OK - So, I went back and attacked the felled oaks this morning. After about 3.5 hours, the sun was full on me, temps were rising, and my 61-yr old 1MP(one Mike Power) engine was staring to run on fumes. I noticed that the landowner had started to cut some of the larger stuff into shorter rounds. As I split by hand, I like to make shallow cuts into the face of the rounds, just to get my wedges started. there's a round on end, if you look close, you can see that I noodled down a few inches. Again, just to get the wedges started Then, it was hammering time! Wedgin' and sledgin' "BLUE WOOD"!!!!! Anyone have a guess how far up/down a trunk those iron stains travel? Sometimes, the wood splits where the wood wants to split. Not always obvious from a fresh cut. I should have tried for a picture right at the wedge entry point. Sap was puddling around it. Can't imagine how much more puddling there would have been in the spring. I left the chunks above there. I'm hoping the landowner will be delivering them later today. Should I hear him next door, I'll head over to help him load, and to point out how must I took.. umm..err...ahh..I mean, How much I helped to clean it up. Yeah, that's it, clean up for him. Then I started in a different area. Cutting up those smaller limbs. Those larger pieces, are from the main trunk. You can see the stump above them. The trunk that was cut from the stump, actully fell away from this area. I'm hoping to tackle those three large trunk sections on Tuesday.
Then, it was time to move some wood to my side of the property line. Load 1. Load 2. There's a few long deadlimbs One on top. Those will be cut to length and put on my to-burn-this-year stack. Load 3 I could load the wagon up more, but the more weight I keep to the front and above the wheels, the easier it is to move. Last load for today. This is where I wheel the wagon to. I toss the wood over the stone wall, onto my property. It's about 100ft from where I load the wagon, and through a wooded area. From there, it'll get moveed about another 50ft to my wood processing are. You can see some blue plastic covering one of my racks there.
Here's the wood I moved today. Pictures taken from my side of the stone wall. It'll be staying there for a while. Time for a big glass of ice water, and a shower. Guessing there will be a nap in a couple of hours.
Well, I have 2 16'" Huskys. One I've had for about 21 yrs, the other, about 10. I suppose if I got a decent deal on a used bigger, longer saw, I'd have to think about it. Being a frugal NewEnglander(RE:cheap), I can't justify the $'s of getting a brand new one.
Oh, agreed! I bought one brandy new one (Just shy of 700!). But it has paid for itself and others in the savings not dialing up the oil man. I'd not buy new unless I won the lottery. I think I have about $375 in my 394xp. Bought in a box and rebuilt my way. It's a fun hobby!
Mike I really do not know how far from the metal until the blue stain stops except to say it can go a really long ways. That is a lot of work but it will serve you well in time.
Come on down! I'd be happy to watch you use your saw. ~smile~ Might even help you load up. I know - long way to travel to the Milford Ma area from there.
Nice homeowner, cut your oak conduit into rounds for you! I like your wedging too. Consider one of those blue Estwings too, good for popping the oak strings that hold the chunks together. Good looking wood and lots of it. Lots of work hiking it over to your property, but it sounds like your neighbor is trucking some over too.
I'll have to check out some local Stihl dealers Maybe they rent and sell. Maybe time to see what these orange and white machines are all about
Oh yeah buddy that's a heck of a score. Heck if you don't want to buy a new saw just go to the Home Depot and rent one of the 6421s, and if you do happen to hit some metal it's not your chain you're going to wreck
Yeah, I was going to say I’ve seen them at least 15 feet too. Now I’m curious. I’d say it’s a factor of how long the metal has been in there. Great find!
OK, back at it today. A little sawing, but mostly splitting, moving and piling, before the temps rose. A couple "Midwinter" shots. Made three loads like that with my minivan, and 1MP. I love looking at a fresh split of red oak. Even a few pieces of that not-so-prized, "Wire wood". I'll get most out, when I split it down. And the growing pile.
