Technique to cut up huge log full on ground (no space under)

[TheJollyLogger]

There is no way a 15' log "has no space under", or some tension wood or compression wood to work with... this is all about technique, not tools or equipment...

 

[Douggg]

It does indeed work. 28" isn't a particularly large log really.

OP, can you get a machine or vehicle anywhere near the the log? If you truly can't roll it with a peavey/cant hook, (which would be surprising), you can get a big lag bolt and drill it in low on the side of the log opposite the vehicle. Make all of your cuts as low as you reasonably can and then wrap a chain on that lag bolt and roll the log over by pulling gently on it. Shouldn't take much force at all unless you've got a branch or something preventing the log from rolling.

wow, thats awesome idea! i do have space for my truck to do that!

 

[Douggg]

Take a close look look at it... very rarely is a 15 foot log in ground contact the entire 15 feet. Look for some daylight, and jam some smaller limbs under to support it, and you should be able to get it cut into some more manageable pieces fairly easily.

will do, thank you. i'm waiting for a chainsaw part to come in, but will look for this

 

[Douggg]

If it is full on the ground just cut it all the way and leave just a tag holding it, cut the whole tree up like this then you can use the cant hook to move the blocks or use the tip of the saw to cut the remaining tags holding the cut. Me, I would just cut the block all the way, pull the saw back and cut the tag with the tip. If you have a cut that would pinch just use a wedge.

i've been able to do this on prior logs. just concerned with this piece. i gotta get out there and try to roll it with the can't hook first, and the truck roll second. won't be able to get out there for a few days

 

[Douggg]

I have always been pleased with my Woodchuck Peavey. Seems to cope well with the size of log you mention


If the log is any bigger!


If you are sawing on the ground perhaps a couple of pieces of plywood slipped under the log on either side of the cut would prevent contact with the dirt, if you intend to cut it into more manageable lengths

interesting idea. thanks. will save this one also in my tips. what happened was my hyper neighbors couldn't mind their business and they cut the small limbs off the downed trunk. otherwise i'd have more opportunity for space underneath. the vultures came in for the wood and because they are bored

 

[Douggg]

Cut about 3/4 thru the log then drive a steel wedge into the cut until it raises up off the ground then finish your cut. Just be careful not to hit your wedge when you get thru.

i had no idea this would cause the tree to raise up. pretty amazing. not sure if i will need to get to this method, but maybe easiest

 

[Douggg]

Well if you are having trouble with this situation how about cutting each 95 percent thorough then go back and cut them all through slowly and very carefully keeping the base of the saw on the ground. This way if the chain gets ruined you still dont have a lot to cut through when its dull and it wont jam up.

nice tip, thanks

 

[Douggg]

You aren't going to lift it, only roll it. Do you have a winch on your truck? Cant hook, 6' tree strap and winch will roll pretty much any log. Make sure to loop the strap around the metal portion of the hook, hot the end of the handle.

no winch!

 

[northmanlogging]

cut by brail, or rather use the nose and watch the color of the chips, have to use your imagination a little bit to get an idea as to where you need to cut and where you have cut, and you will gnarf a chain or 3, but it is effective especially on them trees that have made themselves a nice deep hole to settle into
works best on trees with thick bark, but not everyone gets to play with big firs and pines
There should be at least one spot that isn't all the way in the dirt though, I would start there eventually you'll have it small enough to rassill wiff the cant hook, and yeah, just use the cant hook to roll the log, cut as deep as comfortable, everywhere that needs cut, then roll it over and finish it off.

 

[fields_mj]

wow, thats awesome idea! i do have space for my truck to do that!

Preferred method would be to drive a plastic wedge in to lift it up. Make all your cuts most of the way through, then put the wedge in the middle cut and lift it so you can cut it the rest of the way through. From that point, you should be able to roll the 2 smaller sections and finish the cuts.

If you're going to use a vehicle or tractor to roll it, you don't need to use a lag bolt. Just wrap a chain around it. Slide the hook under the trunk from the near side. Use a stick or something to shove the chain under if you have to. Lay the rest of the chain over the top. Take the hook and and hook it to itself to make a small loop that goes around the long end that you laid over the top of the tree. Drag the loop back down close to the ground and bring the long end back to you so that the chain is cinching down on its self and pulling up on the opposite side of the log. As you back the vehicle/tractor up, it will roll the log. I've done this with a 7' oak log that was 12' long, but I had to use a winch because I was rolling it up hill. It's worth saying here that you don't have to do this in the middle of the log if you're situation doesn't allow it. You just have to look at how the log is laying and decide whether its likely to roll or rotate when you pull on it based on where you've put the chain (you want it to roll, not rotate).

Last but not least, if all else fails and you opt to just cut through and risk dulling you're chain, then only do it once in the middle of the log. As others have said, cut most of the way through, and then use the tip to finish it. That way if you do get into the dirt, you're only doing it on one cut instead of potentially several times which would dull your chain a LOT more. Hitting dirt dulls your chain no matter how brief the contact is, but that's different than rocking a chain. The dull chain can be quickly sharpened. A rocked chain takes a lot of time and effort to fix.

 

[Douggg]

cut by brail, or rather use the nose and watch the color of the chips, have to use your imagination a little bit to get an idea as to where you need to cut and where you have cut, and you will gnarf a chain or 3, but it is effective especially on them trees that have made themselves a nice deep hole to settle into
works best on trees with thick bark, but not everyone gets to play with big firs and pines
There should be at least one spot that isn't all the way in the dirt though, I would start there eventually you'll have it small enough to rassill wiff the cant hook, and yeah, just use the cant hook to roll the log, cut as deep as comfortable, everywhere that needs cut, then roll it over and finish it off.

it's an ash, so bark is pretty thick. good tip about the bark. i will use that for sure. stupid question as the can't hook isn't in front of me...but i guess i have to remove the "stand" in order to perform "roll" only?

 

[northmanlogging]

it's an ash, so bark is pretty thick. good tip about the bark. i will use that for sure. stupid question as the can't hook isn't in front of me...but i guess i have to remove the "stand" in order to perform "roll" only?

meh, not necessarily, you should be able to roll it at least 1/4 turn at a time, but the stand will for sure be a hinderance, they are neato tool but i've never really had a use for the stand option, Hel I don't even know where any of my peavies went... couple of em were hand forged by me too...

 

[Billhook]

I see Europeans aren't much on PPE either....

Don’t need it when you have balls of steel!

 

[coffeebrk]

will do, thank you. i'm waiting for a chainsaw part to come in, but will look for this

Waiting for a part? Just use one of your other saws and post some pics!!

 

[Stihl Learning]

Make sure you have an extra saw or two laying around in case you get one stuck!! lol

 

[Jere39]

I mostly cut 18” firewood and even my largest 42” diameter logs can be rolled with my can’t hook a 6’ length. So I dig a shallow trench at 6’ intervals and cut through there. Then I cut 18” to about 80% through and roll them and cut up to finish my cuts.

 

[lone wolf]

I mostly cut 18” firewood and even my largest 42” diameter logs can be rolled with my can’t hook a 6’ length. So I dig a shallow trench at 6’ intervals and cut through there. Then I cut 18” to about 80% through and roll them and cut up to finish my cuts.

A lot of times one of the cuts wont pinch and you can cut all the way through so you can handle rolling shorter pieces.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I can't believe how overcomplicated this has become...

 

[coffeebrk]

I can't believe how overcomplicated this has become...

Knowing the length of his truck, which is 4.216 meters. We need to know how long it would take the truck to travel its own length. Assuming the wormhole remains open for .1072 seconds, and that we knew this fact, he could divide the length of the truck by 107.2, arriving at 39.33 meters per second or 88mph. So, 88mph is the speed of his truck must reach before hitting the log to have any hope of moving it.

 

[Douggg]

Preferred method would be to drive a plastic wedge in to lift it up. Make all your cuts most of the way through, then put the wedge in the middle cut and lift it so you can cut it the rest of the way through. From that point, you should be able to roll the 2 smaller sections and finish the cuts.

If you're going to use a vehicle or tractor to roll it, you don't need to use a lag bolt. Just wrap a chain around it. Slide the hook under the trunk from the near side. Use a stick or something to shove the chain under if you have to. Lay the rest of the chain over the top. Take the hook and and hook it to itself to make a small loop that goes around the long end that you laid over the top of the tree. Drag the loop back down close to the ground and bring the long end back to you so that the chain is cinching down on its self and pulling up on the opposite side of the log. As you back the vehicle/tractor up, it will roll the log. I've done this with a 7' oak log that was 12' long, but I had to use a winch because I was rolling it up hill. It's worth saying here that you don't have to do this in the middle of the log if you're situation doesn't allow it. You just have to look at how the log is laying and decide whether its likely to roll or rotate when you pull on it based on where you've put the chain (you want it to roll, not rotate).

Last but not least, if all else fails and you opt to just cut through and risk dulling you're chain, then only do it once in the middle of the log. As others have said, cut most of the way through, and then use the tip to finish it. That way if you do get into the dirt, you're only doing it on one cut instead of potentially several times which would dull your chain a LOT more. Hitting dirt dulls your chain no matter how brief the contact is, but that's different than rocking a chain. The dull chain can be quickly sharpened. A rocked chain takes a lot of time and effort to fix.

I can't believe how overcomplicated this has become...

This stuff is maybe second nature to you guys, but for a hobbyist, this has turned out to be one of the best threads i've been a part of in my life. I can't believe all the awesome, creative and effective techniques everyone has suggested. And all in one place. Regarding using a second saw...as just a homeowner, i only have a small spare. I've been calling my dealer every couple days to ask about the part. Yesterday they said they received the part in a plastic bag marked "damaged", so they had to order another one. Ugh! Sorry to have not posted yet the outcome. By early next week at the latest. Thanks again to all.