This tree had the top break off back in Feb. of '13, and it's been bugging me, so I decided today (why today, I don't know) it was coming down. The septic tank is about 10-12' to the left of the trunk on the ground, so I had to be careful where it dropped. It had a lean a few degrees to the right, but that would take out the garden fence. I wanted to drop it directly behind where I was standing, but the lean was too much w/o rope or chain (which I don't have). Anyway, middle of the thing was rotted with some blacks ants living inside. I'm working on cutting it down below ground level, then filling with topsoil and grass. May take a while. More pics to follow.
Absolutley will keep the wood. It'll get stacked until next winter. It should be nice and dry by then. The top couple feet is in bad shape, so that may end up as firepit wood.
Every fir tree I dropped around my home was always infested with black ants. I don't know if the ants killed the tree or if the rot attracted the ants. Either way, I don't like them one bit. Don't see this in the hemlock or pines.
I find black ants in pretty much any wood I cut/split. I'm pretty sure they're attracted to the rot, then go crazy. I've got a more to take down, but I'll finish this one first.
So, I got an earlier start today splitting and cleaning up. The lighter stuff on this stack is today's work....1/6 cord. Mostly cleaned up and ready to get back at the stump.
How about putting some rocks around the stump and have a fire pit there for a couple years! Stump should get burned up right to the roots.
Good idea Larry, except I have a pit already. If you look very closely in the last pic between the stump and splitter about 40' back, there's a 6' dia. pit there. It's sorta' camouflaged with all the branches from the tree. Might burn it out anyway.
This thing was hangin' on by a thread. Probably 80% or more like this in the stump. I'm done for the day, but I'll go after it bit by bit.
Looks good Dave and, really good that you got that down where you wanted it and not straight down because of the rot. I hate those kinda surprises...
It was solid up where I made the cuts....mostly. I wanted it a couple feet to the right, but I miscut the notch. Went down fine anyway. If it had hit the tank, it would also have taken out part of the deck......and my bedroom. I did ok after all is said and done, and the wood is drying as we type. That's the goodest part.
Down without any injury or damage,even though it was off a wee bit. Looks good to me.We all get a surprise once in a while,trees & wood tend to have a mind of their own.But you make the best of the situation.
