Do you guys normally cut trees down or try to find trees on the ground? The reason I ask is my grandpa has 15 acres (owned it for 40+ years) that has never been cut. I'm going to use this property to get my firewood from here on out. The only trees I see laying are mostly pine. If you cut your trees down, what do you look for to take one tree over another? Any pros or cons on either? Thanks for your help.
Question about cutting trees for firewood.
- Thread starter creaid
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I cut all blowdowns, hangups, and standing dead. The main thing to look for in blowdowns is moisture. No matter how dry a blowdown seems, it will not burn like a good standing dead tree. Hangups and standing dead are typically so dry that they are very good to burn.
All my heating comes from this type of wood. I have so much of it to cut that it is not worth cutting down healthy trees. The only drawback I have found is that I get a little extra ash from burning lower quality wood at times.
Happy hunting!:chainsawguy:
All my heating comes from this type of wood. I have so much of it to cut that it is not worth cutting down healthy trees. The only drawback I have found is that I get a little extra ash from burning lower quality wood at times.
Happy hunting!:chainsawguy:
Think about it like you are managing a crop field or garden. you need to thin it so everything grows equally. Look for clusters of trees that are really close to each other. Cut down the smaller and least ideal trees. Keep the straight and healthy trees. Also cut down the leaners and sick trees.
huckaberry3
ArboristSite Member
whenever I cut on property other than my own I take a few items into consideration.
1st. Can the land owner sell the tree for a log? (there are plenty of non log quality trees for cutting. If it is straight and hardwood over 8 ft long do not touch it without their direct permission.)
2nd. Will it negatively impact the area by removing it? ( for instance will it crush other trees)
3rd. How much area will I screw up trying to get it out? (Even family gets upset when you rut up and screw up there favorite wooded area.)
4th. Will the value of cutting the tree be worth the hassle of falling it myself?
Most of the time I try to wind dead-falls. I am always finding good quality trees that nature has culled out for firewood that I usually can hook a couple of chains to and pull out.
Good luck cutting I wish that I had the fortune of other family members owning a wood Mecca.
huck
1st. Can the land owner sell the tree for a log? (there are plenty of non log quality trees for cutting. If it is straight and hardwood over 8 ft long do not touch it without their direct permission.)
2nd. Will it negatively impact the area by removing it? ( for instance will it crush other trees)
3rd. How much area will I screw up trying to get it out? (Even family gets upset when you rut up and screw up there favorite wooded area.)
4th. Will the value of cutting the tree be worth the hassle of falling it myself?
Most of the time I try to wind dead-falls. I am always finding good quality trees that nature has culled out for firewood that I usually can hook a couple of chains to and pull out.
Good luck cutting I wish that I had the fortune of other family members owning a wood Mecca.
huck
timbrjackrussel
ArboristSite Guru
Woodlot Management
Try a search for Woodlot Management and check to see if there is a local Woodlot Association near to you. Your state may have forest managers to help you. Fallen and dead standing may be OK but a forest manager will help you understand trees that never will be marketable and only take away from the better ones.
Try a search for Woodlot Management and check to see if there is a local Woodlot Association near to you. Your state may have forest managers to help you. Fallen and dead standing may be OK but a forest manager will help you understand trees that never will be marketable and only take away from the better ones.
iCreek
ArboristSite Guru
Dead Fallen and then Dead Standing
We have alot of acres so we try to cut what has fallen and mark the dead standing with spray paint, a dead standing can last so much longer not on the ground. We can't seem to get ahead of the fallen trees, try to get them before they rot, but sometimes don't so we have to skip them if they are to far gone. We also look for Dead Standing and drop them the same day we log out, or cut there and haul out. We just finished up cutting and splitting some 2 - 3 year old logs on a pile, kind of got behind... The bottom ones were looking kind of bad and we only have about 6 - 8 left to cut and split.. The nice thing is next years pile is growing every weekend, pic taken Saturday.
You can see on the right side we only have a few more logs left on this pile.
We have alot of acres so we try to cut what has fallen and mark the dead standing with spray paint, a dead standing can last so much longer not on the ground. We can't seem to get ahead of the fallen trees, try to get them before they rot, but sometimes don't so we have to skip them if they are to far gone. We also look for Dead Standing and drop them the same day we log out, or cut there and haul out. We just finished up cutting and splitting some 2 - 3 year old logs on a pile, kind of got behind... The bottom ones were looking kind of bad and we only have about 6 - 8 left to cut and split.. The nice thing is next years pile is growing every weekend, pic taken Saturday.
You can see on the right side we only have a few more logs left on this pile.
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HUSKYMAN
Addicted to ArboristSite
Be careful when cutting standing or leaning deadwood, its very unpredictable
58hydraglide
ArboristSite Operative
+1
Creaid,
Definitely thinout the standing dead, blowdowns hangups first, then be selective with the removal of the good healthy hardwoods. One word of caution though, I don't know you or you're experience or capabilities so don't take any offense, but be very careful in removing/falling standing dead, hangups, leaners etc. they can be VERY dangerous. If you've never done that type of work, enlist the help of an experienced tree feller to help you with the more precarious situations. I have a fair amount of experience at felling and clearing timber and I love getting out in the woods , including lot clearing for new construction, but I am far from the most experienced and just when you think you've seen it all you will get an education right quick!
It's nice to have you here and we'd all like to hear from you in the future. So be careful, have fun and keep us posted! BTW there are a lot of good posts here on felling, bucking etc and I'm sure you'll find some good advice/help locally, Lot of good folks on here.
Mike
I avoid felling trees if I can. Too dangerous!
A dead limb up in the tree can fall on your head. Some trees can be rotten in the center and while cutting, the tree can split and hit you, etc, etc....
Might want to get the following...
Book: "Professional Timber Falling" By Douglas Dent
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=17309&catID=47
Stihl DVD: "Chain Saw Safety, Operation & Maintenance"...
http://www.stihlusa.com/information/info_lit_video.html
A dead limb up in the tree can fall on your head. Some trees can be rotten in the center and while cutting, the tree can split and hit you, etc, etc....
Might want to get the following...
Book: "Professional Timber Falling" By Douglas Dent
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=17309&catID=47
Stihl DVD: "Chain Saw Safety, Operation & Maintenance"...
http://www.stihlusa.com/information/info_lit_video.html
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Ken05
ArboristSite Member
Good idea - I just ordered the one from Baileys. Might learn a thing or two. Thanks.
JBinKC
ArboristSite Operative
Thats about all I have been using. All is fair game but I would avoid keeping the wood if it gets a stippled texture through the whole log when cut. Even if you are able to keep it totally dry that wood would be very finicky to burn efficiently.
In general try to find the fallen tree/branches that is not in direct contact with the ground unless there is evidence the tree fell recently i.e intact leaves (Those trees/limbs I would take all of that).
Certain species tend to last longer before it deteriorates like red/black oak, locust, hedge and hickory.
The drawback is the wood is not necessarily clean and a bit messier to handle, burns a bit more ashy (I have to empty a a more than full ashpan daily in a Jotul Castine) and the wood is likely to already contain wood boring insects but they seem content staying in the woodpile.
One good thing about it is the short time it takes the wood to season unless it has been a recent fall.
In general try to find the fallen tree/branches that is not in direct contact with the ground unless there is evidence the tree fell recently i.e intact leaves (Those trees/limbs I would take all of that).
Certain species tend to last longer before it deteriorates like red/black oak, locust, hedge and hickory.
The drawback is the wood is not necessarily clean and a bit messier to handle, burns a bit more ashy (I have to empty a a more than full ashpan daily in a Jotul Castine) and the wood is likely to already contain wood boring insects but they seem content staying in the woodpile.
One good thing about it is the short time it takes the wood to season unless it has been a recent fall.
doubletodd
ArboristSite Operative
10-4 cut deadwood and look to improve property. your nice trees grow better when not crowded.even a small lot can keep you busy just cleaning up.be safe and have fun.
chainsawaddict
ArboristSite Guru
I drop most my trees out of shelter belts. Unfortunately my main source of wood is chinese elm, so it is either rotten on the ground, or half dead in the air. Dropping half dead trees in tree rows is risky business and I used one of my "escape routes" just this afternoon. I just got a permit from the forest service so I have four cords to go cut from their slash piles. That is a lot more stress free.
My goal is to cut 50 cords this summer though, so my time there will be short lived.:censored:
My goal is to cut 50 cords this summer though, so my time there will be short lived.:censored:I have some "clusters" where 3-4-5 large (10-16") stems are either growing from the same base or the bases have grown together. I know thinning is good but will the cut base eventually kill off the remaining tree?
I know that ideally they should have been thinned 30 years ago, but I wasn't here then.
Husky137
Addicted to ArboristSite
30 years ago, more than likely, a single tree was cut in that spot and the resulting 4-5 tree clusters are the result of suckers growing drom the stump.
Clusters like that are prime for firewood as they almost never produce high grade sawlogs. I would cut the entire cluster and let it sucker out again.
johnha
ArboristSite Guru
goatchin
ArboristSite Operative
In our recently logged 8 acre wood lot (fall of '06), im still cleaning up the cull logs and sizeable tops for firewood. so far i have taken 14 cord out on my free time from the farm and school...i figure i still got bout another 20 left. Just shows that there are lots of firewood there just from tops and cull trees in a small area.
once ya got the ground cleaned up of quality/efficnet wood, then i'd worry bout the standing trees...then take everybody elses advice.
my .02
once ya got the ground cleaned up of quality/efficnet wood, then i'd worry bout the standing trees...then take everybody elses advice.
my .02
hydro2
ArboristSite Operative
I cut mostly stuff that is dead either standing or on the ground. Once in awhile I will cut one if it is leaning or scraggly looking I try not to cut healthy trees and I have plenty I could cut. For some reasong I just don't like doing it. It would be much easier at times than trying to get to the dead ones.
eugene kirkvold
ArboristSite Lurker
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one word of advice from an experienced logger when I fell a tree I hardly ever use a wedge.Why because I flat cut them and have more control over derection
of fall. when you flat cut you only go about 1 inch obove higher on the back cut than the front cut. if you leave a hinge on the right side the tree will fall to the left and vice a versa. Felling tree is dangerous work even for an experienced person like me be carefull out there and falling trees is no place to be in a hurry im 65 now and don't like to do any more than I have to because I cant move away as fast as I used to but have falled thousands of trees in the past did I ever get hurt yes I did and was layed up for 3 wks as I was felling a tree and a suddon gust of wind came up unexpectedly and pushed the tree into a croch of an other tree the butt of the tree I was felling came off the ground and caught me under my belly and rode the but of that tree 20 feet backwards luckily there were no trees behind me or would have been crushed It didn't break any bones but I screwed up my knee and it still bothers me today 24 yrs later so be carefull out there and if you deside to use my way of felling do some small trees first until you get the hang of it and catch on and I assume no responsibility for my advice you do it at your own risk this method has worked for me for yrs but dont continue if you are uncomfortable with it.Every one has their own way of doing things so do whats best for you. have a nice day God bless happy felling.
of fall. when you flat cut you only go about 1 inch obove higher on the back cut than the front cut. if you leave a hinge on the right side the tree will fall to the left and vice a versa. Felling tree is dangerous work even for an experienced person like me be carefull out there and falling trees is no place to be in a hurry im 65 now and don't like to do any more than I have to because I cant move away as fast as I used to but have falled thousands of trees in the past did I ever get hurt yes I did and was layed up for 3 wks as I was felling a tree and a suddon gust of wind came up unexpectedly and pushed the tree into a croch of an other tree the butt of the tree I was felling came off the ground and caught me under my belly and rode the but of that tree 20 feet backwards luckily there were no trees behind me or would have been crushed It didn't break any bones but I screwed up my knee and it still bothers me today 24 yrs later so be carefull out there and if you deside to use my way of felling do some small trees first until you get the hang of it and catch on and I assume no responsibility for my advice you do it at your own risk this method has worked for me for yrs but dont continue if you are uncomfortable with it.Every one has their own way of doing things so do whats best for you. have a nice day God bless happy felling.
eugene kirkvold
ArboristSite Lurker
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one thing I forgot to mension this method works good felling ash trees they are less apt to barber chair also on the front cut go a little over half way into the tree unless its leaning bad then go with the back cut and stay out of the way of a possible barber chair that way if it happens you are out of the way usualy it will barber chair the opposite direction of fall keep this in mind and don't fell trees when its windy its very dangerous because you a lot less control of felling .I don't fell trees in a wind stronger than 15 mi per hr I go find something else to do be safe why take chance you only have one life on this earth.
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