From my experience it’s more predictable to start cutting the tree top first. Cut and clean as I go getting into the fire wood. I find once I’m down to the diameter I’ll keep, most of it is off the ground and cantilevered heading towards the trunk. There I can cut stove length and it drops at my feet. That’s the same for cut or blow downs. For blowdowns, if the root ball is going to set back down, it’s going to do it anyway when the balancing moment is overcome. So I avoid it while it’s under tension. The handful I've done let you know there heading that way the closer you get to the root ball when you’ve unloaded it a piece at a time.
Went out yesterday and did a little splitting. But mostly just climbed on a big tree with the kids. Tree is bigger then I first guessed. 36" handle on the fiskars so probably a little over 40" tree.
Natures jungle gym. Looks like they enjoyed themselves. I remember those days as a kid when dad cut trees down! Great post James Miller
Cleaned up my mess today was getting a bit dangerous to work in. Should be about as safe as it can be now. Didn't think the little 355t would get used up here but it did great for brush clearing and stuff out to 10" today.
That looks like work just looking at it, but that is one nice setup. Already on the ground and no leaves to deal with. It is also nice in the fact you don’t have much brush to deal with. Dealing with the brush to get access is a constant problem here. Just curious, how far of a run is it to get to your wood pile at home? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Its about 2 minutes to the house on the tractor. This will all be split on site and stacked on the edge of the corn field for the next year or 2 to season. Theres better then 2 years of split stacked wood at home.
I've offered to give folks a load or two of wood if the want to come help. No ones taken me up on it thought. So far it's a solo job.
As nice as it is to have all the wood I really dont like finding big healthy oaks on the ground. This tree was healthy with a full top and solid as far as I can tell. Not many this size around here anymore. On the other hand this tree coming down may be good news for the younger trees as I'm sure it blocked a huge amount of sun from getting to them.
Help almost never happens. I cant understand why a little hard word scares people. Society has gotten a lot lazier. Nibble away at it. CSS as you go and watch it pile up..literally. Im curious as to the yield when done.
I can agree. Big storms have blown over large trees in my woods. Hate to see it, but it makes way for the new growth. Natures way.
That is definitely an elephant tree, one bite at a time. Good job on finding it. Looks like you have some great future helpers. Wish we were closer, we could really help you get that tree done. It would be great if you had some plastic pallets to stack on. Definitely a big heap of BTU's right there.
I can get plastic pallets if I ask at work. But I can grab wood pallets like these any time I want. so there most likely what I'll use.
Ran a tank through the ported 590 today at the elephant. Pics are to large to post so I'll have to try to resize.
My cousin is going to start helping me. He put an insert in last year and is trying to get on the 2 year plan. I supplied half his wood last year. But hes trying hard to be self sufficient from this year on.
