Finally got through a 40-foot cottonwood without a single catch on Friday

Had a cottonwood removal in a tight backyard off 12th Street. Been dreading it for weeks because that species always catches my bar in the leaners. But Friday the wind was calm and I got the hinge cut just right. Dropped it clean between a fence and a shed with maybe 3 feet of clearance. Made the whole afternoon go smooth. Any of you guys have a trick for keeping cottonwood from grabbing your chain?

2 comments

2 Comments

garcia.laura16d ago

Can totally relate to that feeling of dread when you know a tree is gonna fight you the whole way. Cottonwood is just nasty stuff with all that green wood and those leaners grabbing your bar. You must have felt so good when it went down perfect like that. I had a similar one a few months back with a silver maple that just wanted to pinch no matter what I did. What kind of rakers you running to keep it from grabbing so bad?

grace_white15d ago

@garcia.laura I hear you but I gotta push back a little on the rakers being the fix for that grabbing. A sharp chain with the right depth gauges helps for sure, but the real issue with green cottonwood is all that heavy sap and the way the wood swells when it's wet. Rakers can only do so much when the tree is basically trying to close up around your bar. Guess it's more about how you approach the back cut and having a wedge ready before you even start.