Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[U&A]

If the top of the tree is already at the ground slowly buck the tree from top down until the stress is relieved.

At least that’s what I would probably do only based on looking at the pictures. Dosnt look to bad.

I did one last year that was split about 8 feet up but had not quite fallen yet so I cut it in a way to let it barber chair in a sense.

Worked well.

My goal falling at a tree is always to try and help the tree do what it wants if i can.

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[abbott295]

If the free end is stuck in the ground, it ain't free. Be careful out there.

 

[U&A]

If the free end is stuck in the ground, it ain't free. Be careful out there.

Missed that part.

Good call sir.

You are right.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[abbott295]

One reason I have not tried doing any of mine is that I am usually working alone. I don't trust those trees. Do not do it by yourself; have a helper, observer, someone to call 911 if needed.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Maybe a top view hand drawn schematic will help. If I upcut at X to let the tree drop, the standing closest trunk on the left pivots the force away plus the furthest trunk on left has end captured preventing trunk from pivoting towards me. To the right of the X cut are two standing 4”-6” trees that will block the upper half from springing back. Does this help?

 

[Deleted member 149229]

The pic, duh!

 

[woodchip rookie]

Thats an easy one. Burn it where it is.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Thats an easy one. Burn it where it is.

What part of “No” don’t you understand.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

What part of “No” don’t you understand.

I don't understand why you felt it necessary to wrap the word no with quotation marks.

 

[MustangMike]

Start at the ends and take as much weight off the suspended part as possible. The less potential energy you are dealing with, the safer you are.

 

[echomeister]

some cherry scrounged , mostly to give the 590 a spring wake up.

 

[abbott295]

Dahmer, in the morning light, I can start to see your tree instead of mine. The butt end splintered off and is now wedged between its own stump and another tree, correct? And the top end is stuck in the ground out beyond a couple smaller trees, right?

Can you do something to pull or push the top end, (come-along, heavy equipment) to get pressure off of the bind? If that butt end drops to the ground, that would indicate the pressure is off. How easy this would be depends on how stuck in the ground it is. Cutting off whatever is holding it to the ground is an option also, especially if you can do it from farther away, pole saw maybe. There is always a good chance that it will pinch a saw because you are dealing with a combination of forces, the sideways bind, and gravity working in different directions.

Any time a tree has fallen against other trees, there could be branches or limbs that were broken hung up in trees and could fall anytime.

Another possibility could be to cut off the stump that the butt is wedged against. Maybe cut off what is above the down tree and then cut the rest of the stump below it. You know which way that would want to go (away from the down tree that is pushing on it). Notch it and approach the back cut carefully. Again, from farther away, pole saw, or big saw with a long bar so you are behind the down tree. Or maybe with an axe so you can hear any noise the stump or the tree makes as it starts to move.

And always, be careful, watch out for things above you also.

 

[Jakers]

Ok experts. Cherry came down on the hill behind the neighbors. Can’t get to it with the truck, if I can get it down and section it I can drag the sections with the quad. Question is, how to get it down safely. Diameter at wedged point is about 16”, length of tree is around 35’. Where it’s wedged is about 5’ high on up side of slope, over 6’ on downside. Its wedged, no light between either standing trunk and fallen trunk. My idea was to upcut trunk halfway to let it drop then pull wedged trunk sideways with quad to let it drop then finish bucking. It also brought down 3 nice 6”-8” oak limbs that go home too.

Id still start on the stuck in the ground end. If you're really concerned about stored energy, try hooking the quad to it on a long rope and seeing how stuck it really is. I'm guessing the quad, on the down hill side, will pull it free and most likely roll it off its propped up position. From my experience, that tree shouldn't have much if any stored energy being its broken on both ends. That is about all I can see from the pictures so maybe things look different in person. Seems pretty basic to me but I do this for a living. Even the pros can become a victim of complacency...

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Dahmer, in the morning light, I can start to see your tree instead of mine. The butt end splintered off and is now wedged between its own stump and another tree, correct? And the top end is stuck in the ground out beyond a couple smaller trees, right?

Can you do something to pull or push the top end, (come-along, heavy equipment) to get pressure off of the bind? If that butt end drops to the ground, that would indicate the pressure is off. How easy this would be depends on how stuck in the ground it is. Cutting off whatever is holding it to the ground is an option also, especially if you can do it from farther away, pole saw maybe. There is always a good chance that it will pinch a saw because you are dealing with a combination of forces, the sideways bind, and gravity working in different directions.

Any time a tree has fallen against other trees, there could be branches or limbs that were broken hung up in trees and could fall anytime.

Another possibility could be to cut off the stump that the butt is wedged against. Maybe cut off what is above the down tree and then cut the rest of the stump below it. You know which way that would want to go (away from the down tree that is pushing on it). Notch it and approach the back cut carefully. Again, from farther away, pole saw, or big saw with a long bar so you are behind the down tree. Or maybe with an axe so you can hear any noise the stump or the tree makes as it starts to move.

And always, be careful, watch out for things above you also.

My concern working on the large broken end is #1, it’s splintered, #2, it’s 5’-6’ off the ground plus that hillside, although hard to tell in pic, is 35*-40* slope, not easy to run if something goes wrong cutting at the 2 upright trunks.

Id still start on the stuck in the ground end. If you're really concerned about stored energy, try hooking the quad to it on a long rope and seeing how stuck it really is. I'm guessing the quad, on the down hill side, will pull it free and most likely roll it off its propped up position. From my experience, that tree shouldn't have much if any stored energy being its broken on both ends. That is about all I can see from the pictures so maybe things look different in person. Seems pretty basic to me but I do this for a living. Even the pros can become a victim of complacency...

You’re right about things looking different in person. I don’t think there is much stored energy either but would much rather err on the safe side, it’s less painful.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Finished up getting the trees out of that guys yard. 2 piles this size so a pretty good haul. Have to wait for the ground to dry before I can get truck and trailer in, felt like I was walking on marshmallows all day. My winterized fat azz is getting back in shape. Slowly.

 

[James Miller]

Moved the other half of my locust haul I got with Steve last year to the racks for this year. Noticeably light then when I brought it home. Should make good over night wood next winter.

 

[Saiso]

Jealous of you folks being able to scrounge! We got 25cm of snow yesterday and bad drifts today resulting more at certain areas. I might be snowed in tomorrow due to snow until the government plow/tractor comes.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Jealous of you folks being able to scrounge! We got 25cm of snow yesterday and bad drifts today resulting more at certain areas. I might be snowed in tomorrow due to snow until the government plow/tractor comes.

This time of year and that would suck.

 

[Saiso]

This time of year and that would suck.

Not to mention, the 3-4 ft of snow that was already in the woods.

 

[Be Stihl]

This whole wood scrounging thing is like a sickness, I can’t even drive down the road without searching for downed trees, branches, anything that will burn. I’ve even caught myself spotting future scrounges that have not fallen yet, I can only hope they fall every day.


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