Ed's place

[zogger]

Went out again today. 24 when I left the house but clear sky and sun starting up. Long John top on. Medium size Willow. Some question about just where it wanted to go to to various limb loading and bends. I either guess right or got lucky. 3 1/2 hours and almost all cleane up and bucked except aobut 15' of butt log. I was half way through a cut when I noticed my inside dog was loose on one end and trying to play kissy face witht the. Bagged it for the day, stopped at NAPA and bought some 6mm bolts. I'll go thrugh that 361 and check any bolt I can see. It has a habit of loosing bar nuts also. Only other saw I every had was "old shaky" an 041. That thing could shake screws loose that weren't even on the saw.

Got a fair size load bucked up so I might risk the truck next tiem. Ground still a bit moist to haul a heavy load yet.

Sorry I forgot the camera but I promise I will take a pic of where the tree was next trip. No, you will not get to see the 'beavered' stump.

Harry K

Youre a cuttin machine! Closest I got today was over the other side of the farm (doing other chores, stopped on my way back) where my next big scores are coming from. I inspected all the half a dozen of the big ones, oak and hickory in the to do stretch (clearing next to buildings), taped a few to give me a guesstimate on yield, planned all my falls.

Ill do that three times *at least* before I fire a saw up on larger trees. Tell ya why, too. This is my second recon there, and today spotted a widowmaker I did NOT note the first time.

 

[ShaneLogs]

Looks like you got some work done and some more to do Looks good!

 

[turnkey4099]

This site is for two reasons. An accomodation to the farmer who wants them gone and for me to get excercise. There really isn't much good wood there but it is nice to be out sniffing exhaust.

That 361/24" was spitting rooster tails on a almost used up chain. Just sharped it yesterday and had to swap to a 3/16" file. Not much on it but slivers but very nice chips. I finished out with the 310 bucking about half the log. Also fresh sharped chain with lots of life still in it. Good rooster tail but the speed noticeably less than the 361. Log right at 20" when I quit, will be around 32" at butt.

Harry K

 

[Iska3]

Harry, You are the man!!!

If you ever run out of trees, you could start up a new business making 'Crying Towels' and selling them to a few of the members on this site. :msp_thumbsup:

 

[turnkey4099]

Eyeballs overloaded my rear again. Went out to "pick ukp the stuff ready to haul and put down the next tree. Hah! By the time I had the stuff picked up that included rolling some big rounds up out of the shallow ditch, I had had enough.

I left 4 of the butt rounds as the truck had a good load on already. Leaves three to go, one will need a bit of encouragement to keep it off the highway. Dunno what he has planned for that brush patch down at the end. I'll have to ask. He left me a 20' strip of unworked ground but that stops just past that last tree. I hope he doesn't want that cleared but if so I'll do it.

Now that brushy dead POS is a problem. It is lodged in that last tree andlooks like it might just be sitting on the stump. I don't dare fall the last tree with that thing up there as I can't tell what it would do when the tree tried to fall. I started clearing away crap around the base of the snag today as a last 'task'.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Another day there with a surprise. I thought the next tree was on the "small to medium size"...Hah! My 25" bar wasn't long enough to reach clear through.

Real bad leaner - tried a plunge cut to make the notch, no go, bar began to pinch as it neared the edge. Decided that with that much lean, it could only go one way and even if it barber chaired I was fairly safe so laid into the back cut. 361 singing a song of hunger and spitting a rooster tail when the tree 'gave' a bit. That shocked the saw apparently as it promptly spit off the bar cover, bar and chain...again. I HAVE to learn to keep checkin those nuts or get some captive lock ones. Reinstalled and on the ground. A rarity for old willow - it is solid at the butt, usually they are half rotten there.

About 3 1/2 hours later I had it mostly brushed out, was tired of packing brush so loaded to leave.

Nope things went downhill from there. Not even a click from the battery. In hindsight I should have known as I had a rather odd weak 'start' in town before leaving and the battery was 8 years old. I had it checked last fall and they said "it is still good". Uhuh.

Yank out cell, more downhill - no service.

Okay, over to the highway and start trying to wave down traffic. Didn't take long. A PU passed me going the wrong direction but I saw it turn around 1/4 mile down the road - yep, came back, picked me up and took me the 8 miles back to town! That's "country" for you!!!

Got off at my usual tire store. "Sure, we'll run you and a new battery out as soon as we get a man free" Very busy, apparently everyone getting studs changed out. 1 1/2 hours later with numerous customers appearing and disappearing I caught the manager - they had lost the service ticket!!.

So back in the house 2 hours after I finished work out there.

Next trip is the "interesting" one getting that thing down to where I can cut rounds off it. Didn't take a real good look today but I think it will roll away from the camera by cutting one prop limb. I don't rcall ever cutting one that was propped up so high.

Harry K

 

[zogger]

I am not standing right there getting a better perspective, but looks like you could just about back the truck in there, stand in the bed and buck and drop rounds right into the bed. Right up to the last two support branches on the ground. Then you could pull back out, weaken one support branch, and yank the sucker over with a chain, that branch will break then.

Better than reaching up cutting over your head.

 

[turnkey4099]

I am not standing right there getting a better perspective, but looks like you could just about back the truck in there, stand in the bed and buck and drop rounds right into the bed. Right up to the last two support branches on the ground. Then you could pull back out, weaken one support branch, and yank the sucker over with a chain, that branch will break then.

Better than reaching up cutting over your head.

I think you are onto something there! Might give that a try tomorrow. NOt the 'drop into bed' but stand on tailgate and drop just past it.

Harry K

 

[Elim]

I think you are onto something there! Might give that a try tomorrow. NOt the 'drop into bed' but stand on tailgate and drop just past it.

Harry K

That sounds like a good idea with the bed/tailgate. Just be careful when you cut those supporting branches Harry. If you do not pull that tree over first at least secure it when you go to cut them, so it can not roll onto you. From the picture it looks to be resting on a fork (or Y) of branches, and whatever one you cut first would/could cause the tree to roll in that direction. We can't have you getting hurt Harry, and with it being that far out, and no phone service you could be in big trouble if that happened.

Stay safe, and keep us posted. Thanks again for the updates, and pics.

 

[zogger]

The other thing you can do, is take the big branch wood you have and start stacking it up under the trunk just a little ways to the left of those two big branches holding the log up. Build a pile, the last branch cut at an angle so it is a wedge and sledge hammer that in there. Making a big support area. Once the weight is off those two support branches you can cut them out with V notches. You can lift some pretty decent weight with big chunks like that and a sledge.

Although I think weakening the wussiest support branch (watch for pinch...)and chaining over the tree to the other branch then yanking it over, breaking the weakened branch, is easier. Judgement call, not right there.

I do the support chunks and sledge hammer trick all the time to lift big logs for bucking. One chunk hammered in at every cut area or every other one, depends on how the trunk is supported.

 

[turnkey4099]

The other thing you can do, is take the big branch wood you have and start stacking it up under the trunk just a little ways to the left of those two big branches holding the log up. Build a pile, the last branch cut at an angle so it is a wedge and sledge hammer that in there. Making a big support area. Once the weight is off those two support branches you can cut them out with V notches. You can lift some pretty decent weight with big chunks like that and a sledge.

Although I think weakening the wussiest support branch (watch for pinch...)and chaining over the tree to the other branch then yanking it over, breaking the weakened branch, is easier. Judgement call, not right there.

I do the support chunks and sledge hammer trick all the time to lift big logs for bucking. One chunk hammered in at every cut area or every other one, depends on how the trunk is supported.

I like the "yank it" option. I'll try that, cut about 1/2 through one of the supports chain up and go. Willow is very weak wood and that branch should snap easy.

Harry K

 

[Jakers]

I like the "yank it" option. I'll try that, cut about 1/2 through one of the supports chain up and go. Willow is very weak wood and that branch should snap easy.

Harry K

make sure you have a good escape route and plan for the thing to give out. maybe have a helper with for that day...

 

[turnkey4099]

Finally got a day to get back at that tree I left propped up:

Got some good suggestions for getting it down but...Left this morning with 21* light breeze, coat. Arrived to find freshly worked ground everywhere. Decided it looked a bit "dubious" for getting across that with the truck so decided to pack in hundred yards, cut it up clean the area and wait till ground is a bit firmer. I am chicken when all I have is a 2x.

Not bad working except for th bulk of my sleeveless vest. Made good progress and had it to this point in about an hour.

Another hour had it cut up to the main stump plus the two prop limbs. Looking forward to getting it down and cut up. Was picking up the last of the trash with my garbage can when a long haul trucker (on run from Seattle to somewhere east came walking in - blew his oil cap and most of his oil out of the peterbilt about a mile down the road.

No cell service in that area as I found out last week. Pay back time so I stopped work, picked up the saws, etc. and took him to town.

Left it like this except that branch that was sticking way out there and is now showing on the ground isn't there anymore, just the main stem and the two prop limbs. Tackle them tomorrow and figure an easy 2 hour to finish which will include loading. No problem excetp for the eyeful of sawdust I got from all the overhead cutting.

Plan is to remove the near prop and let it roll toward the camera positon. That will also bring the butt down off the stump. There won't be anything behind me so I should be safe. Just hope I don't pinch a bar.

Harry K

 

[Elim]

Great work Harry!

You're a heck of a guy in all ways!

 

[zogger]

Making progress, looking good!

 

[turnkey4099]

Finished it today in a bit over 3 hours. Started with this:

From the end:

Removed near prop. Helluva jolt when that prop finally gave up. Had to do a near vertical cut with a wedge in top to keep it from 're-propping'. First attemp was a straight across cut and it just closed up and stayed there.

Blocked out. Hauled everything down to the field edge - heavy load. All unloaded next to the splitting block with the Fiskars watching for attempts to escape fate.

I plan to go back on Tuesday to pick up the rest and a couple rounds left from the previous tree - that will make most of a load again. Estimate at least 1 1/4 cord from that tree - didn't expect it to be that much.

Physical tomorrow. I hope he doesn't exam my brain to check for sanity.

Harry K

 

[zogger]

Nice one man, good work. I did zip and squat today, just raining hard off and on. Took the dogs mud walk bogging. Even my hardest core hiking cat gave up, no following today. Dogs though, they dig playing in the mud.

 

[turnkey4099]

Out to pick up the rest of that tree this morning. Got another 3/4 of a load, "barbered" around those two remaining trees removing all the 'trash' that I could reach from the ground. Lots of walking around eyeballing, wondering, planning how to take them down. the first one is mostly dead snage with broken parts up top, one of them lodged in the 2nd tree. What a widowmaker! Both are so ratty looking, I don't expect to get much if any useable wood out of them. Just block and shove over the bank.

They both want to go toward the highway. Packed up and returned to the area I first started. there is a 10' butt log I left there and was wondering if I had enough lead in the pants to cut/load it when Ed showed up. Great!! He has an old AC wheel tractor with bucket in the shed. Showed me how to start it - amaingly it started right up first try. I can use it anytime. I can pull that dead chunk out of the 2nd tree if I can get a cable around it up there - fairly easy throw if too much brush doesn't get in the way. Then use the tractor to pull both trees. Since myi cables are on the light side, I'll use the PU as an achor for a safety tether incase I break the pulling cable.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

One more on the ground. I needed pulling as it wanted to visit the highway. I was out yesterday to drop it but I couldn't get my chain around it up high. Idt was too big to pass the chain around and even my usual "stiff piece wire bent in a U wouldn't work to retrieve the end of the chain. Spent two hours general cleanup of area and barbering that tree to get all the low branches off.

Went back this morning, climbed up and nailed one end of the chain to the tree, down ladder, grab end and work it around tree, back up ladder and work the chain up the back side of the tree by "flipping". All ready to pull:

Had to thin the hinge once before it finally surrendered.

Stump shot, Not bad. One of my better ones.

That leaves that mess in the background. Not gonna like messing with that last tree. It has a HUGE hollow under it and I can't tell if there is much solid wood above that. In addition it has that big ?branch/stem? of that old rotten tree resting in the top. Gonna have to do something with that thing before I even try the tree.

Harry K

 

[ShaneLogs]

Keep at it! Love the pictures!