Ive observed the same. I was splitting some dead BL the other day. Late afternoon and one time i saw sparks fly off when the axe hit. I did hit dirt with the 500i...25" bar! Really thought i was being careful too. Far from ideal cutting conditions!
Thats why i quit last Spring. Got warm too. I knew it wasnt going anywhere. Trying for two loads today.
Tough day at the score today. Bucked and pulled all the hickory. Spent a lot of time chopping and hacking all the prickers and such to clear the way. I hate thorns! The Wood Wolverine would be proud as i noodled most of it to load. Split a few with the isocore then decided to noodle. Rather knotty. Tree was alive for the most part. Some bark was loose. I dont think it wouldve put leaves out this year. 21" DBH. Three logs to buck yet from rootball. Ill bring a 20" beater chain. Decent load. Took a lot longer than i thought it would. Brought to storage. Last load ill get in back with frozen ground. Behind my friends lean to.
Thought id be able to get two loads out today so i cleaned off loose bark on BL and prepped for next time. Bucked a few with 500i wearing 18" bar. Pinched in a cut and threw chain. Set chain and it did it again. Bent from the first time. Sayonara chain! Dang as it had a lot of meat yet. 500i looks weird with a short bar. Elderly homeowner came down to check his mail and was glad to see the wood going to good use. I asked him what became of the BL that had fallen over the driveway. He wasnt sure. While taking a break i spotted three BL tops and some trunk sections that had been pushed out of the way on the other side of the driveway. So overgrown i could barely see them. Hacked a path in to check. Ill get them too. Looking down only ten feet in and you can barely see my PU. Along with a couple more spars at least another heaping load to come out. Ill hit it next week again.
Whatever gets it done. I was splitting on the hydro today and ran into a lot of crotch and generally weird grain pieces. My uglies pile got pretty big. Maybe I should consider getting a saw out and keeping pieces straight and square instead of mangling them.
I made a boatload of those noodling that pin oak earlier this week. Makes for easier stacking for sure. I'm too anal retentive!
I'll have to stock up on beef. It does well with oak so I'll use as much of it as I can in the smoker.
That is some cool grain. I get a call from my friend the other day where i store wood. Aguy stopped and asked about having a couple log sections for turning bowls. Lives right down the street. Semi retired and makes some nice stuff. I gave him a small BL burl and he is turning a bowl for me. Ill hook him up with some good stuff.
The Wood Wolverine Nice grain! buZZsaw BRAD I wonder if he felt the least bit guilty running that piece through the splitter??
Pulled another load late this afternoon. All BL with loose/no bark. Couple spars. The one i cut today hung up. Cool stump shapes. I cut a cookie off one. Never seen streaking in BL from metal. This spar was cut just above a wire fence. Im carrying rounds up and didnt realize i had an audience. Luckily camera was in my pocket. Good load. Some nice wood. Just over a tank though the 261. 201 not even used. One more spar, three tops and some chunks to get tomorrow.
Pulled another load yesterday. Dropped a spar and got two tops out. A nightmare using the clippers getting in to buck the tops. I honestly wish i left them but i cant fight locust mania. One cherry log buried. Bark loose but meat good. Wouldve liked to cut more, but ran out of time. Debating on getting the rest as only a part PU full.
Thorny vines. I try to keep them off the property. Clip them to the ground and a few drops of roundup.