Absolutely massive Red Oak takedown

Killer score! Way to go!

 

Good deal on helping family out. Yep, that is a big old tree. How are you going to handle the trunk sections? That will be a great addition to the inventory when you get it all home.

 

That’s a heck of a tree! It’s going to make a lot of good wood!!

 

I wonder how old those big oaks are? Is the house old too?

 

I’m going to noodle them small enough to lift onto the trailer

 

Wind wasnt that bad down here. Im one town above New Haven.

 

According to the property record card it was built in 1971, which seems right for the type of construction. I’ll see if I can count the rings for the tree

 

Have you ever tried using a maul or sledge and wedge on big rounds? Straight grained it splits easily as you know. Ill noodle gnarlies of course.

 

I’ve done both methods. I think they take similar amounts of time, but noodling is easier.

 

I was surprised when my SIL started helping her son and rolled some 24” diameter rounds up the trailer ram. Woman power!!! I was definitely appreciative of the help

 

A lot less goes to waste as sawdust, though I guess you can spare it.

 

Gotcha! I was scrounging wood raodside a couple years back. Very fresh Asplundh cutting. Guy pulls up in a PU. Fires up his 460 and bucks a big oak there. Noodles them about 3/4 way through then splits em with a maul. Filled his PU rather quick with quarters. I was impressed watching. He was retirement age.
I had never noodled straight grained wood until after that time. Reserved for gnarlies.

 

Is she busy this weekend? Ill find some big wood to cut!

 

Gotta love the toys. I tell my wife the same thing! As long as I get to run the saws for a few hours I'm happy.

 

That really was a great score. Surprised how fast you went through it.

 

Had another productive day!!!

I got there around 9 this morning. Started off bucking some of the second half of the tree that i took down last yesterday.





I was able to fill the first trailer pretty quickly.





The biggest of those rounds was about 27" diameter



Once I unloaded and got back, I started in on the brush and tops. As expected those were slower going. After maybe an hour I decided it was taking too long and switched to bucking the big trunk. Couldn't get any witness slice as it was rotted in the center and had split multiple ways.

Have you guys ever seen a self splitting tree? A Red Oak is so anxious to prove its worth in the stove it will split itself for you, will a Black Locust do that?



Second load was about half tops and half trunk splits

 

Third and final load of the day I was anxious to get done and get home. I worked up some more of the tree from todays first load and had bucked and loaded the trailer in about a half hour.







Final pile for the second day. It was actually about 8 hours yesterday, and 5 today.


The trunk was 41" one way and 50" the other way.




Stihl 460 with 25" bar



Dolmar 7900 with 20" bar

 

I figure each trailer is 5/8 of a cord. I got 3 yesterday and 3 more today. So 30/8 or just under 4 cords is what I have thus far. Probably a solid 3.5 cords anyways. There’s probably another two loads there still. Not sure if or when I’ll get to them. I’m ready for a few Pumpkin Ales. One thing is for sure it was a lot of fun, but a lot of work as well. No help today just me.