*Gulp.* I'm not sure I can help you with this one...

I've helped a few of my suburban neighbors with their tree-related problems, and it seems word is getting around. Today I got a call from someone whose husband hopes to cut down a tree that split in a recent storm, and who wanted my advice about "where to cut it." So I strolled down the block for a look-see.

A red oak better than 24" in diameter, broken about 15' off the ground with the split continuing through the trunk for several feet below the break. The standing part is leaning across a creek towards a neighbor's deck. There's at least one widowmaker, no vehicle access and and nothing in the yard to anchor a rope to. I think this might be above my pay grade.

 

I'm sure they'd love to have you, but I don't think you'd enjoy carrying the wood out of the yard. The tree sits at the bottom of a significant hill. I have reason to suspect they're in less-than-great financial circumstances, and I'd love to help them out, but I don't climb so the most I could do with confidence would be to take the tension and weight off the stuff that's on the ground.

 

That's what I guessed would be the best way. I could see zipping off the brush, reducing weight and taking tension off some of the bent branches from the ground, but at some point I'd be left with a heavy piece of wood suspended some distance off the ground, hanging by unpredictable splinters, and the rest of the tree would still have to come down. Most likely the only thing I will do is try to talk them out of DIYing this one.

 

I'd be interested in seeing what they decide.
Jon, if you were able remove the widow maker and have the remaining 1/2 standing, is it droppable with the deep split? Or just too unpredictable?

 

There's room to drop it, but it's got a slight lean going the wrong way. I could put put a rope up into it, but there isn't much in the yard to tie it off to.

 

Come alongs, wedges and physics are your friend

 

My 2 cents: tell him you won't even lend him a 10 foot pole for him to touch it with. If he is too cheap to pay for a professional, mother nature will take care of it for him if he has the patience.

 

He might be okay with that if not for the likelihood that Mother Nature would take care of the neighbor's deck at the same time. I don't know the specifics of Pennsylvania tree law, but with it being on his property and obviously threatening his neighbor's house, he might be liable if he doesn't get it taken care of.

 

If you just do it for the wood, or to help, don't take on a risk you aren't up to.
I scrounge my wood, but won't take on what I have real doubts about. I have a wife, kids, and church that depend on me being able to work.

 

Oh, absolutely. It's tempting to look at it as a fun challenge, but the risk:reward ratio doesn't look so hot.

 

Jon is there a chance that tree is unstable with all this dry weather? Is there a chance that split will continue down and break off if the widow maker is removed?

 

I doubt it. The tree is still alive, and anyhow Pittsburgh's weather hasn't been nearly as dry as some places this summer. The tree is just a few yards from a creek, so it's well-hydrated. If the broken piece were somehow removed and I wanted to fell the rest of the tree, my main worry about the vertical split is that it might continue far enough down to compromise the hinge. It doesn't look like it would do so, but it's not easy to say for sure. I'd be inclined to wrap the trunk with chains or heavy ratchet straps just to make sure it stayed together until it was on the ground.

 

+1
Some thing are best left for the pro's

Not that you couldn't do it, but the risk is higher than the reward !!!

 

X2

 

Soon as I saw your post, an old Kenny Rogers song played in my head:
Know when to hold 'em,
Know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away,
Know when to run...

 

That mess doesn't really look too bad from my perspective, I'd be cleaning up everything I could from the side the camera is on, and then drop the other half in the same spot with some carefully planned cuts and proper wedges. But that's just me. That is a time-consuming job for sure.

 

I have done one similar hit by lightning. I am certainly not recommending you try it! it was on my land worried about the kids. nothing I didn't own around it. Called a cousin he came up we did it together.. chained trunk together made a face cut had a high rope on back of tractor encouraging it.. very careful back cut used more wedges than normal it started talking (popping and cracking) and I got safe distance 6 minutes later it fell.. normally I am cutting when they start talking.. on that mess only hitting wedges 3lb hammer and listening..

Go with your gut!