DIY felling - Winch to pull over tree

[Hanz-on]

11 hours ago, Rosanbo said:

I will try to film it.  I'm going to do it no matter what so any help on my questions would be in my best interests.  I know it's a small saw, but I'm sure it can do it.  I have cut a couple of  similar sized trees with it before. 

 

Is that Buckin Billy pun ? Nice one if it is. 

Remeber friends be kind 

[Rough Hewn]

Guy goes on Internet forum for tree professionals.
Asks for advice.
Totally ignores advice.
[emoji108]???[emoji23]

[Tilio-acerion]

14 hours ago, Rosanbo said:

“I don't think I will have any problems doing it just looking for some advice.“

With that attitude, my advice is CRACK ON! ???? just please get someone to film it ????

Edited October 17, 2020 by Tilio-acerion

[josharb87]

Crack on, felling trees isn’t rocket science (although many make it out so!) sounds a small tree, just check out some basic felling cut diagrams and don’t pre tension too much.

 

winch may just be a precaution rather than a necessity? Plenty of “pro’s” unnecessarily rely far to much on pull lines, a diy’er on the other hand it’s a good precaution.

a 13mm rope should be fine. Use a running bowline to choker the rope to the tree

[drinksloe]

The size of the saw is not a problem.

In most of his videos is he not cutting softwoods??

Must admit never been that impressed by bbr, who takes a 30" bar to cut 15" trees??? Well seen he's not carrying his gear very far.

Any one can cut soft woods as u expect the hinge will hold as long as ur cuts are good

 

The thing is sycamore is a pure bastard to cut, I hate the stuff if any targets nearby.

The only thing u can count on is the hinge will not hold any side lean it will snap and go with gravity once tree starts to go even with a winch.

 

 When felling some right behind my house I put 2 winches on as any side lean when it starts to go u can't pump the tirfor quick enough to keep tension on. Some were big others not so but all would off made a mess of roof as had to be felled parralel to house and only growing 3- 10m away on a steep banking above the house.

 

As some said it's not rocket science but if anything valuable nearby by get a pro in.

A pro will no doubt make it look easy but they have the experience to know if that tree will be a problem or not.

If leaning sycamore will barber chair easily the twin stems may even split on u depending how high up and wot join looks like, a pro would evaluate all that in seconds.

Sycamore is not a beginners tree

[drinksloe]

Plus a tree about 1 ft dia can be buggers to fell against the lean/wieght as u don't have the room to put wedges in while saw in cut.

By time I've cut gub and left hinge not a lot of room left for bar+ wedges. That's when they sit back and nip ur bar and u still don't have room to knock a wedge in to get saw free without hitting ur chain.

 

Or if u left hinge to big for safety/**************** up and have knocked a wedge in but tree won't go over u can't put ur saw back in to take more off.

 

A tree that size u can't even put u wedge in the proper way or it will hit hinge before it's lifted enough.

 

Done all the above before and that's with proper training, althou usually cutting corners trying to save time thinking will be ok and ends up taking u way longer than doing it right in 1st place.

I should add tree goes the right way just a pita to get it there.

 

There are more advanced cuts for them but will vary from tree to tree.

 

Give me a big tree any day, far easier if u have room to fell.

Wee trees can just be a baw ache

[Darrin Turnbull]

16 hours ago, Rosanbo said:

I'm not a professional 

I have a MS170 with a standard pico 3/8(?) chain and a 14" bar

 

This is a sycamore tree about 30 ft tall.  For convenience I think I will be cutting it about 4 feet above ground  It is 23 - 26 cm diameter.  

The trunk splits into 2 about 15 feet up.

I have a climbing rope 40m long / 132 ft measures about 13mm diameter.  I am not a climber so I don't know how strong this rope theoretically is.

 

I am going to tie the rope or a strap to the the tree trunk just below where the trunk splits. This will be about 10 ft higher than my cutting point.   Should I go higher, which would mean tying to one of the smaller trunks?  (I think I should tie to the main trunk).

 

Should I tie the rope around the tree trunk or should I use some sort of purpose made strap?  If a strap, can you link to one I should buy please?  And in either case any pictures of the tying method would be appreciated.

 

Should I use my climbing rope or should I buy a better rope or a strap 40 - 50 ft long?  If not my climbing rope, can you link to what you would recommend?   

 

I am going to use a winch to pull it tight then I am going to cut it down.  I have been watching a lot of "Bucking Billy Ray Smith" he is really good I hope you will agree.  

I'll buy some wedges just like Billy Ray uses.... ?

 

Have you got a winch you would recommend? because I am thinking of buying this one I can get it much cheaper than this price.

https://www.silverlinetools.com/en-GB/Product/ProductDetail?ModelName=360375

 

I don't think I will have any problems doing it just looking for some advice.

 

Maybe best to do a chainsaw course first.

[gobbypunk]

The first thing wrong in my eyes is why cut 4ft up and a 30ft tall tree could be a massive fail for a novice I had a standing dead field maple about that big on thursday all the top branches were the wrong side didnt have a felling bar got my gob cut slightly wrong as I am out of practice and it almost sat back on me and I have been felling trees for yrs just goes to show I was in woodland and had my excape routes sused so no probs it went over in the end with a big shove but it could have come back and chased me so thats all it can go so wrong so quick there are photos all over the net of horrific arb fails it just aint worth it get somebody in to at least help

[Khriss]

Yup. Dont fell on yr own. Sling a rope up just incase and  We Have All ****************ked It Up Once in a While. K

[spudulike]

Just get a pic of it and put it on the site. Include one of everything that is within 40' of the trunk so we can see if anything is likely to be clouted if it goes wrong. Look at the trunk for lean and get a photo of this as well - it builds up a picture of risk and the guys on here will give you stick......no sorry....advice on how to mitigate it!

 

I have felled similar small trees, one in close proximity of my neighbours house but it had good lean (away from the house), used a rope and it fell bang on where I wanted it. I have also seen disasters (by others) on roped branches that have gone completely and unexpectedly in the wrong direction with damn near fatal consequences! 

 

Pictures will help get the correct advice.

BTW - I fix saws but tend to only cur firewood!