Fell Dead Trees
Fell Dead Trees
Perform general maintenance and safety checks before starting. Gas up your chainsaw, make sure it is properly oiled, sharp and the chain correctly tensioned. Look for hazards or obstacles that may interfere with the tree as it falls. Remove any vines, smaller trees and shrubs if possible, and aim the planned fall away from power lines, houses, streets or anything that cannot be removed. To avoid serious accidents, remove larger limbs of dead trees from the ground with a long-handled pruning saw before felling the tree if they appear weak or likely to fall while you are cutting the trunk.Mark the target spot where you will ideally drop the tree by carefully considering the lean of the tree.
Establish the side-to-side lean of the tree in relation to the target by visually determining a line straight down from the farthest-reaching limb on either side of the tree as you face the proposed target area. Take half the distance between those two lines and visualize a straight line to the ground. That is the area to aim for side-to-side.
Do the same procedure for the front and back of the tree – determining half the distance between the farthest leaning limbs at the front and the back of the tree. This will tell you whether the tree is leaning toward or away from your target area.
Plan a path of safe retreat away from the side of lean as determined in the previous steps. This is the direction in which you need to walk quickly away after the tree begins to fall. Clear that area of any trip hazards such as logs, vines, rocks or other obstacles for at least 15 feet. Ensure that people and pets are at a safe distance away before beginning to cut.
Planning:
Perform general maintenance and safety checks before starting. Gas up your chainsaw, make sure it is properly oiled, sharp and the chain correctly tensioned.
Look for hazards or obstacles that may interfere with the tree as it falls. Remove any vines, smaller trees and shrubs if possible, and aim the planned fall away from power lines, houses, streets or anything that cannot be removed. To avoid serious accidents, remove larger limbs of dead trees from the ground with a long-handled pruning saw before felling the tree if they appear weak or likely to fall while you are cutting the trunk.
Establish the side-to-side lean of the tree in relation to the target by visually determining a line straight down from the farthest-reaching limb on either side of the tree as you face the proposed target area. Take half the distance between those two lines and visualize a straight line to the ground. That is the area to aim for side-to-side.
Do the same procedure for the front and back of the tree – determining half the distance between the farthest leaning limbs at the front and the back of the tree. This will tell you whether the tree is leaning toward or away from your target area.
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