Thought of you all yesterday.....during my first fairly productive stab at firewood for the year. Felt like I should give thanks for the lessons I've been picking up here.
I've been looking at an area of hedge for a couple years...off in the furthest corner of the farm. Wondering HOW I'm going to get it down and still walk out of there in one piece. These trees are very old (60-100 years old by their rings) and have fallen in on each other forming an interlocking, above your head, jumble. Some of it is still living, some not. To cut one piece is to risk the others falling.
Last year I cut through a large (20"?) old almost horizontal hedge tree and left it to be cut up for this years wood. Yesterday I decided to work with it. Through some experience, and with the descriptions here....I've learned what is to be expected, and how to prepare for it. These fallen snagged trees have stresses. They will pop back, twist....go everywhich way except the one I would expect sometimes....depending on what they encounter on the way down, and the growth of the surrounding trees afterwards.
It was wedged into the trunk askew, with a twist. I couldn't predict AT ALL what would happen if I cut it. It looked as though it would be twisting and moving towards me. There wasn't the option to go behind as it was in a fence row. SO.....having read so much about using ropes/chains to drag things out...I put a strap on the thing and gave it a very gently pull with the truck. Popped it right out and onto the ground where it was stable. Fine. Started looked at it wondering where to start, then looked up.....right at the 25ft x 8" widowmaker about twelve feet above my head. With a bit of pondering, remembered the posts about the 'hot shots'......figured it would be a good way to bring it down. I uncurled the towing strap again, instead of a bag of shot, I used the metal hook....curled it up (as I've heard described) and gave it a fling. Took a couple shots, but got it around the end without bringing it down on my head. Again....gave a gentle tug with the truck....and I have a day's worth of wood on the ground instead of waiting to brain me.
Started in on one of the large pieces of the fallen tree....saw the 'pinch starting' at the end of my cut. Remembered another suggestion here about using a piece of cut wood as a wedge....worked great, got out with out getting stuck for once.
Got home and my brother-in-law drove up as I was unhooking the gate. I've got the dog and a pile of hedge in the truck, he said "it's pretty cold out there" in his tennies and little top coat. Dressed in winter coveralls, a Carhart jacket, my worn in leather gloves....I just looked at him, grinned....and said "nahhhhhhhh....feels GREAT!!!"
I still have the problem of getting some of the wood home (this stuff is HEAVY) I can't lift it (need to put the bucket back on the tractor.) BUT....it's white outside (can't tell if its frost or snow from here at the computer), the thermometer said 15 degrees when I checked this morning.....the house is toasty warm....and I get to go do it AGAIN!!
Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! I feel I have lots to be thankful for.
Che
PS The Shindaiwa ran GREAT!
I've been looking at an area of hedge for a couple years...off in the furthest corner of the farm. Wondering HOW I'm going to get it down and still walk out of there in one piece. These trees are very old (60-100 years old by their rings) and have fallen in on each other forming an interlocking, above your head, jumble. Some of it is still living, some not. To cut one piece is to risk the others falling.
Last year I cut through a large (20"?) old almost horizontal hedge tree and left it to be cut up for this years wood. Yesterday I decided to work with it. Through some experience, and with the descriptions here....I've learned what is to be expected, and how to prepare for it. These fallen snagged trees have stresses. They will pop back, twist....go everywhich way except the one I would expect sometimes....depending on what they encounter on the way down, and the growth of the surrounding trees afterwards.
It was wedged into the trunk askew, with a twist. I couldn't predict AT ALL what would happen if I cut it. It looked as though it would be twisting and moving towards me. There wasn't the option to go behind as it was in a fence row. SO.....having read so much about using ropes/chains to drag things out...I put a strap on the thing and gave it a very gently pull with the truck. Popped it right out and onto the ground where it was stable. Fine. Started looked at it wondering where to start, then looked up.....right at the 25ft x 8" widowmaker about twelve feet above my head. With a bit of pondering, remembered the posts about the 'hot shots'......figured it would be a good way to bring it down. I uncurled the towing strap again, instead of a bag of shot, I used the metal hook....curled it up (as I've heard described) and gave it a fling. Took a couple shots, but got it around the end without bringing it down on my head. Again....gave a gentle tug with the truck....and I have a day's worth of wood on the ground instead of waiting to brain me.
Started in on one of the large pieces of the fallen tree....saw the 'pinch starting' at the end of my cut. Remembered another suggestion here about using a piece of cut wood as a wedge....worked great, got out with out getting stuck for once.
Got home and my brother-in-law drove up as I was unhooking the gate. I've got the dog and a pile of hedge in the truck, he said "it's pretty cold out there" in his tennies and little top coat. Dressed in winter coveralls, a Carhart jacket, my worn in leather gloves....I just looked at him, grinned....and said "nahhhhhhhh....feels GREAT!!!"
I still have the problem of getting some of the wood home (this stuff is HEAVY) I can't lift it (need to put the bucket back on the tractor.) BUT....it's white outside (can't tell if its frost or snow from here at the computer), the thermometer said 15 degrees when I checked this morning.....the house is toasty warm....and I get to go do it AGAIN!!
Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! I feel I have lots to be thankful for.
Che
PS The Shindaiwa ran GREAT!
