JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 So I'm sitting on the deck and I notice the nearby Shaggy Bark Hickory Tree is leaning over my house! The lean angle had actually changed and was certainly more threatening to the house. Should I call a tree service and have the professionals remove the tree? Nah, too expensive with the cost estimate North of $2,000.00. So I decided to fell the suspect tree myself. Here are my results! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Once cut, I could see that I did indeed have a problem. You can see diseased wood in this photo. When the house was built 20 years ago the bark on this tree was damaged. This is were the wood looks bad all the way to the bark. The tree had gotten weak enough to start leaning into that area most damaged which is of course facing the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Lastly I found this worm looking thing sticking up from the stump. Wonder what this is. Mighty tough to not break with the hinge when the tree fell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 The Polyphageous Shot Hole Borer and the Golden Spotted Oak Borer are pretty rampant here in SoCal. Infestation spreads quickly and great caution must be used removing the tree and disposing of the diseased wood. There actually is supposed to be some sort of tree vaccination; however, it only lasts for two years and who knows the financial cost. You’re either skilled or lucky felling that tree yourself…that was big enough to do some serious damage to your house. Glad it came down safely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) I've dropped several over the years close to homes but this was the toughest one yet. I used a long steel winch cable tied 3/4 of the way up the tree and a come-a-long to pull an opposing force on the leaning tree. I then used a 12K lb rope to pull the tree in the direction I wanted it to fall. The tree actually fell on the pulling rope. I guess that happens when your planning and saw cuts are good. Now to cut, split, and stack this for next Winters firewood. Edited March 12, 2015 by JL Sargent 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted March 12, 2015 Moderators Share Posted March 12, 2015 That is amazing. Did a truck back up into or something 20 years ago? That worm looking thing is really wierd, like borer damage or something, but I don't think that is what it is. What is the diameter of that stump? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Lastly I found this worm looking thing sticking up from the stump. Wonder what this is. Mighty tough to not break with the hinge when the tree fell. Male Hickory with a woody, probably chainsaw vibration induced. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nice job on knocking down that huge tree. That close and leaning towards the house, I can't believe your wife let you do that. I've got one to take out when the weather dries out a bit, the last storm got it. How many guys did you use (I'm guessing 2) and what size bar (I'm guessing 16") on that chain saw? It's hard to get perspective, but that tree looks pretty wide at the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 So I'm sitting on the deck and I notice the nearby Shaggy Bark Hickory Tree is leaning over my house! The lean angle had actually changed and was certainly more threatening to the house. Should I call a tree service and have the professionals remove the tree? Nah, too expensive with the cost estimate North of $2,000.00. So I decided to fell the suspect tree myself. Here are my results! great job , it looks a lot safer now for your family - 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Notch it on the side you want it to fall.. tie a chain or rope around the tree to guide in the proper direction.. saw thru the back side of the notch. Not to hard to do... done it a few times before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Notch it on the side you want it to fall.. tie a chain or rope around the tree to guide in the proper direction.. saw thru the back side of the notch. No, not in this case. The tree would have simply fallen into the existing lean which would have been on my house. Look at the diseased trunk picture. The hinge was very weak due to this condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nice job on knocking down that huge tree. That close and leaning towards the house, I can't believe your wife let you do that. I've got one to take out when the weather dries out a bit, the last storm got it. How many guys did you use (I'm guessing 2) and what size bar (I'm guessing 16") on that chain saw? It's hard to get perspective, but that tree looks pretty wide at the base. I used a wire guy (pulling opposite the house) and a rope one to pull in fall direction. The saw is a Husqvarna 272xp with a 20" bar. Tree diameter near cut is approaching 3ft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 A 20" bar? That's a man's chain saw! I have a Husky 440 with a 16" bar. It's a new model, which means thanks to EPA regs they have made the carb so it can't be adjusted except by a dealer and it runs so lean it is a bear to start, if it doesn't start perfectly the first time through. Other than that, it runs great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Dave, the Husky's last two digits is the cc displacement of the saw. So a 272 has a 72cc engine. Your 440 saw is just about perfect for most folks, use ethanol free fuel if you can and keep the chain sharp! I have several Huskys that I have collected over the years, a 55, 455, 61, 262, 272xp. I go to the flea market up the road and have a hard time walking away from great deal! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 20" Stihl 290 Farm Boss was my first, and is still my only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 20" Stihl 290 Farm Boss was my first, and is still my only. My first saw was a Homelite Super XL back in 1979. Ran it for about 10 years. If a 290 was your first saw then you're either a young fella or started sawing late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've dropped several over the years close to homes but this was the toughest one yet. I used a long steel winch cable tied 3/4 of the way up the tree and a come-a-long to pull an opposing force on the leaning tree. I then used a 12K lb rope to pull the tree in the direction I wanted it to fall. The tree actually fell on the pulling rope. I guess that happens when your planning and saw cuts are good. Now to cut, split, and stack this for next Winters firewood. I know that Hickory, in this area, has no rot resistance, so I burn it as soon as it's seasoned. Ash has no shelf life either. The Emerald Borer has damaged the Ash trees in this area. I have a couple of hundred trees that I processed for heat for the past few years and have a few years of trees to go. Great job dropping it where you wanted it to go. Wife's going to let you buy more speakers with the money you saved, right? Schu, did you show this guy how to fell a tree? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjd Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Schu, did you show this guy how to fell a tree? The guy in your link sure did a better job than this guy. Edited March 12, 2015 by Fjd 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Wife's going to let you buy more speakers with the money you saved, right? Yesterday she mentioned the deck needing some nice outdoor speakers! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Wife's going to let you buy more speakers with the money you saved, right? Yesterday she mentioned the deck needing some nice outdoor speakers! And a sub! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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