Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[GrizG]

Try putting a few of them up in the lower counties . The McMansion people would be up in arms lawsuits would be flying . It’s “Im all for it but not in my backyard crowd “

And god forbid if you want to log your property all the citiots would be protesting and suing you . But it’s ok to put these ugly things in the middle of nature

I'm senior trustee for a not for profit sportsmen's club near Woodstock in the Catskills. About 28 years ago, as President, I enrolled the property under the NYS 480a Forest Tax Law as doing so was the best way to keep the club viable. The last actual logging occurred just before we were enrolled. The locals have made it nearly impossible to do an actual logging since then... We have, however, done some Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) but all that wood was left on the ground as a commercial sale (of logs or firewood) hasn't been possible due to the locals. DEC understands the problem.. I understand the abutting NYC DEP properties are on their short list of priority lands to be logged. Maybe when DEP logs the abutting properties that we can do ours...??

​

 

[GrizG]

Took a hike on Appalachian Trail Saturday. It was hot, humid, and very buggy... long baggy clothes helped a bit but the bugs were persistent and varied. We started at the Dover Oak in Pawlng, NY and hiked to Nuclear Lake near Poughquag and back. This oak is over 300 years old and 20'+ in circumference/6.5' diameter. It is reportedly the biggest oak on the AT. I'd venture there is lots of firewood in that!
Note the white hash that marks the AT.


A photo from
https://www.hudsonrivervalleyramble...-learn-about-epic-arbor-day-volunteer-project

 

[JustJeff]

And the 338-06 got its first kill (pre-hunting season)! Hope the video works!

That thing would be hail and jaysus on chipmunks!

 

[Lionsfan]

But the NYS Greenies keep ruining my view!

Every time we go up there are more of them!

I agree, they suck. I chewed up a lot of asphalt the 4 years I drove truck, saw a lot of beautiful countryside, and saw a lot of beautiful landscapes destroyed by windfarms.

 

[WoodAbuser]

I agree, they suck. I chewed up a lot of asphalt the 4 years I drove truck, saw a lot of beautiful countryside, and saw a lot of beautiful landscapes destroyed by windfarms.

Yeah all over So MN too. Goin green is a farce. I'm tryin not to say what i really think cause there would be a lot of ****** in my comments.

 

[MustangMike]

This oak is over 300 years old and 20'+ in circumference/6.5' diameter.

You were about 10 miles from my house. We used to bike past there all the time, usually on the way back from Rte 55 in CT.

 

[MustangMike]

Since we did not have to heat the cabin this trip, I should have posted our cooking fire.

I did fire up the saw and cut some firewood, but only about enough to replace what we burned.

The potatoes are getting softened up before we put the burgers on.

 

[JimR]

speaking of sniffing....
View attachment 1100012

It was Joe's blow.

 

[SS396driver]

I got tired after fiddling with Quadrajet carbs I’ve had two on this engine both rebuilt by reputable shops . Never ran well so today I said screw it bought an adapter to put the Edelbrock competition 625 cfm that I had rebuilt for my AMX. . Truck runs like a completely different vehicle . I’ll have to figure out how to hook up the electric kick down for the trans but it’s nice having it run smoothly again . It’s a little big since it was set up for high performance 390 this is a little 327 with 250hp need to finish the plumbing with hard line but I was using what I had on hand

 

[sean donato]

not so here! it rains oak firewood. another nice scrounge... umm, can we still use that word on this thread? . just fell off a big oak tree. has been offered to me... but the QB said she din't like the widow maker aspect of it! ~

film at 11 !

There are plenty of people that advertise junk and sketchy removals, I don't take on those jobs. Just not worth it if something goes wrong, or explaining there's a very good reason a tree company quoted you $6k to take the tree down that's hanging 8
Over your roof with powerlines running through it.

 

[JustPlainJeff]

Man..........I'm gone for another week or so, and I'm 17 pages behind again? You guys have got too much time on your hands LOL!

Question, again, keep in mind, I'm not a professional cutter by any means, although I do consider myself half-way decent with a saw. I've got a tree at my house in WI that's leaning right towards a corner of the house. It's a conifer (I'm not sure which type exactly, maybe a Jack Pine), that I want to take out before a storm does it for me. I've only got about a 6' gap between that corner of the house and some other hardwood trees that are healthy and I don't want to damage. So, I'm thinking about "directing it" with my tractor.

The only problem is, my wife doesn't want to have anything to do with driving the tractor, and she doesn't know how to use a saw. No friends in the area either. So, I'm thinking that if I get in the tractor first, and use my long arborist's rope attached to the tree, to initially pull the tree away from the house, in the direction that I need it to fall, and just put enough tension on the line to see the tractor pulling the tree in the direction that I want it to fall in, and then STOP pulling with the tractor, and put the brake on, keeping the pressure on the line, then go to the tree, skip the notch completely, but start cutting the tree with the back cut, and when I get deep enough into the cut that I can see the gap opening up from the tension on the line from the tractor, and stop cutting. Then get back into the tractor, and pull it over exactly where I need it to go. Do you guys think that would work?? I'm open to all feedback.

 

[JimR]

I got tired after fiddling with Quadrajet carbs I’ve had two on this engine both rebuilt by reputable shops . Never ran well so today I said screw it bought an adapter to put the Edelbrock competition 625 cfm that I had rebuilt for my AMX. . Truck runs like a completely different vehicle . I’ll have to figure out how to hook up the electric kick down for the trans but it’s nice having it run smoothly again . It’s a little big since it was set up for high performance 390 this is a little 327 with 250hp need to finish the plumbing with hard line but I was using what I had on hand View attachment 1100064

Quagrajets can be a PITA when the act up. The problem I find with them is always a sticking plunger on the secondary butterflies and metering rods. I think that it happens from lack of using the secondaries.

 

[JimR]

Man..........I'm gone for another week or so, and I'm 17 pages behind again? You guys have got too much time on your hands LOL!

Question, again, keep in mind, I'm not a professional cutter by any means, although I do consider myself half-way decent with a saw. I've got a tree at my house in WI that's leaning right towards a corner of the house. It's a conifer (I'm not sure which type exactly, maybe a Jack Pine), that I want to take out before a storm does it for me. I've only got about a 6' gap between that corner of the house and some other hardwood trees that are healthy and I don't want to damage. So, I'm thinking about "directing it" with my tractor.

The only problem is, my wife doesn't want to have anything to do with driving the tractor, and she doesn't know how to use a saw. No friends in the area either. So, I'm thinking that if I get in the tractor first, and use my long arborist's rope attached to the tree, to initially pull the tree away from the house, in the direction that I need it to fall, and just put enough tension on the line to see the tractor pulling the tree in the direction that I want it to fall in, and then STOP pulling with the tractor, and put the brake on, keeping the pressure on the line, then go to the tree, skip the notch completely, but start cutting the tree with the back cut, and when I get deep enough into the cut that I can see the gap opening up from the tension on the line from the tractor, and stop cutting. Then get back into the tractor, and pull it over exactly where I need it to go. Do you guys think that would work?? I'm open to all feedback.

If that was my tree I would be cutting the notch first to direct the tree where I want it to fall. I would use my tractor to help pull that tree in the direction I want it to go. I normally put a lot of tension on my logging winch before doing the back cut. On the back cut I would keep it even with the notch so that the hinge is equal all the way across. Then when I see the cut starting to slightly open up I use my tractor to make sure it goes as planned.

 

[JustJeff]

Man..........I'm gone for another week or so, and I'm 17 pages behind again? You guys have got too much time on your hands LOL!

Question, again, keep in mind, I'm not a professional cutter by any means, although I do consider myself half-way decent with a saw. I've got a tree at my house in WI that's leaning right towards a corner of the house. It's a conifer (I'm not sure which type exactly, maybe a Jack Pine), that I want to take out before a storm does it for me. I've only got about a 6' gap between that corner of the house and some other hardwood trees that are healthy and I don't want to damage. So, I'm thinking about "directing it" with my tractor.

The only problem is, my wife doesn't want to have anything to do with driving the tractor, and she doesn't know how to use a saw. No friends in the area either. So, I'm thinking that if I get in the tractor first, and use my long arborist's rope attached to the tree, to initially pull the tree away from the house, in the direction that I need it to fall, and just put enough tension on the line to see the tractor pulling the tree in the direction that I want it to fall in, and then STOP pulling with the tractor, and put the brake on, keeping the pressure on the line, then go to the tree, skip the notch completely, but start cutting the tree with the back cut, and when I get deep enough into the cut that I can see the gap opening up from the tension on the line from the tractor, and stop cutting. Then get back into the tractor, and pull it over exactly where I need it to go. Do you guys think that would work?? I'm open to all feedback.

Like Jim said, notch first before tension and maybe even backcut to a thick hinge and pull it over. This is assuming the tractor weighs more than the tree. If your cutting down a 100ft tree and have a bx Kubota like mine, you could be in for the tractor ride of your life if the tree does what it wants!

 

[JustJeff]

@JustPlainJeff . Post pics of the offending tree. Lots of guys in here with experience.

 

[bob kern]

If that was my tree I would be cutting the notch first to direct the tree where I want it to fall. I would use my tractor to help pull that tree in the direction I want it to go. I normally put a lot of tension on my logging winch before doing the back cut. On the back cut I would keep it even with the notch so that the hinge is equal all the way across. Then when I see the cut starting to slightly open up I use my tractor to make sure it goes as planned.

Just remember to watch out for them there barber chairs !!!

 

[WoodAbuser]

Man..........I'm gone for another week or so, and I'm 17 pages behind again? You guys have got too much time on your hands LOL!

Question, again, keep in mind, I'm not a professional cutter by any means, although I do consider myself half-way decent with a saw. I've got a tree at my house in WI that's leaning right towards a corner of the house. It's a conifer (I'm not sure which type exactly, maybe a Jack Pine), that I want to take out before a storm does it for me. I've only got about a 6' gap between that corner of the house and some other hardwood trees that are healthy and I don't want to damage. So, I'm thinking about "directing it" with my tractor.

The only problem is, my wife doesn't want to have anything to do with driving the tractor, and she doesn't know how to use a saw. No friends in the area either. So, I'm thinking that if I get in the tractor first, and use my long arborist's rope attached to the tree, to initially pull the tree away from the house, in the direction that I need it to fall, and just put enough tension on the line to see the tractor pulling the tree in the direction that I want it to fall in, and then STOP pulling with the tractor, and put the brake on, keeping the pressure on the line, then go to the tree, skip the notch completely, but start cutting the tree with the back cut, and when I get deep enough into the cut that I can see the gap opening up from the tension on the line from the tractor, and stop cutting. Then get back into the tractor, and pull it over exactly where I need it to go. Do you guys think that would work?? I'm open to all feedback.

Maybe you can find another member somewhere close to there to help.

 

[MustangMike]

JPJ, add me to the camp that says do a notch. Your hinge will be stronger.

Other than that, you should be OK. I always use rope because it gives you a little stretch which helps to keep pulling when the tree starts to move.

I always tighten to the ropes limit, but I know how to do it with a hand winch. Will be harder to judge with a tractor, don't pull so hard you snap the rope.

 

[sundance]

JPJ, add me to the camp that says do a notch. Your hinge will be stronger.

Other than that, you should be OK. I always use rope because it gives you a little stretch which helps to keep pulling when the tree starts to move.

I always tighten to the ropes limit, but I know how to do it with a hand winch. Will be harder to judge with a tractor, don't pull so hard you snap the rope.

Make sure the rope's well up in the tree for good leverage.

 

[farmer steve]

JPJ, add me to the camp that says do a notch. Your hinge will be stronger.

Other than that, you should be OK. I always use rope because it gives you a little stretch which helps to keep pulling when the tree starts to move.

I always tighten to the ropes limit, but I know how to do it with a hand winch. Will be harder to judge with a tractor, don't pull so hard you snap the rope.

It is hard to pull with a rope and tractor without breaking rope. Safest thing is to put a chain between the tractor and rope so if the rope snaps it doesn't crack you in the back of the head. The chain absorbs the shock and drops to the ground.