Cutting down Conifer

Bobby_Peel

Hi, we want to cut down a large conifer we have and wondering what would be the best way?

1) Getting a mini chainsaw or replicating saw and removing all the branches first to leave just the trunk. Then cutting that down while attached to a rope to pull it in the right direction.

2) Just cutting the trunk then attached to a rope pull in the direction to bring it all down. I've read then branches can cushion the fall.

Pictures included.

Thanks 

FreeBear

If you have never taken a tree down, I would recommend getting someone in to do it for you. This one looks to be close to the boundary, and the shed is way too close for comfort. Paying someone to do the job has the advantage that they can/will remove all the waste.

If you really wanted to do it yourself, a reciprocating saw will be much safer than a chainsaw. Yes, take off the branches, and then cut the trunk down in sections. Don't try to fell it in one go (with or without the branches). Get it wrong, you will do a lot of damage.

ThisIsWeird

Slowly, and bit by bit...

Securely lash the end of your ladder to the tree, and also yourself to a ladder rung - try and make it a way that can be quickly unclipped, say using a caribiner. Even a basic 'harness' - it might smart if you lose balance, but you won't hit the ground which would hurt a lot more. DO this. Don't work off that ladder without you and it being secured.

You can do this job with a bow saw, and it'll likely be more safe - one hand sawing, one gripping.

Branches will be surprisingly heavy and unwieldy, so keep the parts small, and don't be caught off-guard when they break free. Small and steady.

Any larger bits, lash them together with strong rope loop either side of where the cut will be made so the fall is contained.

I guess it makes sense to start at the bottom and remove branches as you go up? 

Small and steady. Great fun

Bobby_Peel

ThisIsWeird said:

Slowly, and bit by bit...

Securely lash the end of your ladder to the tree, and also yourself to a ladder rung - try and make it a way that can be quickly unclipped, say using a caribiner. Even a basic 'harness' - it might smart if you lose balance, but you won't hit the ground which would hurt a lot more. DO this. Don't work off that ladder without you and it being secured.

You can do this job with a bow saw, and it'll likely be more safe - one hand sawing, one gripping.

Branches will be surprisingly heavy and unwieldy, so keep the parts small, and don't be caught off-guard when they break free. Small and steady.

Any larger bits, lash them together with strong rope loop either side of where the cut will be made so the fall is contained.

I guess it makes sense to start at the bottom and remove branches as you go up? 

Small and steady. Great fun

Thanks for the advice 😊

Bobby_Peel

FreeBear said:

If you have never taken a tree down, I would recommend getting someone in to do it for you. This one looks to be close to the boundary, and the shed is way too close for comfort. Paying someone to do the job has the advantage that they can/will remove all the waste.

If you really wanted to do it yourself, a reciprocating saw will be much safer than a chainsaw. Yes, take off the branches, and then cut the trunk down in sections. Don't try to fell it in one go (with or without the branches). Get it wrong, you will do a lot of damage.

Thanks for the advice 😊

twopenny

If you start at the bottom and work your way up that will make it top heavy.
You'll need to get a specialist extending ladder unless thats a wendy house and the tree not as big as it seems. 
Secure them to the tree while you're working.
How are you going to safely drop the branches? It's going to be a huge amount of stuff.

Ive had conifers in a garden. The wood is very sappy and not the easiest to cut. You'll probably need to clean the saw regularly as you work. I've also watched many trimmed and felled. They always start at the top and thin then remove the center.
The wood doesnt burn and produces a thick resinous smoke so you will need to get it to the tip in reasonable sizes or hire a shredder.
It would be a long job and a heck of a mes.

ThisIsWeird

twopenny said:

If you start at the bottom and work your way up that will make it top heavy.
You'll need to get a specialist extending ladder unless thats a wendy house and the tree not as big as it seems. 
Secure them to the tree while you're working.
How are you going to safely drop the branches? It's going to be a huge amount of stuff.

Ive had conifers in a garden. The wood is very sappy and not the easiest to cut. You'll probably need to clean the saw regularly as you work. I've also watched many trimmed and felled. They always start at the top and thin then remove the center.
The wood doesnt burn and produces a thick resinous smoke so you will need to get it to the tip in reasonable sizes or hire a shredder.
It would be a long job and a heck of a mes.

What's wrong with top heavy?!

Tbh, I don't know the answer, even tho' I've cut a few down in my time. What I recall is the hassle of trying to lay the ladder anywhere against a secure part of the trunk through impenetrable branches.

Once the branches have been removed - you just fling them as far away from the ladder base as you can - then the trunk is removed from the top, again in small manageable parts.

Yes, there will be a large pile of greenery on the lawn, so descend for a cuppa and to shift them when required.

Greatgimp

Leave the bottom 5ft of trunk to use that to lever/cut the roots out.

twopenny

The large bush in front will have to be removed to allow safe access too.

Top heavy if not dealt with at once can be a problem. Heavy rain or high winds it can act as a massive weight and any fault in the trunk will snap.
I agree that some branches will have to come off initially to secure the ladder. Really the Op should be also have a safety harness especially as an inexperienced tree cutter. Conifers have very tough wood tto cut. It's not like a deciduous tree that. Gives a clean cut. 

ashe

I chopped this bad boy down (plus the tree on the right and left) with no experience when we moved in as the garden was a damp spongey mossy mess and we had clouds of flies in the shade

I started with a cheap handaxe then realised that was ridiculous, tried a large hand saw - same again. bought a recip saw - did the trick. bosch blades. started as high as i could get and thinned it out then chopped off little sections, ran them to the tip in my focus. whittled it down over a couple of weekends. got quoted about a grand to get it taken out

Ectophile

twopenny said:

If you start at the bottom and work your way up that will make it top heavy.
You'll need to get a specialist extending ladder unless thats a wendy house and the tree not as big as it seems. 
Secure them to the tree while you're working.
How are you going to safely drop the branches? It's going to be a huge amount of stuff.

Ive had conifers in a garden. The wood is very sappy and not the easiest to cut. You'll probably need to clean the saw regularly as you work. I've also watched many trimmed and felled. They always start at the top and thin then remove the center.
The wood doesnt burn and produces a thick resinous smoke so you will need to get it to the tip in reasonable sizes or hire a shredder.
It would be a long job and a heck of a mes.

You can burn conifer like that.  But it takes a lot of seasoning.  At least 3 years in a normal wood store.

But I find with conifers that I end up with mountains of green bits, and rather less firewood.