Big Maple

[Yellowbeard]

I saw this tree in someone's back yard the other day just a couple of blocks from my house. I stopped by and asked if they had plans for it. The homeowner said that she had had some people come to trim it a year ago, paid them 800 bucks asking them to leave it in "firewood" size and this is what they left.

Looks like I am going to end up cutting up the wood that's already down for her except for a couple of the largest bits, which I will mill, and, in exchange, I will take that monster trunk off her hands. Just hope it's not too rotten. Might have some interesting spalting inside. We shall see.

Also picked up an 084 for parts on eBay today. It's lacking a clutch cover, so I'll need one of those if I decide to try and get the saw running. Apparently there's a crack in the jug. Is that necessarily a death sentence? Seller said it seemed like it had compression on pull but was selling it as is for parts. If I decide to build a saw out of it, has anyone used Cross Performance jug/piston sets and, if so, are they any good?

 

[Dave Boyt]

Hope you get some useable logs. I see a lot of potential. That tree trimming service may not have done their job, but maybe they did you a favor!

 

[Yellowbeard]

Yeah, kind of hoping so. There's a lot of good wood in there. I am hoping I can solve her problems and get some good lumber out of it in exchange for the good deed.

 

[SDB777]

I'm thinking $800 for that.....someone got screwed. Sort of gives a lot of tree services from the northwestern part of the state a bad name.... I wouldn't have left a mess like that!

Are you moving it 'off site' for milling?
Are you going to have to re-cut and then split/stack the stuff for them?

Side note: Arkansas is friendly for spalting! And it doesn't take long for those 'black lines' to set in....and Maple is a great timber for it!




Scott (hope that photo's are coming) B

 

[Yellowbeard]

I'll re-cut it. Not sure if I'll split it; not sure she burns much. But I have some buddies who will haul off what she doesn't want.

I am not sure if I am going to try to do it on-site or off. It would be easiest to do on site if she doesn't care, and she's 2 blocks from my house, so I could probably get through it in a couple of hard days. I am just hoping it's not too rotten.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Update: I needed an excuse to try out the new (to me) 084 so I went over and started clearing out wood this evening. The 084 is running rich. While the piston and cylinder are in great shape the rest of the saw is only good. Still, a great deal at around $500 in at this point. Thought I would post some pics of the clearing I did to try and get at this monster. There is going to be at least some rot - hopefully there is still some good wood left. Definite spalting happening in the stuff I was cutting up that was on the ground but most of it was punky so far. Hopefully the big chunks that are currently on the ground will turn out to be solid as will the bulk of the main trunk, but it's been standing dead for a year, so I may end up just being a good Samaritan out of this. Check the pics up thread for "before."

I don't think I should have much trouble felling it away from the house (it's clear yard out there) but if anyone notices something I am missing, please let me know. I don't really want to land this thing on the woman's house. Looks pretty straightforward though. I plan to notch with a Humbolt Undercut and then come straight across from the back using a wedge. Don't be shy about telling me what I am doing wrong. Any recommendations (including bar size to be used - planning to use 36") are welcome.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Guess I should have added that I will probably remove that big forking branch/trunk first unless someone recommends otherwise.

 

[mdavlee]

A couple wedges may be needed for that. The limb being gone will make it easier.

 

[JohnWayne]

Mill that thing up and let's see what's inside!!!


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[Yellowbeard]

Mill that thing up and let's see what's inside!!!


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Yeah - as soon as I get over being sore. My day job precludes me doing real work, so whenever summer rolls around and I do some, my old muscles start to complain.

 

[Marine5068]

Yeah - as soon as I get over being sore. My day job precludes me doing real work, so whenever summer rolls around and I do some, my old muscles start to complain.

I hear that....gettin' old myself

 

[jerrycmorrow]

so how's this going?

 

[Yellowbeard]

It's next on my list. I just finished up the last part of a job I was doing for a client on a big white oak (pictures posted elsewhere under "can someone check me on this, please?") today. The maple is next. I have another white oak (only about 3' diameter, though it's straight and pretty clear for 20-30 feet) that I need to cut down and have been promised I can take what I want of it, along with what is probably a 4' red oak that's been on the ground for a while from the same guy.

The maple, however, is close by and probably next. I will post pics after the next time I work on it.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Know anyone local looking for bowl blanks, jerrycmorrow? I think I may get some potentially good ones out of this.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

unfortunately no

 

[Yellowbeard]

Update. I did some more work today. Starting to worry that most of what is there is too far gone. Just hoping I can salvage something from the big part itself. The part that is on the ground with a fresh slice off of it in a couple of pictures was alive, so it looks pretty good. However, much of the stuff from the top of the tree that I had thought was solid looks a little far gone to me. Any advice/knowledge would be appreciated.

Thoughts?

Also, any advice about felling the tree is welcome. I took several pictures which show its disposition in relation to the house. I DEFINITELY don't want it to go The wrong way. However, it is pretty much straight up and down. I will probably break out the 60" bar and cut it as low as possible to the ground unless someone advises otherwise. I plan to put a bit of tension on the top with a rope in the direction of fall, notch it, wedge it, and drop it.

Advice?

 

[SDB777]

Looks like a lot of clean up without the fun of getting cool slabs...bummer.

Hope it gets better once the 'stick' is down....




Scott (all work and no fun) B

 

[Yellowbeard]

Yeah, well... The woman is pretty much a shut in, so maybe I'll get payback in karma if it turns out to be all rot.

 

[abbott295]

Yes, it is much better to get good karma than bad.

 

[Wayne Wilkinson]

Any pics of it milled up yet?