I want and if there is a heavy leaner I walk away. I can be picky I guess I am saying. Bore cut for sure has its place. I will probably take the tree this weekend, if the 32 ton doesn’t like it the Kubota and burn pile will take it without fussing !

 

Yep, only reason for a bore cut here is a place to drive wedges to tip it.

 

Very good point ! Nothing pizzes me off more than ruining a chain on a 40 year old fence or whatever inside a tree. Found it in some weird places too ! Got one down last year in what I would have thought was middle of nowhere, found barb wire in the middle. Makes you wonder what the landscape was all those years ago.

 

Or a bottle jack.

 

Looks a lot like Cottonwood - the rough bark, the way the bark bunches up in the crotch, the grey wood, the twisting.