I went Tuesday to finish bucking and moving the Norway maple that the town cut down in front of my friends house. See the thread They finally cut it down He will be using all the wood. Had to be moved prior to Wednesday as the tree guys were coming to take any wood left. I decided to buck and noodle the gnarly 34" trunk. Ive noodled many single length logs that i cant split by hand, but this was a first for me. mound i had to buck prior to attacking the trunk. The mound after bucking. The round with the Fiskars against it will need to be noodled. I took several whacks at it and no go. Bounced off. It was rather straight grained too. Surprised me. The carcass awaits. After bucking. Couldnt roll it normally as it was on an embankment. Made it a LOT more difficult logistically. My simple homemade "kerf keepers" wood wedges work great. (a 2x4 cut into a wedge) Ill make a bunch at once with the circular saw. Disposable and no big deal when i lose one. The three end knotty logs were a major PITA to move. 36" bar on the 460 for bucking. Switched back to the 20" for noodling. After the carnage. His processing area. Three truck fulls on the left. He was wheelbarrowing up the stuff on the right. His shed in back has two face cord ready for next season. Maybe two cord for the tree. Told him to make a rack in the barn, which he seemed reluctant, but i pushed the issue. Free wood, right there and a FHC friend to turn it into firewood! Lots more noodling on the big uns! we didnt finish and had to put the sign back up. He had started to rake the noodles. Tree guys will be surprised to see the carcass gone! Usually thats all thats left from a roadside tree when us scroungers are done! three heaping wheelbarrows full of noodles from Saturday. Maybe about the same from the cut today. Ill put a small tarp down in his processing area to catch them as im cutting. My verdict on noodling: ill do it when necessary. Fun to use the big bar on the 460 to buck. Ill do it vs. a sledge and wedge, but from a logistical standpoint, ill take a nice knot free trunk and split it with the monster maul and Fiskars. I prefer to quarter/sixth a huge round with maul vs. noodling. I will on occasion cut a kerf to start wedge.
A lot of work Brad. I’m not a fan of noodling but I’m also less a fan of swing sledges. FWIW the sign should stop the tree guys from taking the wood too. Around here they ask if you want it put a sign on it and we’ll leave it when we come to pick it up.
I meant to post thread Tuesday night, butve been too tired. He was moving remnants and raking yesterday. They had left behind some type of climbers/bucket workers safety harness. I havent talked to him since. Drove by that ash last night. Took 66 home. Debating on stopping for any. Im beat and 1.5 hr ride home. Did you stop and ask or just drive by? BTW i will noodle over sledge and wedge too!
No didn’t bother stopping. I’m closed to wood gathering until I get all the stuff I have processed. Then it’s into the woods to clean up all the trees in there. There’s a few adds on FB marketplace for free logs. Just pick em up. My favorite score because they’re generally straight, free from notches and can be cut to correct length. Not even looking at those lol
great idea MikeInMa . Mebbe spill ketchup to make it look like a murder scene too? I like your new avatar. I cut a piece of spruce back in March to try and make one.
Thanks! Still hafta turn it into firewood and stack it. He lets me do all that. Im hoping he makes a bin in the barn for nuggets and maybe a face cord rack. Not enough room to fit in his shed.
Good work buZZsaw BRAD ! I'm going after a 2' + Silver Maple tomorrow. Be a bit of noodling there too, but not as much as your Norway. Roadside & easy access. Can't wait to get outta the shop!
Brad, looks like you are a busy man. Great job helping your friend out, that's a lot of future BTU's right there.
Yep, very nice work, Brad...I'll let you come down and CSS some of our inventory, even buy you a couple steak dinners.
It was cloudy most of the day, with some light rain and drizzle so i went to my friends to start tackling the Norway maple this afternoon. I went through four tanks of gas total between the 290 and 460. I think that may be the most ive noodled in one time. Was gonna keep going but opted to split the smaller rounds as more noodle logs in back of the pile. Maybe four hours worth of work. Before (there was a few wheelbarrows of wood still by the road when this was taken.) After. LOTS more noodles!
