Cutting down tree
 

Had a storm come though last week that took down a tree from about half way up. I'm guessing about 25-30 feet remain standing. There are several other trees around it, but few structures. A shed that is protected by other trees and a gazebo, that I think is too far away, plus another tree would block it. Assuming I'm remotely close in getting it to fall the right way. My chainsaw skills are limited to trees already on the ground.

There are some branches only on one side. They are not very big, but still worried they will alter the direction.

Is this something I should be able to do, or call someone.

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Since you had to ask the question if you should do it or not...

Pay someone else to do it. I am an avid DIY'er but things like this can go bad quickly and are unforgiving. I had an uncle that cut trees down for a living but had one bounce off another tree one day and it didn't end well at all.

Probably only cost a couple hundo bucks for someone to drop it while you enjoy a beverage and watch.

I used to cut down trees when they were smaller and I was younger. If you have experience, the right equipment such as a harness then okay. If you have any doubt about it get it professionally done. If you are not sure your heart will be in your mouth and things can go terribly wrong such as hurting yourself or damage to property(I have done the latter).

You might get lucky and things go okay. But on the other hand for peace of mind get a couple of quotes(referrals?) and hire somebody(insured). Life for me is too short to take these kind of chances. Should not be too much money.

You should be able to do it. Get a long rope and a buddy to pull into desired fall line, notch cut from desired direction while buddy pulls on rope, cut 180 degrees from notch, move out of way when it cracks.

Do you have a will? :)

I've cut down a lot of trees in 45 yrs of heating with firewood. This tree concerns me for 2 reasons: 1}. Look at the bends it makes, won't end up where you want it. 2) It is dead and rotten, the top could take you out while cutting, hire it, we have a retired logger that only charges 70 bux\hr

I'd leave it alone to rot away on it's own.....

Those small branches will not have any effect --IF you cut your notches correctly and drop it between the surrounding trees ..as you have indicated. Even if you are off slightly, the weight of the trunk will power those small limbs through any nearby branches it encounters.

Wish I was close. I could have had it on the ground in about as much time as it took to type this.

CUT precisely and then GET AWAY! :)

If you do not know how to fell a tree, using wedges to make it fall where you want it....... Do yourself a favor and pay a licensed and insured contractor to do it.

Looks like a very simple job, but you also seem to be pretty unsure. If you don't feel right about it, I agree you should just get someone with experience to fell it.

^^^^ This...just let a "pro" (or someone else with more experience) drop it for you, then have at it yourself. Shouldn't cost much at all for just a few minutes work for a veteran...YMMV.

The pics may be deceiving but that doesn't look like a very big tree. Cut a notch about 18-24 " from the ground, cut the notch where you want the tree to fall. Cut the notch about 1/3rd of the way in. Then come to the back side of the tree and do a back cut 2 " or so above the front cut. This acts as a hinge as the tree starts to fall. As soon as you see movement or hear cracking back out of there and watch where the tree is going. Looks like you have a lot of trees there how else you going to learn ?

that one looks fairly safe. cut a felling notch in the direction you want it to go..and do the backcut. wham!! looks like you have room for some error.

i kinda think the real danger is when the thing is on the ground. all those branches bent over with all the kinetic energy. that's the hidden danger. but that tree looks pretty tidy all the way up.

make everyone stay inside, lock up the pets. go for it!!

that looks like the prefect candidate for chopping down with an AXE!! jus sayin.

Rope, come-along to another tree, go for it. Worst you can do is hit another tree.

Here's one I did last Sunday. Had to drop it inside the yard and not damage the fence. Trimmed off the branches to control the rotation of the main trunk. Taking the weight off one side causes it to rotate either left or right.

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And here's how it ended up....

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No damage except to my chipper when one of the hammers broke.

I stayed at a hotel 8 last night:
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Let us say a little prayer for the fallen!

Whatever you decide I am rooting for you....

Where's that .gif of the tree falling between the house and the shed, when you need it.

I would wait until the wind is blowing hard in the direction that you want the the to fall in then do the carefully cut notch in the trunk method.

I'm unsure only because I've never done it and I know it could go south quickly without any way to stop it.

The possibility of property collateral damage is very small and frankly, I've love to get rid of the gazebo, but even if it fell on it, I don't think it would do much damage. Frankly, I'd love to get rid of it. (previous owners put it up. It replaced a half-pipe they had while their kids were young.). If it fell where where the 2c bet is above, that would be fine. Everything is far enough away.

I think I'm leaning toward calling someone. That way they can all off the wood. I'd like to do it myself mainly because I like learning. And for felling a tree, this seems to have more room for error than most. I have a few emails to some friends to see if they have done this before. Safety in numbers, right? I had other crap to do today. I'll report back when it is down.

Watch this video 3 times and grab a chainsaw:
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We're looking forward to the video.......

Calling someone else makes for no sense of self-sufficiency and if it all goes wrong, terrible stories--just say'n!!:)

It's been a long time since I've cut down a tree, but I grew up heating with wood and I can tell intuitively which way a tree wants to fall. It's hard to tell without being there, but I don't think it's going to fall the way you think. The branches don't have enough weight to affect its fall. The curve in the truck and the orientation of the trunk will determine where it will fall.

The issue with cutting it is more will it fall on something and break it rather than whether you're likely to get hurt doing it. Unless you're really obtuse or slow it's not likely you'll get hurt cutting one tree out of a pretty clear area. Is it going to hit something where it falls? If not and you're comfortable using a chainsaw then don't worry about it. If you need to drop it somewhere specifically then you better use a professional.

If you're comfortable with a saw, start by cutting a notch in the side of the tree you want to fall first. If you cut the notch less than half way the tree won't fall when you do the notch. Once the notch is in place, cut parallel to the ground on the back (un-notched) side of the tree. As you get close to finishing you'll hear the tree cracking and it will start to move. Just back up and wait for Gravity to take over. If it doesn't fall, carefully go back to the same cut and keep going. If you stay out from under the tree as it falls and away from the back of the trunk as it kicks back during the fall, you'll be fine. I wouldn't be worried about the tree hitting you. I'd be more worried about the saw kicking back or being pushed into the saw and getting cut.

Good advice from all in this thread, but we are "veterans" with experience, proper tools (the right saws, wedges, come-a-longs, etc.), intuition, and did I mention EXPERIENCE on our side, but we all started somewhere. This tree "might" be a candidate to learn on....just be aware of any potential "widow makers" (hanging branches, rotten portions) and take it slow and easy. The technique for notching and dropping it where you want isn't difficult....and that's all this tree requires imo from what I can see....but I'm NOT there ;)

Be careful and have someone else hold your beer and the video camera :D

:) Leave that poor tree alone. It's fine just the way it is, and in a few years you won't even see that it lost its top.

There's your EXPERIENCED advice right there.

This!
Interesting to read all the precautionary posts for such a simple chore.
Holy Crap!...if nothing else, there must be tons of YouTube videos for this.
.
An ex g/f used to say, "Where have all the MEN gone?"

Funny. This just showed up today in the mail. Forgot I bought it.

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Sent via Jedi mind trick.

When in doubt...farm it out.;)

I would be concerned more about a widow-maker snapping off that tree or another one and doing some physical damage to someone on the ground. You should be able to find someone good in the Pixburgh area for around $250-300 for that small of a tree. Either have him buck it up and haul it away or put an ad on craigslist for free firewood. Should be gone by the weekend.

i say go for it. you will have to pay attention, for sure.
what could go wrong?

Step one: Do a google search "Idiot cutting down a tree" video
Step two: Watch them all
Step three: Call a professional

Pelican tree cutting party at Aggies place? I've got a chainsaw, dumptruck and marginal tree cutting skills. Hey, it's not my yard...

Targa and Fred, come on over. Need to get some crap done on the car that I have not had time to do as well.

I just bought two cases of beer. One for before, one for after.

are you really in da burgh or where?

I had two big trees on the property line, largest was properly 10 inch trunk... my wife had seen me trim the avocado tree so she asked "can't you cut down that big tree?"

We called a professional.

She watched them (a crew of four guys) take down the tree while I was at work, she texted me "that was scary as heck!!! Glad you didn't try to do that!"

I've cut up plenty of trees, but I've never cut one down.

I love playing with chainsaws and enjoy the hunter gather thing of getting firewood, but I have never cut down a tree - tree hugger sort of guy. . Everything I get has been blown down in a storm.

I've cut down a goodly number of trees....up to 24 inch dia. and over 100 feet tall......enough to know when I'm out of my depth and it's time to call in a pro. I've watched some artists work.

That pictured weenie looks like a piece of cake, but I'm not standing there looking at it.
If you're not comfortable with doing the job, call in someone that is.

i cut one down, larger than that one, last week.
did it by hand with an old buck saw.
missed the wife's new Prius by at least 3 feet. : )

Better luck next time :D

How hard could it be???
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