During our church tree removal job a couple weeks ago, the neighbor to the church asked me if I'd remove a large black cherry trunk that was down over the bank behind his house. Seems half of the cherry tree snapped off during Sandy last year, and the homeowner had a smaller saw that he got the smaller wood with, but that 1500lb trunk down that steep bank was too much. I said sure, I'd get it out of there for him! Filled the truck up and brought it home to process yesterday before I had to go (was in a good friend's wedding). got after it this morning and split it up... some really nice grain figuring in the wood....I probably should have dragged it home whole and milled it next weekend! Ended up with a truckload of nice splits....threw them on the "overrun" pile until I get more pallets to make a new stack on the edge of the garden......
That is some pretty stuff there and I bet it smelled real nice. You can tell it is close to winter the firewood harvesting threads are becoming more frequent. I am itching to get after some wood processing but just keep getting pulled away in other directions. I was thinking I might get out late this afternoon but had to help my step son close his pool. (new house that came with a pool). He didn't have a clue where to start. That's what Dad's are for so I will get there soon enough...maybe one evening this week I will have to knock off a little early from work.
There were two big, awkward shaped "rounds" (from the crotch of the trunk where it split off of the main tree during the storm), MAN were they ever a pain in the azz to get situated at the splitter! I used a ramp to "flip" them end over end into the bed of the truck.....the rest rolled up the ramp fairly easy.... It was definitely worth getting, I haven't cut any cherry in several years, I'm glad to get some in the stacks!!
Jon, I chit you not, when I split those rounds, YOU were the first thing that came to my mind!! It made my stomach turn too.....dam that curling was gorgeous in that one crotch split.....I mean gorgeous... Oh, well, maybe next time....
going to start storing my "overrun" wood at the Inlaws place, up in their hollow.... I have to get my cousins skid steer to flatten out a landing up there first.....I'll have room for hundreds of cords then.....
I know, go ahead and rub it in... You wanna hear the kicker? That guy wants me to cut the rest of the tree that round came off of down ,as well as a twin tree to it.... Two HUGE cherry trees on that bank behind his house. One is almost resting against the power line, it's a bugger to do... The problem is he wants it done for FREE, he's hard up for cash (nice guy, but he likes his "drink" too much). Too much risk, I ain't gonna do that....but it sure would be nice to get those trees......
I love cherry, one of my favorite woods to cut and split. Isnt the highest in BTU by I love that stuff.
No way.Doing favors occasionally while you happen to be at the job is one thing,but dangerous jobs for free is another matter entirely.You have to look out for yourself,no one else will. That older widow who I got the big old apple trees,apples & tomatoes from left a message on my cell the other day.I'd tried a couple times t0 contact her but she was at a local lake with family on vacation for a couple weeks.Was very pleased with how nice of job we did,especially how clean we raked the yard & removed all the brush/fallen apples/leaves. Said I could pickup that old tablesaw anytime I wanted,just call first to make sure she's home. So I'll grab it in a couple weeks,after I make room in the shop.
I've said it many times, when the snow's piling up deep on a cold, stormy day, nothing smells as good as a whiff of that cherry burning on the fire.....man that is one of the coziest smelling firewoods out there!! smells great when splitting too, IMO.....
You're a good man Jon, I'm sure she greatly appreciates the help you and your family gave her. And look at the fringe bennies in return! And a big +1 to what you said about the favors and jobs......trust me, I know the game.....and it's amazing what goes through some people's heads.....
I just found some cherry in my 1 year old stuff that I thought was mulberry at the time. Newbie mistake It def smells good but I've never burned it before. I see that it's not very high on the btu list... do you guys treat it as shoulder wood or wait till later in the season to burn it?
SS wood, or mix it with some oak or locust. I tell you one thing, cherry sure does coal up fast....and the coals take a while to burn down. But again, ooooh man does it smell good when burning!!
