Moved from Logging

[Steve NW WI]

Figured this would fit right in here. I was out on a woods tour today, just looking to see what needs to be on the firewood menu. I came across a birch snag that was just screaming "dump me before I tip myself over", so off to the truck I went and back with the 5100.

I figured it's as good a time as any to try the bore/release method on it, what with about a 20° head lean. The top was long gone, and I had serious doubts that any of it was real solid. Probably not the best practice tree, but there was plenty of room to get out of the way, and not much it'd destroy if things went haywire.

I put the bore cut in first and sighted to where I wanted it, then matched the notch to it. I did it this way because I don't bore much, and figured if I was off a little, it'd be easier to fix before the notch was set.

Bored and notched:

I went back into the bore and finished the back cut, which caused "loud noises". The hinge, being half punky, mostly broke off, but did it's job. (Alright, the tree went where it wanted, but it WAS the same place I aimed...) When the rotten little SOB landed in the fork between two ironwoods, it broke into about a half dozen pieces.

Stump shot (after I'd cut a block off the stump - I'm a firewooder - cut em high and take one more off below is my motto). You can see that I probably should have made the notch just a bit deeper, and that I cut a bit of the holding wood on the top corner when I started the back cut. Nothing to write home about, but we're learning, right?

Here's what was left afterward. The one I cut was the left side of the stump, the right side was already gone save for a couple blocks I cut off it. I ain't sure it was worth the gas to cut it, firewood wise, but it was experience. There's probably a half dozen blocks at most that'll be worth bringing home in there is my guess.

I gotta go drink a couple beers, eat some walleye, and see my friends' parents off to their retirement home, they done went snowbird on us and bought a place down in FL.

 

[Trx250r180]

I have an alder along my road ,that's mostly dead i eyeball every day to and from work ,is on neighbors property so i may ask them if want me to take care of it for them ,just waiting for a good wind potentially hitting someone or their car .its about 20 inches across at the bottom ,this bore may work good if center is hollow ,i will check it with a bore anyways see how solid it is ,if not rotten may do a coos cut ,i have had good luck with these ,these alders like to chair easy when leaning some

 

[FLHX Storm]

.

That's not too bad for your first time! To me it seems a little heavy on the hinge and a bit high for the back cut in relation to the notch, but considering the circumstances, I'd say it turned out near perfect.

Of course experience is the best teacher and the more you do it, the better you will become. At least that is how it's supposed to work.

Personally I've found it easier to make the notch first, make any adjustments to the notch if necessary, then start the bore cut a little back n bring it up to where it needs to be. Then finish the bore going to the back leaving a bit so that I can double check everything and to make sure no one has entered the target area. Then hit the trigger (the wood still holding the tree in place) to release the tree.

But what do I know! After all, I'm so green people think I'm a :alien2: :msp_w00t: