Say you have a 12ft long 36 inch diameter oak log and want to buck it. (I have three!) Been laying there for a year. The ground is uneven and there are some moundy places where my saw would hit dirt and I don't want to muck up a sharp chain. There isn't any place I could get under the log unless I dig. Which I will do if necessary. I could take my tractor there and push/roll it with the FEL after the main bucking cuts are made. But it's several miles down a busy road and I have to drive the tractor, no big trailer. The goal is to buck all the cuts almost all the way through and then roll the log to finish those cuts after we clean the dirt off. Can anyone think of another technique? Would have the truck and some chains there. The ground is dry. If I had a giant screw, could screw it into the log on the far side and might could pull/roll it with a chain/truck. If it would hold and not tear/break the wood. I have done dozens of big logs (20" to 36") without having the tractor there to push and I sure wish I had it! I sometimes dull the chain hitting dirt. No matter how I try, sometimes it just happens. And these giant logs, I sure want my chain sharp and it'll take some time to buck them!
Your thought of a screw eye is something that BRAD has done in the past. Can you get it cut all the way through in one or two spots? Cut it , pound some wedges in your cut and then gently tickle it through when you get near the end?
Wedges will raise it up a little. I’d cut it in half and use a cant to roll the 6’ ers, if I couldn’t turn the 12’ Take a different saw for the all the way through cut at 6’ and finish with the good saw. Take a floor jack. Dig a spot for the jack and jack it up. Ps I’d use a the shortest bar possible for the dirt cut, so you you dull less teeth.
I guess I'd roll it one way, wedge it a few feet in, roll it the other way and wedge . . . lift it up a few inches. Or dig the dirt away as best as you can and then just cut. Maybe cut down from the top as much as you can, then use a different saw to get in the dirt for the last teeny bit of each log. You could always cut to length from the top as best you can, then noodle (or split with a golf swing) pieces off down as far as you can. that'll lighten the log for turning by hand. SCA
HEY, I just thought of two solutions. First is, I actually have a carbide chain! I used it months ago many times and it's due for a sharpening, but it will still cut, that is likely the easy solution! I could put that on one of my saws, it's 20 inch. Second solution... I have a Gorillabak hoist/winch gizmo (that I have never used yet!) and it has this large screw handle thingy that you screw into a round or a log and winch it. Perfect! Except that the carbide chain is easiest. This ground at this location is aggravating in that you'll have several feet of clear sailing on these large logs and then you'll have a couple feet with soft dirt that mounded around both sides of the log. Regardless of how I do it, there's some good info in here for the future! These three logs will be great wood. Red oak. I already did a couple of white oaks that big. Awesome wood.
Lag bolt low on one side, rope up over the top of the log, tug on it with whatever machine you have. Put down a block or something so it doesn't roll more than you want.
I’ve used log dogs on the opposite side to roll them over. Much like the lag bolt, screw eye just different. A little dangerous because if whatever you use let’s go it’ll come flying straight at you. If you dig a small hole through wrap a large strap around it. Noose it up like normal than feed the rest through the same hole. It’ll unwind like a rope on a reel and spin the log right over. A little safer because nothing will come loose. You can even use a set of large log tongs to pull sideways. May need to reposition a couple times. 1/4 turn is about all you’ll get out of them. I’ve spun a lot of logs with tongs just to get them out of the way of something like a stump.
Just put an ad on craigslist....... 12' by 3' diameter oak log for free. Must load by hand as I don't want yard scarred up by tractors/machines. The, just sit around, observe and learn from someone else! You're welcome.
The first one emboldened above, I had thought of that but couldn't figure out how to articulate it and you described it perfectly. The second one is easy, too, cuz I have large log tongs! Cool idea and easy.
And then there’s horizontal noodling. Yes it’s legal no need to roll the log until most of the weight has been removed.
First time I’ve been accused of articulating anything clearly. You may want to schedule a brain scan LOL
I did this with success last year on a big oak crotch that was buried in the dirt and couldnt be rolled. Dont know if it would work on a log that long. Ive Come a Long Way in my Hoarding Career!
Chainsaw mill it into 4-6 inch thick slabs where it sits. Buck each slab to desired length and load, repeat as necessary until the final slab which should be light enough to roll over onto the previously cut blocks to keep it out of the dirt
I got the impression that may have happened on 154 near the 82 connector between 154 and 9. State took down a big white oak on top of a rather steep hill. Too much work to remove so they left it there I assume. I toyed with the idea of winching it down onto the trailer for awhile. Too dangerous tho. That log gets a little sideways and it’ll roll down the hill like a rolling pin and take out everything in its path including me, the trailer, truck and wind up in the middle of the road Didn’t feel like explaining that maneuver to my insurance company and the state police. After about a year I noticed fresh cutting on it. I never stopped and inspected but it looked like someone took a mill to it and left the bottom 1/4. Much respect if they did. That was some work.
