More wood...

[Fred Wright]

The temp really warmed up, it was around 60 and sunny today. Was a chilly 35 when I got up this morning. Rekindled the fire like usual. The SheWolf let it go out later today, didn't need it.

Yeah tell me about it... that's unusual for her.

Took advantage of the lovely weather to load the maple out. I got smart and followed yas advice this time... didn't grunt lift them big, heavy rounds into the cart. Took the saw, maul and a splitting wedge with me and busted 'em into quarters and halves right where they were. They're a lot easier to lift this way.

Took the saw and wedge along in case I needed to noodle 'em but they parted easily with a few swats of this 8# maul. It's soft maple, no knots. The tree didn't yield as much wood as I'd thought it might. But that's OK... there's plenty more out there. And I have the time and equipment to get it done. The little black tractor hauls it out easily. It will pull.

Retrieved a few odd rounds I'd left out on the prairie last year. One is the barbwire-infested piece. The wire should come out of it when it's split. If not, it'll burn out in the stove.

I'm eyeballing a nice tall, straight red oak ~ that's next on the agenda. I'll have to drop a couple of smaller trees that are in the way before I can fell the oak. But that's a project for another day.

 

[Ironworker]

Nice, when are you gonna split all them rounds.

 

[morewood]

I said it before and I'll say it again....I love how you have it all organized and a flat place to do the work. I do smile whenever I see a lawn tractor pulling something, it reminds me of a drunk who can't get a license:biggrin: I know it pulls it fine, just humors me. It must be nice to have some time to choose when you split and when you don't. Good luck with it and be safe.

Shea

 

[MGoBlue]

I do smile whenever I see a lawn tractor pulling something

Where is this lawn mower you speak of? :hmm3grin2orange: I see no deck, it has no blades...I see big fat ag tires w/ weights. Just the recipe for pullin!

 

[zogger]

I said it before and I'll say it again....I love how you have it all organized and a flat place to do the work. I do smile whenever I see a lawn tractor pulling something, it reminds me of a drunk who can't get a license:biggrin: I know it pulls it fine, just humors me. It must be nice to have some time to choose when you split and when you don't. Good luck with it and be safe.

Shea

Them little yard and garden buggies will pull! I chained home (up the private dirt road here) my dead fullsize hitop chevy camper van right down the street with my 10 horse gasser wheelhorse. with what junk was in the camper, (a bunch, was using it for storage and tools at the time) over 7,000 lbs!

 

[Mac88]

WTG, Fred. A-1 as always. :msp_thumbup:

 

[haveawoody]

I always love the look of fresh cut sugar maple.
IMO sugar maple is one of the nicest burning woods, one of the very few dence hardwoods that is easy to start a fire with.
Nice work Fred.

The piece of Oak with it's own fence sure looked like a bad day waiting to happen, glad you noticed it while cutting.

 

[Fred Wright]

Hey thanks, guys.

The splitting is coming soon. I prefer to get a season's worth of blocks out and stacked in the yard before I pull out the splitter.

Yep, the old Murray GTs are pretty tough. She'll pull a cartload of firewood out of the woods easy. I've turned those Ag meat tires a time or three dragging small logs, it never slows. Not bad for a junker I got free. Did a little fixing and added the lug tires and weights. My brother gave it to me and I've been sending photos his way. He said the guy who gave it to him wants it back now.

Well, the last of the tree felling is done for this year. It was 65 out today and I couldn't let the nice weather get away without at least doing a little wood cutting. So I sharpened the saw chain and decided to drop that red oak. Had to cut some smaller trees out of the way first.

With a clear path it fell where I aimed it. It did take out a maple sapling, 3" diameter. Pushed the root ball out of the ground and laid the sapling across the trail. Had to cut that one up, too.

There isn't a lot of wood in the smaller trees but it'll help. It all burns. Yup, the oak is still green. Alll the other trees are pretty much bare but these willow oaks are still clinging to summer.

The top fell across my entrance to the woods, I kinda figured it might. I hadn't planned on trimming brush but I wanted the path open. So I lopped off enough to get the tractor through. Will get the rest cut up later.

Once this wood is loaded to the yard, I'll roll the Ramsplitter out and start busting and stacking. I'm thinking there's maybe more wood here than we'll burn in a season but it'll keep.

Will probably get started bucking next weekend. I plan to cut another round from the stump as well. That one round is enough wood to last a day. Waste not, want not as CT Yank says.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Nice work and pics, Fred. I like to high stump when I'm tipping em over and then cut another block or two off afterwards as well. I try not to leave em sticking up where they'll catch stuff later. Few things worse than hitting a stump with an atv while you're looking up at future firewood. That day sucked a bit.

 

[Mac88]

Ouch!!!

 

[rwoods]

Fred, I noticed your Husqvarna Felling Lever. While I can't see myself ever using this to fall a tree, I was thinking yesterday as I was cutting various size wood wedges to separate some 3' plus red oak rounds that this might come in handy to pry big rounds apart. What do you use yours for? And has it justified to you its $70 price? Thanks, Ron

 

[ShaneLogs]

Awesome pictures there Fred, I see that the ol' Murray is still chugging along Looks like you got some productive days in. I spent the whole day today doing carpentry work. How boring is that! LOL

 

[Fred Wright]

Husky felling lever

Fred, I noticed your Husqvarna Felling Lever. While I can't see myself ever using this to fall a tree, I was thinking yesterday as I was cutting various size wood wedges to separate some 3' plus red oak rounds that this might come in handy to pry big rounds apart. What do you use yours for? And has it justified to you its $70 price? Thanks, Ron

Greets, Ron and thanks.

The little felling lever is no good for felling. I tried it... had the face and back cuts done in a 16" gum and inserted this thing into the kerf. Pried down on it with all my 200+ weight. No soap. I had to get my felling wedges and the maul. It's too short for felling larger trees.

It makes for a good cant hook if your logs aren't more than 12" or so in diameter. Larger than that and the hook won't get a bite. It just skids over the bark. I've been using it to turn smaller logs so I could finish bucking cuts on the ground. It's good for that.

It was sold as a Husky but carries the Fiskars stamp on the handle. In my opinion it was a waste of money. I'd much prefer a larger, longer cant hook but haven't been able to find one available in the U.S. online.

Shane, if yer bored, come on over. I've got 3 cord of rounds that ain't split yet. We'll supply the coffee and donuts.

 

[Mac88]

How long a cant hook are you looking for, Fred?

 

[rwoods]

Thanks. I see the Husqvarna Felling Lever everytime I go through the Bailey's catalog but I couldn't see a felling use for it nor any use for the cant hook feature but yesterday as I was trying to pry some big rounds apart, I remembered it and thought it might be good for that. When I saw your had one I figured I could count on getting the straight scoop. Thanks again, Ron

 

[ShaneLogs]

Kind of far for a one day road trip to Deleware and back to Maine in the same day, LOL. Sounds like a good time, Coffee and Donuts! It's a party!


Fred, Stihl make a very nice can't hook if you are interested in one. Give it a look at.

 

[Fred Wright]

Ron, it's my pleasure. Hopefully I've saved you some money.

How long a cant hook are you looking for, Fred?

Well, to be honest I'm not sure, Mac. I'd love a cant hook with at least a four foot handle and a longer hook so I can turn these larger logs over when I'm bucking. This pipsqueak I have doesn't do it.

Thoughts?

 

[Mac88]

Google Peavey Mfg.

 

[ShaneLogs]

Google Peavey Mfg.

There great! There made about 45 minutes from me and they have a long line of logging history behind them.

 

[PEKS]

Great little Hauler'..
Looked like one log was out-of-line in your stack, it wasn't..