FELLING QUESTION - HOLLOW SYCAMORE

[Limbrat]

I've got a hollow sycamore to remove. I was going to climb it and block it out but it is just a one inch shell of live wood on two sides and about two to three inches on the side away from the hollow. I can actually press in on the sides and they flex like a plastic drum. It's about ten or twelve feet from the primary on the hollow side and of course I want to drop it away from the lines. I will put a line as high as feasible and pull it but my question is, should I just make a back cut and pull it hard, as there is no wood for a notch, or does someone have another trick to help guide this thing down.

 

[woodworkingboy]

With a line on it, I'd put in a notch or wider kerf and give it a place to want to fold when it is deciding the path of least resistance. Careful with that one!

 

[MasterBlaster]

If you don't have to rope anything, just climb it. Of course, I'm here and not there, but I think it will hold up.

 

[RopeArmour]

With a line on it, I'd put in a notch or wider kerf and give it a place to want to fold when it is deciding the path of least resistance. Careful with that one!

Same here. Have had good success with rotten and hollowed trees
Best o luck

 

[Burnham]

You have next to no good ways to influence the fell if the goosepen opening does not generally face the lay. A bit of solid wood at the corners of your face is all you really need if the lean is to the lay, and a careful pull as the back cut goes in can allow you to overcome backlean, too.

Of course, you can always bring in overpowering pull with speed from a good sized machine and just make a mashup of it but most likely not lose it sideways .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

What Burnam said. You should have enough rind for the corners of the face to hinge.

 

[sotc]

If that opening is toward the back I think I'd make a shallow face, quarter deep maybe, and dump it, it looks like serious head lean. Hard to say when they are that bad

 

[sotc]

I'd be afraid to much pull on it

 

[RegC]

Looks like the opening is on the roadside, head lean towards the parking lot. I don't think you've too much to worry about. Assuming it'll fit In the lot, I'd put a shallow face cut (so not to undermine it too much), and then a level back cut which you should be able to advance pretty rapid as its just a shell. Set a line if the head lean isn't as prominent as appears in the photo.... But from here it looks like its only going one way.

 

[August Hunicke]

Ditto Reg and Willie. Looks like enough limb weight to be a slam dunk, assuming you've got the room opposite the wires. As far as climbing goes; sycamore is some pretty rugged stuff, from the picture, I think I would climb it if I had to, but not if I didn't. I'll fall a tree any chance I get.

 

[jalegre0]

Put some ratchet straps up a long the trunk stop 3 ft from ground. then put a little tension on the rope. Right below ur last strap about 2-3ft from base cut into tree maybe a quarter use own judgment , then at base cut from other side(snap cut) move and pull should snap of nice. When u tension rope before cut just snug it so it won't go the opposite way , you want time to move out of way, probably don't even have to overlap cuts

 

[Limbrat]

Looks like the opening is on the roadside, head lean towards the parking lot. I don't think you've too much to worry about. Assuming it'll fit In the lot, I'd put a shallow face cut (so not to undermine it too much), and then a level back cut which you should be able to advance pretty rapid as its just a shell. Set a line if the head lean isn't as prominent as appears in the photo.... But from here it looks like its only going one way.

The opening is to the road and the power lines Reg and I have room as long as it cooperates, there is a marine store just to the left of the red sailboat.

 

[Altissimus]

...shallow box...heavy line to tirfor....progressive backcut as she comes over center

 

[rbtree]

If no side lean toward the structure, let it fly, using the precautionary ideas by our esteemed board nuts....and kick ass tree monkeys....

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Small drill bit, test for sound wood. Start with a very small face so you can see inside. Like a tiny, tiny face, just for a look, you can always cut more. Looks like it leans to the parking lot. It like a gutted hinge. Leave more at the corners.

When I've done super hollow, I've supported the tree on wedges all around the back cut to keep the tree from sitting down. A very different tree, cottonwood, and 130' with 4-6" shell. Could have cut it with a 200t at 6' across. It was a pull tree.


What do you all think of reaction wood in the hinge?

 

[brendonv]

Cautious man i am id run up and knocked the heads off.

 

[Limbrat]

If no side lean toward the structure, let it fly, using the precautionary ideas by our esteemed board nuts....and kick ass tree monkeys....

Sounds like a plan. I think I will also install a guy line to the side away from the store, there is a big, handy 3' high oak stump on that side that should work nicely as an anchor - just in case. I looked at it again today Sean and the shell is so thin on the sides I think my gaffs would go completely through it, I'm not sure a wedge would do much, I'm afraid the live wood might just fold up like leather. I don't know how in the world it has remained standing through the storms that have come through here. I guess without a top there's not a lot of wind resistance. Just waiting on the store owner to move the boats now and the city to say go. I'll take plenty of pics.

 

[pete mctree]

Shallow face cut for me, then a bar long enough to reach all the way through to enable the hinge to be kept equal at both side, hopefully avoiding it pulling to one side. A line on it would do confidence no harm & the option to rag it over if needed

 

[pantheraba]

Where's NoBivy? Kaboom!!! he would say.

 

[Tucker943]

Dump it right over with a line in it and a face cut. Easy on making the face cut. You don't want to slice in deep and find that you went past a pocket of thicker hinge wood. Poke in easy. You can always make your face bigger, and opt to go deeper in search of better wood for the corners, but you cant go back once you've gone too far. Small face, evaluate the corners, if better wood is touch deeper, another two cuts wont bankrupt you. My best advice is use enough bar for the tree. That way you can make a single sweep through the back and stay uniform on holding wood as you progress through as opposed to hoping side to side, chasing each side to keep up with the other.

That's my take on it, but I am certainly not the best person to ask about tree matters. There's better knowledge to be had here.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Just curious, Ray, what are you pulling with? Dave mentioned using a Tirfor.

 

[Altissimus]

...I do favor the tirfor over the truck or come along...no racheting stroke or slop in the transmission

 

[woodworkingboy]

I agree. I like the Maasdam, light and does a job, but for the more sketchy heavy trees, Tirfor is a fantastic tool. It really brings them up. I hear the much cheaper Chinese copies aren't bad, but Tirfor itself is sure a long lasting quality device. i see ancient ones still in use. I know some guys aren't into cable, maybe the only downside.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

For the record, I would want a long bar and a fast chain. A longer bar will let you see the end through the notch as you watch your nearside corner.

If your anchor stump isn't dead 90 degrees, its either going to do little or pull it to the side, FWIW.

Are you having someone on the pull line, or pretensioning it yourself and cutting?

 

[Limbrat]

Don't own a Trifor Jay but it looks like an awesome tool. Of course I wouldn't want cable up around the primary. I have come alongs, chain hoists, strap hoists and a Dodge. I'll have someone else doing the pull Sean. The stump is at about 80 degrees and if it provides a little pull it will be fine, plenty of room on that side. Got the saw part covered.