Pulling a leaning cottonwood

ValleyArborist

ValleyArborist

TreeHouser
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
104
Location
Pittsburgh PA area- From Virginia
Here are a few pics of a leaning cottonwood we felled using an improvised 5:1 system. Worked pretty well. Not super tall, but it did take most of the 36" bar on the 660 to cut it. Nothing too interesting I guess, Just want to add something to the mix here.

<a href="http://www.uploadhouse.com/viewfile.php?id=10283813&showlnk=0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image Hosted by UploadHouse.com" src="http://img6.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/10283/10283813d4a677859a019f64b9f47484cd484b4a.jpg" border="0"></a>

<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/bigcottonwoodonthegroun.jpg/'><img src='http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/5092/bigcottonwoodonthegroun.jpg' border='0'/></a>

<a href="http://www.uploadhouse.com/viewfile.php?id=10283810&showlnk=0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image Hosted by UploadHouse.com" src="http://img9.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/10283/102838108ca21a6b3c7fc1f76d9a90ec822e175b.jpg" border="0"></a>
 
Last edited:
Good deal. :thumbup:
We do have a few long running, ongoing threads for lots of the day to day stuff. The 'official work pictures' thread, the 'How'd it go today?' thread, the 'OCGD thread' (obsessive compulsive gear disorder) and a few others.

That thing had quite a back lean to it, but the proper application of leverage and know-how took care of that. Stig will be thrilled with your low stump cut. :lol:
 
Thanks man: It's always cool for me to see shots of how other arborists handle stuff. It's weird: usually it's almost no different; sometimes it's very different. Well done. I'm envious of what looks like a good, level stump.:D
 
Thanks for posting. A nice even cut at the base. I like the alternating cut and pull technique, it can get a lot of trees over that have substantial back lean.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8
I wish I had pics of the other tree service that was helping us out on this job. They had a Boxer that they had fabricated a Porta Wrap onto. They used it for attaching pull lines to and tensioning the lines when pulling in tight quarters. I'm usually leary of using machines to pull over trees, but it looked like a good method.
 
Noway Jay! Ginkgo fruit is by the far the smelliest turd that I can think of, and that is native to China.
 
CurSedVoyce said:
Nice hinge pic. :thumbup:
I am the same way, mechanical advantage at our company most often does not include powered equipment or trucks pulling :D
Click to expand...

Some times it is just quicker to use a truck I think. I do like using my rigging to set up some crazy big pulls from time to time.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16
I've found that pulling with a truck is ok if it is a smooth consistent pull, but if you have a jumpy operator behind the wheel, you can start rocking the tree or even completely break the holding wood is given too much oomph. Thats what creeps me out about using a vehicle to pull with. I have used a winch though and that really works well.
 
Many times the driver of the truck doing the pulling thinks that more pulling is better. Most of the time there is little consequence to using too much power so therefore you end up with guys like Murphy who believe they are the greatest tree guys in the world because they use a skid steer to pull rigging on 8" limbs. The trick is to know how much power you need and apply the appropriate amount.
 
I have a guy who gets what to do smooth and steady. He and I have a nice chat before every pull with the truck or any pull for that matter. I get the tree standing on some wedges first.
 
I love it when the hinge wood is exactly the same thickness from one side all the way to the other like that. Most of my cuts aren't quite so perfect. Nice!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #22
Thanks a lot guys. This was a big job for a property management firm. There were about 20 nasty, dead cottonwoods along the fenceline of the property. They were all about this same size. It took five guys about 3 long days to get them down, chip the brush, and haul the wood off in roll off containers. Out of the twenty or so, I think we only had to climb one if I remember correctly.We were luckily able to get our chippers in pretty close to the trees. 20 of these tend to fill chip boxes up fast, so there was a lot of running to the dump.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #23
And as much as a love the praise for the cut, I have to confess that it isnt so perfect if you look closely. Most of these trees were done with a 36" bar. Being an east coast guy, I do great with bars up to about 28" and use those on a regular basis. 36" is fairly rare for me to use unless its a crane job or something. Everytime I use one, I have to almost relearn how to cut with it. It actually took me about 3 trees to really start making nice straight hinges. The first couple were pretty shameful and uneven.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Pruning advice - New Tree
Replies
16
Views
2K
Bermy
Bermy
SouthSoundTree
Labor-Saving Techniques and Tools
6 7 8
Replies
175
Views
21K
flushcut
flushcut
mistahbenn
Fat pin oak, tiny backyard!
2 3
Replies
53
Views
6K
Altissimus
Altissimus
NickfromWI
A Lucky Feller (vid)
Replies
19
Views
3K
forestryworks
F
NorthWoodsDiver
Tree of holes
Replies
19
Views
3K
NorthWoodsDiver
NorthWoodsDiver
Back
Top