Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Khntr85]

Hey 85, sorry to hear someone else is getting your wood! Did you give RS a try yet?

Hey mike, no sir I have not used it yet, but I will be soon as I have been dulling chain real fast on this hickory.... The only reason I didn't use it yesterday was because there was a lot of mud from them dragging the logs.... I will let you know how it works for me as son as I use it.... I am anxious to try it!!!!!

 

[Logger nate]

Earlier this week I was going to remove a small tree from beside the driveway right by the split wood pile.
Well lets just say it didn't go as planned.
I was pushing it over with the tractor and the canopy was touching a black locust I also wanted to take down. The next thing I know the tractor and I look like we are in a parade float. I did not have enough pressure on the tree to even lift the front tires off the ground and the tree snapped right in half. The only thing I can think is that it happened because it was so dry out. This was a big learning experience in what not to do. I'm not sure what I would do differently other than be more prepared for it tohappen.
As I was pushing it I heard a small crack abd I thought that one of the roots were breaking.
View attachment 507160 View attachment 507161 Once I got it off the driveway I was able to cut it all up and then the last picture shows what was left. The good thingbis that I'm still living and the dead limb didn't damage the hood.View attachment 507162 View attachment 507163

Glad your ok!

 

[hardpan]

I was a teenager working some odd jobs in the summer to make money. The woman (homeowner) asked me if I got Poison Ivy? I told her I never had it before. Last time I answered like that! My forearms got so swollen I looked worse than Popeye, and I had to get medical treatment.

Lesson Learned (the hard way)!

Our allergies with poison ivy can change. When I was a kid I would grab handfuls of it and chase the kids who were very allergic to it, never intending to touch them with it but it sure was funny watching them run in terror. Then the summer I turned 21 revenge was paid. My arms and legs were covered with it and I was miserable. I got it bad a couple years after that and then I began to build a resistance to it again. Now I only get small patches.

Now I'm only looking out for your own good here. You really want to know what your resistance level is so get a couple leaves and rub them on one arm and see what will manifest. It will be good for your mental health. Some things a guy just has to know. LOL

 

[hardpan]

Earlier this week I was going to remove a small tree from beside the driveway right by the split wood pile.
Well lets just say it didn't go as planned.
I was pushing it over with the tractor and the canopy was touching a black locust I also wanted to take down. The next thing I know the tractor and I look like we are in a parade float. I did not have enough pressure on the tree to even lift the front tires off the ground and the tree snapped right in half. The only thing I can think is that it happened because it was so dry out. This was a big learning experience in what not to do. I'm not sure what I would do differently other than be more prepared for it tohappen.
As I was pushing it I heard a small crack abd I thought that one of the roots were breaking.
View attachment 507160 View attachment 507161 Once I got it off the driveway I was able to cut it all up and then the last picture shows what was left. The good thingbis that I'm still living and the dead limb didn't damage the hood.View attachment 507162 View attachment 507163

Chipper, I get annoyed when knats get in my eyes when I am on the tractor but man you took it one step further. LOL
Seriously I'm glad you dodged possible serious injury. That tractor hood could be easily replaced or repaired.

 

[MustangMike]

It is the smaller trees that will kill ya, the larger ones are a little more predictable! But always look for broken, entangled, or dead branches up above. I know someone who was paralyzed when one fell on him from a dead Elm tree (was entangled w/another).

Never under estimate the danger of using a saw or cutting a tree. You don't always get second chances.

 

[svk]

It is the smaller trees that will kill ya, the larger ones are a little more predictable! But always look for broken, entangled, or dead branches up above. I know someone who was paralyzed when one fell on him from a dead Elm tree (was entangled w/another).

Never under estimate the danger of using a saw or cutting a tree. You don't always get second chances.

And after spending time in different areas around the country, my trees are very easy compared to some others.

A guy I know has a good sized bur oak to take down. The freaking crown is huge even though the tree is not all that tall. Much tougher to swing that one with wedges versus a tall straight aspen even if the aspen is bigger.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I'm lucky that my local area is free of poison ivy but a 2 hr drive from here will get me to an area that has some .
Ted , I like your "PortaWinch" , I've been watching for the right winch to make one but no luck yet .
How many hp you using to drive it ?

I am disappointed in that few folks here have or use a winch. The reason why I searched out people involved with tree services and products was to learn from others how to increase productivity. That being said it has been obvious that many folks here are absolutely competent. Just was hoping to see how other people transport logs to an accessible landing.

My winch using a 10 HP Tecumseh and moves about 30 feet per minute depending on which array of pulleys I am using. It has a general purpose load of about 6,000 lbs. or can convert to about 8,000 lbs. quite quickly. With snatch blocks it can easily move 20,000 lbs. logs. I have loaded some of my trucks several hundred feed down an embankment and then used the winch to pull me out. It can go where my tractors can not or are impractical to take. Thanks

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

OK, For all of you dog lovers, here is an old video of my guy Thor (who has since passed) and Lucy, who we still have. IMO, it is hilarious to watch the bigger/faster 75 lb Thor try to get the stick from the 50 lb more nimble Lucy. Thor even "looks to me for help".

He was a great dog, and they played so well together. But they do team up against me when I try to take the stick! Enjoy!

good one, nice Slice of Life view... Thanks

 

[chipper1]

Yes it would be nice to hook up with the guy with the trailer.... However I have a 1 year old girl, so it is hard for me to set a schedule in stone ya know....

Yes I am using the ol trusty red chevy because me f250 4x4 is dead... Had a bad timing chain and the motor in it is a 78, the body is a 1989..../ I have been looking for a good truck for awhile with no luck yet....

I know all about the little ones. I haul my 3 with me all the time to get wood loaded by a tree guy, most of the pictures you see me post with logs on my trailer they were with me when I got them. They are 3, 6, and 8yrs old which makes it much easier, but not easy LOL.
He calls I say kids get in the suburban.
I f you need a motor you could drive up this way and find one as all the bodies are rotten but the engines are still good. Just bring the chevy and we can throw one in the back, you can pick up your new tailgate also.

Hey mike, no sir I have not used it yet, but I will be soon as I have been dulling chain real fast on this hickory.... The only reason I didn't use it yesterday was because there was a lot of mud from them dragging the logs.... I will let you know how it works for me as son as I use it.... I am anxious to try it!!!!!

I use RS in dirty wood all the time. You just need to be careful not to pull it through the wood. Lot's of guys use a small axe to chip the bark away so they don't dull their chains, I just plunge cut in and cut to the top from the middle if it's on top. if it's on the back side I switch sides. Many times I will cut where the log is clean so I can roll it easy to get better positioning to make a cut when bucking logs up.

 

[chipper1]

Glad your ok!

Thanks Nate, me too.

Chipper, I get annoyed when knats get in my eyes when I am on the tractor but man you took it one step further. LOL
Seriously I'm glad you dodged possible serious injury. That tractor hood could be easily replaced or repaired.

Thanks hardpan.
I wasn't worried about the hood til It was all over LOL.

It is the smaller trees that will kill ya, the larger ones are a little more predictable! But always look for broken, entangled, or dead branches up above. I know someone who was paralyzed when one fell on him from a dead Elm tree (was entangled w/another).

Never under estimate the danger of using a saw or cutting a tree. You don't always get second chances.

You are right, we can get lazy and not really pay as much attention for sure. Most of the times I have thrown a chain have been on smaller trees and I was hurrying along, not any more.

I assure you I was being very careful and had my eyes and ears open.
When I was pushing on it I thought it was cracking because the roots were breaking, I was wrong. I was starting to back up to change the angle of fall because it was hitting the other tree and I didn't want a limb to fall off the dead standing locust the canopy was hitting on, I wasn't concerned about anything falling of the tree I had pressure on.

I've done this many times and this was the first time I have ever had on break of in the middle like this and was hoping everyone will be thinking of it if they are ever in a similar situation. Normally a small branch or two will break on a green tree, a dead standing tree is a different animal, but they can all attack at any moment as seen in the pictures. It had been very dry up to this point as we had not had any rain for 2 weeks before this happened and I attribute that as a major factor in what happened. I inspected the cracked spot(you can see it in the last picture in that series) and there was no decay or any other outward or inward signs that this was going to happen, so it could happen again without warning Beware guys!

 

[chipper1]

I am disappointed in that few folks here have or use a winch. The reason why I searched out people involved with tree services and products was to learn from others how to increase productivity. That being said it has been obvious that many folks here are absolutely competent. Just was hoping to see how other people transport logs to an accessible landing.

My winch using a 10 HP Tecumseh and moves about 30 feet per minute depending on which array of pulleys I am using. It has a general purpose load of about 6,000 lbs. or can convert to about 8,000 lbs. quite quickly. With snatch blocks it can easily move 20,000 lbs. logs. I have loaded some of my trucks several hundred feed down an embankment and then used the winch to pull me out. It can go where my tractors can not or are impractical to take. Thanks

Hey Ted.
Don't be to disappointed if you are mainly in this thread, as many here are all about the "scrounge" aspect of gathering firewood which has a lot to do with the cost effectiveness of it.
Here is a thread you can see some of what is being done with winches on tractors if you haven't already seen it.
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/skidding-winch-for-the-tractor.292767/

Here's a few pictures of the tree that the small one that broke on me was hung up on(barely). It was in the way of where my woodpile is going and also was slated to come down when I build a pole building across the drive(some day). I figured I'd take care of it since my tractor was at the house and I had a bit of time.
I loosened the roots up by pushing it in a few different directions and then pushed it the opposite way of the direction of fall.
Hooked the winch cable up(just used a ladder) and then gave it a nice continual pull so it would help overcome one of the roots that I new would cause it to fall in a different direction than I wanted. I still missed my exactly drop zone by about 8' at 50' from the base, I was pleased with it though as I got the root ball and everything in one shot.
It's the dead standing tree just to the right of the one it looks like I'm pushing lol.
The stick on the ground just into the mulch/leaves is where I had determined the tree would come to and that the tractor would be safe as well as me when running the winch.
You can see in the pictures I was pretty close to dead on. Tricks that help to determine the height can help a lot in many different situations .

When I'm using the winch to help direct a fall I try to butt the plow up against something just in case the tree sets back, in this case the trees I'm winching between. I have never had a problem and sometimes it is not an option, but I have seen many cases where a truck has been drug or damaged when "helping" direct a fall. And down she goes. I only took down 1 branch from another tree about 1" in diameter. And with a lot of help from the wife and kids, as well as the ms200 and the 044 the place looks like nothing ever happened, with exception of the ladder not being put away LOL.

 

[Khntr85]

I know all about the little ones. I haul my 3 with me all the time to get wood loaded by a tree guy, most of the pictures you see me post with logs on my trailer they were with me when I got them. They are 3, 6, and 8yrs old which makes it much easier, but not easy LOL.
He calls I say kids get in the suburban.
I f you need a motor you could drive up this way and find one as all the bodies are rotten but the engines are still good. Just bring the chevy and we can throw one in the back, you can pick up your new tailgate also.

I use RS in dirty wood all the time. You just need to be careful not to pull it through the wood. Lot's of guys use a small axe to chip the bark away so they don't dull their chains, I just plunge cut in and cut to the top from the middle if it's on top. if it's on the back side I switch sides. Many times I will cut where the log is clean so I can roll it easy to get better positioning to make a cut when bucking logs up.

Ya when the little one gets older she can rage along, and I can get a lot more done that's for sure!!!

I tell ya I racked my brain tryin to decide whether to fix my old ford or not and decided not to.... It has a lot of rust also, and it has been a money pit this last year, so I think I need to sell the plow on it and junk the darn thing!!!

Yes I if I have time to cut tonight I will try the RS chain.... I also try to knock as much bark off as possible, because it does dull your chain fast...since I seen someone else gettin this hickory I just need to get it cut up and take it to my house ASAP before it's gone!!!

By the way your wood pile is huge!!!!

 

[chipper1]

Ya when the little one gets older she can rage along, and I can get a lot more done that's for sure!!!

I tell ya I racked my brain tryin to decide whether to fix my old ford or not and decided not to.... It has a lot of rust also, and it has been a money pit this last year, so I think I need to sell the plow on it and junk the darn thing!!!

Yes I if I have time to cut tonight I will try the RS chain.... I also try to knock as much bark off as possible, because it does dull your chain fast...since I seen someone else gettin this hickory I just need to get it cut up and take it to my house ASAP before it's gone!!!

By the way your wood pile is huge!!!!

Thanks 85.
I only knock of the bark that has mud on it, not sure I was clear.
That is one of the reasons I like to have all my saws filled with gas and oil and chains sharpened, so I can get in and get it done quick, many times with no fill ups. I usually have at minimal 2-70cc saws, 1-50cc and the 35cc ms200 rear handle.
I try to sharpen everything at home and do my refills at home. Many times I cut after my wife gets home and I only have an hr or so before it is dark, which I'm sure you know about. That means I have no time to do anything on site except get the saws out and cut like mad til dark, then I load it up and go. I will split while the kids are working on cores and whatnot at the house right off the trailer.

I here you about the truck, I'm a scrounger all the way around and I HATE RUST. It takes me some time to get what I want, but I always do, my suburban I bought last yr from Flint Mi and it came directly from oregon(oregon title and plates) NO RUST. Did I say I HATE RUST LOL.
Let me know what your looking for and a price range when your ready and I can give you a hand finding it.

 

[Khntr85]

Thanks 85.
I only knock of the bark that has mud on it, not sure I was clear.
That is one of the reasons I like to have all my saws filled with gas and oil and chains sharpened, so I can get in and get it done quick, many times with no fill ups. I usually have at minimal 2-70cc saws, 1-50cc and the 35cc ms200 rear handle.
I try to sharpen everything at home and do my refills at home. Many times I cut after my wife gets home and I only have an hr or so before it is dark, which I'm sure you know about. That means I have no time to do anything on site except get the saws out and cut like mad til dark, then I load it up and go. I will split while the kids are working on cores and whatnot at the house right off the trailer.

I here you about the truck, I'm a scrounger all the way around and I HATE RUST. It takes me some time to get what I want, but I always do, my suburban I bought last yr from Flint Mi and it came directly from oregon(oregon title and plates) NO RUST. Did I say I HATE RUST LOL.
Let me know what your looking for and a price range when your ready and I can give you a hand finding it.

Ya I know what you mean about the bark sounds like we do the same thing.... That's to funny your cutting sounds just like the cutting I do..... I have my saws ready right now, so I don't have to mess around with sharpening.... Like you I only have a hour or 2 after work so I have to also cut like mad, careful, but fast none the less...... I always have my ms362, ms461, and my ms250 or ms180 ready to roll..... I wear my chaps, a guys can trip no matter how careful he is....

Man I am willing to spend $3-5,000 on a truck....I would prefer a Chevy 2500 or a SRW Chevy 3500....has to be 4x4 of course.....I like you will not get a rust bucket as it only is a matter of time before frame or leaf spring break....

 

[MustangMike]

Ditto with the saws fueled, chains sharpened, and ready to go, and backups! If a chain goes dull, or gets rocked, or a saw runs out of fuel, I often just pick up the next one and keep going. Makes things go so much faster.

When I was close to finished limbing that Chestnut Oak the other week with the 362, the chain got pinched and jumped off. I just put it down and picked up the 044 w/20" bar and kept going, then bucked it with the ported 460.

Dropped that tree, limbed it, and cut it all to length in just over an hour.

 

[Khntr85]

Ditto with the saws fueled, chains sharpened, and ready to go, and backups! If a chain goes dull, or gets rocked, or a saw runs out of fuel, I often just pick up the next one and keep going. Makes things go so much faster.

When I was close to finished limbing that Chestnut Oak the other week with the 362, the chain got pinched and jumped off. I just put it down and picked up the 044 w/20" bar and kept going, then bucked it with the ported 460.

Dropped that tree, limbed it, and cut it all to length in just over an hour.

Ya that was a awesome video you posted mike...ya know I am not a professional at all, and I always cut alone.... But once in a great while a buddy will need a load so I let them tag along....it always seems to end up the same story..... Buddy brings his saw that hasn't been started for ever, chain so dull it can't limb a pine tree, and throws the chain the first or second cut....so it always ends up me cutting and them loading the truck....they always ask how I can cut a log or tree top up so fast and I always say saw maintenance and having everything sharpened and ready to go... If you don't take care of your saws, when you need them they will fail you!!!!

 

[chipper1]

Ya I know what you mean about the bark sounds like we do the same thing.... That's to funny your cutting sounds just like the cutting I do..... I have my saws ready right now, so I don't have to mess around with sharpening.... Like you I only have a hour or 2 after work so I have to also cut like mad, careful, but fast none the less...... I always have my ms362, ms461, and my ms250 or ms180 ready to roll..... I wear my chaps, a guys can trip no matter how careful he is....

Man I am willing to spend $3-5,000 on a truck....I would prefer a Chevy 2500 or a SRW Chevy 3500....has to be 4x4 of course.....I like you will not get a rust bucket as it only is a matter of time before frame or leaf spring break....

I like the chevys as well, but the fords are great work machines.
I don't have anything saved on my computer right now except these right now.
Tell me your zip and I can see what I can find when I get a min.
http://centralmich.craigslist.org/cto/5563374028.html
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/5601124264.html

 

[chipper1]

Ya that was a awesome video you posted mike...ya know I am not a professional at all, and I always cut alone.... But once in a great while a buddy will need a load so I let them tag along....it always seems to end up the same story..... Buddy brings his saw that hasn't been started for ever, chain so dull it can't limb a pine tree, and throws the chain the first or second cut....so it always ends up me cutting and them loading the truck....they always ask how I can cut a log or tree top up so fast and I always say saw maintenance and having everything sharpened and ready to go... If you don't take care of your saws, when you need them they will fail you!!!!

Yes sir, that how we get it done.
I primarily buy buy and sell Honda products on craigslist and the #1 fix is cleaning the carbs. People store them with fuel in them, ready to go lol, but they are unaware of this crap called ethanol. People have no idea how bad it is and how quick the gas goes bad. It always makes me laugh when I sell someone a generator and they think they are prepping, hope they have a lot of non ethanol fuel stored up, or a propane conversion kit.

Ditto with the saws fueled, chains sharpened, and ready to go, and backups! If a chain goes dull, or gets rocked, or a saw runs out of fuel, I often just pick up the next one and keep going. Makes things go so much faster.

When I was close to finished limbing that Chestnut Oak the other week with the 362, the chain got pinched and jumped off. I just put it down and picked up the 044 w/20" bar and kept going, then bucked it with the ported 460.

Dropped that tree, limbed it, and cut it all to length in just over an hour.

That's what I'm talking about. Those ported saws can make things go a bit quicker.
doesn't get much better than that or not even taking the saws out but having it loaded right onto your trailer, I like that option a lot.
Speaking of that, next tuesday my wife is off work and I am free to work without the kids. It's like vacation for both of us LOL.
I need to call the guy with the tree service and see what he has. I have some options for work this summer I will be playing it by ear to see which one I take.

 

[JustJeff]

Ditto with the saws fueled, chains sharpened, and ready to go, and backups! If a chain goes dull, or gets rocked, or a saw runs out of fuel, I often just pick up the next one and keep going. Makes things go so much faster.

When I was close to finished limbing that Chestnut Oak the other week with the 362, the chain got pinched and jumped off. I just put it down and picked up the 044 w/20" bar and kept going, then bucked it with the ported 460.

Dropped that tree, limbed it, and cut it all to length in just over an hour.

I think you need a 660. It's taking you Way too long to cut wood!

 

[MustangMike]

I think you need a 660. It's taking you Way too long to cut wood!

They need to be ported by someone pretty darn good to out do that saw! May get a 064 or 660/661 some day to pull the 36" bar, but the shame of it would be that it would not get that much use. Even though I have redundancy, all my saws see run time, or I would get rid of em.

I also may be setting up one of the 046/460s up for milling (remove the dogs, etc.), part of the reason I'm keeping 3 of em.