dead oak status?

[pantheraba]

I have this tree waiting for me to do soon. At first I was told it has been dead for a year...then I spoke to the owner's son and he said 2004 was the last time it had leaves...so it is about 4 years dead.

Trunk sounds solid, bark is still attached but you can see that a lot of deadwood has fallen off.

My initial thought is to first get a rope up onto the dead leads (throwline) and try to break them off...that should give me a fair read on the soundness of the wood. If they are sound I will climb to the 3 lead junction and drop the leads about 3-4 feet above that junction.

Then the spar should be a cinch.

OR, I might just work to drop the whole thing towards the fire hydrant...I figure to put a 55 gallon plastic drum over the hydrant to protect it. The only safe was to whole hog flop it is against the lean, toward the hydrant.

BUT....the tree was a co-dom...the downhill side of the tree, where the face cut would have to be, is where the other lead used to be...that part sounds hollow. I guess I would have to make a vertical cut and then horizontal cut to get rid of the old hollow co-dom to reach a good area for a hinge. I haven't done that before.

I'm soliciting suggestions/comments as always. Thanks.

 

[SkwerI]

Make your notch in solid wood above the codom stump and flop the tree toward the hydrant. Don't worry about the hydrant, you won't hurt it (although you might destroy your garbage can if you stick it out there).

 

[FJR]

Do you know what type of oak it is? That can help identify what the decay tendencies are for the species.

 

[arborworks1]

Some MA or few wedges and let it fly, that hydrant should be fine. Looks like the empty lot has a few that are slowly dieing out as well. Make sure you have permission to step foot on the vacant lot, some people you know. Good firewood!

 

[sawinredneck]

Anyway you can figure to flop it, I would do it! Lots of widow makers in those old Oaks! Be careful with it!

 

[NeTree]

Make your notch in solid wood above the codom stump and flop the tree toward the hydrant. Don't worry about the hydrant, you won't hurt it (although you might destroy your garbage can if you stick it out there).

Ditto, and with a pull line.

 

[blewgrass]

hey, newbie here, but was talking about this same sort of issue elsewhere. namely, using a long 1/4 inch drill bit to core sample the tree to see if there is any heartrot. would give you peace of mind ifn you have to climb it and it would give you less surprises if you lay it with it's lean. sucks to start your notch to find out there's no wood for a hinge. just a thought, good luck either way!

 

[squisher]

I know pics are deceiving but you're certain there's not enough room to lay it with the lean?

For what it's worth a bucket truck would have that on the ground in the time it took to take the pictures.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Welcome to the TreeHouse, Blewgrass!

 

[NeTree]

Where in Maine, blew?

 

[Altissimus]

Hey Blew .... Welcome to the Blasters house !!! P.S. ...I'd pull that Oak as well....

 

[SkwerI]

Welcome blewgrass! On a removal you can do the same thing with your saw. Just make a vertical bore cut in line with where you will cut your notch and you won't cause any reduction in hinge strength or structural integrity.

 

[woodworkingboy]

You might get bats flying out of that tree. If the upper part hits the street, impact should be enjoyable to watch.

 

[lumberjack]

I'd flop it.

 

[sawinredneck]

Welcome blewgrass!!!

It should be quite the explosion!!!!!

"And they was parts flying everywhere, I never seen nuthin likes that, me 'n Earl had run fer the house!"

 

[Mr. Sir]

Welcome blewgrass! On a removal you can do the same thing with your saw. Just make a vertical bore cut in line with where you will cut your notch and you won't cause any reduction in hinge strength or structural integrity.

+1

 

[pantheraba]

Make your notch in solid wood above the codom stump and flop the tree toward the hydrant. Don't worry about the hydrant, you won't hurt it (although you might destroy your garbage can if you stick it out there).

Thanks, Brian, that is the other thing I wondered about....seems the easiest, for sure. Re: widow makers, I'll try to shake those leads first to give the loosey-goosey wood a chance to go ahead and fall before I start vibrating the wood with my saw. 10-4 on not worrying about the hydrant.

Pull rope, wedges and MA, for sure.

You guys are great...thanks for the feedback. I'll keep you posted.

And, thanks and welcome, Mr. Blewgrass...good input.

 

[blewgrass]

thanks for the welcomes

Where in Maine, blew?

i be from rockland, me. thanks again for all the welcomes!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I have a tree brother in Appleton.

 

[sotc]

definatley put a rope on that. i doubt even burnham would try to wedge that against the lean (wwbd?) without a rope in it. at the same time id have wedges also. repeat of what been said already

 

[stehansen]

I'm thinking a rope also because the hinge could be super brittle.

 

[lumberjack]

I would only use a rope, and I'd bet my car or mini could pull it over no problem.

 

[pantheraba]

I'll use my Dodge Ram, slow steady pull...should be good.

 

[squisher]

Carl, why wouldn't you put a wedge in? Not because it's needed but as a safety. If anything in your line system fails the wedge would be there to stop it from sitting back and it only takes a second.

 

[sotc]

ditto