Felling Against the Lean.

Didnt realize it was a battery tool. And probably not for sale here either.

 

Go with Jeff’s suggestion. 90* to the lean. Should be a piece of cake.

 

Felled quite a number of trees against the lean. Light trees I will under cut, back cut, then push over with a skid steer. For heavy trees I use a 250’ long 3/8” brace wire cable and put either a tractor or a payloader on it to pull. I do the under cut, then start the back cut. If the tree leans bad it is necessary to apply some pull to the tree to keep the back cut open. I spend considerable time getting the hinge just right as everything depends on the hinge holding while the tree rocks over center. Once the hinge is thin enough (and I leave them thicker for trees I pull) I have the pulling operator gently apply pull. Trees have considerable weight and it takes time to get it moving.
Last leaners I pulled were green ash and I could get an attachment point in place using an extension ladder. 10 years ago we had a number of 80’ tall cotton woods to pull and I used a fishing rod with a golf ball on the line to get a line over a suitable pulling point. The golf ball would pull the fishing line to the ground, once I could reach the golf ball I would attach 350 lb knot strength baler twine to the golf ball and pull it over, then attach a chain and cable to the twine and pull that up the tree in a choker configuration. I could do the whole works from the ground.
Some of those cottonwood trees had a 48” trunk where I felled them.

I am leary of using wedges or jacks to try to push the tree over against the lean. Both methods can reverse the load on the hinge from compressive to a tensile load. If the tensile load causes the hinge to snap before the tree starts to move in the correct direction the tree will fall the wrong way.
Pulling offers far more leverage on the mass and it completely avoids the risk of subjecting the hinge to a tensile load before the tree begins to move.

 

A fiasco that didn't work is all I could say. Not my proudest effort. Felling wedges and hydraulic jack had no effect and trying on another windy day was not smart on my part. Finally talked to the neighbor after trying in vain and a signed FHC waiver form did the trick. A few quick cuts and over it went...the other way. No harm done other than an embarrassing stump that would win worst of the year in MikeInMa's ugly stump thread. No pics of such to save me the embarrassment.

Cleaned up all the brush and bucked everything except what the 462 will finish....over 12" wood. Fallen tree pics to follow shortly. Ill have to do a little raking in the neighbors yard.

Here's the link to the waiver to those not familiar with it. I've used it a few times.
Liability Wavier 2014-08-18

 

Glad to hear it turned out alright and no one was hurt.

 

Good to hear it came down okay. I can only imagine the pucker factor.

 

It was more aggravation than pucker thinking back. The thin plastic wedges were all the way in and the jack wouldn't allow me to go any more. I had to use a metal plate so it wouldnt embed into the wood. It was only a four ton jack too. I don't think the tree budged at all. Don't know why I even bothered as I wasted a lot of time trying, but a good learning experience.

The trees in this yard were planted evenly spaced so there was plenty of room in all directions.

 

Sounds like a good place for some steel wedges...sledge hammer 'em in until she goes over...doesn't always work, but sometimes

 

Actually was my intent, but my steel wedges have gone missing. They resided in the back of the truck for a long period, but when I looked for them yesterday morning where I thought they might be, they weren't. Since I don't sledge an wedge anymore they went MIA. Still at a loss where they were last used/dropped. I had 2-3 of them.

 

You can try stacking wedges next time. A little sawdust on them helps to keep them from spitting back out at you. I have done it successfully before in the past. There are 'high lift' (double taper) wedges also. I bought one couple years ago but haven't needed to employ so far.

 

Glad you got it down safely, even though you did have some extra clean up to do. We need some stump pics...before you clean it up...

 

I cut 2 medium white pine near the house today, the first one had more lean in a bad direction. I normally would seek help but had a plan, went slow, turned out fine. The 1st order was to tie on fairly high, strong rope, tow strap, a ‘come along’ in the middle. I then used felling wedges, with a steel wedge. The tree fell about 90 degrees off ideal, but plenty good enough.

The 2nd tree was smaller, a little easier, but did the same methods. These are two of the worst offenders, adding pine needles to the roof gutters. Not the best firewood, but I’ll mix it in when seasoned. There’s lots of cleanup, I’ll mix it up some, maybe one more tank of gas then some splitting. I’ll try some pictures.

 

Safely done is what matters

 

The two I have are wide slim wedges. I had one at each "corner" tapped in all the way plus the jack in the middle so there was no room even if I had extras. The two of them have been hit by saws numerous times even though I don't use them often. Ill make my own "kerf keepers" as I call them, to prevent pinching in a cut.

 

In hindsight I should've tied it off and tensioned it, but for the amount of work involved and more of a trial and error type of thing. An error in my case!

Glad yours went without issue.

 

Well I tried going against the lean last night. Two clumps of small cottonwoods, nine stems in all, and probably 4 to 8 inches in diameter.
DID NOT go well at all. The second one hung up in the other clump. So I got the one it hung up in cut and the tops of both landed on the barbed wire fence. ( no damage) The next stem was taller and top weighted to the fence but had an arc at the bottom of the trunk making it lean away from the fence slightly. I thought I could do it but apparently the light breeze was a problem also. Made a pretty big notch at the top of the arc to try and take advantage of the slight lean. I barely got an inch into the back cut and it set back and pinched my bar and did a little barber chair. And quite a bit of the top is on and over the fence. I have to go back this evening with another saw to finish up and free up the stuck one.
Still 5 trunks left to cut but the threat to the fence is over (after I clean up yesterday’s mess)! The remaining ones can go wherever the heck they want as long as it’s not on me

 

My 462 bound up while cutting the new notch when I went to fell the tree the other way. Couple small quick cuts with the 241 on the back and over it went. 462 survived. The new to me 2511 don't fare well yesterday...backed into it while moving the truck! Guess I POed the chain saw Gods by buying another brand.

We have our proud moments and not so proud moments. Glad you are safe which is most important.

Good luck with the rest. Oh and you keeping any of the wood?