Update. 10.5+ cords outa 1 tree and counting

Still at the big ol cottonwood, had the 090 and the 660 runnin hard today. we are down to just the last 9 feet of the trunk, however it is over 7' across by 4.5' across. We about had a wreck when the 16" slab came off, kinda dinged my buddy on the shoulder, he is over 6', that could have been bad, but we are good to go. I am at an honest 10.5 cords maybe more, and have maybe 2.5 to go, including the stump and one little branch to cut up, it is only 30-35" across and about 18' long. We should be done in about 5 more hours, whenever the next time we can get out there. I know, I know where are the pix. I have a few but am not smart enough to get them posted.

Man

That's sounds like one hell of a cottonwood" You will need it, that stuff burns fast" I cant say anything about posting pics, I don't know how to post them on a thread myself. :msp_thumbup:

Sounds like quite the tree. Some of them big ones just aren't any fn after they hit the ground, but they sure can put out a lot of firewood.


:msp_thumbup:

needwood said:

That's sounds like one hell of a cottonwood" You will need it, that stuff burns fast" I cant say anything about posting pics, I don't know how to post them on a thread myself. :msp_thumbup:

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Cottonwood is "the good stuff" where he's at.

There is a thread around here somewhere with pics. He isn't stretching it any, the tree is a behemoth.

Tnaks guys! He is right, this is the good stuff here!! Kinda makes feel like a kid when we get one of these! I have been cutting russian olive for the last 3 weeks, good wood, but holy crap it tears up a guy! I hafta get the cottonwood done pretty soon as it is in a fiels that will be farmed. It is clear of the field, but I need to get it done, just because I said I would. We were talking last night, my buddy thinks there is more than 2.5 left, he is thinking 3.5. Time and effort will tell. I forgot about the standing part of the trunk, it is about 8' tall and about 8' across, it has some rot through about 25%. There is prally a cord in the stump pretty easy!
Huh just noticed.... This is my 500 th post!!!!

pics please!!!!!!!! or its a lie and your f.o.s

here it is from his last thread...

TMFARM 2009 said:

here it is from his last thread...

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Many thanks for digging up the pic!! All that is left is the trunk that is standing and about 2/3 of the big part, from the break back, the hardest part is over!! Just for a point of reference, the guy under it is about 6'. This pic shows the narrow way across the tree, it is right at 7' the wide way. I was a bit tricky to get it off of the stump, nothing that a couple of chains and the ol cummins couldnt handle. That trailer is 5'x10'x4'h, I count that as 1 cord thrown in. I need to measure the pile at my house, but it is roughly 5'h, x 30'l x 10'w, that is a lotta tree my friends!!

CountryBoy19 said:

Cottonwood is "the good stuff" where he's at.

There is a thread around here somewhere with pics. He isn't stretching it any, the tree is a behemoth.

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I wasn't dogging cottonwood,just saying it burns fast" I burn some every year and still have about a ric stacked out front. I like to use it to get thing rolling after the kindling gets going. And I know they get big""" My neighbor has one bout to go and if it dose it will take out his house,garage,and my brothers house. He said if he ever gets it cut down, I can have all the wood. Ill be happy to take it" :msp_wink:

hey no problem... just realized how to post up a pic when i found that for ya... i have been computer illiterate too.

Nice, Those huge trees are a challenge to cut up. It should keep you warm next winter.

They are kinda like eating an elephant, just one bite at a time, you are right, sometimes can be a real challenge, but having an 090 and a 660 sure helps!!

I finally got back out there to the tree. We took another 1.5 cords out of it, so that puts the total at 12 full cords. I believe that there is at least 1.5 left in the ol girl, as the "little" branch that fell off the back side is a bit larger than it seemed.... Maybe this weekedn I can wrap this up. Unless I want to cut the stump off too!!

Do you westerners peel the bark off cottonwood before you burn it? I'm currently burning some cottonwood that was cut in July. After it had been cut a couple months I moved it under roof-----it seemed like the bark didn't let moisture escape so I peeled off the bark. The bark comes off in huge hunks and is soaking wet. Only reason I'm burning it is it was close by and free plus I've got an OWB. Hard to believe that's your GOOD WOOD, around here lots of people don't even like soft maple, personally I burn just about anything.

atlarge54 said:

Do you westerners peel the bark off cottonwood before you burn it? I'm currently burning some cottonwood that was cut in July. After it had been cut a couple months I moved it under roof-----it seemed like the bark didn't let moisture escape so I peeled off the bark. The bark comes off in huge hunks and is soaking wet. Only reason I'm burning it is it was close by and free plus I've got an OWB. Hard to believe that's your GOOD WOOD, around here lots of people don't even like soft maple, personally I burn just about anything.

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Yep, out in the 'wide open, open' any tree is a treasure. The 'good' stuff is fir and hard to come by.

Harry K

monster!

that looks like fun

around here... it would be skipped over. We got enough pines, but when there is nothing around... you burn what you can find.

There used to be monsters like that where I lived in MT. You could always see where the old homesteads were because the trees would be planted in squares or rectangles. It must take a long time to dull up a chain on that wood.

Do you westerners peel the bark off cottonwood before you burn it? I'm currently burning some cottonwood that was cut in July. After it had been cut a couple months I moved it under roof-----it seemed like the bark didn't let moisture escape so I peeled off the bark. The bark comes off in huge hunks and is soaking wet. Only reason I'm burning it is it was close by and free plus I've got an OWB. Hard to believe that's your GOOD WOOD, around here lots of people don't even like soft maple, personally I burn just about anything.

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Dunno where the OP is, but this is Cody, WY. Not enough trees to be picky out there.


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Yes we peel the bark off as soon as it will let go. One thing to keep in mind too about cottonwood is that is does not rot away out here like it does in other places as it does not rain here very often {maybe 8 -10 inches of precip per year) and the humidity is very low. The trunk wood of the big ones is actually quite dense compared to the upper parts and smaller limbs. I have about 3 more of the giants waiting for me!!

Even here in the midwest I'd tell anyone with an OWB not to be too quick about not using cottonwood. I'm kind of impressed with what I've been burning. I realize the weather has been pretty mild but the wood I was hoping to have used up by the end of Dec. might take until the end of Jan. If you've got easy access and leave it in large pieces it seems to work pretty good. I'm surprised that the weight of the wood is as high as it is. Removing the bark seems to be a critical part of seasoning. I've got a fair sized one which I might drop soon and buck up then in the spring remove the bark and split or noodle.

1project2many said:

There used to be monsters like that where I lived in MT. You could always see where the old homesteads were because the trees would be planted in squares or rectangles. It must take a long time to dull up a chain on that wood.



Dunno where the OP is, but this is Cody, WY. Not enough trees to be picky out there.

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just think...at one time america was just trees coast to coast.