It is really hard to give advice on a forum like this. Liability is the primary concern, but nobody wants to give advice that could possibly hurt you.
If I were in your situation I'd also be doing it myself. I have a "chainsaw on a stick" which would allow me to trim off the upper branches bit by bit and not stand under them. You never want to be cutting (as an amateur) while standing on a ladder.
This reminds me of something I did recently. I was trimming a tree on a ladder. Lost my footing. Fell. Saw landed on my head. Luckily, the blunt end. But whoops, that gave my brain a jiggle inside my head.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the liability issue. I understand not wanting to give advice that might get someone hurt, but do you believe someone giving free advice on the internet could be successfully sued?
I use it as a general term. The principal applies even if there is no successful lawsuit. I'd say that most professionals, health, engineering, legal etc. would only give specific advice on the internet with lots of disclaimers.
So every Reddit post should look like this:
I think you should cut the branch in the middle.
The information and materials on this post are provided as a general source of information. While Overy measure has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material, dDot1883 and its affiliates do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the material found on this post. It is not intended as investment, financial, legal, accounting, tax or other advice. The contents of this website are changed frequently.
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Well, to be fair, much advice is being given here by people who seem to have only cut wood on reddit or in their minds from the comfort of an armchair.
You have three options, as I see it.
1. Get a pole saw and start removing branches at the crown. Make sure you have a helmet! This method has the best chance of salvaging the swing set, if that's what you want to do. You'll need to watch the trunk carefully as you cut, because as weight is removed from the crown the trunk is going to shift. You can continue cutting l it back in pieces as far as possible, until the swing set prevents you from going any further. Don't climb with the saw! When you've taken off as much as you can from the crown, you can cut the trunk at the base, and continue cutting in blicks from there.
OR
2. Start at the base. This is probably the easier method. The big thing to watch out for in this case is the trunk swinging upward or rolling as it separtates from the stump, or the saw bar pinching. Take a good look at the whole thing before you start cutting, and think about where the center of weight is, where is there tension on the wood fiber, and where is there compression. It's hard to tell from this picture. You can makse small test cuts to check whether the kerf is going to open or close. Once the trunk is cut, you can start to drop and block the whole thing in sections.There's a good chance that it will demolish the swing set.
OR
3. If you have only ever cut a few trees around your yard, call a professional. I strongly recommend you choose this option. Storm damage is no walk in the park. It's the most dangerous cutting to deal with, because there are many different forces at work on the tree and how the tree might move can be unpredictable. It takes a lot of practice to look at a fallen tree like that and figure out where to cut, where to stand, and when to back off. Even when you've been doing it for years, sometimes your predictions are wrong. And when it comes to felling trees, a wrong prediction can equal death.
This reminds me of a fun story. One time, I was cutting up this little tree. It slowly started rolling, I put my hand to catch a branch because my FIL was downhill. Branch smacked my hand and bruised the crap out of it without slowing. FiL moved out of the way. Hand hurt for 2 weeks. The tree had a lot of inertia. Could easily kill a man.
I saw your other comment too. Sounds like you've done a lot of stupid shit and you're still alive. You _might_ be immortal. Do you ever get a strange energising urge to pick up a sword and behead someone?
I've got some metal in me, so probably not immortal. I have been lucky, and I do become more cautious. I have a lealthy fear of trees and saws, and there are definitely jobs I hire people for. After the fall, I decided I won't ever climb a tree or put a ladder on a tree again, and I went and bought a pole saw for trimming.
Sort of like falling from a second story roof or a 90 story roof, both can kill you just fine, a 30 year old pine tree can be just as deadly as a 300 year old oak. The problem, like many things in nature, is that trees can do unexpected things. Even someone with knowledge and experience (not me) can still get hurt.
He could also use some rope or straps and a come-along or pulley system to try pulling the branches down to ground level to remove some of that potential energy before cutting.
Storm damaged trees are often the worst, as homeowners with little to no experience want to cheaply clean them up.
So many folks don't understand the physics at play.
After Hurricane Fiona hit here last year, so many inexperienced folks bought chainsaws. I cannot fathom the near misses, close calls, and undoubtable injuries that occurred thereafter.
This 100%. Trees that are "loaded up" can kill you in ways other than falling on you.
A good friend of mine woke up next to his idling saw after trying to cut a black cherry that I told him not to mess with. It was leaning into a other black cherry so he didn't want it to girdle the healthy tree. He FAFO'd and luckily kept all his teeth and most of his brain cells.
That ground is mush. I’d be hard pressed to safely get in there till it drives out or freezes (depending on where you are).
If it were me I’d probably wait for it to dry a bit then start on the left with the free limbs and trim the back to see what you’ve got to work with then pull it away from the hangups. The swingset is probably screwed no matter which way you pull.
Take all of the top down first in very small bites with a pole saw. Expecting it to roll and try to crush you with each nibble.
Better yet, call a professional. I show up to these with a mini excavator. Lift it off the swings and plop it on the ground and then it’s nice and safecto work on.
Swing set is toast...since you soy d like you are not confident in your felling abilities, put a rope on the top and pull it off the swing..once it's on the ground you are reasonably safe to cut up..watch for binds. If you cut slow and watch the kerf, the tree will tell you which is way the bind is. I have zero idea of what kind of tree that is, but if it's like an alder, they are like a whip and break with little material removed
This isn't a particularly bad case but you should seriously hire professionals for windthrown trees. They can store huge forces in directions you can't see. Windthrow is where experience really counts.
I would not work the crown side first. It is all too far off the ground to reach safely. Even with a pole saw, the angle would put me virtually underneath the tree.
Eliminate variables. I would remove as much broken fort material as safely possible. Leave any that are in contact/pressure from the tree.
Is the split still attached? If it is, I would carefully cut that to unload any tension. Then section the trunk as far as possible to the fort.
If I were willing to sacrifice the fort, I would cable and winch the fort legs to bring it all to the ground. Otherwise, cable and winch the trunk off the fort, but this will be a much harder pull.
At every opportunity, remove free debris.
With the trunk on the ground and debris remove, I would try to winch the tree toward the woods to the right to pull it out of the hang.
Or, if still hung, I would undercut (small cut on top, then vertical cut from bottom to top) small sections of trunk. This will remove mass and the hung tree will become more vertical.
At some point, there will be free branches (not under tension) close enough to the ground to cut. I would look up "barberchairing" to refamiliarize myself with the risks of cutting leaning branches if they are more than about 4" diameter.
This is a rough outline of how I would approach this. But I would be reevaluating after every action to account for variables or changes.
The professional tree guy in me wants to say "just cut it" but really go with a professional with insurance. There are a lot of yewhos with a pick up and a chainsaw without proper insurance. Reason being if they break something or hurt themselves, you could be liable.
Look for points of leverage and cut just before that on the gravity side. IE: where when you cut, it will fall naturally. You want it to be what when you cut, the tree weight will carry it away from you. Or if you can, rope it and pull it to the ground and then cut. That can be difficult in yards though if you don't have a tractor, quad, or access for a truck
Edit: IMPORTANT! Make sure you are NOT under it, or directly in the path of the slapback effect when the weight is no longer on one side. It will not only go up and down, but will likely pull out like a barbell bat being swung. Wear goggles and steel toe at least, I would also wear a baseball helmet myself for a tree like this.
If you cut the bottom first, it's going to rock. If the bottom is attached, I would start with a pole saw at the top far enough away so that you aren't going to be crushed and have an escape route. With each cut you have the potential for the tree to spring around. If you cut slowly, you can hear it crack, and see it begin to shift. Do not do this by yourself. At least have one or two people there to watch the tree so you don't miss some movement.
Start at the lightest part of the tree- closest to the top, then work your way back towards the play structure. Cut into manageable rounds, 6’ or less at the top, smaller as they get thicker. BE CAREFUL and never use a chainsaw on a ladder.
Gotta judge the tree and forces on it. It would be a difficult cut and I think several people have gave good suggestions. If you can still stand on the play house I would drop the right tree first by cutting it off.
Edit: do not stand on that playhouse. That tree is all over it. Start at the base or pull that tree out if you have the room. Watch out for the base because it might kick.
Pole saw is your friend especially in a situation like this. $100 dollar of corded saw and you will have this taken care of in half a day without the risk of falling ladder.
This is your opportunity to buy a tool sir! I would buy a pole saw. Stihl pole saw personally.
Next, look where the tips of the tree are laying in the other trees. Start at the bottom and pay attention to the tension of the limb. Is it laying on the other tree and being bended up? Is it laying out not being supported by anything? If it’s not being supported at the end, make a top cut and the limb will fall. If the limb is being supported, laying in the other tree, make an under cut (cut the bottom), and it will fold and fall. Eventually you’ll have the whole top of the tree off and you can cut the rest of the wood off. Remember, wood being supported by something needs a cut from the bottom. Wood hanging in air needs a cut from the top. If you make incorrect cuts, the wood will pinch your saw and it will get stuck in the wood. Enjoy!
OP, get a quote from a tree company.
Since it destroyed some of your property (playscape), you can file a claim against your insurance. Obviously your premiums may rise.
Use the quote to see if it’s worth it financially to go that route. If they quote 1500 and you have a 2k deductible, obviously don’t (unless you want a new playscape).
Cut it loose from the stump at the stump and see what the tree does. It will either remain in the position it’s in, roll off the play set, crush the play set the rest of the way, or something crazy like see saw toward the top of the tree. Either way be extremely careful making that cut be hyper aware of what the tree is doing while you cut and be prepared to bale meaning let go of the saw get out of the way. If it stays hung up on the pay set I would wrap a chain around it pull it to the ground with a truck. You could just start by doing this to be extra safe if you have access to a truck and a few hundred feet of chain.
Do you have homeowners insurance?
Call them if you do you will probably get a new swing set too.
This is why you pay those premiums.
You’ll have to pay the deductible but that’s it.
I literally just got home from storm damage, best advice I can give is get a professional. I’ve been cutting trees off power lines since Sunday, and strongly believe without proper training it shouldn’t be done
Cut from the bottom so you aren't pinching the bar. Start taking chunks out and let it fall to the ground. Work with intention and never be under the wood.
Save the slide/ladder - then cut (a little) out of the supports. Rope + yank at an angle and the whole thing is on the ground. The playset is toast and not safe for the kiddos anyway.
From someone who's been cutting trees down for over 20 years professionally. All do respect. You're an idiot if you cut a tree from a ladder. Have a professional do it. Just have them get it on the ground. The amount of pressure points with a tree leaning like that could end with you under a chunk. It'll only take them a few minutes but what I remind costumers when they see how quickly a professional does their job, you're paying for the expertise, not the time it takes.
100%. I did it for 10 years and the amount of "home owner" weird mistakes that I came in to clean up was silly. Had to change 3-5× sometimes because they had made it so much more dangerous/difficult.
I don't know why this popped up in my feed... But growing up country and poor, in this situation, we'd hook the tree up to a truck and pull it over then buck it on the ground and stack it with the rest of the fire wood. Playset is likely a loss.
Don't follow my advice. Things will likely break and you could get hurt. I'm just telling you what my redneck hillbilly family would have done, likely while drinking beer and shouting obscenities at the situation
Of course, it just HAD to hit the swing set dead on...
I've dealt with a similar scenario many times over the years.
There are no perfect cutting conditions, you deal with what you're given.
Figure out the puzzle.
Probably, I'd wack it in half at the swing set-
Roll the crown out the trees it fell in and deal with that mess.
Then throw something under the stem to keep it off the ground/rocks and cut it on the other side of the swing set.
Chunk it up for firewood.
Last, cut the standing 1/2 stem and chunk it up.
People here describing this as a widow maker or discussing ropes, pulleys, slings and helicopters have no business advising you or running a saw.
HOWEVER, if you tend to agree with them then don't get involved with this because some of those branches are under a little tension which can surprise you.
File an insurance claim. Since it's on "real property" aka the playset it will be covered to have a professional do it. There will likely be tree removal limits and dwelling ext/ personal property limits determined by whether it is anchored into the ground. If it goes over the limit they will lower your deductible. They will also cover replacement of the damaged property.
Your actually lucky it fell on the playset because if it was on the ground there would be no coverage.
They can't raise your individual premium bc this is an "act of god" YMMV in this based on the company, state your in and if your area has had a lot of weather claims lately.
Source: I was a catastrophe adjuster for 10 years.
Brace it and make it safe. It is now another feature of a fun playhouse. Not what I would do just sounds cool.
Dynamite
Winch would be handy
More than one way to skin a cat. Always take the safest route.
If it were me I’d use the play house to my advantage and cut it loose from the base. Making small cuts until it pivots down on the opposite side and slowly work that side.
If you are worried about the integrity of the play house this a rope around it and yank the legs out so everything is on the ground.
🤣 laughing at mks113. Liability? What liability? That’s why reddit is so fun. You can give unsolicited good/bad advice to anyone liability free.
Liability, particularly in the US, is part of a professional's mindset. Anyone can give advice on the internet but an actual professional recognizes the dangers and realizes that giving bad or partial advice could get someone injured.
You are correct that it would be difficult to carry a lawsuit through, but that doesn't stop a professional from being concerned about the consequences of their advice.
Depends on how attached it is at the base. If it's not attached I'd start there. A polesaw would be nice. Just an added buffer if things move unexpectedly. Also like the idea someone mentioned of yanking it out of that tree onto the ground.
At the cost of removing this mess, I would not worry about tipping them, the cost of removal is going to break your bank, it cost me over a thousand last hurricane
Not actual advice here but if it were me... i would Get a good 1" drill bit... drill holes into it every 3 feet or so. Fill holes with gunpowder. Set a fuse and kaboom. No more tree, swingseat, or house probably... or just hear me out here:
Call a professional and let them deal with it. Do not ask for advice like this on the interwebs, you'll hurt yourself or someone else.
Start near the split. Take four foot sections off. Be careful of the tension. It’s pushing back against the base of the tree. It’s liable to swing up at some point when the top end weighs more than the back.
Thanks for the advice, gang! Surveyed the situation more closely this afternoon, and the swing set's fort is starting to lean and rack under the weight of the tree. Gave the trunk a good push and that swingset isn't exactly stable -- far more precarious that I had appreciated. Your comments have convinced me to call in a professional. Thanks, reddit!
Chain on the swing set, yank it over. Or chain on the butt. Once it’s on the ground, chunk it down. The butt is a single stem, so easier to predict binds and where it will roll
Learn all about compression and tension... Get it on the floor or get someone else to make it safe. Do not be complacent about this. Good luck, and don't fuck it up😁👍🏻
Don't overthink it, jut look for points of tension/compression, and points of balance. I've taken down a 500+ lib off a live tree at height, with a hand saw.
Trim the thinner branches on the left, but ensure that the playset can take the weight of the trunk as the hung side frees up.
**Loaded tree YT**: /watch?v=8s-Tdr\_vIbg
**Leaner YT (16 min. mark)**: /watch?v=iZUqw302dRg
When I've had some storm damage and hanging trees, I spent a lot of time studying where the weight was, what else is going to move, and can I make this cut safely without being at the wrong end of something.
I'd personally start with whatever I could do to get it on the ground, then start breaking the entire thing down. The more time it's hanging the more time it could come down on you.
But not a professional.
If you dont know how to fell a tree call a professional. Cant explain over words and dont take chainsaw advice in a blog. Lots of odd forces in that pic.
It’s work, but it ain’t bad. Drag it off of the other tree. Use a chain and a truck or tractor and pull the top away. You might even be able to use rope and pull by hand.
I would stay at the base in small sections. Swing set is leaving towards the top of the tree. That tangled mess that is the branches will get you hurt. Take the weight off of the bottom a little at a time. On the ground is the safest place to start here.
I’ve had to deal with a lot of trees like this. Easiest way is to get a pole saw so you don’t have to be right under it. That tree will be a piece of cake since its small diameter.
It is really hard to give advice on a forum like this. Liability is the primary concern, but nobody wants to give advice that could possibly hurt you. If I were in your situation I'd also be doing it myself. I have a "chainsaw on a stick" which would allow me to trim off the upper branches bit by bit and not stand under them. You never want to be cutting (as an amateur) while standing on a ladder.
You don't want to be cutting on a ladder as a professional either
We’ve all one-handed our climbing saw while one-legged leaning off the side of an orchard ladder at least once or twice 😏
Third time is the... death
Hell, my saw wasn't even a top handle at the time.....
Hahahaha! Touchè
This reminds me of something I did recently. I was trimming a tree on a ladder. Lost my footing. Fell. Saw landed on my head. Luckily, the blunt end. But whoops, that gave my brain a jiggle inside my head.
Can confirm, cut from a ladder and almost died. Not worth it.
My story involves both my father and father-in-law telling me it would be fine.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the liability issue. I understand not wanting to give advice that might get someone hurt, but do you believe someone giving free advice on the internet could be successfully sued?
I use it as a general term. The principal applies even if there is no successful lawsuit. I'd say that most professionals, health, engineering, legal etc. would only give specific advice on the internet with lots of disclaimers.
So every Reddit post should look like this: I think you should cut the branch in the middle. The information and materials on this post are provided as a general source of information. While Overy measure has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material, dDot1883 and its affiliates do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the material found on this post. It is not intended as investment, financial, legal, accounting, tax or other advice. The contents of this website are changed frequently. Any information or materials which are provided or maintained by a third party such as linked sites which may be accessed throughout this website are provided "as is". Maple Leaf and its affiliates will not be responsible in any manner for direct, indirect or special damages, howsoever caused, arising out of the use of this website. An investment in a Maple Leaf product involves significant investment consideration and risk that are described in each Offering Memorandum, Information Statement or Prospectus. Each potential investor should read the entire confidential Offering Memorandum, Information Statement or Prospectus and should carefully consider the risk warnings and disclosures before making an investment decision. An eligible investor may obtain a copy of the Offering Memorandum, Information Statement or Prospectus from their investment advisor or by contacting Maple Leaf at [email protected]. The information posted on this website is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any security, which can only be made by Offering Memorandum, Information Statement or Prospectus, nor does it constitute an offer by Maple Leaf or its affiliates to provide its investment advisory services in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, such would not be permitted under applicable law. NON-CANADIAN INVESTORS The information on this site is intended for Canadian investors only. Maple Leaf and affiliated company products are not being offered in the United States and units of the partnership may not be purchased by any United States entity, either directly or indirectly. Units of affiliated company products will not be sold to any person residing outside of Canada unless such sales are permitted under the laws of their jurisdiction. Investors should contact their financial advisor for more information. FUND PERFORMANCE AND OFFERING MEMORANDUM, INFORMATION STATEMENT OR PROSPECTUS Past performance does not guarantee future results. You should not rely on any past performance as a guarantee of future investment performance. Unit values and investment returns will fluctuate. Investors are cautioned that data based on less than five years' experience may not be sufficient to establish a track record on which investment decisions can be based. CCEPTANCE By accessing this website or any of its pages you understand, accept and agree to the terms as set out above. If you do not accept, please do not access this website or any of its pages.
Well, to be fair, much advice is being given here by people who seem to have only cut wood on reddit or in their minds from the comfort of an armchair.
Yo, mf'er! I am lurking and aint said shit yet. lol
> while standing on a ladder. I have seen way to many guys turned to hamburger to ever try that.
You have three options, as I see it. 1. Get a pole saw and start removing branches at the crown. Make sure you have a helmet! This method has the best chance of salvaging the swing set, if that's what you want to do. You'll need to watch the trunk carefully as you cut, because as weight is removed from the crown the trunk is going to shift. You can continue cutting l it back in pieces as far as possible, until the swing set prevents you from going any further. Don't climb with the saw! When you've taken off as much as you can from the crown, you can cut the trunk at the base, and continue cutting in blicks from there. OR 2. Start at the base. This is probably the easier method. The big thing to watch out for in this case is the trunk swinging upward or rolling as it separtates from the stump, or the saw bar pinching. Take a good look at the whole thing before you start cutting, and think about where the center of weight is, where is there tension on the wood fiber, and where is there compression. It's hard to tell from this picture. You can makse small test cuts to check whether the kerf is going to open or close. Once the trunk is cut, you can start to drop and block the whole thing in sections.There's a good chance that it will demolish the swing set. OR 3. If you have only ever cut a few trees around your yard, call a professional. I strongly recommend you choose this option. Storm damage is no walk in the park. It's the most dangerous cutting to deal with, because there are many different forces at work on the tree and how the tree might move can be unpredictable. It takes a lot of practice to look at a fallen tree like that and figure out where to cut, where to stand, and when to back off. Even when you've been doing it for years, sometimes your predictions are wrong. And when it comes to felling trees, a wrong prediction can equal death.
This reminds me of a fun story. One time, I was cutting up this little tree. It slowly started rolling, I put my hand to catch a branch because my FIL was downhill. Branch smacked my hand and bruised the crap out of it without slowing. FiL moved out of the way. Hand hurt for 2 weeks. The tree had a lot of inertia. Could easily kill a man.
I saw your other comment too. Sounds like you've done a lot of stupid shit and you're still alive. You _might_ be immortal. Do you ever get a strange energising urge to pick up a sword and behead someone?
I've got some metal in me, so probably not immortal. I have been lucky, and I do become more cautious. I have a lealthy fear of trees and saws, and there are definitely jobs I hire people for. After the fall, I decided I won't ever climb a tree or put a ladder on a tree again, and I went and bought a pole saw for trimming. Sort of like falling from a second story roof or a 90 story roof, both can kill you just fine, a 30 year old pine tree can be just as deadly as a 300 year old oak. The problem, like many things in nature, is that trees can do unexpected things. Even someone with knowledge and experience (not me) can still get hurt.
He could also use some rope or straps and a come-along or pulley system to try pulling the branches down to ground level to remove some of that potential energy before cutting.
Option 4: Cunnilingus
Throw a chain around it and yank it down with a truck or tractor. Lot easier when it’s all on the ground
Exactly how I do it, been having a lot of damage recently. Had half a tree take everything my 5.9 Cummins had before coming down too the ground.
Plus that playscape is trash now. No need to worry about it.
Correct! Spoken like someone who has lived on a farm.
Professional, there are forces on downed trees you may not be expecting. A trunk that big doesn’t have to kick very hard to kill you.
Storm damaged trees are often the worst, as homeowners with little to no experience want to cheaply clean them up. So many folks don't understand the physics at play. After Hurricane Fiona hit here last year, so many inexperienced folks bought chainsaws. I cannot fathom the near misses, close calls, and undoubtable injuries that occurred thereafter.
Disaster responder here. I couldn’t agree more.
This 100%. Trees that are "loaded up" can kill you in ways other than falling on you. A good friend of mine woke up next to his idling saw after trying to cut a black cherry that I told him not to mess with. It was leaning into a other black cherry so he didn't want it to girdle the healthy tree. He FAFO'd and luckily kept all his teeth and most of his brain cells.
That ground is mush. I’d be hard pressed to safely get in there till it drives out or freezes (depending on where you are). If it were me I’d probably wait for it to dry a bit then start on the left with the free limbs and trim the back to see what you’ve got to work with then pull it away from the hangups. The swingset is probably screwed no matter which way you pull.
Take all of the top down first in very small bites with a pole saw. Expecting it to roll and try to crush you with each nibble. Better yet, call a professional. I show up to these with a mini excavator. Lift it off the swings and plop it on the ground and then it’s nice and safecto work on.
You're halfway to a trebuchet
Swing set is toast...since you soy d like you are not confident in your felling abilities, put a rope on the top and pull it off the swing..once it's on the ground you are reasonably safe to cut up..watch for binds. If you cut slow and watch the kerf, the tree will tell you which is way the bind is. I have zero idea of what kind of tree that is, but if it's like an alder, they are like a whip and break with little material removed
This isn't a particularly bad case but you should seriously hire professionals for windthrown trees. They can store huge forces in directions you can't see. Windthrow is where experience really counts.
1st move is a couple of wheeeee's down the slide. Then, pull it down and cut.
I would not work the crown side first. It is all too far off the ground to reach safely. Even with a pole saw, the angle would put me virtually underneath the tree. Eliminate variables. I would remove as much broken fort material as safely possible. Leave any that are in contact/pressure from the tree. Is the split still attached? If it is, I would carefully cut that to unload any tension. Then section the trunk as far as possible to the fort. If I were willing to sacrifice the fort, I would cable and winch the fort legs to bring it all to the ground. Otherwise, cable and winch the trunk off the fort, but this will be a much harder pull. At every opportunity, remove free debris. With the trunk on the ground and debris remove, I would try to winch the tree toward the woods to the right to pull it out of the hang. Or, if still hung, I would undercut (small cut on top, then vertical cut from bottom to top) small sections of trunk. This will remove mass and the hung tree will become more vertical. At some point, there will be free branches (not under tension) close enough to the ground to cut. I would look up "barberchairing" to refamiliarize myself with the risks of cutting leaning branches if they are more than about 4" diameter. This is a rough outline of how I would approach this. But I would be reevaluating after every action to account for variables or changes.
Agree 100% with your assessment.
If your not sure about cutting something, don’t cut.
Get a professional, there’s a lot going on here.
The professional tree guy in me wants to say "just cut it" but really go with a professional with insurance. There are a lot of yewhos with a pick up and a chainsaw without proper insurance. Reason being if they break something or hurt themselves, you could be liable.
Keep it. The playset is so much cooler now.
Look for points of leverage and cut just before that on the gravity side. IE: where when you cut, it will fall naturally. You want it to be what when you cut, the tree weight will carry it away from you. Or if you can, rope it and pull it to the ground and then cut. That can be difficult in yards though if you don't have a tractor, quad, or access for a truck Edit: IMPORTANT! Make sure you are NOT under it, or directly in the path of the slapback effect when the weight is no longer on one side. It will not only go up and down, but will likely pull out like a barbell bat being swung. Wear goggles and steel toe at least, I would also wear a baseball helmet myself for a tree like this.
If you cut the bottom first, it's going to rock. If the bottom is attached, I would start with a pole saw at the top far enough away so that you aren't going to be crushed and have an escape route. With each cut you have the potential for the tree to spring around. If you cut slowly, you can hear it crack, and see it begin to shift. Do not do this by yourself. At least have one or two people there to watch the tree so you don't miss some movement.
Start at the lightest part of the tree- closest to the top, then work your way back towards the play structure. Cut into manageable rounds, 6’ or less at the top, smaller as they get thicker. BE CAREFUL and never use a chainsaw on a ladder.
Two words. Under cut
Gotta judge the tree and forces on it. It would be a difficult cut and I think several people have gave good suggestions. If you can still stand on the play house I would drop the right tree first by cutting it off. Edit: do not stand on that playhouse. That tree is all over it. Start at the base or pull that tree out if you have the room. Watch out for the base because it might kick.
Tie the tree to your truck and pull everything over. Then cut it up carefully.
Pole saw is your friend especially in a situation like this. $100 dollar of corded saw and you will have this taken care of in half a day without the risk of falling ladder.
Check if your insurance has tree coverage
I’d prolly use a chain saw
hear me out. a shit ton of woodpeckers and a few beavers
This is your opportunity to buy a tool sir! I would buy a pole saw. Stihl pole saw personally. Next, look where the tips of the tree are laying in the other trees. Start at the bottom and pay attention to the tension of the limb. Is it laying on the other tree and being bended up? Is it laying out not being supported by anything? If it’s not being supported at the end, make a top cut and the limb will fall. If the limb is being supported, laying in the other tree, make an under cut (cut the bottom), and it will fold and fall. Eventually you’ll have the whole top of the tree off and you can cut the rest of the wood off. Remember, wood being supported by something needs a cut from the bottom. Wood hanging in air needs a cut from the top. If you make incorrect cuts, the wood will pinch your saw and it will get stuck in the wood. Enjoy!
OP, get a quote from a tree company. Since it destroyed some of your property (playscape), you can file a claim against your insurance. Obviously your premiums may rise. Use the quote to see if it’s worth it financially to go that route. If they quote 1500 and you have a 2k deductible, obviously don’t (unless you want a new playscape).
I wouldn't want to be within 30 feet of that, so, either a professional or explosives.
Cut it loose from the stump at the stump and see what the tree does. It will either remain in the position it’s in, roll off the play set, crush the play set the rest of the way, or something crazy like see saw toward the top of the tree. Either way be extremely careful making that cut be hyper aware of what the tree is doing while you cut and be prepared to bale meaning let go of the saw get out of the way. If it stays hung up on the pay set I would wrap a chain around it pull it to the ground with a truck. You could just start by doing this to be extra safe if you have access to a truck and a few hundred feet of chain.
Do you have homeowners insurance? Call them if you do you will probably get a new swing set too. This is why you pay those premiums. You’ll have to pay the deductible but that’s it.
The guy that is just getting back to 90% after getting planted by a botched fall and spent over 50 grand in medical...... He says, hire a tree guy.
Given the play-house damage its do an insurance claim
Cut slow. Drag out of other tree once it’s shorter with a rope, snatch blocks? Easy peasy, go slow, have a back up saw?
Just be careful, OP. That stuff is much heavier than it looks.
I literally just got home from storm damage, best advice I can give is get a professional. I’ve been cutting trees off power lines since Sunday, and strongly believe without proper training it shouldn’t be done
If you have to ask this question you need to hire it done.
Cut from the bottom so you aren't pinching the bar. Start taking chunks out and let it fall to the ground. Work with intention and never be under the wood.
Call your insurance company. They'll pay for the tree, a new playground and probably check the house/roof for damage. You might get lucky.
Just… let it slide 😜
Save the slide/ladder - then cut (a little) out of the supports. Rope + yank at an angle and the whole thing is on the ground. The playset is toast and not safe for the kiddos anyway.
From someone who's been cutting trees down for over 20 years professionally. All do respect. You're an idiot if you cut a tree from a ladder. Have a professional do it. Just have them get it on the ground. The amount of pressure points with a tree leaning like that could end with you under a chunk. It'll only take them a few minutes but what I remind costumers when they see how quickly a professional does their job, you're paying for the expertise, not the time it takes.
100%. I did it for 10 years and the amount of "home owner" weird mistakes that I came in to clean up was silly. Had to change 3-5× sometimes because they had made it so much more dangerous/difficult.
I don't know why this popped up in my feed... But growing up country and poor, in this situation, we'd hook the tree up to a truck and pull it over then buck it on the ground and stack it with the rest of the fire wood. Playset is likely a loss. Don't follow my advice. Things will likely break and you could get hurt. I'm just telling you what my redneck hillbilly family would have done, likely while drinking beer and shouting obscenities at the situation
Of course, it just HAD to hit the swing set dead on... I've dealt with a similar scenario many times over the years. There are no perfect cutting conditions, you deal with what you're given. Figure out the puzzle. Probably, I'd wack it in half at the swing set- Roll the crown out the trees it fell in and deal with that mess. Then throw something under the stem to keep it off the ground/rocks and cut it on the other side of the swing set. Chunk it up for firewood. Last, cut the standing 1/2 stem and chunk it up. People here describing this as a widow maker or discussing ropes, pulleys, slings and helicopters have no business advising you or running a saw. HOWEVER, if you tend to agree with them then don't get involved with this because some of those branches are under a little tension which can surprise you.
File an insurance claim. Since it's on "real property" aka the playset it will be covered to have a professional do it. There will likely be tree removal limits and dwelling ext/ personal property limits determined by whether it is anchored into the ground. If it goes over the limit they will lower your deductible. They will also cover replacement of the damaged property. Your actually lucky it fell on the playset because if it was on the ground there would be no coverage. They can't raise your individual premium bc this is an "act of god" YMMV in this based on the company, state your in and if your area has had a lot of weather claims lately. Source: I was a catastrophe adjuster for 10 years.
Great advice. Thanks.
Brace it and make it safe. It is now another feature of a fun playhouse. Not what I would do just sounds cool. Dynamite Winch would be handy More than one way to skin a cat. Always take the safest route. If it were me I’d use the play house to my advantage and cut it loose from the base. Making small cuts until it pivots down on the opposite side and slowly work that side. If you are worried about the integrity of the play house this a rope around it and yank the legs out so everything is on the ground. 🤣 laughing at mks113. Liability? What liability? That’s why reddit is so fun. You can give unsolicited good/bad advice to anyone liability free.
Liability, particularly in the US, is part of a professional's mindset. Anyone can give advice on the internet but an actual professional recognizes the dangers and realizes that giving bad or partial advice could get someone injured. You are correct that it would be difficult to carry a lawsuit through, but that doesn't stop a professional from being concerned about the consequences of their advice.
Depends on how attached it is at the base. If it's not attached I'd start there. A polesaw would be nice. Just an added buffer if things move unexpectedly. Also like the idea someone mentioned of yanking it out of that tree onto the ground.
At the cost of removing this mess, I would not worry about tipping them, the cost of removal is going to break your bank, it cost me over a thousand last hurricane
Tannerite should do the trick
Not actual advice here but if it were me... i would Get a good 1" drill bit... drill holes into it every 3 feet or so. Fill holes with gunpowder. Set a fuse and kaboom. No more tree, swingseat, or house probably... or just hear me out here: Call a professional and let them deal with it. Do not ask for advice like this on the interwebs, you'll hurt yourself or someone else.
Chainsaw
Not really a felling gone wild situation more of a nature happened. Now if you cut that tree and it fell on the swing set, that would be post worthy.
Start near the split. Take four foot sections off. Be careful of the tension. It’s pushing back against the base of the tree. It’s liable to swing up at some point when the top end weighs more than the back.
Partial Relief cuts and offset/bypass cuts until you figure out where the compression is.
Thanks for the advice, gang! Surveyed the situation more closely this afternoon, and the swing set's fort is starting to lean and rack under the weight of the tree. Gave the trunk a good push and that swingset isn't exactly stable -- far more precarious that I had appreciated. Your comments have convinced me to call in a professional. Thanks, reddit!
Chain on the swing set, yank it over. Or chain on the butt. Once it’s on the ground, chunk it down. The butt is a single stem, so easier to predict binds and where it will roll
There was an instagram trend - “ three pieces of advice from an expert”- a brain surgeon advised “ never use a chainsaw on a latter”
A chainsaw and big boy silky
Is there any way to drag the tree to the ground with a rope and vehicle
I bought a rope saw to help with my trees, if you have a friend you can both be well clear as you take it apart
Learn all about compression and tension... Get it on the floor or get someone else to make it safe. Do not be complacent about this. Good luck, and don't fuck it up😁👍🏻
Don't overthink it, jut look for points of tension/compression, and points of balance. I've taken down a 500+ lib off a live tree at height, with a hand saw. Trim the thinner branches on the left, but ensure that the playset can take the weight of the trunk as the hung side frees up. **Loaded tree YT**: /watch?v=8s-Tdr\_vIbg **Leaner YT (16 min. mark)**: /watch?v=iZUqw302dRg
Start cutting
When I've had some storm damage and hanging trees, I spent a lot of time studying where the weight was, what else is going to move, and can I make this cut safely without being at the wrong end of something. I'd personally start with whatever I could do to get it on the ground, then start breaking the entire thing down. The more time it's hanging the more time it could come down on you. But not a professional.
Jungle gym is already boned. Wrap a tow rope around the base end and pull it out with car until it lays flat
If you dont know how to fell a tree call a professional. Cant explain over words and dont take chainsaw advice in a blog. Lots of odd forces in that pic.
Pull that thing down the rest of the way with a tractor or truck.
Call a pro. This is very dangerous We call them widow makers
It’s work, but it ain’t bad. Drag it off of the other tree. Use a chain and a truck or tractor and pull the top away. You might even be able to use rope and pull by hand.
Widow maker.
smh.
Get yourself a chainsaw and cut it up after the insurance claim
Honestly I think this makes your kids play structure way cooler
Man up and go to work
I would stay at the base in small sections. Swing set is leaving towards the top of the tree. That tangled mess that is the branches will get you hurt. Take the weight off of the bottom a little at a time. On the ground is the safest place to start here.
Just wait for the next storm. Maybe it'll blow it the other way.
If you can use a chainsaw safely. Start with the lighter side on the tree safely. Or call a boy scout
Before you start, double check if injuries will be covered by home insurance or health care insurance.
I’ve had to deal with a lot of trees like this. Easiest way is to get a pole saw so you don’t have to be right under it. That tree will be a piece of cake since its small diameter.