My kids went back to school on Monday and I haven’t worked the last two days, so I’ve been makin hay to make up for the 4 days in a row that I couldn’t make it out to cut I’m just cutting, at least for now, until I’ve finished up this tree row. Maybe after that, I’ll start splitting, but I may wait until I’ve got all that I want to cut for the year stocked in my wood yard. Well see Did your buddy fall the pines for lumber?
I cut and split maybe a half a cord this afternoon of oak. I had about 2-3 hrs to burn before dark and decided to tackle these semi-dead oaks in the corner of my old garden spot. They were meshed together in the crowns, with one long limb from a 4th tree tying into all of them. I had been kind of scared off of them back a while, not sure how to safety do it. But I studied it a little and figured it out. These were also just inside a fence line and I didn't want to damage the fence either if I could help it. I notched the first one and started the back cut, and sure enough it started to fall and then stopped because it was hung up on the next tree (wouldn't pull away from the crown of the second tree) about 6 ft away. So, I decided I could drop it too and they would both go at once, but they both had to pull out of a limb from a third tree, but it looked like it would go, so I notched the second tree, and started the back cut, and it went a little and stopped also. So, I went back and sawed a little deeper into the backcut of the second tree and they both went and cleared the fence. I cut and split both of them up. Then decided to cut a third tree to the inside of the garden spot, and it went as expected, and I cut and split it up, also. I still have the fourth tree with the long limb on it to cut down, but it was getting dark, so I will leave it for another day. I need to fall it against the lean to avoid the fence, I am tempted to try the back cut first and wedge it over. The other option is to cut it high, and fall it over the fence, but try to land it on a high stump on the other side of the fence and hope it flips over the fence. Of course the third option is to just let it go on the fence and fix the fence. At any rate, I got my wood cutting and splitting fix/exercise in for the day. This should make more then enough wood to finish out my Holzhausen.
He fell the pines for pulp I guess. He's got a few bigger logs left that he must be saving for his portable sawmill guy.
Sounds like a good workout. That’s a good amount of work to fall, cut, and split half a cord. I ran into a couple of situations similar to yours with regards to the direction a tree would fall but didn’t have to consider a fence as they plan to remove it all. It definitely would have been more challenging if they were planning to preserve it! I had one tree that was so grown into the fence that I had to fall it from just above the fence. Didn’t want to sacrifice the chain!
I got another good workout this afternoon. I cut the last of the 4 trees down. It was easier then I though it was going to be. I misjudged the lean wrong yesterday, and when I took a better look at it today, I decided I could drop it in the old garden spot away from the fence, with a simple face cut and finish with the back cut, but I had to make the face cut on the inside of garden and then go on the outside of the fence and make the back cut by leaning over the fence since it was about 2 feet inside the fence. It went like clockwork for me. I could have cut on the inside of the fence, I guess but I was scared of that, because I was boxed in with no escape route. The tree barley had the lean in the right direction, taking into consideration the crown, etc. I thought I might have to bang it over with wedges, but it finally went. Actually, I think the wind was keeping it from falling for a few moments. I really appreciated the large Pro Safety Dogs I added to my 362 when doing face cut and the back cut today. I was cutting right at 6 ft high and reaching over the 5 ft fence to do it. With those big dogs, you can just hold the saw out there and stick it on the tree, then make the cut. I guess that is why they call them felling dogs. Then I got a good workout splitting all of the wood up on that last tree. Got done right at dark. No better way to finish up an afternoon.
Got out with the kiddos for a load today. Almost a full cord collected. Maple, elm, and a pinch of cherry. Started another pile not too long ago. My boy was quite the helper unloading the pickup of small while I took care of the trailer of rounds. He wanted me to make sure the club saw what he helped out with Also picked up an old Schrader for my pole barn the other day. A customer I’ve sold to for the last couple years had it sitting in her garage with no plans to use it!
On the home stretch with the fencerow project. Looking a bit bare these days. Got out this morning for a while. Got pickup full of stuff that doesn’t need split. Gonna return tomorrow to grab the stuff that needs split and do a little more cutting.
Looks like a peaceful area to work in. Is that mulberry i see in there? Whats your tally up to for this score?
Amazing what you can do with those things! When pulling the trailer, I can fit a cord, and it’s definitely a slow and steady, dodge the potholes kinda race
I believe it is mulberry, yes. Ive cut maybe 6 total in the fencerow. All on the north side and most towards the west end. It’s fun watching the bright yellow sawdust pouring out of the saw. Pretty stuff!
Rare tree around here. It is cool to watch the yellow sawdust the few times ive cut it. Hoard on and work safe my friend.
Got the rest of what I had down this morning. Only had to cut up the rest of a cherry I had fallen yesterday. In and out in a little over an hour. Got at least an inch of snow overnight, so it was pretty! Some more abuse for the Sonoma She’s a good ole girl! I think I have one more load between three small trees that are still standing and a big cherry trunk that was already down when I started the project.
Got into some cherry, ash, and some mulberry xafter dropping the kids off at school today. Got the truck and trailer filled up plus the piles for pickup tomorrow. Supposed to get some snow over the next 24 hrs! Beautiful day to be in the woods.
Hitch receiver needs some attention so I had to forgo the trailer today. Got the rest of a big cherry log and filled in the voids with smaller stuff for a pickup load then cut down a cherry and a maple. Got the cherry all broke down and brush piled then got started on the maple. Nasty weather with a gusty wind out of the north and wet snow falling. Then I had to run home and get a truckload from the barn to the garage for burning.
Went for a big load today. Cut earlier in week. This plus my Sonoma full. Some of this cherry had some nails in it for sure! Not the only one out cutting today!
Wow! Biggest load i recall seeing you haul. Hope you didnt hit any nails. Great job gettin it done in the snow. Did he lose any logs along the way?
Only hit one nail that I knew. Came close to a few according to the staining on the rounds. That’s as big a load as I can get. Borrowed father in laws truck. Man, you can fit a lot in those full size long beds! I followed the guy for about a mile going about 20mph. I actually expected pieces of the trailer to come off before a log Wheels wobbling, trailer deck shaped like the letter “U”, just a zig zagging along as he went. Quite the entertainment!
Started out nasty cold and windy but ended up nice and sunny after wind calmed down! Spent almost 5 hours cutting, hauling brush, and throwing wood in pile after loading my pickup. Took down 1 elm, 1 maple, 3 mulberry, and a small hickory. Head back tomorrow for a few hours more then I’m back to work for three more days.
