I had this up here before, tomorrow we'll get this Cherry on the ground and c/s. I have more Cherry to split not far from here and the Yellow Birch needs splitting then we'll start hauling all the wood out.
I did make a small cut (not a notch) on the bottom before I started the plunge cut. The plunge cut worked great, even though it's only the second time I used it, it did stop the two trees I used it on from barber chairing. In pic 0034 you can see where the bar & chain went through the Cherry. In pic 0037 you can see it did split some on the opposite side from where I was starting the plunge cut. The only problem I had was the splitter wouldn't start, I changed the spark plug and the gas and still nothing.
I love cutting those kind of trees. Not so much bending! Actually they cut really easy but I still don't understand why anyone would use a plunge cut on that as it is simply not needed. Undercut it then cut from top down and it is done. I've never had a barber chair on something like that.
I posted it before, the other side did split or barber chair when I cut it the regular way, that is why I used a plunge cut. I would never cut a tree like this the way you're saying, but if it works for you that's all that matters.
And I use a plunge very rarely. Most times I find it is not needed so why do it? I'm surprised you had a barber chair. Did you under cut it before cutting top down?
Yes, the top third split because of the weight from the top of the tree, the plunge cut holds it together longer. I'm not telling anyone to use it, I'll use it because it works.
Pic 0038 is the Cherry I did the other day, pic 0040 is a smaller Cherry I cut up in March and the last two pics are of the Yellow Birch. I still have some smaller rounds of the Yellow Birch to split but I had to get out of the woods so I could go see a friend in the hospital.
Nice work thewoodlands! Looks like you will have to resort to your back up splitter. Make sure you feed her a good breakfast that day.
It was a perfect day for either cutting or splitting, it was about 55 out with a cool breeze when I started. I split it all by hand!
How much wood are you ahead for the coming year(s)? You have the most posts with daily activity so i am guessing you have many cords piled up.
We'll have around 25 - 28 cord (not face) that should be about five years worth depending on how cold the winters are, maybe more. If I get my arse going I could add another 3 or 4 cord of shoulder season wood but I only like to stack in certain areas. It's not the most wood but it gives us a nice cushion.
Thanks Woodsnwoods , I was headed up to my next job (a good size Cherry) when I came across this, just last week I did some trail work underneath the old rotten Beech. In pic 0048 you can see the grass I raked up last week and then put on the trail. Today all I did was haul Pine Needles to low spots on our trail.
They smooth out the trails in the low spots and after about two or three years they turn into a fine dirt. We have plenty of White Pines around the house so it allows me to keep certain areas at the house raked up and it's sort of free.
This is the work I did last year with Pine needles and chips from our small chipper. Trail Work 2015 | Firewood Hoarders Club
I have places on my tgrail in the woods where roots are exposed and the ride gets a bit bumpy. I have been putting some splitter trash over those area to smooth them out again.
