The big willow

[turnkey4099]

Out today to clear the area in preparation for falling that thang. It measures over 48" above the stub on the left.

It had two 'stems' coming off the base of the trunk, The remains of one is on the right, well over 24" - it was rotten except for a couple inches in a ring around it. The one on the left is right at 24" but is good solid wood. I suspect the tree is also mostly rotten/soft with just a ring of good wood. I will be warning the barber about that and leave it up to him.


I thought I could 'whittle' it down using my 25" bar on the 310. It looks like a toothpick against that tree. I will be visiting the town barber in themorning and see if he is free to fall it. His longest bar is 32" which should get it. If he won't, I know another guy with an 056 who might do it. If neither of them, that tree will remain and I will tell the farmer I can't handle it. That is the last tree that is causing him problems. It shades and drops trash into his crop.

Harry K

 

[Wood Doctor]

That's a monster, no doubt. Be extra careful. Willow crowns are huge and this time of the year it will be heavy and full of water. That's very good strategy to knock off as many lower branches as you can before the final drop.

I just wish dry willow wood was decent firewood. The stuff becomes almost as light as balsa and burns like popcorn once it dries out. The tree is a drunkard.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Harry, what are you do playing around with these big Willows when you have Black Locust to get? Or have you done them already?



:greenchainsaw:

 

[turnkey4099]

Harry, what are you do playing around with these big Willows when you have Black Locust to get? Or have you done them already?



:greenchainsaw:

That is the last real problem tree for the farmer. I have been promising to remove it for 3 years. After I finished off the locust project, I was moaning about not wanting to do it. Then I got all the work done on the woodpile, crap cleaned up, etc. and the urge hit...someone slam me with shovel!

I cleared the locust patch except for perhaps 1/2 doz small ones. Those I will do next spring and will have to wheelabarrel every stick - don't expect the total harvest there to be much over 1/2 cord.

Still chasing some of those other patches. So far I am zero for zero on getting answers to letters. May resort to phone calls and if they piss me off enough I might tell them how rude it is not to answer polite letters.

The ones in the 'big locust' thread give me a non-ED reaction every time I look at that picture. Push comes to shove, I will offer to buy them. Anyone have any feel for what stumpage on locust would be worth?

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Update: The barber is willing to fall it. We will be out there monday if nothing happens. I am still worried about him working it as it is probably half rotten. Tried to discourage hime but "my 32" bar will do it".

Harry K

 

[computeruser]

The base of those trees does get spongy, but seldom do you find real surprises inside the trunk near the base. Further up on the main limbs, sometimes, but I've been surprised by how the trunks hold up for at least the first 6-10' when the rest of the tree is nasty.

A few extra wedges, particularly the long ones, is always a help with the willows. With the spongy wood, it often requires stacking wedges to get enough net lift to get it over.

This one was a 28" bar job:

 

[ray benson]

Dang Harry, how much wood have you cut this year? I did about 10 cords, but I think you got me beat.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Dang Harry, how much wood have you cut this year? I did about 10 cords, but I think you got me beat.

No, I doubt that he's got you beat, Ray. He's now cutting willow, ignoring the black locust, and...


I'm cutting more elm this weekend.

 

[turnkey4099]

Dang Harry, how much wood have you cut this year? I did about 10 cords, but I think you got me beat.

Got at least 13 cord of Willow plus 4 and bit cord Black Locust. I figure if I get this big mutha worked up it will be good for another 2 or 3 depending on how much rot is in it. I keep telling myself I am doing it soley for the farmer's benefit but the truth is I would do it anyhow just to be out there sniffing exhaust.

I may have to leave the log lay for the winter. Have to get the brush out of his field at least and he is due in there to work it up any day. Once he works the field, I lose access.



Harry K

 

[mga]

man...i saw those vines on that tree and my poison ivy started itching again!!

i just cut down two ash trees and one of them had a vine on it. as i thought i removed it before cutting, one section came back and swiped me across the neck.

needless to say, i now have poison ivy on my neck and chest. i haven't worn a shirt for the past 5 days!

ARGH!!!!!!

 

[computeruser]

man...i saw those vines on that tree and my poison ivy started itching again!!

i just cut down two ash trees and one of them had a vine on it. as i thought i removed it before cutting, one section came back and swiped me across the neck.

needless to say, i now have poison ivy on my neck and chest. i haven't worn a shirt for the past 5 days!

ARGH!!!!!!

If you liked those, how 'bout these?

No, those aren't branches...they're vines!

 

[tomtrees58]

cool i do a lot of work in cemetery but is that poison IV tom trees

 

[mga]

cool i do a lot of work in cemetery but is that poison IV tom trees

may not be, but the vines just remind me of it. i've seen some pretty big vines growing up the sides of trees.

you guys are killing me.

 

[Wood Doctor]

man...i saw those vines on that tree and my poison ivy started itching again!!

i just cut down two ash trees and one of them had a vine on it. as i thought i removed it before cutting, one section came back and swiped me across the neck. Needless to say, i now have poison ivy on my neck and chest. i haven't worn a shirt for the past 5 days!

ARGH!!!!!!

Not much is worse than that poison ivy. No real cure for it--just wait it out and slap calamine lotion on it. Then pray that it doesn't spread to your crotch. That stuff is awful, and it can strike even in the winter with no leaves on it.

I knew a fellow who burned it and said he got lesions for awhile inside his lungs when he breathed the smoke from the fire.

Once I got the stuff in my eyes and both lids were swollen almost shut. I feel your pain, MGA. BTDT.

 

[mga]

heh...never burn poison ivy!

what makes it worse is it's on my throat and cheast...so when i shave in the morning it makes it quite the challenge. and, every time i have an itch some place, i gotta think it's spreading...LOL

i have been trying everything on it, but what i find the best soothing is some stuff called Biofreeze. a little expensive, but worth every bit.

another natural remedy, which i haven;t tried yet is jewel weed. supposedly the stuff is magic for poison ivy and grows all over the place. you break the stems, squeeze the water out and apply that to the affected area. claims of no itch and cures it fast.

i'm getting some plants this weekend and i'm going to grow it in the back yard so i'll have a supply...lol...just in case.

sorry...didn't mean to derail the thread.

 

[savageactor7]

If you cut wood it's hard to avoid poison ivy. In the last couple of years I've started using over the counter 'TecNu'...when you're done cutting just rub some over any exposed skin including the face.

The directions recommend washing with it but mine stays in the tool box and I use it just like you would calamine lotion. While still in the woods or whatever when I stop...then I put on the TecNu. It really works.

As far as those monster vines on the trees above...I dunno never seen 'em get that big before. I usually try and strip my vines off with a wonder bar and hatchet...but never ran into vines that big before, Holy Cow!

 

[urhstry]

Good place for DEAD tree.

 

[turnkey4099]

If you cut wood it's hard to avoid poison ivy. In the last couple of years I've started using over the counter 'TecNu'...when you're done cutting just rub some over any exposed skin including the face.

The directions recommend washing with it but mine stays in the tool box and I use it just like you would calamine lotion. While still in the woods or whatever when I stop...then I put on the TecNu. It really works.

As far as those monster vines on the trees above...I dunno never seen 'em get that big before. I usually try and strip my vines off with a wonder bar and hatchet...but never ran into vines that big before, Holy Cow!

I saw vines like that when I was laid over in Baltimore once. Don't recall them that big though. Kept wondering if one could strip them and make fancy canes from them.

Harry K

 

[mga]

I saw vines like that when I was laid over in Baltimore once. Don't recall them that big though. Kept wondering if one could strip them and make fancy canes from them.

Harry K

like this guy does?

http://www.alastairheseltine.com/sculpture.htm

 

[turnkey4099]

like this guy does?

http://www.alastairheseltine.com/sculpture.htm

Interesting! Shows that no matter what it is, someone can find a use for it.

Harry K