That works too. Gatorade bottle taped to the tree inside the notch works just fine. Bang, boom, crash.
I am far from the safety police, but i think i would just let nature run its course. Red oak off the ground like that wont rot and will be perfect firewood. Cant speak for the ash. But i cant say too much as i have tinkered with trees like that before.
I highly highly suggest not touching the tree they are leaning against. Tannerite maybe, but cutting that tree is the most risky scenario. It is very obvious which way it will go. The risks are Any movement of that tree could dislodge one or both trees, you are likely to be hit. That tree has Lateral loading, and it could snap off relatively quickly through your cut, you could now by hit by all three. Widow makers are painful and deadly, several up there even if the main trunk doesn’t dislodge. I wish you were closer as I would have no issue taking care of this. The tree is loaded in two directions, toward the ground creating an upward torque, and through the trunk creating compression. There may be a rotational torque because of the limbs and how they are hitting the standing tree. To me cutting top down is a guaranteed pinch. From the bottom may be also, but if you cut at knee height from the bottom it likely wil fall down snd not punch. Keep your steel toe covered feet back and watch the tree. At least this way, nothing is over your head. I was hired in my late teens to clear 60 acres of woods post ice storm and after a local logger wrecked the hard woods. I spent a ton of time with a neighbor who was a hoarder of wood, incredibly smart, but was dirt poor mostly by choice. He taught me lessons on barber chairs on some big cottonwoods that were half circles, as well as picking apart trees the skidder wadded up. His biggest lesson was drawing the loads on the tree, and ensuring if the loads released suddenly you were not in the way. I spent time with that neighbor because a week in to cutting, I cut into a 10-12 inch maple at chest height that was spring loaded from the skidder. It popped, the power head hit my chest and I flew 5-10 feet with the air knocked out of me. It has never happened again and I cut some crazy trees at times. Physics and watching the tree, but cut so the energy cannot discharge at you directly. Sorry to ramble, but I hate to see anyone hurt
It's too bad I didn't have the camera with me a couple days ago. I had an ash tip over (rotted below ground and wind probably tipped it over). Naturally the top hung in another tree. Not a big ash but I could still get some usable firewood from it. When I cut an 8' log, the rest of the tree tipped as the top then was heavier than the trunk. Dang near hit the tractor! I just stood there and laughed. No harm done.
Thanks for all the insight and tips everyone. You’ve all given me some things to think about here. Tanerite is an interesting thought. The only thing I’m certain of here is if it seems sketchier than it looks when I head up there with the intent to cut, I’m out. Not worth it to me to put myself at risk despite really wanting the firewood from those trees.
