I cut down a small, skinny tree today, the base diameter about the same diameter as my skinny thigh, that was leaning in a bad direction. I used a cheap rope to tie it to another tree to prevent it from falling onto my wife's shade garden. I tied it about 8 ft up from the ground, tied a bight in the middle, then looped the free end around an anchor tree and through the bight, and pulled it as tight as I could then tied it off to the same anchor tree. Problem is I didn't have enough mechanical advantage in the system to really make the tree fall where I wanted it to go, but at least it fell sideways to my desired direction of fall, so as to avoid the garden.

But here's my question. What would you guys recommend in terms of getting some type of light-duty block and tackle type stuff, to keep on hand when I need to do this type of work again. This is truly light duty, I don't drop big stuff, I call professionals for that type of work. I just need something very light duty, with smaller rope, that would have given me the ability to pull this guy in the actual direction I wanted it to fall. What would something like that be called, and what would be the nomenclature and specification for this type of rig ? I figure something no more than 100 to 200 feet total, and for me at least, simpler is better.

The only experience I have with using pulleys is for a block and tackle device I purchased a long time ago made specifically for lifting large deer for processing, which was very handy back in my deer hunting days.

I'm replacing 200 ft of wood fence, and removing small trees that grew up behind the old fence as I go replacing each section. I can see multiple uses for this type of pulling system, I just need some simple mechanical advantage employing simple physics, law of levers I suppose, working with block/pully and rope that I will be pulling manually. I won't be pulling with anything like a tractor or truck etc., just me and my arms.

Any advice or recommendations greatly appreciated.

Snatch blocks?

Know anyone with a come-along you could borrow? Even better, perhaps a vehicle mounted winch?

I truly don't know. I've never rigged anything of significance that could otherwise hurt a person.

More Power Puller...and a snatch block or two.

A 1.5T come-a-long from harbor freight and a couple chokers would serve you well.

I find myself using em often.

Tighten barbed wire, load things, Move a log or blown down tree.

Never hurts to have one on hand.

Come along and solid mounting point which can be anything from a rod driven into the ground to a parked vehicle. Take up the slack as you go.
Mike

By putting the tree being cut down under tension with a rope using a block and tackle, come along, whatever, is there a danger of the tree kicking up where the cut is being made?

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
By putting the tree being cut down under tension with a rope using a block and tackle, come along, whatever, is there a danger of the tree kicking up where the cut is being made?

I think tree pros call it a spring pole, it's dangerous for sure. A related situations is called a barber chair break, but I don't understand it. Both can injure or kill. The worst trees are those that are leaning, all sorts of internal stresses in the wood and potential dangerous situations as a result. Lots of the small trees I need to cut behind the fence I'm replacing are bent, leaning, and twisted up looking for sunlight, since they are all under four very large 85 ft oak trees. They're all small trees, but I'm taking my time and thinking about each cut and my position and escape path when cutting. I'm wearing the right protective gear, but getting hit with a tree is a bad situation for sure.

In loking at various pulling options on Amazon I found that an electric wire rope winch is cheaper and more versatile than the manual block and tackle or "come-along" style. However, felling a tree is not a situation where I'd try pulling to attempt to overcome gravity. If you cannot find a way to fell it cleanly, then piecing it down will be your best option.

Here is how I did it several years ago:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...690087384#7690087384

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
In loking at various pulling options on Amazon I found that an electric wire rope winch is cheaper and more versatile than the manual block and tackle or "come-along" style. However, felling a tree is not a situation where I'd try pulling to attempt to overcome gravity. If you cannot find a way to fell it cleanly, then piecing it down will be your best option.

If it needed to be pieced down I'd hire a professional, but these trees are small, they don't need to be pieced down. I just need to keep them out of my wife's gardens on the house side of the fence, so I need to fell them on the outside of the fence in the other direction into a large ditch between my lot and the neighbors lot. If you cut them up into sections after felling you can drag them out by hand, they are not large. The biggest one so far is not bigger in diameter than my thigh at the base. Some are just twisted and leaning in toward my wife's gardens instead of growing straight up or toward the large drainage ditch behind the fence. The ones that are growing straight up I have already felled away from my fence into the ditch using conventional wedge and back cut.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Here is how I did it several years ago:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...690087384#7690087384

Hi 41

I just looked at your link with the rope and cable ratchet pullers, that's exactly my situation. I've never used those devices, are they the same units they call come-alongs ? And was your rope a regular rope of some type or a static non-stretch type rope ? Very nice.

I’ve see folks get hurt dropping trees. I’d call the man.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Here is how I did it several years ago:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...690087384#7690087384

Hi 41

I just looked at your link with the rope and cable ratchet pullers, that's exactly my situation. I've never used those devices, are they the same units they call come-alongs ? And was your rope a regular rope of some type or a static non-stretch type rope ? Very nice.

Yeah, those are come-alongs in his pic. I use chains with mine, works well for all sorts of stuff. The one I have is about 30 years old, a quick look at amazon shows several available in the $40-50 range, not sure how strong those are.

quote:

I just looked at your link with the rope and cable ratchet pullers, that's exactly my situation. I've never used those devices, are they the same units they call come-alongs ? And was your rope a regular rope of some type or a static non-stretch type rope ? Very nice.

The winches are called come-along winches and each one allows you five feet of deduced length. The rope was nylon so it stretches and keeps pressure on the tree.

I used two winches since the tree was leaning towards the neighbors fence. You have to make sure you are pulling the opposite way the tree is leaning. If it is leaning in the 12 o'clock direction, you have to be pulling in the 6 o'clock direction. If you are pulling in the 7 o'clock direction, the tree will swing over to the 9 to 10 o'clock area.