Someone tell me how I tackle this monster

[Yellowbeard]

I'm 6'1" and that's about my wingspan as well. This is another white oak. The middle 8" are gone but there's still a LOT of meat on there. I think the most interesting part will probably be up around the top where all the branches split and it gets a lot fatter. Apparently this was on the register as among the largest white oaks in the state (died standing - I didn't cut it down).

I've got a 60" bar. Is there a way I can handle this (maybe free-handing the top a bit?) without having to buy a bigger bar right away?

 

[Jim Timber]

Looking forward to seeing this one cut open.

 

[mdavlee]

Maybe split it in 2 and then mill the halves with the limbs coming out to the side so the 60" will work and you will still get a lot of interesting slabs with the spread of the limbs.

 

[SDB777]

Nifty!

Gonna need new stuff! Old-timers would have used a two man bucksaw....big'uns at that!!
Big question here, how are you going to move those slabs you cut? I know you like cutting thick....that's some serious weight to move. You going to go back during daylight hours and get more photo's? These in the dark teaser photo's are neat and all, but you're killing us! Big timber is always better during daylight!!

When are you going to start on this one?




Scott (wish I was closer) B

 

[Yellowbeard]

Scott, I actually have a couple of two-man buck saws - totally forgot that (they're in my storage unit). However, I think they're (only) 6 feet.

I'm off for two weeks for break and so is my boss (it's his tree) so I'll likely go back and get started soon. I was out there last night for our Christmas party and went to see it (he's been telling me about it for a month). He's trading me all of the trunk that I want for one slab to use as a table.

mdavlee: That's an idea that never occurred to me. I'll have to go look at it in that light now.

Next I need to start trimming the limbs - really need to get a pair of chaps before I start that, I guess. Probably a helmet and mask as well.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Nifty!


Big question here, how are you going to move those slabs you cut? I know you like cutting thick....that's some serious weight to move. B

The last client wanted those slabs at 4". I'll probably cut this around 3. Still, they're going to be ridiculously heavy. Luckily this is on a farm so I'll have access to a couple of tractors.

 

[mdavlee]

If you can get some better pictures I'll draw a line on it with paint to show where I would cut it and then mill. That might give you double the slabs that way.

 

[Yellowbeard]

If you can get some better pictures I'll draw a line on it with paint to show where I would cut it and then mill. That might give you double the slabs that way.

I'll do it. Thanks!

 

[steve easy]

Looking forward to seeing this one cut open.

Me too

 

[Yellowbeard]

Ok, I got a bunch more pictures today. I went out to try and actually do some limbing but, as you will see, that turned out to be too difficult without more equipment.

The second image shows the tree from the butt. It is hanging on its stump by about 10 square inches. I climbed around up on the top of it and found some places where I could probably start removing limbs, but they are so large that I was worried that any major weight shift could bump the whole thing off the stump, with me 15 feet in the air holding a lot of running chainsaw; just didn't seem wise.

I think that I am going to have to get my boss (who owns the tree) to hook a chain to it and yank it loose from the stump first.

He's got a crew coming to make a bunch of firewood from it. I painted rings around the limbs below which I will ask that they don't cut. Hopefully they'll end up doing the bulk of the limbing and then I can just touch it up and start milling. I /really/ want to get into that branch knot and see what the grain looks like. The problem is that the wide part is a bit over 7 feet, and I am not about to buy an 8 foot bar (if I could even get one?)

Thoughts on how to proceed are appreciated. I have more pictures if someone wants another angle.



Here's how I am /thinking/ about cutting it once I can get it down. The outer surface is probably flat enough that it could actually be used as a slab itself.

 

[SDB777]

Really nice tree!!
It's always better to err on safety side of things. I'm often told to do unspeakable things at work(my boss doesn't see any problem with it-since he won't be the one in danger), and if I don't think the idea sounds good. I'll start removing my safety harness and hand it to him to go show me how to do it his way(typically squishes that idea).

The photo you have added red boxes on...whew, those chunks are going to be heavy, even for farm tractors and such. I just hope when the limbs come off, you get a good roll on it. Be easier to just walk over and start making your cuts....instead of having to move the log around.


Looking forward to more photo's of this one being whacked!!!!





Scott (those crotches are going to be fun) B

 

[Yellowbeard]

Yeah - those are rough sketches. Probably going to cut these at 3" and plan to plane them to 2.5-2.75. Even so, they will be EXTREMELY heavy even AFTER drying. However, hoping to make a table for the (planned) new house and maybe some to take up to the east coast and see if I can sell them (well, as finished tables). Those lawyers in DC have money to spare, I hear.

 

[SDB777]

Yeah - those are rough sketches. Probably going to cut these at 3" and plan to plane them to 2.5-2.75. Even so, they will be EXTREMELY heavy even AFTER drying. However, hoping to make a table for the (planned) new house and maybe some to take up to the east coast and see if I can sell them (well, as finished tables). Those lawyers in DC have money to spare, I hear.

But it's your money they have, so get some extra for the rest of us!
BTW, describe east coast(I'm originally from Maine)?

Heavy will seem light after you spend some time moving these chunks around! Be careful.



Scott (just pulled it with the TOYO) B

 

[Yellowbeard]

I am partly joking. My brother is a patent attorney in DC. His wife is starting a furniture business (retail) with a friend. I plan to route some slabs (and some other, unrelated furniture I am designing) through them.

When I met my wife, she lived in NYC and a very close friend from high school lives there now. So I might see what I can sell there as well.

Never been to Maine, but I LOVED Vermont when I was there. How can the same state elect Bernie Sanders as a Senator but have gun laws that allow me to carry whatever I want, concealed, open, whatever, whenever I want? Maybe if the rest of the country could get along like that then something could actually get done once in a while. PLUS they have the Magic Hat brewery. If I were going to live up north...

I DO expect things to be really heavy, though they should be on par with the last slabs I cut which are actually pretty comparable in size (and thicker than I plan to cut these). Hopefully I can get a tractor with some forks.

I need to get a trailer for the Toyo. Loading even one slab in the bed would put me on the stops.

 

[kimosawboy]

You really want to concentrate on getting the max. from the crotch area. Center the crotch and go 5' either way(loose that butt action).
Evan at 10' it might seem alot , but too much rather than to little.
Try to get it as low to the ground as possible, so think ahead before cutting limbs.
Its a big hunk of wood that can do a lot of damage , so be safe.
G Vavra

 

[mdavlee]

That looks like a pretty good plan. They make a 72" and 84" bars for the big stihl mounts. A gear drive would pull it better or dual powerheads.

 

[Yellowbeard]

That looks like a pretty good plan. They make a 72" and 84" bars for the big stihl mounts. A gear drive would pull it better or dual powerheads.

You say that like my wife is just going to let me run out and buy another $600 worth of gear.

Not sure what a gear drive is. I had heard that dual powerheads ended up ultimately limiting each other. Not true?

 

[mdavlee]

Yeah one of those bars is a big chunk of change.

A gear drive is a gear reduction saw. More torque but less rpms.

 

[Yellowbeard]

You really want to concentrate on getting the max. from the crotch area. Center the crotch and go 5' either way(loose that butt action).
Evan at 10' it might seem alot , but too much rather than to little.
Try to get it as low to the ground as possible, so think ahead before cutting limbs.
Its a big hunk of wood that can do a lot of damage , so be safe.
G Vavra

Well, my boss (who owns the tree) has people coming, at some point, to cut the limbs for firewood. Maybe they'll end up solving the problem for me.

However, I agree - being safe is EXACTLY why I did nothing but look and think yesterday. It looks mighty dangerous as it sits.

 

[Yellowbeard]

http://leftcoastsupplies.com/product/84-gb-long-titanium-bar/

Guess I should have just gotten this one instead of the 60" that I ended up with in the first place - not that much more.