A 32" dead elm + 372xp + 24" bar = smile (pics)

[Marc]

Well, this morning, my dad suggested because the weather was finally right, that we do some fire wood work. I had my eye on a big dead elm below my house that was in need of burning (trust me, I can tell these things).

I had acquired a 372xp this summer with a broken handle for $350. Great compression, not a lot of use, just needed some epoxy on the handle and it was fine. I took that to it with a 24" GB Pro Top and Carlton chain.

Unfortunately the only cameras handy were my dad's cell phone and mine. So the quality is not great.

This is me on the stump, obviously. I am wearing a white hardhat, if you're wondering where the top of my head is.

On the ground. It's bigger than it looks. The trunk will be ripped. I shudder at the thought of taking a maul and wedges to 32" elm.

This is the stump. I'm reasonably happy with it. I was only falling about 30 degrees off the natural lean, so, I had a couple wedges in just for insurance.

Closer view of the stump:

If you're wondering about that little splinter... after scribing the back cut I started by bore cutting each side behind the face to establish my hinge. Those matched up pretty well. I was surprised, but I acted like I wasn't at the time. I then swung in from the left (as you view the picture) and put in some wedges and had the corner on the opposite side of the lean holding the tree up (and the hinge). I back barred in from the back on the other side and I was so preoccupied watching overhead to make sure nothing was coming down on me, I didn't cut quite level, hence the little splinter.

Over all, I'm pretty happy with it. I should have made the hing a bit wider... it was 1.5" and probably, on a dead tree, should've been more like 2 - 2.5" but it went right where I wanted it, and I impressed my dad, so all was well I guess. I'll get better with some practice. This was the first tree I've had to fall that was bigger than my bar.

And this is what's burning the dry top right now. (The trunk will need some seasoning).

Hearthstone Heritage, in case anyone couldn't tell

 

[aquan8tor]

Nice job if you ask me. If it went where you want it and nobody got hurt, (or was endangered in the process), good work!

 

[Burvol]

Nice job. Looks like some good firewood for sure. You can always fall trees safer if you ditch those bore cuts. I have heard more talk of bore cuts than basic falling techniques. You can start your back cut (even with the shorter bar on 32" tree) and take it all the way around to where you want your holding wood to be on the far, downhill corner. You can stop there and cut the far side up by putting what you need of your bar in there to reach from the other side, or you can go and cut from the back, with your tip coming in from the side, establishing your hinge across, then back around to your corner. Much safer and easier than bore cuts. Nice job, just giving my 2 cents.

 

[forestryworks]

Nice job. Looks like some good firewood for sure. You can always fall trees safer if you ditch those bore cuts. I have heard more talk of bore cuts than basic falling techniques. You can start your back cut (even with the shorter bar on 32" tree) and take it all the way around to where you want your holding wood to be on the far, downhill corner. You can stop there and cut the far side up by putting what you need of your bar in there to reach from the other side, or you can go and cut from the back, with your tip coming in from the side, establishing your hinge across, then back around to your corner. Much safer and easier than bore cuts. Nice job, just giving my 2 cents.

i agree

nice work Marc, and thanks for the pic, that woodstove looks warm

 

[danrclem]

Here's to you and the 372.

 

[Marc]

Nice job if you ask me. If it went where you want it and nobody got hurt, (or was endangered in the process), good work!

Thanks, I was def. happy with the results. The tree scared me a little bit because it had been dead for so long, a lot of the bark was off near the top, so I took it real easy on the wedges.

Nice job. Looks like some good firewood for sure. You can always fall trees safer if you ditch those bore cuts. I have heard more talk of bore cuts than basic falling techniques. You can start your back cut (even with the shorter bar on 32" tree) and take it all the way around to where you want your holding wood to be on the far, downhill corner. You can stop there and cut the far side up by putting what you need of your bar in there to reach from the other side, or you can go and cut from the back, with your tip coming in from the side, establishing your hinge across, then back around to your corner. Much safer and easier than bore cuts. Nice job, just giving my 2 cents.

Thanks Burvol, your advice is definitely appreciated. One of the reasons I bore cut that far side is because I'm actually more comfortable doing that than back barring. I'll need some more time with a bar that long (yeah, east coast short bar wussy hear ) before I feel comfortable putting the tip in right along the holding wood.

I can't tell you how happy I am to have a pro tell me I did a nice job. I had some informal training from a Paul Smith's forestry program graduate who bore cuts most hardwoods he falls.

 

[Burvol]

I forget to say on hard side leaners, don't get fully committed to that far corner and have it sit on you! Keep your bar available to pull out if it starts getting tight and wedges too.

 

[pinemartin]

might need to tighten up your chain a bit in the last pic. Dead and dry elm is horrible on chains, good job on the work and have fun splitting..

 

[Mike Van]

Nice work Marc - I know what you mean about pics, they just aren't the same as being there. My 2 cents - Rent a splitter for a 1/2 day - I split tons of that dead elm when I was younger [by hand] They should make convicts do that, there'd be less crime.

 

[Marc]

might need to tighten up your chain a bit in the last pic. Dead and dry elm is horrible on chains, good job on the work and have fun splitting..

Heh, that chain was actually off the bar in that pic... I was actually in the middle of switching chains. The one I buck with is a little bit older... I like keeping one for felling that's razor sharp... especially since around here there's always the risk of finding barbed wire in the middle of a trunk.