Whatta mess!

Fell the next tree this morning. Knew it had a bit more brush the the previous ones but...

Prior to falling:




After:



The stump is next to that stem still staning about in the middle background.



Side to side that is about 30' across. Tree is 70-80ft long.

After three hours of cut/pile brush later. Those stubs are 8" and up:




I was soaked with sweat, rung out like a wet dishrag and so pooped I could barely walk. Didn't even pick up the last of the firewood size stuff I had on the ground. Those stubes are 8" and up. At least it is now about 90% brushed and piled and ready for some serious firewood cutting. Taking tomorrow off to work the wood pile some and recuperate.

I need to recalibrate my eyeballs. I had guessed that tree as smaller than the previous two who when 36". This one went 42"

true--but--when you cut one of those--lots of firewood!!!!!!!!! dont have to go all over the place to get wood!!!!!!

What kind of tree is it? I'm never good at tree identification, even when I'm standing next to it.

At least you've got the tedious work out of the way. Now its nothing but gravy.

Harry, What saw and bar are you using to make the trunk cuts on the willows?

It's all Willow - poor firewood but available in abundance in this area.

The falling (and larg bucking) saw is MS 310 with 25" bar and skip chain. Not a bad combo for soft wood. I use a 20" bar for most of the bucking.

Husky 51/18" for the brushing.

Planning to head back out in the morning if I get up early enough say about 6. Temps headed for 90s again and I want to be back before noon.

Harry K

Made good progress today and back by 11 with another overfull load.



That log looks bigger everytime I look at it! Still have a bit of brushing to do but have to get a good part of the tree off my brush pile (just to the right of the picture.

I have cut entire, good sized trees that weren't as big as the limbs on this sucker. Where the bigger saw is is still on the first major limb. The main trunk starts back there at the busted up spot. About 20ft of clear log past that.

Harry K

I was lucky enough to get 2 black willow trees this year

I like willow and poplar for fall and spring fires first thing in the morning and late night where hardwood is too hot and last too long. soft hardwood is good stuff

More progress today and another full load. Got the big limbs cut back and all of the brush out of the farmers field (finally).



The stubs are all right around 20" except for the far right one which is a bit smaller. Still cutting "limbs". I was wrong about whee the main trunk is. It is still about 10' down from where I quit cutting - has 2 stems diverging so the log takes a sudden increase just below the join - guess it to be about 26" at tht point.

This is a 'fun' buckign job. Except for a very few cuts, all the branches have been suspended lear of the ground. The one in the middle though is sunk about 4" in the ground. Will cut back leaving the bottom uncut until I find a gap and then use the PU to roll the log out of the indentation.

Two full loads so far and there will be 2 more plus. This isn't the biggest around I have worked but it has by far the most wood in it. Fun times coming as all that is left is straight cut/load...well, I do have a bit a brush left to pile but that won't take 10 minutes.

The big brush pile, there is another much small one: Picture doesn't do it justice, about 10' high and 15' around.



Harry K

Glad to see your enjoying yourself and don't mean to sound
irritating but that is one eight hour day for me! Or three hours
using my grapple just my observation ! I cut a fifty seven in oak
Saturday took nine hours but forgot camera! I am assuming
you are working a little at a time or something

ropensaddle said:

Glad to see your enjoying yourself and don't mean to sound
irritating but that is one eight hour day for me! Or three hours
using my grapple just my observation ! I cut a fifty seven in oak
Saturday took nine hours but forgot camera! I am assuming
you are working a little at a time or something

Click to expand...

Yes, but doesn't Turnkey have a few years on you?

The willows sure have alot of limbs/branches that are unusable.
Looks like your doing the cutting, cleanup, dragging and loading by yourself. Lots of work for sure. Keep safe. Nice job Harry.

myzamboni said:

Yes, but doesn't Turnkey have a few years on you?

Click to expand...

I am not sure, good point he very well may I am only 45 but feel like
60 some days as tree work is funny work some days it makes you and
others it breaks you! I just kept seeing all the days used on this one
tree and could not grasp it. I figured he was taking stabs at it or something
and hoped he had not spent whole days on it!

ropensaddle said:

I am not sure, good point he very well may I am only 45 but feel like
60 some days as tree work is funny work some days it makes you and
others it breaks you! I just kept seeing all the days used on this one
tree and could not grasp it. I figured he was taking stabs at it or something
and hoped he had not spent whole days on it!

Click to expand...

LOL....He's 73.

Just imagine how old Turnkey feels after tree work.

b1rdman said:

LOL....He's 73.

Just imagine how old Turnkey feels after tree work.

Click to expand...

My, my, my turnkey I apologize I was definately misunderstanding
your situation and hope I will be able to handle that at that age

ropensaddle said:

My, my, my turnkey I apologize I was definately misunderstanding
your situation and hope I will be able to handle that at that age

Click to expand...

And he has been doing this in the 90+ deg. weather, and brush piling, and unloading and splitting (some).

I wish I felt that "young" some days.

Those trees are keeping turnkey 73 years young. I admire your work ethic turnkey and may you have many years of cutting and splitting ahead of you.

Danny

danrclem said:

Those trees are keeping turnkey 73 years young. I admire your work ethic turnkey and may you have many years of cutting and splitting ahead of you.

Danny

Click to expand...

+1
Well said.

ropensaddle said:

My, my, my turnkey I apologize I was definately misunderstanding
your situation and hope I will be able to handle that at that age

Click to expand...

I'm just hoping I have still have control over bodily functions at that age.

Turnkey, you are an inspiration. Keep on buckin'!

Work periods are getting kinda short these years. I am usually good to go balls to the wall for about 3 - 3 1/2 hours and then it is like hitting brick wall.

The slow progress cutting that tree though (after the brush was gone) is a function of:

1. Hauling with a 1/2 ton PU. Even overloaded as I do doesn't get a lot of log out.

2. Locationof the wood. Make a load and then cut rounds for the next load and they won't be there when I go back. Already lost 1 whole standing tree several years ago overnight. He was a nice guy though - he left all the brush for me to clean up. I learned years ago that if I need to leave wood lay, make sure that anyone with sticky fingers will have to do some serious work to get it.

Still whimping out on the splitting. Using the Hydrualic to keep the unsplit pile down to a reasonable size. When I finish this tree it will be a 'down time' - need to wait until after harvest as that huge mutha wants to go partly into his crop. Will use the down time on the maul and wedges.

You-all get bored with the progress reports, just say so. I tend to get diarhea of the keyboard.

Harry K

Bring it on Harry. Its good to hear your progress.