Any ideas? Is this more than I can safely handle?

Hey everyone! Been a bit since I have posted last. I hope everyone is having a good winter... I know you are all staying nice and warm, no shortage on btu’s around here. Long story short I have an opportunity to scrounge some primo red oak... there is only one problem.... the main trunk was felled in a very awkward way such that it is mostly suspended a good 2- 3 ft in the air. Anyone have any ideas on how I can safely get this giant to the ground where I can get to work bucking rounds (and then noodling quarters)? Do I need to just let this find go? That goes against my hoarding instinct but let’s face it I do not have access to any heavy moving equip. Right now I’m wondering if fitting temporary sawbucks (from other rounds) under the log to support the weight would work. Or maybe my truck and a tow strap? My best guess is that this beast weighs 8,000 -10,000 lbs! It’s about 33” diameter and about 20 ft long. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Or just words of discouragement if this is way too dangerous a log for me to be working on alone. I don’t have experience with logs of this size and this one is gonna have a lot of movement once one end gets freed up.

 

As tempting as it is, id take all you can and leave the big trunk. I recall being in your situation and passed.
Log is above ground which is a plus. Once it hits the ground its impossible to move without equipment. If you want to try use wedges to keep kerf open and buck all the way through but being that size id be nervous about it shifting. How long is your bar?

 

I cut a similar sized ash trunk earlier this month. Used wood wedges to keep kerf open as i described and used gravity to my advantage. See my thread
Worked my Ash Off Today!

 

Go for it. I've used my jeep & winch to move trees that big. Once you drag it to the ground approach it like you'd eat an elephant. One bite at a time. It'd be hard to pass up that much good oak.

 

Noodle the top half cut it to length and remove. Noodle the remaining 1/2 in 1/2 and cut the one side to length and it should be light enough to roll over and cur to length.
Hopefully this makes sense i dont know how else to explain it.
Cut it 1/4 from end to end

 

That’s an interesting thought... cut in half length-wise first? Like a huge slab? I could prob take half that way without ever taking it to the ground. Will be a very interesting cut. Maybe this was the wood gods way of saying “have fun breaking in the new saw you ordered last week”. I have a 462 headed my way with a 20in bar and a 28in. Should be in next week.

 

That 462 with 28 will be handy on this one. Take your time and use wedges, be safe, and Have fun!


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What if you do like buZZsaw BRAD said where you take what you can get cut up there, work at it a bit at a time and maybe save some good sized rounds for a wedge. Then once you got your small mess back at your place and you’re ready to tackle the big one, you could slowly move it if your rig is formidable enough to get it where you want to if no other safe option where you would cut and it won’t roll back at you, or elsewhere. At least they did suspend the thing off the ground though.

 

This what u mean?

 

I wouldn't try to cut the whole length like it's on a sawmill. Starting at the root end, make cuts like you're bucking it, but only cut halfway or two thirds through the log. Next, noodle your end piece to the same depth. The two unfinished quarters you made Should pop off easy with a sledge and wedge. Repeat for the length of the log, then reassess.

-edit- or, what red neck said and you drew.

I tackled one like this a couple years ago, but I was not smart about it. It was on the ground and I rocked my chain a couple times bucking it up. Didn't think of another way until I was almost done! Derp. Got another one waiting at rental property, going to be smarter about it this time!

 

Yup, work smart (and safe) not hard!
Now go getcha some!

 

Man, I would love the opportunity to get that tree...that is nice...what equipment do you have to work with?
The saw you have coming is plenty adequate, especially with 28" bar...couple different ways to approach it. Use limbs to prop it in place, cut down thru log and use wedges. As it sits now, I would mark it the lengths I want, skip about every other one, cut part way down from top, do undercut to finish, log will drop.
Or bore cut thru log on each mark, about 4" from top, leave top connected, complete the cut down, trunk should slowly settle to ground, then finish top cut. If you do get saw pinched, use other bar to free it. Do you have hookaroon or cant hook?

 

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I hope no one beats me to the wood but at this size I think there is a decent chance it will be around in a week when I have the new saw and some time. Got a family weekend planned this weekend taking the kids to learn how to ski in the Pocono Mountains

 

I bought a 36" bar for my 460 which evolved into the 462. I got a cheaper one as i dont use it that often. It is nice to slice through big wood in one swath. Normally run a 28" and have a 20" as well.

 

Great ideas as well! Yes i have a cant hook and hookaroon. And lots of wedges/sledges and a long pry wrecking bar I use. That’s about the extent of my equipment.

 

Step 1. Cut all of the easy stuff to reduce weight as much as possible.
Step 2. Wedge 3-4 some rounds under the log as tight as you can
Step 3. Start bucking the trunk to your desired length. Be careful not to get the bar pinched. Stop before the log starts to pinch. Make the remaining bucking cuts stopping before it pinches.
Step 4. Pick the cut that is wedged tights against the rounds on the ground, or cut that is near the end that is likely to come of the easiest.
If you have a tow rope or log chain you might want to run it under the trunk at this point as it will be easier to do now if you need it later.
Step 5. Hammer wedge into cut and finish cutting. Of course make sure you have room to move back out of the way if the trunk rolls unexpectedly.
step 6. Roll lose rounds away and continue cutting. Use tow rope if rounds get wedged together.

 

If you dont have plastic wedges, wood ones are easily made from a 2x4, 2x6 etc. with a circular saw. Cut it like a longer "doorstop" No big deal if the saw nicks them or they get damaged/broken.

 

That Beautiful piece of wood isn't ALL destined for the wood stove is it??

I'm getting sick thinking about that, I wish we weren't on opposite sides of the country.

I would be Happy to help you out with that for the chance to mill some slabs out of that.

I have the tools to do that trunk, Husky 3120XP, 395XP and 390XP , with 36"(x2), 44" and 60" Bars and 36", 48" and 60" Granberg Mills.

Lot of good firewood there, it would just be a shame if it ALL became firewood


Doug

 

You have all you need then, besides plenty of time. Will be a big job, but eating an elephant always is. Will be a huge pile of BTU's when you're done. Be safe.

 

I would love to take some slabs if I had the equipment to do so...one day!