In the wind storms that blew through here yesterday a dead tree snapped at its base, tipped over my stack of firewood, just missing my house and falling right outside my window! Now I need to figure out the best way to get it off the wood pile and cut up. Here's what it looks like: Is there a safe way to cut this down with just a chainsaw? Given the heavy weight of the end sticking out into the woods side of the woodpile, I'm worried that chunking it from the end on the lawn will eventually result in that longer but lighter end shooting up in the air as it seesaws over the fulcrum of the wood pile. Would a cut just to the lawn side of the wood pile allow both ends to fall to the ground and then be cut up with less risk? Any other approach that would make more sense? Thanks!
I can’t tell exactly how much is in the woods, but I would probably start on the lawn side and work towards the pile until it started to get lighter. Then take a round or two off the end in the woods. Then go back to the yard and keep alternating. If you’re really good, (or lucky) the last piece might already be in the stack when you’re finished
I would start at the stump end and cut your 16" rounds off till you get to the woodpile. Then I would start at the small end and cut from the bottom up 3/4 of the way through the log on each cut so it doesn't come apart, but starts sagging a little at each cut. About halfway to the wood pile go ahead and cut all the way through so the long smaller side is now in two pieces. Continue cutting the bottoms clear up to the wood pile NOT cutting all the way through. Then pull the log towards the small end so it drops off the wood pile. Roll the logs so the uncut portion is on the top and finish all the cuts and your chain will stay out of the dirt. Sure glad it didn't kiss the house or heat pump on the way down!!!
Yeah, brand new heat pump, so I was really glad it didn't get banged up! I like this approach, but with the stump end at about head height above the ground, what's the best way to make those cuts so I can get my feet clear before the chunks fall to the ground? I'm not sure the ground is even enough over there that I'd be comfortable using a chainsaw from even a low step ladder.
Thanks! I had to re-stack one of those after it toppled over in a wind storm last year, so I was very meticulous about stacking them this year.
I would cut off the section that is into the woods. That cut would be right at the stack. Make your second cut a few feet from the stack on the section on the house side. Get both ends of the log and finish bucking it up. It may be a little more work, but it would be a safer way to do it.
Pardon me but there is not much danger with something that small. Just cut the danged thing and quit thinking.
I cut horizontal stuff that is hung up in the woods a lot. Good shoulder width or more spread base back away from under the log and cut with the saw at a 45* angle and the pieces with fall slightly away from you as the hinge that snaps off last will be on the lower quadrant of the log away from you. I wear steel toe boots when using my saws so Im not too worried about it, but I've never had one get me using this method.
I've created enough unnecessary danger in my life by not thinking to know that I could find a way to screw this up and injure myself. Having never cut something this size that's hung like that before, I figure it can't hurt to ask for advice rather than rely on my own (often wrong) instincts!
You were not wrong in asking just like others were not wrong in answering. I just gave you my thought on the subject. That thing is so small you can probably pick it up and move it. If not, you can cut it in half and move it. Sometimes it does happen that people just tend to overthink things and I believe this is one of them. However, pictures can be deceiving and maybe it is larger than it appears. Yet, not doing any harm to the wood pile does give us a clue that it really is not very big nor heavy.
Each event like that is different. I had a poplar go over by the roots and land on one of my wood piles. I made the first cut between the wood pile and the root ball. The top of the tree was resting on a lot of brush and small trees on the other side of the wood pile and I knew it wouldn't lift up on me when I made my first cut. I may have posted a pic on another thread.
Thanks, I appreciate your perspective, and that was my initial thought too. Then I tried lifting the stump end and realized it was a lot heavier than it looked. Probably still a trivial job for a more experienced firewood hoarder, and I'm feeling a lot more confident about how to tackle it after reading some of the suggestions here.
