My neighbor believed I could just 'scoop' his fallen tree with my crane. Had to break it to him GENTLY.

4 comments

4 Comments

Tell him to think about the weight. A fallen tree has all its mass on the ground, so you can't just scoop it. A quick chat about load points usually clears things up.

jessej2310d ago

Look for the thickest part where the branches start. That's your main weight. Hook there and lift slow, or it'll swing like a bat. If the trunk's on the ground, you gotta get under the balance point, not just an end.

brianm661mo ago

Alright, but what exactly are load points in this case? I see people try to move fallen trees all the time and they totally miss how the weight sits. It's not just about lifting, it's about where the force goes. So when you say a quick chat clears it up, what do you tell them? Like, do you show them how to find the balance spots? Because if they don't get that, they're gonna hurt themselves or break stuff.

the_elizabeth1mo ago

Watched a friend once try to lift a log with his tractor. He totally missed the center of gravity and it rolled sideways, nearly crushing his fence. Had to explain load points to him after that, lol.