How far to travel for the wood?

[wdchuck]

60 miles one way, or less. That's how far I've driven, and even at 10mpg, it comes out to $65/cord after saw/splitter fuel. One cord of oak to heat the house per month, so that is still cheap heat.


Another way to view your situation; easy working conditions, especially if this particular tree is in a front yard, possibly level ground, curbside, and the best part, they homeowner can call for help if you need it.

 

[strongback]

I'd get after that one. I like the biggun's and I don't even have the convenience of a winch. And them big ole oak rounds are usually easy splittin' too. W/out any knots and a good axe you can go from big ole billet to firewood almost as fast as you can swing the axe. As has been suggested, maximize each trip and make sure you've got all of the equipment you'll need plus a bunch of stuff that you won't need but will wish you had if the need arises.

Take care of that eye. Are you still having to do the drops every 30 min? That's got to be a pain in the @55! I hope it recovers fully.

 

[avalancher]

Take care of that eye. Are you still having to do the drops every 30 min? That's got to be a pain in the @55! I hope it recovers fully.

Nope, doc told me to go every hour now. Its been okay to deal with during the day, its the nights that I hate. Waking up every hour on the hour is beginning to really take a toll. But, i would rather do that than lose the eye.
Thanks for asking though!

 

[husky455rancher]

if you can handle it with your eye. id personally be all over that with my 2500 and 8ft bed with sides. i dont even have a trailer so youre even 1 better there. as others hace said free wood is gonna be harder and harder to get so get all you can when you can. this or next weekend i might go cut a few more down at my dads house. i just like to keep adding to the pile

 

[Coldfront]

Go for it, White Oak is some hot burning wood, a little tough to split but burns and coals excellent. White Oak 25.7 MBTU's / cord.

 

[Moss Man]

Go for it, White Oak is some hot burning wood, a little tough to split but burns and coals excellent. White Oak 25.7 MBTU's / cord.

You got my yes vote too, lotsa btu's for the buck.

 

[avalancher]

Decided to go and do some cutting there, the tree was NOT a 46dbh, but more along the lines of a 36 incher. The homeowner also forgot to mention that the tree was not on the ground, but snapped off 10 ft up and still attached which leads me to my dilema. Take a look at the pic, how does a guy take that part on the right down? The left side was easy, I was able to reach it from the ground and cut it loose. I took it all down, cut it up and loaded up and headed to the house. On the second trip i started on the right side by walking up the limbs aways and cutting them loose, but ran into a ton of tension. One limb that was about 14 inches in diameter almost bucked me off when I cut it loose, although I was obviously still standing on the side that was still attached.
Any good ideas on how to take that right side down without getting killed?
Thought about a ladder up against the upright stump, but I am not found of the ladder and chainsaw combo.

 

[Moss Man]

I'm with you on the dangers of the ladder-saw combo, we have seen too many videos illustrating that.

 

[strongback]

Any good ideas on how to take that right side down without getting killed?
QUOTE]


Very carefully? :biggrinbounce2:

I wish I could be of more help. I wish I could be there to help. (and get some of that good wood)

I have no idea what I'm talking about so don't do this... I know I'm going to get flamed but this is what I'd probably do:

I'd tie it off to a truck w/ driver, make the appropriate felling notches and cuts and pull the whole thing down on the ground where I could manage it a little better/more safely. From the pictures it looks like it wouldn't destroy anything even if it didn't go where you called it...?

I'm sure the other members will have the correct answers and flame me:angry2: well for posting my uninformed opinion but there it is...

 

[Mike PA]

The one thing I know is stay off the ladder!

If you can't safely work it back, I don't see many choices other than to cable it over. It will be tough to get a read on the forces, though, so you will have to be careful it doesn't kick back at you.

I think I would be most inclined to work it back, just being very careful and aware of which limbs are loaded. Almost forgot - the use of wedges may be wise if working this back.

 

[sdt7618]

Any good ideas on how to take that right side down without getting killed?
QUOTE]


Very carefully? :biggrinbounce2:

I wish I could be of more help. I wish I could be there to help. (and get some of that good wood)

I have no idea what I'm talking about so don't do this... I know I'm going to get flamed but this is what I'd probably do:

I'd tie it off to a truck w/ driver, make the appropriate felling notches and cuts and pull the whole thing down on the ground where I could manage it a little better/more safely. From the pictures it looks like it wouldn't destroy anything even if it didn't go where you called it...?

I'm sure the other members will have the correct answers and flame me:angry2: well for posting my uninformed opinion but there it is...

Well again I am no tree cutter, but getting the whole thing on the ground seems to me to be the sensible thing, cut i to near falling and pull it over with rope or chain.. can't fall on you when on the ground!!

 

[avalancher]

The one thing I know is stay off the ladder!

If you can't safely work it back, I don't see many choices other than to cable it over. It will be tough to get a read on the forces, though, so you will have to be careful it doesn't kick back at you.

I think I would be most inclined to work it back, just being very careful and aware of which limbs are loaded. Almost forgot - the use of wedges may be wise if working this back.

I tried yesterday to start to work it back, but sadly the whole thing is a bunch of tension. Every limb that I cut no matter where I started popped loose with a ton of tension. The majority of the tree on the right is barely touching the ground except for the little stuff, its like cutting a bow right in the middle at full retract.
I am going to start a new thread with these pics since this topic has swerved off of the original post to see if I get the attention of the pros on this board.

 

[avalancher]

Any good ideas on how to take that right side down without getting killed?
QUOTE]


Very carefully? :biggrinbounce2:

I wish I could be of more help. I wish I could be there to help. (and get some of that good wood)

I have no idea what I'm talking about so don't do this... I know I'm going to get flamed but this is what I'd probably do:

I'd tie it off to a truck w/ driver, make the appropriate felling notches and cuts and pull the whole thing down on the ground where I could manage it a little better/more safely. From the pictures it looks like it wouldn't destroy anything even if it didn't go where you called it...?

I'm sure the other members will have the correct answers and flame me:angry2: well for posting my uninformed opinion but there it is...

I wouldnt worry about getting flamed, you have a good suggetion, and we are all here to learn, myself included.
here is the problem with cutting the main stem down at the base. That main stem is going to be heavy, and cutting it down at the bottom and having that main stem go where it wants may cause the tree to roll back to the house. There is also a small tree between the house and the tree which the homeowner does not want destroyed. There is very little canopy on the uphill side, far more on the downhill side towards the house and not enough spread to the canopy to prevent a roll over. I had a very similiar take down a while back but no house to deal with. When we cut the main stem the whole thing rolled over and scared the ####ens out of a neighbor that managed to place himself out of my line of sight on the downhill side. When that tree rolled he had a main branch go right over his head and land behind him. After he managed to recover from his ordeal, he found himself standing right in the middle of the canopy that had been located thirty feet away before. Even with the incredible weight, trees can roll over and travel a long ways.