Norway maple split

[flushcut]

So about three weeks ago I had a Norway maple split on me. It was a small tree barely ten inches at the dirt modest lean but nothing extreme. Easy enough to cut and let fly half of the tree and the rest needed some rigging. Once I got it limbed up and took the top out with rigging in another bigger tree above it the maple split down the trunk. But it split probably a minute after the top was out and on the ground. Anybody have a Norway maple split like this? I didn’t rig anything off of this tree and I was in the lift.

 

[SeanKroll]

Bigleaf maple can start to split while being cut.

Did it have a strong lean to start?

How much did it split?

 

[cory]

I've had that.

I just figure it's reaction to having alot of weight or stress removed.

 

[flushcut]

Bigleaf maple can start to split while being cut.

Did it have a strong lean to start?

How much did it split?

It split about 10 feet down the trunk with about 25’ of trunk remaining. There was lean but not a lot of lean maybe five degrees out of plumb. And the rigging was almost directly above it in a big oak so virtually no loading of the trunk. It just surprised me that it split after the top was on the ground, untied, and the line was on its way back up.

 

[flushcut]

And the split stayed practically closed 1/4” gap at the top.

 

[cory]

Same here but maybe only 4' down the trunk