free fall dismantling large limbs

[tree-fancier123]

so I usually do hedges and smaller trees, what I want to know is when a medium large tree is being dismantled, what are the methods to take off the lower limbs, say ones 12" and above in diameter? I'm not thinking lowering, just freefall, but read on here some time back I think Moray Jim it could have been, tried severing a large oak limb in one and it split on him and he walked away but was lucky really. I seem to remember a step cut and people with various suggestions - like should have walked out and done it in bits to relieve tension on the limb (seems safest, but less expedient), also seem to remember re the step cut that matched cut is better, not inboard or outboard. Maybe the best cut wasnt even discussed, which is why I'm asking - maybe freefall large limbs in one is too risky, even for the best? Especially if you have to be lanyarded to the thing to attain work position, perhaps not as bad if you can triangulate your lines from above?

Would anyone bore in the side of a large horizontal limb to remove in one to prevent splitting? Other people on that previous post about the oak accident said about using a big saw on a small bar - cut through quick before its splits basically (sounded risky to me) so whats the word on the street re getting big limbs off safely? Or is there no safe way?

On medium or large tree how much time would be saved lopping all the heavy limbs off in one as opposed to in sections branch walking - my guess 90 to 120 minutes - nothing if your lanyard is popping as the limb splits. But some people prefer to take a horizontal limb in one when dismantling?

Edited September 6, 2018 by tree-fancier123

[TIMON]

Great question. If in doubt,... the old saying ‘ go small and go home ‘ comes to mind. After all, you’re more than likely going to have to cut a big limb up on the floor anyway.
If you’re insistent on dropping it in one go then you could also cut each side of the limb (vertically) in line with the undercut to reduce tension, then a very slighty inboard cut with a quick saw should ensure the limb falls flat reducing the risk of it taking a ‘bad bounce’ on its tip. Not a good situation, especially with a big lower limb.
Best advice I think would be take it in small pieces. You’d be getting good practice at branch walking, work positioning and dismantling at the same time as staying safe...
Win-win.
Good luck.

[Mick Dempsey]

As they say, it depends.

 

Mostly on species, cedar for example will pop off lovely, spruce will hang and pinch the saw.

 

[Steve Bullman]

Proceed with caution.  These things can only be learnt with experience, and if you go head on into removing large limbs with no experience things are bound to go wrong.

Boring into a horizontal limb is almost certainly going to end in disaster.
What species are you cutting?

[tree-fancier123]

4 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

Boring into a horizontal limb is almost certainly going to end in disaster.

oak is what prompted the question, but interested in the methods to be applied to anything, interesting what Mick says about cedar

 

so the dog tooth cut that they teach to fell a leaning tree - a nearly horizontal limb surely is an extreme case of a lean?

i probably will do the branch walking on any dismantles I get, but was interested in how the pros do it to save time if that's the case and learning their secrets, without having to turn up on site and operate a rake for many years

[Steve Bullman]

A horizontal limb is going to be under a massive amount of tension, good chance you will end up getting your bar nipped up regardless of experience 

[tree-fancier123]

ok so the bar could get trapped

any experienced climbers willing to share experiences of big trees they've dismantled and lower limbs came off in one?

Breakdown of methods used, safety etc - or is it just very rarely if ever done that way with a big limb?

Also I can see the tip bounce that Timon mentioned being a disaster waiting to happen if the but swings round and twats someone or something!

Bucking Billy Ray - maybe he has a tutorial on it? ?

Edited September 6, 2018 by tree-fancier123

[stihlmadasever]

With big meaty limbs that can be free falled we usually set up a crotch rig with a cradle set up,just means you can take big sections,dont need to worry about it popping off or pinching your bar.

Had a oak limb take my saw away from me years ago,bar got caught in the kerf, SHAT IT.......

luckily saw wasnt attatched to my harness,i was advised by a more experienced climber at that point to do that....

As said above most folks will take sections rather than the full bhuna

 

[tree-fancier123]

2 minutes ago, stihlmadasever said:

we usually set up a crotch rig with a cradle set up,just means you can take big sections,dont need to worry about it popping off or pinching your bar.

cool, so sometimes natural crotching a big bit is quicker than a branch walk and lots of free fall?

[stihlmadasever]

33 minutes ago, tree-fancier123 said:

cool, so sometimes natural crotching a big bit is quicker than a branch walk and lots of free fall?

Yes it can be sometimes but it depends on a host of variables obviously