OK, my widowmaker beech is still hung up. I'll have to throw a bag with a line and take it down, probably in fall as I have a couple trees that are down to cut up first. Here's the widowmaker. It did move down a little but it probably won't go on its own. And from under the snag. That's as close as I'll get. This basswood uprooted in a windstorm, but the widowmaker would fall. Really? I'll cut this basswood up for shoulder wood this spring yet. It's near my morel hotspot, so cutting it this spring will probably get me more shrooms. I wish it were sugar maple, or oak, or even elm, but whatever.
Can you tie a cable with a solid come along 20 or so feet up the base on the beech? If so, I would tie it off a ways from the tree pulling to whichever direction there is a lean. From there, very very carefully cut the base watching the leaner. Apply some line pressure yourself, when you are away from the base and pull the whole thing over. I have done this twice with similar wood and it is tricky. The leaning top likely will be putting pressure to the left of the picture, so cutting has to be done with extreme awareness. I used a 48 inch bar which gave me a visibility of the top and also kept my body upright and away from the trunk.......just a disclaimer, if you are not comfortable doing this, I suggest not as it takes focus and nerves of steel. No point in getting killed for a weeks worth of wood if you are not comfortable.
I keep saying that, despite 2, if not 3 super windy days with over 60mph wind gusts, it's still hung up. Woodsnwoods I'm not going anywhere near that tree trunk with a saw. A line thrown over the top pulled by the quad at a 45° or so angle should free it pretty easily.
Stupid question, is walking under the hanger and pulling down on the cable any more or less safe than cutting the trunk? Get out a shotgun and make some wood rain!!! All kidding aside, I realize it is a judgement call so do what you feel is safe
I think he was planning to pull it at an angle, so he's not standing under the widowmaker when it starts to move. Standing under it for a pic is certainly less danger than standing under it and cutting into the trunk with a chainsaw. The only time I'd consider attempting that is if the top was hanging straight down and not touching the ground or anything else. It's probably toppled in the direction of the prevailing winds, am I right? I had one just like that. Survived many a wind storm too. It finally separated from the trunk (after I got a rope around it), but it's still not on the ground yet. It ended up cantilevered in the other tree it was hung up in.
Agreed, but to get a rope over and around it, I would think you would need to cinch it right? When you throw the rope or cable over it, it will hang directly below the tree. I am not being negative, just curious I guess.
cool cool. makes sense. I just picture being directly under the hanger, grabbing the rope. Hangers are mystical beasts right
I wouldn't be standing under the tree with a line on a heavy enough but throwable piece. It would all be from the side, and I'd still run away to make sure I was clear if it moved at all. But I get your point.
That one picture of the top, I'm still away from it, not directly under it, and there were trees to block it off it finally fell in a no wind day Yeah, the widowmaker is pretty much in the direction of the NW wind that presumably broke it off.
So it must be mythical, I found a small hanger in the woods last night. 8 inch or so cherry, broke off about 20 ft up and laying in the neighboring tree. I think I will document how I manage these this weekend and post the results on Monday. If you get zero update, I am somewhere in the hospital or worse, supporting the other methods of rope and pull
Well please be careful. To me it seems like an awful lot of risk for not very much reward. While it can be very satisfying doing something "just to prove a point"; more often than not, thinking like that gets me in trouble. Please don't take any of this the wrong way. I don't think anyone is doubting your claims or abilities - I only meant to suggest a safer alternative that doesn't involve working directly under the widowmaker. I just worry about my fellow hoarder's safety when it comes to things like this. They didn't earn the title of "widowmaker" for nothing. Good Luck, -Shawn
Trust me, I will not do this if I think I will get hurt. Little tree, little hanger, will still cut this as if it were a 100 plus foot maple. Not insulting the group, but I only act really stupid for the chicks
Forget the widowmaker, I would take the tree just to the left of it! Basswood is nice and easy to split anyhow. I have a big one laying out in the woods but it isnt worth processing as I have better wood closer to home. Wish I could mill it though.
The tree it's stuck on is a healthy beech. I'm not taking that tree down. It will come down pretty easily once I commit to it. Also, you won't catch me under that tree top hanger. This basswood is easy to get. So I'll get it.
