How I Drop a Tree

OK, today, I banged around a while, then around 11:00 started on this project. What I am going to do is dismantle my greenhouse, and put it back together, attached to the yellow building, which is adjacent to the garden. I'll plant some stuff in the 1/3 of a 55 gallon drum, and when the weather warms up, I'll simply pull them to the outside, in the garden, with a winch and pulley. I've figured it all up, I'll end up in good shape on it, won't need to buy anything else, and it will be a lot more convenient for whenever I get real old. A couple years ago, I had a huge tree fall on the overhang of the yellow building, so I want to get the tallest trees that could cause damage out of the way. I lowered one section of fence to flat on the ground and cut all the trees so they would fall there. This is how I do that.

This tree is pretty tall. When it was down, I measured it, 97 ft tall. 18 inches across at the cut, so that could have been quite a lot of weight and reached a long ways.


1: Cut on the opposite side from the direction of your cleared space, or just whichever way I want it to fall. I like to cut about halfway through.


Drive in a couple of wedges, once again, exactly opposite of the direction of the intended fall. Check a time or 2 to be sure you've lefe enough room for your saw.


Cut a little, and keep tapping your wedges in. It don't take long.


Here is the before and after skyline: Before


After:


So, about 7 trees, I worked up a couple of them, but I had to go get the dogs some dogfood. Today was the last day of the cheese sale(BOGO, plus get 50 cents cash back) So I got some more extra sharp cheddar. Messed with the dogs when I got back home, I was telling them the dog food was for me, not them. The little rat terrier knew I was kidding, but that big old bonehead dog thought I was serious. At least, that's what he looked like he was thinking.

I am seriously wore down for the day, considering that I only messed around out there maybe 5 hours. I've really lost my edge with the last couple months of shortened days and cold, rainy weather. Horribly out of shape! I'd hate to think this would be all I could do when I was 80 or something. Glad to finally get in a good lick though. I'll work up everything outside the fence a little at a time, it's not bothering anybody.

[Raven12]

You are a stud. Not a poser, a stud.

[lonelytree]

I have never seen pics using this type of cuts to drop a tree. Your hinge is disturbing to say the least.

May be disturbing to you, but it would be even more disturbing to me if I'd just let it fall the way it wanted to, and broke down some fence or took out 70 ft of asparagus and God knows how much onion and garlic on either side of the asparagus or mashed the daylights out of my building. So, be disturbed. I'm one with the universe.

Hey, R12, I'll be back to top shelf in about 4-5 more weeks. Usually run down for 7-8 weeks when the weather turns off, then takes 5-6 weeks to get it back together when the days start getting longer. BUT, this is what a 61 year old body looks like. I do go to just a little bit of trouble to look like that, though.

[Echoesechos]

Is there a reason you don't use a face cut? Is the tree a Ponderosa Pine? Puzzle bark looks like it.

[simi-steading]

I was wondering the same thing.. why you didn't take a wedge out on the side you wanted it to fall, then your hinge would be in the middle of the tree, More reason the tree would want to fall towards the face cut, and not be so dangerous... .. .You still could have used the wedges on the back cut to make sure it still fell the way you wanted.when tress

What you have left is called a barber chair. When trees fall like that, they have been known to kill people.. Yours isn't real bad, but it could have been... If it would have split up higher, it could have easily been a disaster..

I need that extra height to put my fence on, or even pull a cable for a couple years. I can pull a cable, and tie baling twine droppers and run beans up on it. I'm seriously into functionality. Of course, if I was doing it for someone else, I'd cut it right to the ground. If it don't rain tomorrow, I'll turn the one cedar I cut into a chair, such as this one:

Originally Posted by simi-steading

I was wondering the same thing.. why you didn't take a wedge out on the side you wanted it to fall, then your hinge would be in the middle of the tree, More reason the tree would want to fall towards the face cut, and not be so dangerous... .. .You still could have used the wedges on the back cut to make sure it still fell the way you wanted.

Because I've seen that fail in the worst way. The weight is going to pull the tree. As far as I can tell, cutting a wedge out of the dropping side is some sort of psychological hallucination, inducing a false sense of security. And, above all, I'm a realist.

[Warwalk]

I think we could fight about just about anything here... maybe this is the new America. I'd side with Zong being from the Tarheel state, except he doesn't return messages... (this is a joke. See, even in this it'd start a conflagration!). Glad you got the tree down Zong. =)

[simi-steading]

You might want to check out some youtube videos of barber chairs... The tree splits up the middle (which a face cut helps prevent) then it snaps off somewhere above you... , the tree starts to fall and will roll off that split up above you, and kick backwards at the same time... You are almost positivitly going to be standing somewhere you can't get away once it does barber chair...

I'm glad you got it down without something going really wrong...

[homemaid]

We have cut trees for firewood for many many years. Probably more than you are old. We have NEVER tried to drop a tree without cutting out a wedge. You may still need to use your splitting wedge on the backside. But what you are doing us .VERY dangerous. We have seen many many people be injured and even killed thinking they know how to cut down a tree.

[DaleK]

Just don't do that with anybody else around or teach anybody to do it your way.... killing yourself is one thing, being responsible for killing someone else is something else entirely. Unbelievable that people actually do something so stupid, let alone BRAG about it and present it as an example...

I've only done it this way for a little over 30 years. Ever since I saw a guy use the notch methods and have faith that it would work, and happily cut the tree which then pinched his bar, and about 30 second later, broke his house.
Hey, this way works, and always has, for me. I didn't title it "this is how you think I should cut down a tree" It don't have to be the youtube method, as long as I've never had it fail. And I don't have any false expectations that a notch of the side will counterbalance several thousand pounds of wood, falling as gravity dictates.

Originally Posted by homemaid

We have cut trees for firewood for many many years. Probably more than you are old. We have NEVER tried to drop a tree without cutting out a wedge. You may still need to use your splitting wedge on the backside. But what you are doing us .VERY dangerous. We have seen many many people be injured and even killed thinking they know how to cut down a tree.

You've been cutting down trees for more than 62 years? I do not believe that. Not at all.

Is the tree laying exactly opposite of the cut, or not?? Opinions are opinions. Facts are facts. Look at the pictures. There are your facts. by the fact that I'm typing this, right now, indicates I'm probably not dead. So, I got facts. You got opinions.

[vicker]

It's called a slash cut, Zong and it's not an opinion that it's dangerous, it's fact. Feel free to do as you wish, but we'd be doing a disservice not to call you on it.

Yeah, I used to do that too, until I saw how it gave people a false sense of security. The guy I referred to in post 13? Because he cut down a tree that fell on his house, the insurance company didn't cover it. Clearly he was the sole cause of the damage. And he kept on saying "I made the notch just like I was supposed to" I understand the purpose of the notch. I don't like it. Never have, never will. It's a lot like some people's idea about religion. "As long as I believe, I don't have to think about consequences" Fact is, the weight will carry the tree. Not the notch.

Another thing. I'm dropping these trees in a direction that they do not want to go. Cutting part way through is just going to make a leaning tree able to lean more.

[foxfiredidit]

Yeah, but if he goes and does it the right way, the back of the barber chair (if there is one) will wind up in the middle of the stump and not on the outside edge.

Nice saw Zong, I got its twin and its nephew on the back of my truck. Stay safe.

That's my HuskyV. I really hope it'll take me through the rest of my life. I had a David Bradley that lasted decades. Musta weighed 45 pounds.

[homemaid]

Originally Posted by zong

You've been cutting down trees for more than 62 years? I do not believe that. Not at all.

Hubby is a few years older than that and yes he was cutting trees for over 62 years......
Do I read a bit of arrogance in your posts?? Do as you please but please don't teach anyone how to cut down a tree.