Staying Focused on Hoarding Dead Locust.

Been wanting to hit a few areas i have for dead/down black locust before it gets too warm and overgrown. All off the road and extra effort to retrieve the wood, but worth it.
These are nearly three years down. I debarked some last Spring.
Cut in sections and carry out. Ill eventually hand truck the big stuff. logs
Dead blowovers. Nice tall straight trunks. Cut and flip flop. Buck and load.
Old bird activity.
Not one of my usual heaping loads but decent for a less than two hours work. 261 ran solo.
Had a few errands then brought it to storage. CSS stacked 2/3 of it. Stack growing. Recent SS from prior scores and todays. All dead BL. Finished stacks are 6' x 16' (actual height). If i cut another load plus rounds on hand it may fill her up.

 

That's getting after it.

A hard pecker, eh?

 

Nice title and nice Locust honey hole you found there Looks to be enough to keep you busy for a few sessions anyway. Definitely perfect time of year to be getting it out of there too. You can tell by the pictures that in only a matter of weeks, most of that area will be an impenetrable jungle of sprawling vines.

 

That 6x16 stack is a thing of beauty. How soon could you sell that stuff with it being dead when you cut it? It’s ok that you didn’t get a full load. I’m the same way when it comes to a partial load. It feels like wasted space, but your reputation speaks for itself

 

Nice

 

Of the three different one cord customers, two want a cord next year. Some of the wood was standing dead/down barkless, some was clean up section remnants, some were bark on tops. I notice a difference while splitting in the MC based on weight and color. Ill check with MM in the late Fall, but W/O bark it should dry good. Some of the wetter ones ive been putting aside for a separate stack. Some may be ready now. I havent put MM to any of it. I have another cord of splits & rounds in back so i can stop at four cord or keep going. Barkless should go next year. Any bark on its probably too late so that will be following year.

The three cords i sold were more or less the same from a year ago. Harvested January through April.

 

Great score there!! All clean, off the ground cutting, How far to the truck? Be interested in what the MM says about standing dead BL.

 

Holy crap.
Talk about getting after it. You are taking it to a whole new level.
Nice work !!

 

Some is ground contact. 50-150' from where ill park. That was two different areas. I hit a few with MM today. Theres a noticeable density difference between some. Blown over dead are the hardest. The ones i get with bark on such as a snapped off spar, but with no growth, some loose bark are "softer" Any BL in your area mr.finn?

 

My secret Santa Kevin Chvymn99 got me a pair for Christmas. I have them in the truck and forget to use them sometimes. Hard to teach this stubborn old horse new tricks. Being these were mostly trunk sections i didnt although a single tong works nicely to grab the end of a section to unload the PU. I have been using them and do like them. Takes some getting used to. The single length rounds were bucked right next to the PU. I have used them in tandem similar to picking up a hay bales. I think mine are 10"

I will try the human skidding trick today! Getting more dead BL Thanks for the tip!

 

Staying focused....I'm not sure if you focus on anything else! Haha

 

Well i guess my OCD trumps my ADHD!

 

I used my log tongs just yesterday, while moving some roadside red oak rounds I cut.

buZZsaw BRAD use them. Even if you are just flipping logs, it saves your back. Lift one end with the tongs. Then with your free hand, grab the same end and do your flipping.

You can also use them to extend your reach into brush, to pull wood out. Very useful tool.

 

When i used yours in NH it was only the second time i ever have. I used the logox ones on a heavy oak round and almost threw my shoulder out! Best in pairs for heavier rounds. Working with buzz-saw the other day i was carrying in tandem as he tossed the rounds out of the tangle. Monday i double carried the BL to the PU. They were at the limit of the size. Pics to follow later.

 

When I first got mine a few a years ago, I forced myself to use them. I quickly realized that using them, they weren't the fastest way to move the majority of wood. But the added reach and dry gloves won the day.

 

I have the husky 12 inch tongs and have taken a liking to them , I only had one set the other day working with BRAD but they were a big help carrying logs to the trailer , a second set for the other hand would have been nice to have a log in each hand and be a little more balanced.

I also have a set I modified with 2 prongs on each side spaced about 4 inches apart for use at the splitter , this way the log stays level even if I don't have the balance point perfect and I can hold the log off the beam and centered on the 4 way wedge.

 

I forgot about your modified ones. Those were REAL nice! Post a pic!

 

Thanks ,
I will get a picture when I get home tonight.