buZZsaw BRAD asked so here is a couple pictures of the project that I have going on right now (other than a few Ash logs to buck). I feel like this is a big game of "pick up sticks" where you have to pull the right ones before the entanglement falls. The big Poplar fell and got hung up. After an ice storm it settled more and split the Ash on the left in the above picture. Below is a view looking toward the left more. And finally a view from the other side looking at the Poplar. At this point, I am just hacking away at it in hopes that nature helps me out a bit. It isn't what I would go for, but its wood and its dead. Plenty of widow makers in there though. Definitely PPE time.
Nice snag of wood. Go slow. Think through where to cut and where not to cut. Respect gravity and have some fun!
Absolutely. My plan is to start with the non-weight bearing branches and dismantle it little by little. When I get through all that, I'm thinking I will probably see if I can make a few planned cuts and see if nature will help take it down during a snow. I want to get the easy pieces first, but I certainly don't need this monster ruining a day or more. I think there is an opportunity to cut the smaller Ash that split and see if that will relieve some kinetic energy. Maybe the Poplar will settle some more. I didn't get a picture closer of it, but the Poplar is hanging on a hinge, its not on the ground, so I keep watching for shifting. There are a few larger limbs that keep it from rolling, but I'm treating it as unstable until its totally on the ground. On the plus side, as long as its in the air, its not rotting as quickly.
Wicked nice tangle. [/sarcasm] I've had a lot of red maple blow downs just like that. +1 on the go slow. Expect the opposite to happen of what looks like will happen. Hope you have no pinched bars to cut free.
I cut a leaner today, sort of like some of that stuff, but on a smaller scale. It was an oak leaner that was leaning pretty hard, but had a dead limb (widow maker) running through it from another tree. It was in a fence row and my fence wires had been stapled to it for many years. I knew it would fall eventually and take my fence out. I considered just letting it happen and fixing the fence later, but I hated to. I went and got my old hardhat I used in construction for a lot of years. But I didn't want to take a chance on getting hit, regardless. I made the face cut up high above the top fence wire, then I had to go to the other side and I left a little more holding wood then normal because I sure didn't want that thing coming back on me. And then I started the back cut. The tree started to go, but stopped because of the widow maker hang up. But I still had a lot of holding wood left for a good hing, so I cut a little deeper and she finally tore loose and fell bringing down the widow maker in the process, but I was well clear of it. It really happened just like I envisioned it, but I studied on it for a while before I did it. Getting in a hurry on trees like that can get you hurt. My fence is still good and I am just going to leave the stump high. However, I have two more right beside it that need to go and they are hung up together. I may leave them for a while and see what nature does. All of these trees are partially dead. Not worth getting killed over.
I am with you on that. I have been looking at this thing off and on for about a month. I take a little here and there and check out opportunities. Fortunately, its in an area where all the damage has already been done, so I don't have a pressing need to get it done. Good work on the fence line! That has to feel good. I love it when things work out just like you envision it. That doesn't happen nearly enough in life.
Yes, go slow and be prepared to bail to save your bacon. That tangle looks like bar pinching hell. A come along or winch will help a lot to clear dangerous parts.
No problem. Anytime you can take care of an issue and not put yourself in harm's way is the best way.
Whittling away is what I do, just about always, if I drop a tree with a lot limbs. That way when I finally get to the trunk, there isn't any limbs left to whack me if it rolls on me. You definitely have some interesting cutting in that jungle to consider. I bet a good rope or two would come in handy, also.
My dad gave me a big rope that he used to fell trees a while back, so I imagine that will get used too at some point.
I have a ton of small Mulberry and misc volunteer trees to get rid of too, so knowing me, I will probably rotate through the different tasks to keep it interesting.
