2018 Axe Cordwood Challenge

[Multifaceted]

Truth be told, lately I prefer using an axe for standing dead because I can better hear the fibers giving way without the scream of the 2-stroke engine and hearing protection. Without a chainsaw, I can simply stop movement, look up, and back way to make sure there's no falling limbs or barberchair situations. I've cut standing dead with saws, but sometimes there's more muscle memory involved with shutting it off to step back, watch, and listen to stay safe. A few more steps involved. Most of what I harvest on our lot is standing dead, and I don't really care for it, because it's so unpredictable and likely to snap or break elsewhere from the the notch.

 

[Mustang71]

I try to only cut dead trees. Last year I took one down with an axe and it fell on another so the next day I went out with the saw and took care of business. I'm so used to watching my cut well felling a tree with a saw that I'm confused with an axe. If the cut is planned out well then when you are making the back cut you can see the cut getting wider. Sometimes I can feel the ground move. I don't get that with an axe. Probably if I had a quality axe and the time I could figure it out.

 

[Multifaceted]

I try to only cut dead trees. Last year I took one down with an axe and it fell on another so the next day I went out with the saw and took care of business. I'm so used to watching my cut well felling a tree with a saw that I'm confused with an axe. If the cut is planned out well then when you are making the back cut you can see the cut getting wider. Sometimes I can feel the ground move. I don't get that with an axe. Probably if I had a quality axe and the time I could figure it out.

Meh, I don't think the axe quality has any advantage over to user experience. If how you cut the notch and can read the situation works for you be it saw or axe, then that is was most important. I think what matters most is if you can do the job safely; the choice of tools is moot after that. In hindsight, I think that if I used a chainsaw on this ash tree I would have run into the exact same problem and would have had to take down both trees anyway...

 

[Mustang71]

Meh, I don't think the axe quality has any advantage over to user experience. If how you cut the notch and can read the situation works for you be it saw or axe, then that is was most important. I think what matters most is if you can do the job safely; the choice of tools is moot after that. In hindsight, I think that if I used a chainsaw on this ash tree I would have run into the exact same problem and would have had to take down both trees anyway...

I agree. I'm saying I lack the axe experience to fell a tree. For me it's splitting wood with an axe that I enjoy. If I find a good tree this winter I may take another swing at it. If you didn't have a chainsaw it would be a long day lol.

 

[Multifaceted]

I agree. I'm saying I lack the axe experience to fell a tree. For me it's splitting wood with an axe that I enjoy. If I find a good tree this winter I may take another swing at it. If you didn't have a chainsaw it would be a long day lol.

Exactly! This is why I like the challenge, it forces one to become proficient with an axe, with realtime situations. I'm the same as you, I split everything by hand, and honestly, it is work, but I like it. I read a quote somewhere that read: "most people like splitting wood because it provides immediate results"

Do I prefer felling and processing with a chainsaw?Damn right! I love power saws, but I also loves axes and old hand tools, so it needs to be equally distributed, ha ha... I have a modest three chainsaws for now, with another 60-70cc range purchase in the works, but I also have a long standing romance with the 'old way'. A while back I started reading the Foxfire books and really got into bushcraft, trapping, smithing, felling, living - just about anything the old way. To me, it's just cool to think that I posess the knowledge and experience to do anything I can in modern day if electricity or fuel was absent (or highly limited) from the equation. I'm also a smalltime prepper, so as you can imagine, this sort of thing appeals to me, and truthfully, I thought it would among many others on this forum.

 

[Mustang71]

Exactly! This is why I like the challenge, it forces one to become proficient with an axe, with realtime situations. I'm the same as you, I split everything by hand, and honestly, it is work, but I like it. I read a quote somewhere that read: "most people like splitting wood because it provides immediate results"

Do I prefer felling and processing with a chainsaw?Damn right! I love power saws, but I also loves axes and old hand tools, so it needs to be equally distributed, ha ha... I have a modest three chainsaws for now, with another 60-70cc range purchase in the works, but I also have a long standing romance with the 'old way'. A while back I started reading the Foxfire books and really got into bushcraft, trapping, smithing, felling, living - just about anything the old way. To me, it's just cool to think that I posess the knowledge and experience to do anything I can in modern day if electricity or fuel was absent (or highly limited) from the equation. I'm also a smalltime prepper, so as you can imagine, this sort of thing appeals to me, and truthfully, I thought it would among many others on this forum.

I like the hands on approach to firewood. It is work and it should be. I could was my pay for propane and be comfortable in my house. Well I can't afford to buy enough propane to feel real warm. I'm not a prepper but I would like to think I have the skills to build a small cabin and cut wood to heat it and survive if I had to. I work by myself as much as I can. It's harder but keeps you sharp and aware.

If I had to I could get wood with an axe. And yes I like the axe challenge, I think it's a cool idea I just don't have time with 2 young kids. I live outside of a small town with the nearest major city being about 40 miles away. I like real freedom and being as simple as I want to be.

 

[Multifaceted]

I like the hands on approach to firewood. It is work and it should be. I could was my pay for propane and be comfortable in my house. Well I can't afford to buy enough propane to feel real warm. I'm not a prepper but I would like to think I have the skills to build a small cabin and cut wood to heat it and survive if I had to. I work by myself as much as I can. It's harder but keeps you sharp and aware.

If I had to I could get wood with an axe. And yes I like the axe challenge, I think it's a cool idea I just don't have time with 2 young kids. I live outside of a small town with the nearest major city being about 40 miles away. I like real freedom and being as simple as I want to be.

That sounds like the American dream to me. Since I got married, we've moved father and farther away from town. One day I would like to be far enough away from neighbors, but close enough to drive into town. Right now we're kind of in between that and rural/suburban living. With my wife's job, she has to be with a 25 mile radius if HQ, so we're positioned just a squeak within those parameters... Or rather, as far away as possible.

 

[Mustang71]

That sounds like the American dream to me. Since I got married, we've moved father and farther away from town. One day I would like to be far enough away from neighbors, but close enough to drive into town. Right now we're kind of in between that and rural/suburban living. With my wife's job, she has to be with a 25 mile radius if HQ, so we're positioned just a squeak within those parameters... Or rather, as far away as possible.

Where I grew up was all country about a 20 min drive to the city and now it's where everyone wants to live. There are housing developments everywhere. So I moved to an area where it's so far from the city and the nearest express way that no one would develope it. I can get to the grocery store in 25 minutes and work in 30. I live on 5 acres and wish it was more but I can do whatever I want here. The police aren't going to show up if I'm shooting or having a big fire or making to much noise. My house is set back in the woods and no one can see my family outside in the summer. I really feel free at home.

 

[AT sawyer]

Are you wearing a hardhat for your felling? Chopping a standing dead tree or driving a wedge into a backcut will send a shock that could shake things loose up top. Even a small branch can give you a good knock if it drops from 70 feet. As for limb lock, a Maasdam rope puller with an offset block will safely pull minor limb locks loose. But you need to identify that tangle beforehand and get the line high in the tree before you start felling. I'm sure any of the rigging guys on this site could add to that discussion.

 

[Multifaceted]

Are you wearing a hardhat for your felling? Chopping a standing dead tree or driving a wedge into a backcut will send a shock that could shake things loose up top. Even a small branch can give you a good knock if it drops from 70 feet. As for limb lock, a Maasdam rope puller with an offset block will safely pull minor limb locks loose. But you need to identify that tangle beforehand and get the line high in the tree before you start felling. I'm sure any of the rigging guys on this site could add to that discussion.

I most certainly do, I have one of the same style as above, only it's black, not red. The branches were for the most part reaching for the light away from the base on one side, but it still was something to watch over, and I definitely was keeping an eye upwards. There were a few small branches that dropped away from me, but otherwise I was lucky. After sleeping on it, I thought about a few things I should have done differently, and I don't think I'll be going at a dead tree of that size or situation with an axe again. Like I mentioned earlier, I learned a lesson yesterday.

 

[svk]

Here's my first 1/128th cord.

 

[Multifaceted]

Ooh yeah, nicely done! Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

With all of the snowmelt, rain, mud, more rain, snowmelt and rain the past month, I have not been able to get back to it. Having only one day a week to do it doesn't help either, but I will achieve my goal. There's still a lot of time until September...

 

[svk]

Where I am at now it is 40 degrees with high winds. This snow is already almost gone and once the rain rolls in around 3 it will be gone.

I'll be doing most of the rest of this challenge with larger tools though!

 

[Multifaceted]

Where I am at now it is 40 degrees with high winds. This snow is already almost gone and once the rain rolls in around 3 it will be gone.

I'll be doing most of the rest of this challenge with larger tools though!

Where are you now and what types of wood will you be cutting?

 

[svk]

I'm in upstate NY through Friday.

I'll do most of my challenge in MN though.

 

[Mustang71]

I'm in upstate NY through Friday.

I'll do most of my challenge in MN though.

What part of N.Y.

 

[Multifaceted]

Steve, I'm starting to be convinced that you own a teleport machine... I could have sworn you were driving south through PA and then VA, now you're in NY?

 

[svk]

What part of N.Y.

Wynantskill. Right across the river from Albany. South of Troy, uphill from Rensselaer.

Steve, I'm starting to be convinced that you own a teleport machine... I could have sworn you were driving south through PA and then VA, now you're in NY?

I may have confused you via PM, we were heading north this past weekend and south next weekend. We will be seeing Joe next Saturday.

 

[Mustang71]

O fun. Sounds like they have the same weather as we do. Going to be a warm one tomorrow and Wednesday.

 

[svk]

Yeah we are supposed to get 70 tomorrow and 65 Wednesday.

We have been up here for president's week for I think 7 years straight now. Two years ago we saw record highs. Four years ago we were here for record lows. One year the lake was open lol. You never know what NY winter will bring.