Cutting down a rotting tree

Got a large dead oak tree behind the house near a stream where the kids like to play so it's got to go. Trunk is about 24" diameter at the base. It Y's about 50' up with one side extending way up to 80-100'. It's dead as a door nail, been dead for at least 3 years, the bark is mostly gone and the outer few inches is soft and spongy. Concern is vibrations from chain saw triggering the high up dead limbs to fall on me while cutting. It's in the woods on a steep slope with no way to get to it with a bucket truck and no good climbing trees near enough for rigging. Thoughts?

Tannerite at the base and hope for the best.

Will driving steel wedges help it to fall the direction you want it to go

I would not worry too much about the saw causing any problems. Pay attention and have someone there to watch your back. I would worry more about the rot in the center of the tree and what cause it to die.

Most likely, but I'm not sure how much cutting and pounding I can get away with without causing dead limbs to fall. Maybe using an axe and going slow and easy would be safer than chainsaw?

Tie a long line on it hook it to a truck and shake the heck out of it from far away keep pressure on the tree then cut it most of the way then pull it down if that works for you.

A dead chicot to the head has killed many a logger.Be careful.
Also if its bad rotten no way to hinge it to fall in the right direction.

Throwball and rope. Try to snap as many of the limbs as you can? Not all dead limbs will snap.

Take all the debris from around the tree, for a good distance, stack it for a bonfire around the base and burn it down. You can watch the tree from a safe distance and stomp out any sparks it throws when it comes down. Punky trees, with long, heavy branches like that are called widow makers for good reason. They often turn and twist when they drop and throw wood for a long distance.

Keith

If I understand the question, you’re worried about upper branches falling on you from saw vibration?
I’ve dropped a few long dead trees with large upper story. Someone watching the top so you can watch the saw and cut. Sharp chain. Drop it the way it’s leaning. Get in get it done and get out. Hard hat a little extra PPE
Other than that a dozer with full rollover cage.

If you can order some plastic or aluminum felling wedges. Steel will booger up a saw.

Does it have a natural lean in a direction where you can fall it with no problem? If so just go ahead and cut it down with your chainsaw. I wouldn't get too fancy with it and the least pounding you do on it the less likely break off one of the widow makers.
It's much safer cutting down dead tree that has sap rot than a tree that has hidden rot in the interior of the stump. If you have an increment borer you could do a little probing first.

Pay someone else to do it, and make sure they have workmens comp and accident insurance before they start.

My advice would be to bore cut it. That way you can have it all set up. Then you just need to snip the back and escape. Make sure you have a clear escape route . Preferably at a 45 degree angle away. You can put wedges in before you release it too.

Your concerns are certainly justified. What you described is a dangerous situation for sure. The best advise I can give is the least amount of time you spend under those branches the less likely you will be to get hit by one. Driving wedges, taking it slow with an axe etc are not good options in my opinion.

This, 24" is plenty big enough, however if you have never done it call someone who has.

what cmcf said , is right ,

Pay a logger/tree cutter. Too many people get killed/injured cutting these down. Here in North east Pa. we have many dead ash trees. Just lost a friend a few months ago due to a limb falling off a tree he was cutting. You don't have time to run out of the way! Be smart.

If you want the number of a reasonable priced pro, PM me.
No guarantee if he is in your area, he moves around.
Those kids need you.

Those trees were "cute" when little.

I am tight as a drum but some things you just pay a pro to do.

I have cut many a tree. Have not been hurt YET but I have come close a couple of times.

Like others said, rotten ones are unpredictable

Climb it and cut the limbs off first. I cut gypsy moth oak for years back in the 80s and didnt have too many limb falling problems. They make a wedge that kinda drills itself smoothly into the tree without as much vibration but they are pricey. Or as someone said earlier. cut it with the lean. leave a strap in back, trigger it and run.

show us some pic, before and after

I agree, if the center of the tree is not sound, very hard to directional fall, even if you bore cut. If you are that concerned about the limbs, get someone with a bucket truck and take it down from the top, not worth getting killed to save a few bucks.

Wait for a day that the wind direction is the same as any lean , this will make a big difference. get a good accurate , wedge cut . Follow the back cut with wedges, They probably won't need to be super tight. Retreat on a 45 degree angle. while watching for widowmakers. Best have a buddy with you.. If you are not confident of your ability, hire somebody , to do it. Keep safe. old243

Call a tree service. The cost will out way the risk of death or injury to you or your family.

Every single tree is different. All anyone here can do is guess without seeing the situation. If there is doubt, hire it done.

I do most of my own stuff around the farm from carpentry to tree cutting to buiding fence, etc. It can be as hard to find someone to come do work as to do it myself, but sometimes it is worth it to hire an expert. Had a 24" cherry tree with limbs dying near my garage that needed to go. It had a good lean in a safe direction and would be easy to cut but was on a 45 degree slope. Made me uncomfortable and I wasn't sure I could be safe. One slip on that slope and I could have been under the tree when it came over. Had a tree service come and drop it. Took them less than 10 min and it was on the ground. Cost me $100 and was worth every cent. I suggest, like others, that you do the same. The real time (and expense) in tree work is cutting them up and that is something you can do safely yourself if a service will just drop it. For a job like that they will probably come late in the day on short notice when finished with a bigger job in the area.

Go for it...... You only live once.....

Yea but when you're dead you're dead for a long time.

A pipe bomb bored into the middle Otta bring that down.

James is going to come back as a Beaver,,,,,,,I hope......

Just took down a Ponderosa pine today for a landowner, lots of rope and a tractor to pull it down easy peasy just don’t pull to soon and your good to go then.

...

Yea but when you're dead you're dead for a long time.[/quote]

James is going to come back as a Beaver,,,,,,,I hope......[/quote]

I never believed in re-incarnation in my last life and I dont believe in it in this one either.

I have been working in the business for 35 years professionally cutting and skidding trees and live by my belief if I am not comfortable with a tree the first time I eye it up to cut. It usually doesn't look any better the second time around. Have a professional take it down for you. It doesn't sound very difficult to me but I have fallen thousands. Life is too precious to be lost over a dead tree.

I cut all day every day as a living, if your unsure this may be a good one to call someone in on. I would likely use a throw ball to put a rope in it and be nowhere near the tree when it falls. I wish you were closer I would swing out and take a look for ya.

Thanks for all the replies! Another concern I have that I don't think I mentioned was barber chairing. I thought about wrapping some ropes around the first 6-10' of the trunk to keep it from splitting, but like some have mentioned if the tree is really rotted who knows what might happen.

I actually like the idea of using fire or explosives, been thinking how I could do the job from a distance, but it's right close to the property line and the neighbor probably wouldn't appreciate that.

I have no problem hiring a pro and have many times in the past. The only thing stopping me from doing that is that for some reason in this area finding a decent tree guy and getting on his schedule can take months and I want it gone yesterday. The guy I have used in the past gets busy and just stops returning calls. Despite this though, it seems like hiring the job out might be the smart move.

Barberchair is much more apt to happen with a heavy leaner or a bent over tree under some other kind of stress.
Cutting those is like handling a trap or a gun-keep all body parts clear of the danger zone.
A couple side notches will help when cutting a tree under stress.

When in doubt, hire it out.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9O7H9qWdquk