# sawing through a 12' stump



## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

I just took down a Walnut tree for a customer. It's a drop and go job. The problem is the trunk. I don't have a saw large enough to get through it, it's about 12' around the base. 

Are there any techniques for getting through a trunk like this when the saw doesn't reach? 
thanks!
kap'n


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## b1rdman (Apr 10, 2009)

You should be able to get after that with a pretty small bar...say 20" ( in theory at least).

Open face notch (like WIDE open) and bore/sweep straight back from the center of the notch.

edit...then go after it from the sides/behind of course.


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## chevytaHOE5674 (Apr 10, 2009)

Put your face cut in. Bore cut through the face to get rid of most of the heart wood. Then go from the outside and cut your way around. Should be able to get it done without having a huge saw.


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## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

Ok, i'll give it a try. 

Initially, I grabbed a bigger tree service working around the corner and asked them to come do it. He bid $100 to drop the trunk, or $350 to drop trunk and grind the stump, but he would not haul the trunk away without an extra $250. I said "no thanks" and I'll figure it out myself.


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## ddhlakebound (Apr 10, 2009)

The math says it's about 46" diameter. So if you have a 20" bar, you can knock it down pretty easily just by cutting 3 notches. Two side notches to decrease the diameter of wood you need to cut, and one directional. Take 6" off both sides, and it should then be easy to cut from both sides and drop it, no bore cutting needed. 

If I were the homeowner, I'd be pretty unhappy with the way the tree was left, (big wood on top of brush) Makes it an absolute nightmare to clean up. Any customer who requests a drop and leave usually does not understand what the cleanup is going to entail. By the time they do understand, they're not so happy with you anymore, and probably won't refer you to anyone they know for more work. 

Everything left in a jumbled pile also creates additional danger in finishing the job. If it were me, and I wanted to get more work from the customer or his friends and family, I'd spend an hour or so orgainzing the mess. It'll be worth far more than any advertising you could buy with one hours wages.


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## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

Your point is well taken. I agree completely. 
thanks.


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## TDunk (Apr 10, 2009)

ddhlakebound said:


> The math says it's about 46" diameter. So if you have a 20" bar, you can knock it down pretty easily just by cutting 3 notches. Two side notches to decrease the diameter of wood you need to cut, and one directional. Take 6" off both sides, and it should then be easy to cut from both sides and drop it, no bore cutting needed.



Yup, that's what i'd do. 

When we do drops and leaves, we usually don't move any brush/trees unless it's going to be a hazard to work around.


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## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

*Yep, it worked*

Ok, it worked. Not a lot of fun, and not pretty work, but I got the job done.
So, just out of curiosity, what size saws do guys normally use on something like that?

thanks!
Kap't K


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## treeseer (Apr 10, 2009)

I would call a wood turner and get it cut and hauled for free.

Just Monday I watched a wood turner load 2 maple trunks for me free, and hand me $40 cash plus I get a bowl out of the deal.

That walnut looks pretty; one man's trash is another man's treasure.


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## Slvrmple72 (Apr 10, 2009)

I started out with a Poulan with a 20" bar. After that I got an 088 with a 30" bar and when it broke I bought a new 460 with a 28" and 18" bar. I fixed my 088 and picked up a 48" bar for the really big stuff! I use the 460 all of the time with the 28" bar. The 088 is now more of a backup or needed for the monster wood! IMHO I would go after a saw with a 24" bar at the vey least. What are you running now? Nice work, sometimes you just gotta do what you can with what ya got! At least that's my excuse to the wife! LOL!


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## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

Yeah that's funny about what using what ya got. I had this feeling come over me while cutting that this must be similar to making love with a 2" 'bar'!


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## Slvrmple72 (Apr 10, 2009)

I have seen the old two man hand saws and even used them. You gain a whole new appreciation for the chainsaw after that!


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## tomtrees58 (Apr 10, 2009)

boy you made a mass:jawdrop: tom trees


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## TDunk (Apr 10, 2009)

I have a 395 with a 32 incher that pretty much takes care of everything i need it too. What i usually try to do is start in deep and then start walking around driving 3-4 wedges in as i go. Then when it's cut off it should just push off the stump. But for as big and tall as the one you did, it needed to be felled. Good job though.


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## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

Yeah, I know. It ain't easy bein' green. 

This was my first tree 'off the ground' in a bucket truck I recently bought.
I have not yet learned to climb, and at 43, I may just hire climbers. 
I got 'er done, and only smashed a small section of fence, which I promptly replaced!
So, let me have it about my sloppy work, but it's not all bad for my first big tree. 
thanks!
Kapt K


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## ozzy42 (Apr 10, 2009)

Kaptain_K said:


> Ok, i'll give it a try.
> 
> Initially, I grabbed a bigger tree service working around the corner and asked them to come do it. He bid $100 to drop the trunk, or $350 to drop trunk and grind the stump, but he would not haul the trunk away without an extra $250. I said "no thanks" and I'll figure it out myself.



If it was a drop and go job,it may have been worth the $100 to let the other guy drop the trunk, if you didn't have the saw to do so.$100 Sounds reasonable to me.


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## ddhlakebound (Apr 10, 2009)

ozzy42 said:


> If it was a drop and go job,it may have been worth the $100 to let the other guy drop the trunk, if you didn't have the saw to do so.$100 Sounds reasonable to me.



Yeah, I'd have probably said a hundy for that cut too, especially circled in like that. Wether or not that was reasonable for Kaptain depends entirely on what he got to take it down.....

So Kaptain, are you happy with what you made on the job, and are the homeowners happy with what they got for their money?

Glad you got it down Kaptain K. Not pretty, but down.


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## Slvrmple72 (Apr 10, 2009)

Wow, she was a big ol girl! I bet you did make a big mess! Congrats on the bucket truck. Did you have to rope stuff down or was it all chop and drop? How much reach does your bucket give you? Never mind, I looked at your other thread. So, you are a landscaper "branching" into tree work now. 55' of reach should keep you out of too much trouble.


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## Kaptain_K (Apr 10, 2009)

Seriously one of the biggest Walnut trees I've seen in Iowa. 
All the tops were over the house, garage, shed, neighbor, etc. I mostly used a trim saw and tossed the tops into the middle. Then I rigged the limbs I couldn't just drop. It took me all day, then another trip today for the trunk.
Yes, the customer is pleased. The neighbor is thrilled about the tree being gone, and my quick repair of his new chain link fence. 

I agree that $100 was totally fair for the cut from the other tree service. 
What pissed me off was me literally selling the grinding job for him, handing it to him on a platter for $350, my show of good-will in the hopes of building relationships with competitors rather than animosity, the guy agreeing to it all, and then trying to up the price on hauling the trunk out of there. It wouldn't be a problem with a loader. This was all after it was agreed to happen this morning. He was to perform the work I outlined, then pick up his check directly from the customer. How easy does it get? 
So anyway, I apologized to the customer and completed my original task: Get the tree on the ground.


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## S Mc (Apr 10, 2009)

Kaptain_K said:


> ... one of the biggest Walnut trees I've seen in Iowa.



What an incredible, crying shame. Unless this tree was dead?

Sylvia


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## treemandan (Apr 10, 2009)

Kaptain_K said:


> .
> 
> Initially, I grabbed a bigger tree service working around the corner and asked them to come do it. He bid $100 to drop the trunk, or $350 to drop trunk and grind the stump, but he would not haul the trunk away without an extra $250. I said "no thanks" and I'll figure it out myself.




That techinque no good? "Technique" he says.


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## treemandan (Apr 10, 2009)

" twelve foot stump " he says also.


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## arbadacarba (Apr 11, 2009)

TDunk said:


> I have a 395 with a 32 incher that pretty much takes care of everything i need it too. What i usually try to do is start in deep and then start walking around driving 3-4 wedges in as i go. Then when it's cut off it should just push off the stump. But for as big and tall as the one you did, it needed to be felled. Good job though.



:agree2:Good advice! Keeps you from getting the tip or the bar pinched.


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## Raymond (Apr 11, 2009)

Kaptain_K said:


> Yeah, I know. It ain't easy bein' green.
> 
> This was my first tree 'off the ground' in a bucket truck I recently bought.
> I have not yet learned to climb, and at 43, I may just hire climbers.
> ...


You have a bucket truck but not a big or even a medium size saw? 
Boy if that ain't ass backwards?


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## treeseer (Apr 11, 2009)

After seeing the "before" picture, it's clear that a lot of saleable wood was wasted, not to mention the loss of the asset (what was the complaint, nuts falling?)

You might have mad a lot more money by contacting buyers for that walnut wood. Now the HO will probably cut his leg off trying to untangle that mess. A waste, all around.


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## buzz sawyer (Apr 11, 2009)

S Mc said:


> What an incredible, crying shame. Unless this tree was dead?
> 
> Sylvia



You took the words right out of my mouth. I just hope the wood is not wasted.


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## treeman75 (Nov 1, 2009)

with no experience doing big trees you are going to get hurt


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## TreeW?rx (Nov 2, 2009)

S Mc said:


> What an incredible, crying shame. Unless this tree was dead?
> 
> Sylvia



I agree. I am thinking of the amount of money that could be made selling the lumber to local wood workers. Unless the tree was sick or totally dead and dries out you could have harvested a lot of sell-able wood. I would have my own wood shop running for a long time on that.


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## pdqdl (Nov 7, 2009)

I have tried to sell wood around here, but there just doesn't seem to be the market for it. Local woodworkers never seem to materialize when you need them.

There are two veneer mills within 60 miles of my shop. I can't get enough money for walnut logs to pay for the time & trouble to haul them there. 

I suspect the wood market in Iowa is similar.


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## Mr. Woods (Nov 8, 2009)

*black walnut $8.99/bf*

Just searched online and found walnut priced at $8.99 per board foot.
Now if someone nearby had a portable mill you could give him some to do the milling and make $$$$. Of course it has to have a market. I also found Des Moines Woodworkers Association. Some of those guys would know its' value.
With this scenario you could have done the job for just the tree if you could sell the material. 
With good management that tree could have brought in thousands of dollars.

Or maybe I'm wrong.


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## Mr. Woods (Nov 8, 2009)

*correction (spoke too soon)*

Just went to craigslist and found it for only $1.00 per board foot. Wow. That is super low for such a nice wood. If I lived down there I would floor my entire house in it.


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## Mike Van (Nov 9, 2009)

No sawmill or veneer mill I know of will touch a yard tree log. Their equipment & time costs too much to get ruined by hardware. Bandmill owners with 25.00 blades might, but not the big boys.


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## Ax-man (Nov 9, 2009)

Interesting thread,

Hey Kaptain, looks like you moved up the ladder. You still doing that chipping service thing??? 

I agree what a shame and a waste of a good tree. 

But, that wood is not worth that much. The local sawmill guy here has been busting his Walnut logs into firewood because there is no demand for sawn Walnut boards. Wood turners are hard to find and if you do find them my experience like has been mentioned is they usually don't show up or get picky about what they want. I don't bother with them anymore let alone try and make money off of them. 

Larry


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