There was a dead maple like that down the ravine next to the river in our front woods. I happened upon it last year. Chips galore by the base. Almost looked as though someone ran a wood chipper.
With rain forecast today and a bit warming forecast i decided to move a load yesterday. My friend texted saying he snowblowed a path to my wood in the backyard. I started quartering and loading and he came out to help load. Extremely rare occasion i get help. We loaded all the cut oak. Biggest load of wood ive had in ages. Wasnt going far. Put in in reverse and into the backyard. Made it over cab height Jason The Wood Wolverine He helped me unload too. Lots more splitting and noodling in my future. Left the maple with a sign. Maple will go in front stacks. Whats left of the oak to get.
Rain Monday so i didnt go back and cut the rest of what i could. It was a lot more tangled than the first. Tree guys came and chipped, taking the rest of the usable wood save for the rounds of maple. I was a bit perturbed, but its only oak. They cut the stumps off too. The massive trunk waits for drier days to tackle.
Looks like a decent log to break in the new saw on. I ran one of those, it wasn’t terribly impressive BUT, it was on its first tank so not a fair judge of what it will become. I’ve bought 2 new saws in my day. The second really transformed after break in. Almost felt like someone turned up the boost! Git after it Brad!!
Brad, Do you typically only cut what you can take with that load? I'd be weary bucking extra wood and leaving it at the site while I go unload at my house, unless it was really close by. I often wonder if those "Don't Take" signs actually work. I'm sure they'll at least keep honest people away.
I feel equally as "hoardie" with cut wood being handy for the wrong eyes to see. I'd overload the trailer (again) and hewp it in our yard just to get it secured. Brad, its "throttle therapy". Thats the most efficacious and most recomended treatment for 'wood hoarders cabin fever'. Wood hoarders cabin fever is a regularly diagnosed & specialized subgroup of "cabin fever" in the DSM IV-R. Symptoms include feeling jumpy, excited, and motivated to get outside and C/S/S cordwood. Severity is guaged on frequency of these feelings, as well as the outcomes. A normal response for example, is it to run the saws and splitter/other equipment "just to keep her lubed up", or to watch videos online to "hone one's technique". A more serious case might include cutting up unused longer pieces, or ripping a knotty log because "it wasnt gonna split on the splitter"...or perhaps making toothpicks out of a handful of pine chunks. Stay safe folks. Sca
Normally i cut what i can take. In this case the tree guys were coming back so the sign saved the bucked maple just not and other chunks that were buried near the trunk. I wasnt sure where the maples final resting place will be so i left them. "Keeping wood" signs do work. I wont touch wood with a sign posted...unless i put the sign there.
I stopped today to put a second sign on the trunk and checked out on how to tackle it. Rather clear and i probably couldve worked on it today but opted to split. Gonna run full comp chain on 36" bar on the 500i Snow tomorrow and Friday so its on hold for now.
Split all the oak today. Two face cords worth. Mound includes old inventory oak i split yesterday. Bunch of logs to be noodled.
Finally got to bucking the big trunk today. Snow had melted some and i was jonesing to try out my new 500i! Split a couple. Sledge and wedge to section. Over 50 splits per round. Comes out to roughly 1.25 cord for the log! The wire that was sticking out was attached to a guy wire anchor bolt. Rain today, so gonna split more tomorrow.
We have them in our woods and you can tell it's them when they start working on a tree. Very distinct sound. At our old house several years ago, a mother raised a young one in a tree about 150' from our back door. When momma was away getting some food, the young'un would hang out of the hole and make a heck of a racket squaking for food.
We see and hear them around here and have seen their "work" in our woods. My bucket liust bird to get at the suet feeder. After hearing your story, maybe i dont want them nesting close by.
Did some splitting yesterday. Damp weather made me feel old so i was dragging. "Purple" split from the embedded metal. Guy down the street stops and wanted some wood for his lathe. I gladly oblige and dropped a couple pieces off. Wanna head over soon as rain has stopped.
NO, you're not allowed to feel old... tired maybe, but never old... I've been told Box Elder is desirable by wood turners, I have plenty here, but haven't found a turner around here that I could give some to. I'm sure I could supply a few guys because after having burned some, I'm not gonna waste my time on it again. So if I have to cut it, it lays where it drops unless I have to push it somewhere with the tractor. The grain is kinda cool where it gets the red in it and it turns well I hear.