I made another stop by my locust score today. It looks like the other hoarder picked up his rounds and made some good progress on the trunk. I filled my trunk with a couple crotch sections and some branches.. I could probably get another trunk full with these branches. Any idea what these other rounds might be? Maple? They look well aged and might be solid still. Other down trunks I could work on as well.
Looking good. I saw the bucked trunk and thought you gave it a shot with your saw. The other tree looks like elm based on bark and the way the ends are checking. Good burning, but a nightmare to hand split. Try to split one on site and you'll quickly find out. Now i cant wait to hit my locust score again. The weekend cant come fast enough!
That’s what I am hoping for.. my insert has a pretty small firebox. I’ve been thinking I should measure the north-south and cut a little shorter so I can really Tetris them in there. I’m thinking the locust and white oak will be nice in 2 and 3 years. Mostly Norwegian maple and bradford pear for next year.
Got a load of locust branches today and tried splitting one of the old mystery rounds. It wasn’t easy splitting especially considering the bark peeled off when I looked at it funny, but was hand splittable. Still not sure if it might be elm or hickory. I also found some old locust back by the creek. And a couple high and dry old splits than I can see how long they burn for on a cold night.
It does feel like a stout heavy wood, but the bark peeled right off. The round had been sitting there for quite a while.
ok see it now. The F and G are right next to each other. Im a two finger typer and no auto correct and make mistakes constantly...drives me crazy
I was bucking larger rounds of locust yesterday mrfancyplants and thought of the trunk your working. Mine was 22" at the rootball. Im guessing 16-18" DBH. I was able to buck with 16" bar on my saw. Im wondering how you go about it? I start at the top, slowly tilting the bar forward until its almost vertical keeping an eye on the saw tip, then tilt back to continue the cut. Couple spots i was able to go all the way through (very carefully) then roll to finish the cut. This was accomplished without having to cut from both sides.
A bit gnarly but very solid wood based on what ive been cutting recently. Will you take buck and take the deadfall?
I’m no expert on technique, being a relative newbie on my free hand me down saw. I was pretty much winging it. But my technique was to switch between sides repeatedly. I started more or less horizontally. When the chain was sharper and freshly filed rakers, I would switch sides less as the chain would engage the cuts better. If the saw wasn’t pulling in as well I would switch sides. This would happen more frequently as the chain dulled, which seems to happen semi frequently between the thick locust bark and occasional pockets of dunder. Vertical cutting probably keeps it from pinching as bad for the grounded logs? I did pick up the use of wedges for the grounded cuts, although my sawed wedges that you recommended never held together through a sledging. Do you cut your wedges with the grain? I made some cookie wedges, which probably explains why they fell apart. I do think I smashed a cutter or two with the metal splitting wedges.
Plastic wedges are your friend. They will take some pounding and aren't to hard on chains . I have found some cheap ones at Wal-Mart.
I’m not sure I have permission to take that old locust trunk. What I got so far fell across the pool parking lot so there was incentive for them to let me take as we were clearing their parking lot in the process. That old trunk is in the woods right next to a steep creek-side. It is actually semi functional as a fence to keep people from wandering into the creek, and I think some kids cut through the lot to get to elementary school. I might ask about the trunk, but probably not until we finish clearing the lot and I might as well go for the easy pickings hickory rounds first, though most are cut longer than our stove. Maybe next season.
I should have been more thorough explaining. Its basically the normal cutting technique. Start the cut at the top with bar horizontal. As the bar sinks into the cut, tilt the saw forward, slowly as the bar goes deeper and keep tilting until the bar, completely cutting through the other side of the log, until it is almost vertical, watching the tip of the bar so it doesnt hit the ground (or anything else for that matter), then tilt the saw back to horizontal and beyond as you continue to cut. You can also "lock" the saw in place with the dogs (the bumper spike) and pivot the saw. This allows bucking through logs several inches longer then the bar from one side of the log. The wood wedges are "kerf keepers" as i call them. Just enough to keep it open. No need to pound them way in. Well before the kerf closes and binds the saw, tap a wedge in gently with the back of your hand until snug. This will keep the kerf open so you can carefully finish the cut.
