Advice on chopping some trees down

[Arron]

Hi. we have a property in Sydney with a couple of large forest red gums in the front yard. Both are in serious decline, and sadly must be removed. I have council permission to do this. I know from experience that if I get a quote to do this it will be around $2000 (including stump grinding) so as I am currently not working (IT contractor between contracts) I was wondering about doing it myself. I am thinking of dealing with what is above ground level and leaving the stumps for next tax year (rental property - have to watch the negative gearing).

The problem is I dont want to be a hero and put myself in any danger up a ladder. I want a safe, stable platform to deal with the larger branches. I'm thinking I will hire a chipper to deal with most of the waste and give me lots of garden mulch - and maybe slab the trunks in due course. I know this is vague but I am seeking any advice that may be on offer to make this process safer or easier - anything you can think of. I have cut down and dealt with large trees before, but not this big or this high.

By the way, cutting down these trees is a real shame. I have often worked in the garden up there and been fascinated with the way these trees, as they are on a ridgeline, are the focus of all the wildlife in the neighbourhood. Still, they are dangerous and must go.

any advice on how to go about this job is greatly appreciated.
thanks
Arron

[E. maculata]

Arron, you said large forest redgums didn't ya?
sorry mate if you need to ask us, mate save your own life and don't do it.
Lestways anything other than a little trim to get you out of trouble. If you are still tempted do a net search to see how many "handy" people are killed or hospitalised with serious trauma doing this sorta thing.

[Barry_White]

AAron

Unless you have the room to drop the trees in one go I would be getting professionals in to do it. Even dropping trees, especially large ones is a very dangerous job and unless you are experienced at doing it, I wouldn't.

I have dropped a lot of trees but worry every time that I do it because they are unpredictable and really need to know what you are doing. Even professionals get killed felling trees.

If you have not got a lot of room and have to cut them down a bit at a time that is even more dangerous.

My advise don't do it.

[Arron]

Yes, I expect you are both right. I would not have the confidence to drop it in one go, so was thinking I would take it down bit by bit assuming that would be reasonably safe - but if you think that is even more dangerous then I will pay else to take the risk.

thanks
Arron

[leeton]

I agree, get the pro's in...it is not worth the risk, not only to yourself, but also the house...not worth spending the rest of your life in a wheel chair if you fall.

[Eastie]

A photo or two would be good, but if you say they're big red gums then I take it they're decent red gums (>1m diameter). Although I'm not currently in the forest industry, I have a forest operator ticket and know the basic right from wrong when it comes to felling trees in one fowl swoop. I wouldn't even contemplate climbing - the people that do this are extremely skilled and far more talented than the average weekend warrior. The one time I was nearly killed dropping trees was dropping a red gum. I read the weight entirely wrong and three quarters of the way through the back-cut it leaned back and dropped vertically down the scarf, wrecking the bar, chain and pulling the saw with me still attached across the stump. Thankfully it leaned to one side and fell away from where I was standing. A mate who was looking on cautiously grabed me and we both stumbed backwards as it dropped. As it turned out it was hollowed out with a bias towards one side - something that I didn't pick up even after hitting it with a the back of the splitter to check. A couple of old blokes later said they'd never touched that tree for a reason...

Anyway back to the point, if you need them dropped get a quote to drop them and leave them in 1-2m lengths where they fall - this should be considerably cheaper and you can seal the ends and later use the timber if it's any good or otherwise advertise it for firewood.

[journeyman Mick]

Arron,
I've got a mate who does this sort of stuff for a living, just watching him at work is frightening! :eek: He took down a large red stringy which was hanging over our house when we moved in. Had to do it in pieces and rig each piece to arrest its fall and lower it down. So he's hanging off the side of this tree, about 12M high in his climbing spikes cutting branches and bits of trunk that weigh about a ton apiece, weilding a chainsaw single handed and having these huge lumps whizz past him with only inches to spare. :eek:
I would only it if there's enough room to drop it in one piece.

Mick

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

The simple way to look at it: will your insurance cover it if you make a mistake and hurt yourself, someone else or cause property damage? Can you afford it even if it does?

[Ianab]

Ladder + Chainsaw = bad combination :eek:


If you have the space to drop the trees in one go then that is... umm.. less hazardous. Taking a tree down in pieces is VERY dangerous unless you have the skills and equipment to do it right.

Talk to a professional unless you are SURE you can drop the trees safely.

Another option if you are short of $$ may be to get someone to drop the trees (whole or in pieces) and just leave the mess. Many times the cleanup is 3/4 of the job. Once it's on the ground you should be safe cutting it into firewood sized chunks and chipping the tops yourself.

I do a bit of tree felling, but I'd be VERY nervous about dropping large trees near a house:(

Ian

[Bodgy]

Go with the flow mate, and pay someone.

I'm the biggest tight ass in my suburb and do nearly everything myself, not just the $$ but the satisafaction one derives. However I always get trees felled by someone else. I've cut down many in the bush, but never in suburbia. I beleive the bushies call these old, diseased trees 'widow makers' due to the branches tending to drop off and the unpredictable fall.

I think if you clean up the felled trees yourself AND you dilligently get quotes, you may be surprised by the low cost.

The smaller two man teams will always negotiate and if you pay cash I would expect to get to around 50% of the original quote. The business is hugely competitive and entry costs are low. I wouldn't expect to pay a cent more than $1K and thats with the trunk and branches cut to firewood size. Play the guys off against each other and be firm.

[DavidG]

What ever you do -
CHECK their insurance.
Workers comp and public liability etc.

[Paul B]

You can do it, and do it safely.

I pulled down a 9m tree in our backyard a few years ago, branch by branch. I used a Saber Saw (http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/store/ultimate-survival-saber-cut-saw.html) that I bought over the internet. The way I did it was to tie a long rope to each handle on the saw, then throw one end of the rope over the branch to be cut, stand well back (like twenty feet or more) and saw away. Another rope attached further out on the branch can be used to pull the branch off once you've got it mostly sawn through, you can steer the branch by pulling it towards where you want it to land (let go of the rope once it starts falling). I had only a very small area where I could safely land the branches and it all worked out pretty well (didn't squash the shed next to it, or the fence behind it, or the old outside dunny). I did all this without having to climb either a tree or a ladder, or use a chain saw (until I could stand on the ground using one). Just remember to keep it even, don't take all the branches off one side or the tree might over balance if the rootball is small. Never ever stand under a branch you're trying to cut.

So I did it safely, but for the next tree I paid the man a grand. It's a lot of work!

One of the biggest causes of serious head injuries in back yard accidents, is when people climb a ladder with a chainsaw in one hand to lop trees - the tree wins. If this is your only way of doing it yourself, then don't.

http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/images/ultimate-survival/us-wg0180.jpg

[Arron]

Thanks for all the warnings, guys. I definitely wont be doing it myself.

cheers
Arron

[ozwinner]

Thanks for all the warnings, guys. I definitely wont be doing it myself.

cheers
Arron

Yes!!
We have a winner.....
And the prize is ........drum roll............a longer life.

Al :D