CRAZY CHAIN? All aboard! Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaa! Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay , Ay

[RopeArmour]

Consulting for the New owner of this over 100 yr old home.
The Sugar may be that old to.
There are three sets of cables/chains in this tree. All in the bottom 1/2.
3/8" chain, 1" rod and weld on eye. There is nothing done right with this chain system and since nothing was done right, it can not be trusted in part or whole and is one big redo. Or remove

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ropearmour?feature=mhum

What do you think?
Crown reduction at the same time.
Should the chains stay?
Please, love to hear from ya.
Any comments, suggestions or maybe someone out there is on the crazy chain? Ha Ha haaaa!

 

[Jed]

Cut that darned thing down. I can really appreciate that it's a venerable old tree, great-great-grandaddy planted it etc. but it'll also make lovely firewood.

 

[NeTree]

Cut that darned thing down. I can really appreciate that it's a venerable old tree, great-great-grandaddy planted it etc. but it'll also make lovely firewood.

+1

 

[Burnham]

I'd vote for removal, too. That whole mess is a loser.

 

[Birdy]

+2 cut it down, its had its day. Time to replant.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I don't know why anyone would want to mess with keeping a tree like that unless somebody was buried beneath it.

 

[NeTree]

I guess nobody else is gonna do it...




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[sotc]

I have seen far worse jobs of cabling, at least most of that gear looked like good stuff even if it wasn't the best setup. Hard call without being there. The old split looks bad as does the fresh tearout but hard to tell how bad. Why would you remove the chains? What would the effect be? Would you replace them?

 

[squisher]

I realize the chain is anodized or whatever the exact process is, but it sure looks quite new still? Also some of the connecting hardware looks quite new but the bolts in the tree look older? What's the dealio?

I'd chop that sucker down with an axe, just to honor the old school.

 

[RopeArmour]

Thanks for the awesomeness, my 12 and 9 yr old boys just turned into a box of toys!
Ozzy sends them spinning in circles.

 

[sotc]

?

 

[squisher]

I don't doubt that you can sense my awesomeness even through the interwebs, but I'mma still not following your post?

 

[SkwerI]

If you have 12" leads splitting out of the tree, it's time to remove it. And that is before I even consider the cable/chain work.

 

[RopeArmour]

I realize the chain is anodized or whatever the exact process is, but it sure looks quite new still? Also some of the connecting hardware looks quite new but the bolts in the tree look older? What's the dealio?

I'd chop that sucker down with an axe, just to honor the old school.

Waiting for some history and facts. I'm in the dark on this to.
I think the new chains were put in as part of the house sale, as well as a recent Large White Pine removal. It was a twin about 10' away and has me worried as well.
I wonder if the new chain replaced a failed chain?
It is pretty sheltered in that back yard with many big old trees surrounding it.
Health wise, the upper crown is low vigor but looks close to typical low down.

My report suggests removing the cap in the crotch as the next step for final decision.

Thanks for the input Men.
Keep you posted.

 

[RopeArmour]

I don't doubt that you can sense my awesomeness even through the interwebs, but I'mma still not following your post?

Kinda referring to Ozzy. But your awesome to.

 

[squisher]

Ahhhhh. Well that's cool, cause Ozzy's got the awesomeness flowing too!


Lol.

 

[Blinky]

I can't tell looking at the pics on a phone but you don't want to be taking out any live canopy on a tree that old.
If it's a very old maple with targets in a good location with good soil conditions and looks not so vigorous plus it has recent tearouts it's probably time to prune somewhere about grade level.
...but then, I'm biased against maples.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

If the HO really wants to keep the tree....

I would put a new system in higher up, give it a nice prune, leave the old system, have HO sign off on any liability after fully advising them on your assessment and recommendation for removal and why (pros & cons), then start a pool and charge admission to view the crazy thing betting when and what will fail next

I am sooooooooo kidding

 

[canadiantreeman]

Haha!

Interesting dilemma. I'd prolly do the same as above, well minus the charging admission and failure pool.

 

[Al Smith]

Wow there must be a half a ton of chain in that damned tree .

 

[Thor's Hammer]

Pollard it. It will last another 100 years as a pollard, and you will get paid to go and redo it every 5 years.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Americans don't do pollarding. ;>)

 

[flushcut]

TIMBER!!!!! Look at the up side you will get enough nice chain to last you a life time.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I just now got the title of this thread. LOL.

 

[bill22]

Chop it down. Squisher, my guess on the chains looking so new would be originally it was cabled,cables got rusty so they were removed and replaced with chain.