Clearing windblown Lawson Cypress from house

[Andrew Barrett]

An interesting job we did last week (ably aided by Sean Tynan on the ground, who is also on Arbtalk). I added the pictures in the correct order but I'm not sure if they'll get scrambled during upload. We also had to arrange to get an overhead power cable supplying the house disconnected and a generator fitted whilst it was off.

 

It felt strange doing the climbing as it wasn't safe to use a positioning lanyard in case the tree rolled off the summer house or caused it to collapse during the work. I had a top line into an adjacent Lawson Cypress - using a retrievable pulley choked around five thin stems as high as I dared in the previously topped tree. It was pretty windy when we removed the tree and the top of the adjacent Lawsons I was roped off was moving around in the gusts lifting me up and down by as much as a foot and a half. It nearly pulled me right up and threw me off the opposite side into the hedge more than once!

 

We supported the end of the main stem off the next tree and used two pulleys so that we could use a winch horizontally to lift the trunk up and over the house oil tank and lay it down on the deck (after removing the top).

 

I'm interested to ask how others would have done this job if there was no tree next to it to put a top support rope in. Even a crane would have been very difficult as there was an exceptionally narrow driveway entrance and further unshielded overhead power cables running parallel to the road that would have been between the crane and tree. Also the road was a narrow (though fairly busy) two lane with a blind corner that would probably have required complete closure to allow crane to operate.

 

I'd also like to ask peoples' advice about a choice of rope for specifically for winching. I don't want to buy a new set of pulleys to use with winch cable but would like to be able to use a heavier winch with confidence with a very strong low stretch rope. Does anyone have experience with dyneema ropes?

[john p]

proper job!!

[Alinicoll]

That looked like an interesting job.

[mendiplogs]

An interesting job we did last week (ably aided by Sean Tynan on the ground, who is also on Arbtalk). I added the pictures in the correct order but I'm not sure if they'll get scrambled during upload. We also had to arrange to get an overhead power cable supplying the house disconnected and a generator fitted whilst it was off.

 

It felt strange doing the climbing as it wasn't safe to use a positioning lanyard in case the tree rolled off the summer house or caused it to collapse during the work. I had a top line into an adjacent Lawson Cypress - using a retrievable pulley choked around five thin stems as high as I dared in the previously topped tree. It was pretty windy when we removed the tree and the top of the adjacent Lawsons I was roped off was moving around in the gusts lifting me up and down by as much as a foot and a half. It nearly pulled me right up and threw me off the opposite side into the hedge more than once!

 

We supported the end of the main stem off the next tree and used two pulleys so that we could use a winch horizontally to lift the trunk up and over the house oil tank and lay it down on the deck (after removing the top).

 

I'm interested to ask how others would have done this job if there was no tree next to it to put a top support rope in. Even a crane would have been very difficult as there was an exceptionally narrow driveway entrance and further unshielded overhead power cables running parallel to the road that would have been between the crane and tree. Also the road was a narrow (though fairly busy) two lane with a blind corner that would probably have required complete closure to allow crane to operate.

 

I'd also like to ask peoples' advice about a choice of rope for specifically for winching. I don't want to buy a new set of pulleys to use with winch cable but would like to be able to use a heavier winch with confidence with a very strong low stretch rope. Does anyone have experience with dyneema ropes?

 

HI MATE nice job there mate well done :thumbup:any damage to house thanks jon

[Spruce Pirate]

Without the adjacent trees I don't see what you could do other than get some kind of crane in.

 

Even with the trees it still looks a proper head scratcher of a job. Good result, very tidy.

[Andrew Barrett]

HI MATE nice job there mate well done :thumbup:any damage to house thanks jon

 

Surprisingly little damage to the main house: just a few tiles, guttering etc as far as I could see. We took away almost two tons of chip, about two and a half tons of wood and I reckon the rootstock weighed about half a ton with all the soil and roots attached. Whoever built the summer house it was mainly sat on built it strong!

[Spruce Pirate]

Whoever built the summer house it was mainly sat on built it strong!

 

Must've done if it supported the whole tree including the root ball! Presumably it withstood the dynamic loading of the rootball lifting out of the ground as well. Buitlt 'em strong back in the day.

[kentjames]

nice work, looks like they were very lucky overall it didn't cause more damage.

[Big 'Ammer]

Nicely done!

 

I would have done similar, but from a mewp, to save getting bounced around on a rope.

 

Supported the heavy timber at both ends from the nearest trees, making adjustments to support ropes as required as weight is removed from the top.

 

If that's a chipper or truck wheel above the plastic oil tank in one of the pics, then there would be sufficient access for a tracked machine.

[Buzzsurgeon]

Lob root ball off then enter the gypsy stick