Taking out tall Pine trees

12 years ago

I would like to take several (30+) tall pine trees down on my property 1.75 acres. The property is planted pine, not sure of their age but some are as tall as approx 60ft. Taking out 30 would not even begin to over-harvest the trees, I'm guessing there are about 150 trees on the property. Most are small in diameter no greater than 8 inches. I'm very handy and safe with a chainsaw but have never felled a tree that tall. Other than the obvious (don't let it fall on the house, cars, kids, the wife's dogs are optional) what is the procedure for taking these things down.

In our area, coastal SC, a friend had a tall pine tree taken out that had been hit by lightning. It was a very tall 75'+, and diameter was about 18". It cost him $600 for one tree. That sounds VERY high to me so I'm very interested in finding a good procedure for doing this on my own.

Thanks in advance.

Featured Answer

hoseman

12 years ago

I'll add a couple of things I learned over the years using a chain saw. Don't cut on a very windy day, yes the wind can catch the top of a tree and send it in the wrong direction--even with the notch. Have an escape route to move away from the tree before you saw. In other words make sure you have a clear area to get to quickly in case the tree was to fall back toward you. If your only experience is cutting up logs and not cutting down trees, you might want to get someone to help that has experience in felling trees. Felling trees requires a litle more knowledge than simply bucking them and is a little more dangerous. Size up the tree by looking up at the top and seeing where the weight is concentrated or which way the tree is naturally leaning. Usually you throw the tree in the direction of the lean, but if that is not possible due to the fact it might fall on your house or get caught up in another tree, you can rope it. Tie a rope up as high as you can get it in the tree to be cut down. Wrap the other end around a tree in the direction you want your tree to fall. Pull the end back toward the side you will be sawing on and tie it to your truck hitch. Pull the rope tight by driving the tree ever so slightly forward and keep the tension on the rope. With the notch on the felling side, the tension of the rope pulling the tree in the direction you want it to go, start sawing the tree. About half way through the cut, pull the truck up slightly to increase the tensin. The gap of the cut should be wider which would indicate the tree will fall in the direction you want it. Cut into the tree again until it is about through. Pull the truck foward and the tree should fall where you want it.

If you only understand a little of this or none of it, hire someone to cut your trees. If you lack confidence in doing the job, don't do it. Saving a little money is not worth injury. The term "widow maker" is sometimes used to describe a tree that is dangerous to take down. I had one of these and I hired two men to take it down. I sawed it up myself. Even after watching the job, I probably would not attempt to take down a "widow maker" with a chain saw. I would hire the tree guy with his bucket truck.

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Comments (12)

Iris GW
12 years ago
It costs you nothing to get a few quotes, by the way. This would be a multi day job and I expect they would quote a flat price, not a $ per tree quote. One thing you would need to consider is what would you do with all those trees once they are down? Cut them up more or leave them on the ground? Using a tree crew would allow you to have them removed (although be aware they would want to bring in equipment to do that so there is a trade off there).

Or you could have them cut them down and leave them and you do the clean work over time. Just an option.

I know that just on a few of the ones that I've cut down, the dang things don't always fall the way you think they will (or that you wanted them to)!
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
12 years ago
If they have timber value (maybe, maybe not), removal price will change drastically.

Dan
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no... you have two solutions for MATURE pines ... one.. get rid of them .. and solve the needle issue ... two ... remove the rock.. AND LEAVE THE NEEDLES UNDER THE TREES.. where they have naturally accumulated for millions of years ... let me ask you ... why are you forcing a preconceived notion of landscape rock under a pine tree ... pines are conifers .... ALL conifers shed their needles.. generally within 1 to 3 years ... increased by a good drought some years .. the thought that the situation .. on a 40 foot tree.. is going to get better.. or lessened in the future is problematic ... landscape fabric is a snakeoil salesman's joke on the gardening world.. a useless waste of money better spent ... as most weed seed is airborne .. so minutes after putting it down.. you have already been defeated ... roll this around.. if you left the pine needles to build naturally ... they would become a mulch.. a highly acidic mulch ... and reduce your weed problem exponentially ... you are actually defeating the trees attempt to suffocate weed production.. by removing the needles ... bob.. WAG here ... you are trapped in suburbia ... on a small lot.. with sidewalks and neighbors way to close.. and you are getting frustrated with a pine tree.. that in all reality.. is now becoming the FOREST MONSTER it is meant to be.. if there is any budget.. think long and hard about removal .. you are not going to change its inherent properties.. of growing and shedding needles ... in ITS lifetime ... otherwise.. its all good exercise ... good luck ken ps: you are stuck in a box .. i am trying make you look outside the box you have created .... Here is a link that might be useful: check out some of these pix.. you are fighting mother nature.. she ALWAYS wins ....
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brandon7 TN_zone7
12 years ago
Pines, in poor condition, can sometimes collapse and buckle as they come down. In other words, the top breaks out and goes the opposite direction of the lower trunk. Also, sometimes a pine in pretty bad shape can appear healthier than it really is. Just because you see green needles, doesn't mean the tree is necessarily in good condition. I'm not trying to scare you out of doing the job, but just be very careful. And, as Esh suggested, one option would be to have the pros come in an fell the trees before you do the cleanup.
brandon7 TN_zone7
12 years ago
At least around here, 30 small-diameter pines would have very little timber value. Someone might pick the logs up for free if you cleaned them well (removed limbs), cut them to the specified length, and stacked them beside the road.
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
12 years ago
Some of that crowded plantation wood, brandon, that you see on those types of plantings is very dense material and sometimes there are folks out there with a portable mill that can use that wood. You never know, jus' sayin'.

Dan
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
i have gotten some great bargains.. when i simply ask.. how much to make them fall down safely.. and then you drive away ....

a good woodsman can fell trees like yours inside of 10 minutes each ...

then of course.. it will take you a month to go from there.. lol ... but its a lot easier to destroy a tree.. once its laying safely on the ground ... though those can roll over also .. so do be vigilant ..

i am allowed to burn .... so that takes care of that ...

get estimates for this type of procedure also ...

ken

ps: after the ice storm .. a tree guy who lived 35 miles down the road.. wanted to dump 3 loads of chips.. in return.. he dropped 3 45 foot pines.. in 30 minutes.. [one cut at about 3 feet ... and the second at ground level] for free ... otherwise.. he would have had to drag the chips to the landfill lose all that work time.. while still paying his crew ... and... would have had to pay to dump them.. he came out ahead.. and my pines fell down ... and i got free chips ..
pineresin
12 years ago
First, work out the direction you want it to fall. Make sure it has clear room to drop - as well as avoiding the house and hitting the dogs, you want to be certain it won't hang up in another tree (VERY nasty job to deal with if it happens!!). Then cut a V-notch on the trunk on that side, about a third of the way through. Then do the final cut from the other side.

Watch out: if the tree is leaning or the crown is very one-sided, it'll try to go that way however hard you try to persuade it to go a different way. Deal with easy straight trees first, then you have more space to allow difficult ones a bit of leeway where they go without them hanging up in other trees.

Resin
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
all trees are dangerous to take down.. to a guy who owns a chain saw.. and his only basic knowledge of felling trees is starting the chainsaw ...

i will yell .... DO NOT!!!!! DO IT YOURSELF IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE ...

and insure whoever you bring in.. is FULLY INSURED.. demand a policy.. and call to insure its current ...

20 feet is about my max.. because the top 5 feet is whispy .... every 10 feet beyond that is just more exponential danger ...

ken

ps: the only exception.. is if you have a blue ox ....

Here is a link that might be useful: link
gbeagle417_gmail_com
12 years ago
im actually in the process of selling some of mine, does anyone know what the avg % the person who cuts takes?
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
12 years ago
Geoff, in my experience there is no money in selling residential trees. We are talking black walnut and white ash in my yard.

I have had a tree company here cutting down a splitting ash quote me a COST to cut a couple tall thin walnuts out of my grove and haul them away.

Oh, and the sawmill is only about nine miles from my house.
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
12 years ago
Old walnuts can fetch a fair price. Small ones have no value. If there is a knowledgeable woodworker nearby with their own mill, they'll take big ones. I have an Arbor Age around here with an arty, don't see it at the moment.

As for a price per kbf, varies all over the country, varies by grade, etc. No way to give a price.

Dan

Taking out tall Pine trees

hoseman

Comments (12)

Iris GW

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)

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