Saturday was not a great day to be in the woods. All I wanted to get done was some bucking. Don't let the sun fool you, it was a nasty day due to wind. Heard and watched this tree fall about 30-35 yards from where buggy was parked. I could hear other branches and or trees breaking. Time to bail out. No overhead danger here, so I got one last bit of cutting in before calling it a day.
Went back yesterday to get some splits made. Kept waiting for the splitter to run out of gas as my quitting point. It never did. lol Muddy but mostly pleasant day. Woodmaker's magic wand say alakastakim! Have not had this much cherry for quite a few years. There is a smidge of hickory in that last stack as well, but two whole cherry trees make up most of it.
Had the urge to run a saw when I woke up yesterday morning. Fair enough. Jonsered selected and loaded in the truck as I head off to work. Threat of rain in the evening, I go to the woodyard anyways. Only the two hickories there needing bucked. Look at the chips I made for you! He's so proud. Whole bunch of good wood here. These are going to the personal use stacks. Was feeling froggy and it hadn't rained yet, so I grabbed Mr Fiskars. Was a little worried I'd have to noodle these due to being 20" length. Yeah, the IsoCore got it done. Brought the saw into the shop at work and went over the chain carefully, which netted excellent results. Just a hair on the grabby side but cutting beautifully. Rakers were set with a proper depth guage (soft). Got to run a saw and spend about an hour and half in the woods. As I was winding down, raindrops started.
Couldn't help myself but to do at least *some wood work yesterday. Planning to finish this stuff up after work today.
Got it finished up. Was doubting my ambition as I was splitting the red oak log laying there. Now back to nothing but uglies left to split. Still have to go back and get at least three more logs from a hickory and have another whole one yet to get (plus a bunch of small rounds laying...around... the woods). I hope the hot weather holds off for another month or so. My stacks grew and multiplied pretty well this winter, but I'm not quite finished yet. Unfortunately, the season's chores are rapidly approaching meaning less time for woodmaking.
That is the formula I've come to. I've been asked before...why not just finish with the maul? Well, my aim ain't that great so while I could, I prefer the hydro which allows me to get the size/shape of splits I want ( I make an effort to get as many no-bark pieces as possible....because reasons). I do noodle, but prefer to whack em if possible. Noodling seems harder on the saws and if the wood will cooperate, I can bust em with the Fiskars much quicker. I asked my helper buddy what he thinks of my 'system' and he didn't have any critical advice. Storing in the woods is also new for me. I used to drag it all to the lower processing area. I made the woods yard as most of the trees that went down were in close proximity, there is actually a bit of level ground and lastly because I had some up there for a season and I'm pretty sure it dries better up there than down close to the river in all the humidity. Instead of making the long drags and wearing on the tractor and tearing up water bars and trails, I can either take the buggy and trialer or my pickup and trailer up to the stacks. I was playing with putting it all in totes and using 3pt forks, but I'm not sure where I'd get my hands on enough totes. Lately I've been daydreaming of building a wood shed up there...er...more of a shelter...the least I can get by with to get a roof. lol I only have one component as of yet in the used steel panels off a friend's shed that got burned due to rot. Figure I can cut a few small trees for poles. Just need some gently used lumber to make a frame. Alas though...another of those someday projects.
So I 'wasted' two very nice evenings that I could have been getting some wood during after work on this. I now have a street legal dirt bike. This is just me trying to hedge against the next time our benevolent overlords decide we need to pay $6/gal for gasoline. Will be nice for the odd trip to visit buddies and what not as well.
Repurposed some beyond best date shed panels for some cheap cover. Made a giant Jenga pile out of some of the better a-hole pieces. Then...rain.
Couple other pics from Saturday I missed. Less ambitious with the second trunk section and got it out mostly drama free. Also had gotten the other top piece. I may be able to get one more of each of the tops but the cutting situation is slightly hairy.
Hard to tell size of the top branches.. I leave smaller than my wrist in the woods..then they drag easier
As always, pics not doing it justice. I can't really stand on either bank as they are too steep. If I thought I could prune it down, I would. I am not crawling into and under that mess to try to cut it up. On the stump side, again can hardly stand. Cutting height will be over shoulder and without good footing. That's two "no-no's" right there. The crotch on the right piece is at least 10 foot off the bottom of that gully. The side with the tops is steeper than the stump side. If anything, I'll shimmy down to where I can get another 6-8 feet of of each. I left just a little extra hoping I could pull them off and keep cutting off until nothing but branches remained. Tractor doesn't have the mass to overcome all that gravity. Soon as it catches traction it stands right up without moving. I could try to setup a wire line with block and whatnot, but they will probably just be fertilizer. When I have a situation like this, I tend to focus on what I am able to recover rather than dwell on what I have to leave behind. All told I should have a cord and maybe another quarter out of it.
You should see the two earth shakers I have to look at when going down one of my trails that are stranded in no man's land. One's a red oak that's prolly 28-30 at the base. It could be argued that all wood is recoverable.
