Had to hire a tree service to cut off a couple very large branches, as they were leaning precariously over the house and garage. They cut them off like this, and left it at that. My question is this: While getting estimates for the job, one tree cutter who claimed to have been in the business for decades, said, "You'll need to seal the cuts or this tree will die". The cutter who did the job, didn't mention sealing at all. At any rate, I checked and all over Google, it says, "Let the tree naturally heal, if you put tree sealer on large cuts it will trap moisture and kill the tree". So which is it..... don't seal the cuts, and the tree dies, or seal the cuts, and the tree dies? Anyone??
I never seal cut branches and have never regretted it. Most current advice is that it's more likely to do harm than good. Just search a phrase like 'should you seal cut tree limbs'. Here is one that explains the reasons why not to seal. https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/wound-sealer.pdf
Tree shown is now partly a stump - it would have been better to cut it off at the ground. Also the multiple closely spaced main branches it formed during its development may imply a future breakage issue that will not be limited to the two now amputated ones. So that cabling might have been a way to provide some assurance that branches were not going to cut loose and hit the building at some point. Otherwise the remarks you have conveyed above - indeed even the fact that you have referred to them as "cutters" - shows you have been talking to the wrong people.
Yes, seek out an ISA Certified Arborist next time (or maybe even to help correct what was done here): International Society of Arboriculture > For the Public
Well, in the Midwest (and likely everywhere else) tree cutting costs a small fortune. Its NOT cheap. So could I afford a professional Aborist? Probably not. I was lucky to get the price I paid, and to be able to find someone with the equipment to do it given the cramped area and wires abounding. He had a large bucket crane and a team of 3, and it wasn't an easy job. No need to tell me the tree shouldn't be there at all, but I didn't have the $800.00 cash on hand to have it taken it out completely. I've decided to not seal, and let it go. However given the fact that the logger if you will, left the cuts where they are, it make me wonder if it should have been cut differently for aesthetic purposes, or even the health of the tree. Two other possibilities (red and green lines) might make the tree look less butchered. But I think the red line would expose too much of the inner wood. Leave it with the massive chop branch, then? Its certainly interesting to look at, lol.
Your red and green lines exhibit the right idea, which is to eliminate the dead end stubs. I would cut similar to the green line at about 45 degrees, terminating the upper end at the bottom of the V between the main trunk and the removed branch. Preliminary cuts should remove both of the stubs above the final cut to reduce the pinching force on the saw making the final cut.
