general questions on cutting firewood

[ozarkjeep]

Is it normal for a standing tree that has been dead a while to be harder down towards the bottom?

I dropped a couple yesterday, and I cutting the tops was nothing, as I worked down the trunks though, they got REALLY hard at the bottom several feet.

some sort of oak trees, one was as nearly as large as my truck tire ( 31 inches) the other was maybe 18 inches across.

I saw sparks too when making the notches and hinge cuts. is that normal for older hardwoods? is that rocks and stuff thats grown into the bark?

 

[Woodie]

I saw sparks too when making the notches and hinge cuts. is that normal for older hardwoods? is that rocks and stuff thats grown into the bark?

Can be rocks and all manner of stuff, but it can also be sand. First time I saw that I thought I'd hit a nail, then realized what it was. Freaky, huh?

 

[ericjeeper]

many possibilities

Not all tress die in the same manner. as for the sparks. was your chain good and snug. Lots of times the chain is a bit loose and it will try to derail basiclly.

 

[ozarkjeep]

its pretty tight, its as tight to the bar as I could get it and still move around the bar easily by hand( roller tip)

Not all tress die in the same manner. as for the sparks. was your chain good and snug. Lots of times the chain is a bit loose and it will try to derail basiclly.

 

[ozarkjeep]

yes the first time it happened, I shut it off and looked insde the tree, looking for barbed wire or a nail or something, after the 3rd or 4rth time I figured it was par for the course.

Can be rocks and all manner of stuff, but it can also be sand. First time I saw that I thought I'd hit a nail, then realized what it was. Freaky, huh?

 

[Ray Bennett]

I cut a lot of oak and see those sparks you are talking about, I do not keep my chains real tight (to prolong bar life) so figured it was from that epically because my chain never seems to dull when I see the sparks. The sparks I see And I assume the ones you see come off the top of the bar and are moving away from you. This part of the chain is not even cutting, If sparks come off the bottom while in the cut you may not even see them.

As for the wood seeming harder, I think it is more like you are cutting slower because you have more drag on your chain slowing it down giving you the feeling the wood is harder.

 

[ozarkjeep]

maybe, but when cutting the top of the tree, the chain would bite good and pull the saw thru, near the bottom, I was having to push it through. it wasnt grabbing as well.

I tried different logs, and filed the chain a couple of times for each tank of gas.

As for the wood seeming harder, I think it is more like you are cutting slower because you have more drag on your chain slowing it down giving you the feeling the wood is harder.

 

[TooTall999]

I seem to remember reading that in standing dead trees the old sap settles out towards the stump.If true it would contain alot of the mineral that the tree has drawn up in the sap.This might account for the sparks and dulling of the chain.

 

[A100HVA]

if you cut trees down that are in flood plain you'll notice fine sand grown right in the wood......go to higher ground if possible!

 

[turnkey4099]

Black Locust when it is dead dry will throw sparks and I don't think it has anything to do with sand or wear on the chain.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

maybe, but when cutting the top of the tree, the chain would bite good and pull the saw thru, near the bottom, I was having to push it through. it wasnt grabbing as well.

I tried different logs, and filed the chain a couple of times for each tank of gas.

If you are having to file 'a couple of times per tank' that wood must be full of something.

Harry K

 

[blis]

Black Locust when it is dead dry will throw sparks and I don't think it has anything to do with sand or wear on the chain.

Harry K

Also spruce tends to spark even thou it has no sand or anything in it...

 

[ozarkjeep]

it wasnt that I HAD to, I was just making sure the chain was SHARP.

when it wouldnt cut well near the bottoms, I was wondering if the chain was dull or the wood was harder.

sharpening did NOT help noticeably, so I decided that the wood was harder and it wasnt an issue of the chain being dull.

I talked with my grandfather today, and he was telling me that older dead trees like that get VERY hard.

I can beleive it, looking at the ends where cut, its very dense and hard.

If you are having to file 'a couple of times per tank' that wood must be full of something.

Harry K

 

[Austin1]

sparks

Is it normal for a standing tree that has been dead a while to be harder down towards the bottom?

I dropped a couple yesterday, and I cutting the tops was nothing, as I worked down the trunks though, they got REALLY hard at the bottom several feet.

some sort of oak trees, one was as nearly as large as my truck tire ( 31 inches) the other was maybe 18 inches across.

I saw sparks too when making the notches and hinge cuts. is that normal for older hardwoods? is that rocks and stuff thats grown into the bark?

I don't cut any hard wood other than birch, but for me if I cut close to a gravel road the dust is on the tree's, and yes it does cause more sparks. If I am cutting close to a forestry road it does shorten the life of my chains but it is so much easier on me! Just drive up and cut a pickup load of wood!

 

[Dan Forsh]

I don't know for sure, but I'm willing to take a stab at it.

If the tree is dead, and has been for a while you'll probably find that it is drier higher up. The lower you go, the more moisture content it still has and consequently is harder to cut.

Or maybe I'm just talking out of my A**

 

[sawinredneck]

A lot of factors come into play here. Where I cut Oak the soil is sandy, the sand is transferd up the tree a ways, as well as the minerals in the ground/tree will be concentrated towards the bottom. Standing dead, the minerals and sap will settle to the botom as well making it harder. You also have o worry about rocks growing in the tree, as well as what may have been placed at the base of the tree, I cut into a cynder block once a quater way through a tree. I also have to contend with the sand being blown onto the bark all the way through the tree.
Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Timberhauler]

Go out late in the evening right at dark and cut some wood...Even with the sharpest of chain,your saw is gonna throw sparks when the chain hits the wood,Especially hardwood...I've seen dead hickory trees so hard you almost had to have a carbide chain to cut em'.

 

[Canyon Angler]

If you're cutting a lot of dead trees, keep an eye out that none of the tops bust off, fall down and bang you in the head.

That won't cause sparks, but it'll make you see stars! :blob5:

 

[Ray Bennett]

Sap Question

I do not see how sap settling in the bottom would make the wood harder, In fact when I hit sap the wood is noticeably softer from the extra liquid in the wood.

I do not know if this is true or not but I have read on this site and in some literature on firewood that treetops where the branches connect are much more dense than the rest of the tree and there fore when properly seasoned put out more heat. I assumed this true cause I can bust a 20 inch oak log with one swing, however a 10 inch log where a branch came out can nearly bust me before I am done swinging.

 

[ozarkjeep]

yes, thanks for the warning!

one had been hit by lightning, and the top was fractured, I tossed a rope around it and pulled it down with my truck first.

Im not very savy at all of this, so im trying to be VERY cautious.

If you're cutting a lot of dead trees, keep an eye out that none of the tops bust off, fall down and bang you in the head.

That won't cause sparks, but it'll make you see stars! :blob5: