Shirley, Goodness and Mercy*...

 

I estimate that this pile of wood and the three in the sled will be in the neighborhood of 300 pounds of wood once it is dried.

Another day in paradise; my sled over-floweth.

I had to take a break in the afternoon. Our air temperatures hit 35F.

The next tree on the docket is pretty good size. It is a Black Locust with a +12" diameter stump. I am cutting the trees that are leaning away from the power lines first. I am leaving one large, well-situated tree to use as an anchor-point for the rope puller. My back-of-envelope calcs suggest a center-of-gravity about 15' up, 600 pounds of wood and the C-of-G about a foot offset from the center of the stump for the biggest trees leaning toward the power wires.

One option would be to cut the hinge so the tree falls parallel to the wires. Another option is to fight gravity and convince them to fall away from the wires. The third option is a hybrid, anchor to a tree and cut the hinge so the tree falls diagonally, away from the lines. Then if things go to heck the geometry is still in my favor.

That means that about 80 pounds of tension in the rope will be required if I attach the end of the rope to the tree 8' above the cut. Since I am a firm believer in over-kill**, 200 pounds should do the trick. Using wedges would require about 1200 pounds of upward-force to overcome the "moment".

200 pounds of tension for a device advertised as capable of 3000 pounds seems very doable. 

*Shirley, Goodness and Mercy are the Guardian Angels of wood-cutters. 

**A gust of wind can raise havoc with precise calculations.

When it doubt,
Make it stout,
Of material you know
A lot about!