Thanks Jason. I counted nine standing dead ash close by. Seven are roughly 14-16" DBH and maybe two years dead max. Bark still clinging. Very tempted to fell those. Close to four cord and nice straight trunks. There's another 3-4 closer to the trailhead, dead as well plus another just behind the shed here. I cut two a year ago but those were fresh blowovers.
Hit the woods for a couple hours this afternoon. Got the rest of the limbs down with the 194 and bucked down the trunk with the 261. Nice that it was all off the ground. Used a big round to prop it up when i freed up the entanglement. First two pics before i started Todays work Split more of the basswood. The 460 will finish off the oak. Maybe hit it for a couple hours tomorrow.
Finished up bucking with the 460 wearing the 28" bar. Strand of wood held up the log while i bucked then it teeter-tottered between the trunks. One of those nice in woods cutting where most of the wood was off the ground. Didnt need to bring peavey. Sapsuckers/woodpeckers love basswood. Entire trunk had holes like these. finished splitting all the basswood. SS more oak too. At least one more SS session.
Wow, Brad, that basswood splits so beautifully! You stacked in the woods, will you be able to get some type of vehicle back there?
That basswood does split like cake. I even "one armed" a few with the Collins ax. I will use the whellbarrow to get it out. Roughly 25 trips per cord with it. Basswood will be pulled right away once i figure where to stack it. Ill let the oak sit there until next Winter. Some of the bark is coming free from the oak as im splitting. Been using that as a top cover. The splits are stacked on sleepers.
The red oak I've been processing lately, was cut in March. As I now split it, I'm finding some of the bark releasing. I thought it would take longer than 9-10months. But, no complaints.
I cut some basswood a few years ago with the same experience I like the ax. Switching it up from the fiskars occasionally?
Yes, you have to love how straight grained basswood is. It splits so easily, and makes nice squares if you want. The only thing is that once it dries in a half a year or so, it loses so much weight that it can move a lot more than other kinds of wood.
I think this tree was either Isaias or the tornado three weeks later. I was kinda suprised when bark fell off as i was splitting some. Ill take it. Little faster drying and lessens fungi growth IME
First time i ever cut some was three years ago. I didnt know what it was. Top of a tree broke off in a storm near the shed. I CSS and the following Winter almost threw it away as it was so light in weight. Ended up giving it to one of my stepdaughters for her fireplace. She loved it.
Not to , but this reminded of a few weeks ago. Family deer camp weekend and usually everyone stays in the woods all day. I got bored and decided to help my cousin with a big red oak. After cutting for a bit on the other side of the valley my phone goes off and it’s a video message from my brother. It just says “don’t you know people are trying to hunt here?!!” Turn your sound up hahaha That’s me cutting while he’s trying to enjoy the silence in the woods.
Thanks for the reminder of this wood. Sort of slipped my mind. Pulled a couple wheelbarrows full of basswood to trails end. Ill set a rack and stack there. Minimal room and too much work to bring our for now. Ill let it dry and pull in the Fall.
Rain here overnight and into the morning. Decide to split some and stack. Before i started After. Using bark scraps as top cover. One more splitting SS session. Pulled more Basswood out as well.
Split and stacked the rest of the oak. Have a few logs left to noodle. 2/3 of the basswood has been pulled. A few dead ash trees nearby i may harvest soon. Bark was coming off most of the oak trunk as i split it and i was using it for top cover.
Is that a Canadian dollar or US dollar? With my luck yes it will fall over. I usually dont intend on going that high but get lazy when im stacking. Its in a rather well sheltered area of the woods. I take a walk after a heavy wind to check for new downed trees/limbs etc. Ill keep an eye on it and let you know if you win the bet. The stack will be pulled a year from now and restacked elsewhere up here.
