I had a dead tree fall sometime during the latest rounds of rain and wind. Normally, that is no issue out here because it didn’t fall anywhere to get in the way. This time I was not so lucky. This tree fell across the new road that runs across the dam. I did get a bit of luck that it fell on the road in a spot where the slope is not the most severe. I first saw the downed tree the last time the boys and I went down to the pond for some pictures. I can’t see it from the drive or the house. Decided to wait for more favorable weather and yesterday was glorious with temperatures in the high seventies and little chance of rain. I just couldn’t put off cutting up the tree to get it out of the roadway so I gassed up the chainsaw, filled the reservoir with bar oil and put on a new chain.
Loaded up the back of the truck with orange helmet (w/face shield and ear cups) and what I thought I might need to get the tree removed. Backed the truck up to the downed tree and found a spot where I wouldn’t worry too much about rollback before getting the truck headed back up the incline of the road. I made good progress until I bit off a bit too much. I started making a cut up the trunk after putting some limbs underneath the upper part of the tree. I was just about to pull the blade up from the cut and start a cut from below when the wood moved and pinched the blade between the trunk of the tree and the rather massive upper part or limb section of the tree. I knew there was no getting the chainsaw blade out without applying some sort of force to the limb or the trunk sections of the tree.
I moved the truck out of the way and got the lawnmower. If the lawnmower got stuck, there was still a chance to get it out using the truck. I was hoping that I had made the cut deep enough before getting the blade pinched that with some pulling or pushing by the 54 inch ZTR, I could get the chainsaw blade out. I had no success pushing the limb section with the mower so I hooked up the lawnmower to the limb section to attempt to pull on it. I ended up with some nice ruts but there was no moving the tree. I didn’t think I would have any luck budging it with the truck either so I decided to call it for the day, unload the wood I had cut, and think about what might work to get my chainsaw removed from the downed tree.
Inspiration struck in the evening and I went out to the garage to see if I still had a vertical jack. Don’t know why I still had a two ton jack but I was glad to see it. I had a chance.
Got up this morning hoping I’d be able to remove the chainsaw from my wayward tree. Loaded up the jack and headed back down the hill to the downed tree. I was able to get the jack underneath the limb section and applied upward force on the limb section. All it did was raise the entire tree. OK, that cut isn’t moving. I moved the jack closer to the cut and jacked the entire tree up enough to get a good sized limb under the trunk section and then lowered the jack. Eureka, the cut opened up. I was able to wiggle the saw blade out. The chainsaw was none the worse for wear and started up and ran just fine. Lesson learned, I think.
I still need to finish up the tree removal from the roadway and the weather is supposed to hold this week. I’m feeling the effects of yesterday’s sawing on those muscles that aren’t liking the activity so I’m going slow – like the Tortoise. I’m glad I solved my self created problem but this also points to the need for a piece of equipment (backhoe) that could have quickly solved this problem. Too soon sore, too late wise.
