# The Beast is Down



## slatron25 (Dec 18, 2007)

So I took on the job of getting rid of this silver maple in my folks backyard after they got a few quotes which no one could afford. If you can imagine this tree with all of it's glory days with branches going everywhere trimmed down to this with a rope chainsaw.  Who ever said a rope chainsaw doesn't work. It is work mind you so maybe that's what they were talking about. But anyways, I finally got it down to this.









The house is just to my right from where the photo was taken. If you can see the stub on the left, that was about a 14" dia. limb which would have been in the center of the photo coming right at me about 15' off of the ground. A little stressed wood to say the least. 

The rest of the tree leans towards the front yard and fence, which is fine but it also leans towards the house. 

With everything being just out of reach I used scaffolding, a chainsaw, a rope and persuasion to get the next left most branch down. More very stressed wood.









This sat all winter while I mulled over the possible choices I had. I wanted to preserve the chain link fence but it was finally decided that that could be repaired. With steel cable and a come-along(sp) attached we finally finished dropping this thing right where we wanted it to go. 









That's a Husky 455 Rancher with a 20" bar sitting on top. 








This tree has been dead a few years and I was really worried about the trunk down at the bottom being hollow. Thankfully it wasn't. The trunk didn't have enough momentum to break the hinge initially so we just kept cranking on the come along until it fell. It was actually anti-climatic at that point. Fun Fun Fun :no:


----------



## slatron25 (Dec 18, 2007)

Oh yea, and that lowest branch on the left in the pics barber chaired on me. But I was expecting it so when it broke I was headed in the other direction immediately.


----------



## jlhaslip (Jan 16, 2010)

looks like a tricky one.
good job.
are you using the wood?


----------



## slatron25 (Dec 18, 2007)

I will probably keep a couple of pieces for turning but it's getting cut up. I have no way of dealing with it otherwise. I can see some nice cookies in there but I'd need a crane just to get them out of the area.


----------



## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Well done, slatron. If you can get some local millers to come out you might be able to make use of more of the wood than just a few turning pieces... but then again, it might not be worth the effort, though that maple looks like it's in fine shape.


----------



## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Nice Husky :smile: .


----------



## ash123 (Mar 14, 2010)

We don't have leaves on trees here in South Dakota yet. Your climate must be at least a month ahead of ours. Good job on the tree.


----------



## junkhound (Nov 6, 2009)

Good job on the drop. A come-a-long can move mountains.

Junkhound


----------

