Dropping a yard tree

Working at home, everyone comes out to help get this tree dropped and cleaned up. It's a nice family project.

[@sassafrasvalley1939]

Lee, that was rather darned nicely done! And, on one tank of gas! Here’s a tip for you… when cutting stumps. I’ve burnt up a couple of chains topping stumps. The sawdust will normally fill the kerf and keep it from pinching your bar and chain. But, if you do feel your saw bogging down or the chain smoking… poke a wedge in the kerf. In 1986, I bought Sassafras Valley and my first chainsaw. I hadn’t used one since I left my parents in 1971. I spent the summer clearing trees for an access road through the property. Felling, topping and such occupied every spare moment of the summer. There were a thousand new lessons and old ones remembered. I got a little cocky and started telling tales of my logging prowess at work. My boss called me on it. He said he had four hickories that had died from construction damage. He bet me a case of beer that I couldn’t drop them all on designated targets. I took him up on his bet and agreed to do it Saturday morning. I spent the next few evenings sharpening the saw and gathering up gear. Saturday morning I showed up… and he had a spray can of paint and a case of beer. After looking at the trees I had him mark three spots to the east of the first three trees. But, the fourth tree was leaning south toward the house. I needed it to turn north east to miss the house and driveway…. So, I told him to mark it there. He looked up at the lean and said, you ain’t gonna get it turned within 10 feet of that mark. So, I asked him… double or nothing? He agreed. The first three were easy drops… right on target. Come time for the fourth. I got in my pickup and backed it straight in line with the spot. When I reached in and got out my bucket with the ropes… my boss cried foul. He accused me of cheating. I pointed up at the tree and told him… you have three choices… I drop the tree without the rope and it’ll land on the house. That’ll cost me two cases of beer. I can use the rope and drop it on the mark… that’ll cost you two cases. Or, I can walk away pay you two cases and… you can pay the tree service to take it down. After rigging the rope and working out signals, he got in my pickup and tensioned the rope. As my saw touched the tree my heart was pounding in my chest… I’d never cut a hard leaner over a house… and the rope was an old mouse eaten sisal farm rope that had seen a lot of hard days. Somehow, I cut perfectly in synch with his pulling. I left with two cases of beer… a reputation as an expert tree feller and, learned not to brag so much about my tree cutting prowess. Those hickories weren’t rotten… just dry wood perfect for axe handles. That rotten tree you tackled was a whole level of nasty worse than they were. Using the winch was a wise move. Was that an ash tree?

[@LeeintheWoods]

Awesome story Dave! I can 100% relate to it too. I had that same nervous feeling dropping this tree and many others. Sadly, this was a sugar maple. I was very surprised how rotten it was. It even had some spalting going on inside. At the end of the day, it'll either help me boil next year's sap or heat the garage. It'll get put to good use.

[@wolfpacva]

Sure did not need a truck to pull that little tree down. You need to watch cottontop3 videos on how to take trees down safely.

[@LeeintheWoods]

Yeah, the truck was overkill but it never hurts to play it safe. I'm familiar with him. Cottontop puts out good content.

[@sassafrasvalley1939]

@@DatDerBrink140yep, those rotten trees are unpredictable!