Actually posted this elsewhere but kind of a safety thing so figured it maybe serves as a reminder. Back in August we had a major that left an oak leaner hung up about 20' up on a sassafras. Couple days ago the remains of Patricia knocked it down, still on the sass but at a height that I could cut it. Now I've always freely admitted I'm no chainsaw expert but I've read and learned from the more experienced folks here and there and watched the BC feller series. This has given me a healthy respect (fear ) of what can happen. After cutting everything hanging freely, I started cutting the section against the standing sass. My first cut was a top cut made from the uphill side with the sass between me and the leaner. I cut about 1/4 way through watching carefully for any binding. Satisfied with the top cut I started in from the bottom. As my bottom cut approached the top cut, it started to close as the tree settled which I expected so I went after it. All of a sudden there was movement and being a novice it didn't register fast enough and next thing I know the bar is stuck. Now I couldn't figure out how it could be binding both top and bottom but stuck it was. There was just a little holding wood so I grabbed a bow saw and started to cut with my right hand and holding the saw (off with brake on) in my left. Still with the sass between me and the leaner. Suddenly and without warning the tree broke free and shot uphill (towards me) about 4'. It was like I released a trebuchet, if I was not protected by the sass it would have thrown me 20'. Turns out the binding was coming from the backside of the cut and looking back if the saw had not bound the tree would have caught the handle of the running saw as it went by and who knows what could've happened. In any case it nipped my knuckles but no damage. To guys that do this all the time this is probably a mundane story but for the rest of us be careful. In addition with the benefit of hindsight I should have seen this coming as it was "readable" although at this moment I don't know how it could be safely cut. That tension would have to be relieved maybe with a series of cuts. Wood cutting can be exciting.
If you can't pull or push it down you are almost always better off just leaving it. They are called widowmakers for a reason. There are so many ways that they can get you. Don't want to come off like I know it all, far from it. I've messed with a few small widow makers and even a few of those backfired. Since I think we always have this need to do something, it might be best to make a few partial cuts that will help it come down next storm. There's a lot of potential energy in a hung up tree. It's better not to release it.
I bounced the tree and felt no tension but if I had read it right I probably would have left it alone. I knew just enough to establish a protected position but even that could have gone wrong as you're saying.
only way I know how to do it is cut tree that it's snagged in and take them both. So for me its pull it down or take both down or leave it.
It sure makes you think. I take pictures of the iffy ones so I can look at them on the computer for a while before I go after them.
Sounds exciting. Glad your OK. I'm not very expierienced at felling myself. I deal with a lot of leaners. Most of them I cause myself the New England forest can be darn thick. Culling a certain sick tree in a thick forest can do that. I have on occasion found Xtra large straight trees that needed to be culled. There's been a few that no matter which way I looked at dropping them I knew there would be trouble. Large dead branches way up high inter-tangled with all the other tree branches surrounding them. Large healthy trees all around them I have no desire to remove. In my forest I deem these the real dangerous ones. As the tree begins falling those large dead limbscan snap and the more flexible live branches can catapult them things back right in your direction. So twice now I've done as babaganoosh suggested. Preliminary cuts and let nature take its course while I'm safe in the house. One caveat. I do this right before the storm hits. I have family working these woods and never leave anything dangerous hanging around. Here's how I've done it. Cut my notch in the direction I wanted it to go. If that direction is different but not radically so of the natural lean I'll make my felling cut at almost a 45 degree angle. Then I tap in three wedges, tape them together so they become one and go home. As the tree sways in the wind the wedges automatically slide down the angled felling cut and eventually the tree will fall. Without the tape the wedges may just tumble out the side of the cut. It's worked twice for me know. The tree has the rest of the storm to hopefully dislodge itself if it hangs up. All I know is they were laying down the next day and I'm still breathing.
I would just like to add next time you get your saw pinched grab your scrench and remove your power head. Worst case scenario you need a new bar/chain but your powerhead lives on and you are focused on the tree you are cutting and not the saw you are trying to protect. I remember years ago my father and I pounded a nice mcculloch 6 inches into the ground. It didn't survive.
Thanks, so far it's worked twice. As far as the tree is concerned I figure I'll find nothing worse in the morning that what nature would have given me anyway and hopefully I can persuade it to fall in a more beneficial direction. Leaving a tree cut in the woods is not something I take lightly though. I'd rather get wet making the cuts than have anyone wandering by afterwards.
Couple pics of my back yard in August. Leaner festival. Let the pros handle most of it. 18 trees down total. To give you idea of size, the tops in the right foreground are from trees that fell between my two sheds from my neighbors yard. Guess they were about 65-70'. Back where I was cutting today is from my back neighbor. Very dangerous back there from last 3 major storms.
Was going to but there wasn't much holding the cut so figured it would only take a second which it did. You're right of course but if the head was off and my other hand was free I may have put myself a couple inches into the trees path trying to use the bow saw with more authority. Just barely enough smarts and good dose of luck.
Just my inexperienced opinion. When things get dangerous and the bar is pinched. Back off and recalculate. I can always buy a new saw. Life and limb come first.
